Grand Strategy 2

The **Grand Strategy 2** campaign took place across the Aeldrum cosmos starting in 530 A.U. and concerned great power politics and interplanetary grand strategy. It followed roughly 70 years after the conclusion of the first Grand Strategy campaign.

## Background

* Video Recording of 9-25-22 Lore Session
* Video Recording of 11-13-22 Faction/Character Intros

### Cosmography

An interactive contemporary map of the cosmos can be found here.

## Characters

### Player Characters

#### Primary Characters

A primary player characters is the main character of a given player (as opposed to their agents, officers, or allies) and is generally a leader or central figure in the player's faction.

A player may play as multiple primary characters over the course of a Grand Strategy campaign, but usually only one at a time.

#### Secondary Characters

Secondary player characters include agents, officers, and other player-controlled supporting characters.

## Summary

### Year 530

***A Grand Celestial Empire? Galorius Declares Himself Emperor***

**International News:**

* "Galorious the Self-Crowned" *Self-Styled Emperor Comes from Old and Powerful Lineage Dating to Margravate of Tarim: Deep Pockets and Family Connections Believed to Have Smoothed Galorious's Takeover of Celestial Council, with Particular Support of Admiralty and Diplomatic Corps.*
	+ "Does a Crown Mean Centralization?" *Worried Anticipation from Celestial Grandees That Galorious May Intend to Consolidate Power At Expense of Local Autonomy – Public Organized Resistance Has Not Yet Materialized*
	+ "Should the Diet Convene?" *Debates Among Grandees as to Whether Celestial Diet Should Officially Convene to Debate and Vote on Galorious's Coup.*
		- *Pro-Confederates Articulate Dilemma* "If the Diet meets, it can be co-opted, but if it stays silent too long without any other resistance to Galorious, it will disempower itself."
		- *Imperialists Face Alternate Dilemma…* "Should an Emperor Even Seek the Approval of a Diet?"
	+ "Confederate Loyalists" *Loud Protests from Academics and Jurists at Galorious"s Accession; Chaos in Diplomatic Corps Blamed on Recalcitrant Intelligence Agencies that Oppose Galorious as Emperor*
* "There is No Emperor in Celestial Space" *Middle Kingdom, Aksai Chin Reject Legitimacy of Galorious and Refuse Diplomatic Materials with any Reference to Grand Celestial Empire*
* "Gathering Storm, or a Cosmic Shrug?" *Apparently Muted Response from Imperial Powers to Self-Declared Emperor of "Grand Celestial Empire" Has Protestors and Supporters in Disquieted Limbo*
	+ "The Longer the Great Powers Delay, the More Galorius Consolidates!" *Celestial Academics Write Entreaty to Imperial Arms Control Summit, But Delegation Arrives After Conclusion of Meeting*
	+ "Failing to Acknowledge Galorius Allows our Diplomatic Apparatus to be Hijacked" *Pro-Galorious Celestial Ambassador to Alusia Complains that Ambiguity of Galorious"s International Status Allows Rogue Actors to Bypass Diplomatic Hierarchy* "We Have Unacceptable Behavior from Individuals Without Proper Diplomatic Credentials Transacting State Business on Behalf of the 'Grand Celestial Confederation' Which Our Emperor Has Dissolved"
* "Offering Transparency About Weapons of Mass Destruction" *Serene Doge LaPaix of Aeldrum Excites Fialta Controversy With Public Announcement that Aeldrum Will Maintain a Second-Strike Posture and Regularly Publicize Its Own Null Bomb Capabilities.*
	+ "Enough to Destroy Fifty Worlds" *Aeldrum Public Null Bomb Stocks at 300, With Capacity to Produce 240 More Annually*
	+ "MAD Is Madness" *Aeldman Policy Receives Public Rebuke from Fialta Emperor, Criticism from Thalranese in Rare Agreement*
* "Bringing Stability in a Dangerous Era" *Emperor Leutarus Urges Summit on Null Bomb Policy at Fialt, but Imperial Powers Ultimately Convene at Sevalne.*
	+ "Frustration and Misalignment" *Alusia Roundly Rejects Disarmament, Asserts First-Strike Doctrine. Shantine and Aeldmen Largely Seen as Aligned on MAD, While Fialta Call for Disarmament but Refuse to Publicize Current Arms Stockpiles.*
	+ "Does an Alusian First-Strike Against Conventional Invasion Trigger an Aeldman or Shantine Second-Strike?" *Questions from Saldanese Academics After Arms Summit*
	+ "We're At the Table!" *Jubilant Sermayean Crowds Cheer Arms Management Summit as Sign of Cosmic Stature of their Republic and Foreign Policy Success of President Wynn. References to* "SAFAS" (Sermaye, Aeldrum, Fialta Imperium, Alusia, Shantine Empire) *Dominate Sermayan Media*
		- "…But Are We?" *Some Media Outlets Point Out Sermayean Officials Notably Absent From Imperial Great Power Dialogues Outside Summit*
	+ "A Technical Solution for Deproliferation?" *Fialta Imperium calls for disarmament or international observatory body, and research into remote tracking and disabling solutions.*
* "Who Will Speak for the Small Powers?" *Fear and Anxiety Among Media and Governments of Lesser Powers as Imperial Powers Discuss Policies of Mutual Annihilation.*
	+ "Two Different Models?" *Sermaye and Fialta Imperium Both Score Points in Celestial and Imperial Space as Advocates for Inclusion of Non-Null Capable States in Arms Policy Considerations, but Polling Indicates Sermaye Perceived as a Partner Moreso than Imperium*

**Military and Disaster News:**

* "Famine in Paradise" *Elvish Enclavers Reach Aeldman Ports Claiming That Crop Failures Have Caused Mass Unrest in the Paradise Worlds.* "It"s as if the Triad is Withdrawing Deeper into its Domain… Some Chose to Follow, We Chose to Leave."
* "A New Emperor… And a Dead King" *King Manang of Middle Kingdom Dies in Tragic Accident on Pleasure Barge with Two of Three Wives, All Four of His Sons and His Surviving Brother and Uncle. Amidst Confusion Over Succession, Prince Yaland of Keshig Declares Himself Rightful Heir by Marriage, Petitions Emperor Galorius for Assistance.*
* "Nightmares at the Summit" ­*Mass Panic at Sevalne Summit as Collective Nightmares of End of Cosmos Induce Terror, Madness in Attendees.*
	+ "An Occult Hoax" *Shantine Sources Declare Mass Nightmares a Result of Bad Actors, Not Cosmic Warning*

**Economic and Technology News:**

* "A Better Life… But Who is Left Behind?" *Significant Migration Patterns From Celestial Space into Imperial Space, and from Impoverished States Like Delarma Raise Specter of* "Economic Death Spiral" *for Depopulated Communities*
	+ "They Didn"t Want Our Rule, They Can Stay Right Where They Are" *Aeldman Secular Nationalist Party Agitates Against Wave of Immigration from Aeldman Commonwealth*
	+ "Lands of Opportunity… Or Places of Holy Refuge?" *Shantine Attract Millions of Kirvan Immigrants, Outpacing Raw Immigration to Traditional Economic Destinations Such as Aeldrum and Sermaye*
* "Panic" *Death of Middle King and Ambiguous Succession Sends Celestial Markets Into Spiral, Threatening Debt Crunch for Heavily Leveraged Merchants in Middle Kingdom*
* "An Object Lesson" *Infinite Wishes Demonstrates* "Miraculous" *Worship Enhancement Technology Across Ethernet Media Programs, Showcasing Gains for Healing, Harvest and More to Ecstatic Crowds.* "The Truly Faithful Will Be Rewarded In This Life and the Next, Thanks to IW"
* "Win with Wynn" *Sermayan Diplomatic Corps Offers Contracts for Patented Wynn Consulting Method, Computational and Analytical Support. Critics Disgusted by* "Unprecedented Profiteering," *Supporters Accuse Detractors of Unseemly Envy*

**Cultural News:**

* "What Makes a Great Nation?" *Fialta Empress Leona Stirs International Debate with Cultural Series on Foundations of Historic Great Powers.* "Since the Mage Imperium, Civilization Must Ultimately Be Understood as Rooted in the Relationship Between Mortals and the Divine"
	+ "Cosmography Makes Empires, Not Gods" *Calathan Academy of Sciences Claims Cosmographic Determinism Accounts for Success of Mage Imperium and Aeldrum*
* "Off to the Edge!" *Thalranese High Lords Offer 10M Ducat Prize for the Fastest Circumnavigation of the Known Cosmos and 10M in Prizes for the Most Interesting Finds from Outside Known Space*
* "Media Lockdown?" *Amidst Criticism of Celestial Government and Chaos in Middle Kingdom, News Organizations Throughout Celestial Space Claim They Are Under Unusually High Pressure by Local Regimes to Smooth Over Negative Coverage*

**Affiliate News Contributions**

*The Impartial Times Polling Company:*

* "Most Attractive Head of State" – Leutarus I
* "Most Likely Head of State to Win a Fight" – Leutarus I
* "Most Likely Head of State to Save the Cosmos" – Leutarus I
* "Most Likely Head of State to Doom the Cosmos" – Leutarus I
* "Most Likely Head of State to Rig a Poll" – President Alexander Wynn

*The Lighthouse*

* **News from the Outremer:** *A Universal Church - Reports from the Outremer Kirvan Kingdoms that the Shantine Church of Kirva, assisted by the Knights of Leandra, have begun building churches and offering food and shelter to needy parishioners in the far reaches of conduit space.*
	+ "Leandra's warmth and Kirva's light belong to all Kirvans - no matter how far from the heart of our holy Church." - *Knight-Captain Sol Brightfellow*
* **A Festival of Prosperity:** *Citizens across the Shantine Empire celebrate the start of a new decade; exhibitions of Shantine art, artifacts, culture, and cuisine organized by the Internal Ministry showcase the brilliance and holiness of Bishant and House Kataph; effigies of Empresses Theoboda and Irboda are constructed and immolated in rituals of honor and reverence for their part in ushering in this era of greatness.*

### Year 531

***Empress Leandra I Dead at 75***

*Editor's Note: due to controversy about acknowledgment of the political status of the entity historically known as the Grand Celestial Confederation, the Gazette shall refer to the GCC by its historic name except when discussing parties which recognize it as an Empire, to be indicated by the acronym GC(E).*

**International News:**

* "A Grand (Fialta) Solution" *Fialta Emperor Leutarus Hosts Marivan Conference on Weapons of Mass Destruction, Stakes Leading Role in WMD Policy for Celestial Powers with Inclusion of Veiled Dominions, GC(E).*
	+ "Inclusion and Forgiveness" *As International Criticism of Veiled Dominions Swirls for the Nightmares at Sevalne, Marivan Conference Places Dominions at Heart of Imperium-Backed WMD Protocol*.
	+ "Celestial Power Play" *Observers Note Powerful Signals of Marivan Conference for Fialta Celestial Policy – Tripartite Mutual Defense Pact Against WMDs, Acknowledgement of Grand Celestial Empire and Monarchic Status of Galorius I by Fialta.* "Leutarus is signaling that the Imperium is ready to credibly serve as a security partner in Celestial Space, and the Celestial Powers seem to be listening"
	+ "Lone Wolf?" *No Other Imperial Powers Engage with WMD Conference or Marivan Protocol, Suggesting that Fialta Dominance at Marivan Could Prove Isolating*.
* "Aeldrum Reasserts Security Aegis" *GATO Agreements Reify Aeldman Economic and Navigational Sphere Covering All Aeldman Successor Republics (Including New League of Sovereign Republics). In Mirror of Marivan Protocol, GATO Signatories Undertake to Treat Null Bomb Attacks on Any Member as a Null Bomb Strike on All Members.*
	+ "Extending the Second-Strike Doctrine" *Observers Note that GATO Enables Aeldrum to Claim Second-Strike and Other Mass-Destruction Retaliatory Measures on Behalf of Third Parties. Proponents Hope Measure Will Deter WMD Development by other GATO Participants; Critics Claim Increased Risk of Cosmic Escalation.*
* "Hope for a Unified Protocol, Or Another Fork?" *As Aeldrum and Imperium Appear to Stake Parallel WMD Diplomatic Regimes, International Research into Null Bomb Identification Sees Significant Investment from Aeldrum, Sermaye Branch of BoV, Offers Platform for Other Institutions to Commit Resources.*
* "Rival Lawmaking" *While Fialta Legal Institutions Attempt to Present Nonreligious International Legal Apparatus to Govern WMD and Other International Protocols, Sermaye News Network Presents Editorial for Legal Practice Based on Explicitly Volunite Legal Model*
* "Succession Denied" *Celestial Diet Convened to Vote on Claim of Liu Xin, Son of Galorius, to Imperial Title. After 3 Rejections of Liu Xin for Emperor, GC(E) Admiralty Locks Down Diet and Arrests Relatives of Leading Opponents of Xin.*
	+ "Liberation or Foreign Imperialism?" *Aeldrum, Alusia, Bishant and Sermaye Issue Swift Condemnation of Liu Xin, Aeldrum Threatens Military Invasion of GCC to Protect Rights of Celestial Diet. Serene Doge Secures Contingent Military Powers from Aeldman Parliament to Deploy Naval Expedition if Liu Xin Refuses Diet's Decision.*
	+ "On the Diet Again" *Celestial Diet Restores Celestial Council, Including Liu Xin, To Executive Authority, With No Mention of Empire or Monarchy.*
* "No Direr Omen than an Empty Throne" *Middle Kingdom Succession Crisis Centers on Internal versus External Claimants, Threatens to Escalate Rapidly if Multiple Claimants Make Public Bids*
	+ "The Outside Bet" *Middle Kingdom Mandarins Flock to Prince Haelog of Keshig as Stable, Well-Funded Candidate for Middle Throne. Our Palaceworlds Correspondent:* "Some are surely considering that Keshig's alien status will assure his reliance on them to manage the Middle Kingdom"
	+ "The Inside Track" *Spate of Assassinations, Duels Sow Chaos Among Internal Claimants for Middle Kingdom, but May Accelerate Coalescence Around a Figurehead to Challenge Keshig. Our Palaceworlds Correspondent:* "As the field clears, time runs short for someone to make a strong assertion against Keshig"
		- "The Dukes" *Rumored (Still-Living) Candidates for Middle Throne Include Duke Jinep, Protector of the Folds of Volune and Duke Sanren, Protector of Middle Kolong. Both Have Personal Wealth, Private Armies to Provide Core for Claimant Faction But Remain Silent.*
* "Peace in Our Time… On Telrion at Least" *President Wynn Brokers Cease Fire, Joint Investigation, Reconciliation Council Between Telranian Republic and Kingdom Over Border Smuggling and Violence Against Protesters*
	+ "He Came Directly to Us, No Great Power Pressure!" *Telranian Dwarves, Kobolds in Republic and Kingdom Praise Sermaye's Light Touch and Respectful Manner*
	+ "…Why Are We So Divided?" *Telranian Unification Party Calls for Reflection on Weakness of Telrion Amidst Republican-Monarchist Tensions*

**Military and Disaster News:**

* "Fialta Land in Enclaves... Bringing Food, Blankets, Not War" *Largest Humanitarian Effort In Recorded History A Logistical Success As Hundreds of Thousands of Tons of Relief Equipment and Supplies Reach Starving Elves*
	+ "Who Authorized This?" *Rumors of Civil Dissent within Elvish Enclaves, As Planetary Nobles Allow Fialta Relief Crews to Pass Through Long-Restricted Etheric Gates*
	+ "Welcome but Not One Step Further" *Fialta Humanitarian Personnel Report Grateful Elvish Recipients, Stern Admonitions to Stay Within Allocated Landing Zones.*
	+ "Still No Word On What's Happening… Or How Long It's Been Happening" *Returning Fialta Soldiers Recount Trees That Appeared Long-Dead, Rivers Run Dry, Dust Storms, General Absence of Divine Intervention That Appeared Much Longer-Term Than Public Knowledge of Enclave Famines.*
* "Shameful, Barbaric" *Media Criticism as Word Leaks that Nipponese Were Responsible for Nightmare at Sevalne, and of Alusians, Aeldmen and Shantine Seeking* "Blood Debt" *from Nipponese Rather than Court of Justice*
* "Mass Arrests in GCE" *Galorious Announces Detention of Alusian Nationals Within GC(E)*. *Strange Bedfellows Amidst Heroism Knights of Leandra Revealed Themselves in GC(E) to Protect Alusian Expats from Galorious's Police, Offer Protection in Kirvan and Tetrad Churches*
* "Out with a Bang" *Emperor Galorius Slain in Shocking Assassination by Vengeful Alusian Expatriate. Killer Used Flashbangs and Fragmentation Grenades to Clear Path to Emperor, Hydrogen Pistol to Blast Back Surviving Guards, Detonated Suicide Vest to Kill Galorius.*
	+ "We Take No Responsibility" *Alusian Lord-Regent Koraksic Denies All State Involvement in Murder of Galorius.*
	+ "Galorius Died for Alusian Insecurity" *Grand Celestial Grandee Liu Xin Places Blame for Death of His Father, Galorius, Squarely on Alusia. Celestial Diet Appears to Share Liu's Assessment in Joint Statements.*
	+ "Hundreds in Custody" *Fate of Imprisoned Alusians in GCC Remains in Doubt, As Accusations of Mistreatment Mount in* "Retribution" *for Death of Galorius.*

**Economic and Technology News:**

* "A Crack in the Façade?" *Unsubstantiated but High-Profile Claims of 10,000 Broken Valdosian Soul Contracts from Refugee Ship at Pin-Jump Prompt Frenzy of Speculation Across Cosmos.*
	+ "A Divine Sign!" *Shantine Jurist Arronos of Brumaire Suggests Kirva's* "Holy Light" *Weakens Valdosian Contracts*
	+ "Bait" *Aeldman Newscasters Speculate that Bank of Valdos May be Luring Unsuspecting Signatories to Take Contracts More Lightly*, "…only to find they're very damn real"
	+ "Economic Warfare" *Rattled Stock Markets Lead Alusian Academics to Suggest* "these 10,000 could be a sophisticated psy-op against cosmic economic stability"
	+ "The Horizon" *High Weaver of Church of Spires Claims Irresponsible Etheric Infrastructure Could be Weakening Partition, Disrupting Subtle Cosmic Balance* "contract exceptions may only be the beginning"
* "A Bad Year for Markets, Good Year for Stabilizing Measures" *Political and Economic Uncertainty Battered Established and Emerging Markets, Signaled Importance of Great Power Actors in Projecting Economic Confidence.*
	+ "Contract Panic" *Sermaye Stock Market Experiences Worst Single Day Drop In Ten Years On Claims of Mass Emancipation from Valdosian Soul Contracts. Emergency Controls Activated to Stabilize Shares, Markets Appear Poised to React to Further Evidence on Valdosian Contracts*
		- "Could Get Much, Much Worse" *Saldanese Economists Note that Significant Share of Sermayan, Alusian, Imperial Debts Ultimately Pegged to Stability of Valdosian Soul Contract-Backed Instruments.* "If creditors lose confidence in soul-contracts, expect interest rates to triple and stock market crashes not just in the Bank's sphere but across the Aeldrum sphere – Aeldrum's trade balance is maintained by the availability of cheap credit in its partner nations"
	+ "Run on Celestial Gold Exchange" *Failed Coup of Liu Xin Sends Celestial Institutions in Spiral, Economic Contagion to and From Panicking Kolong Traders over Middle Kingdom Uncertainty. Celestial Stocks Rebounded on Aeldman Parliamentary Vote for Military Expedition, Liu Xin's Acceptance of Political Status Quo.*
* "A Cosmic Science Fair" *Empire of Alusia Invites International Exhibition of High Technology at Reilla, Fabulous Cash Prizes, Large Government Contracts. Crowd-Favorite Exhibits to be Taken on Tour of Inner and Outer Alusia.*
	+ "Truly International" *Demonstrations by Infinite Wishes, Multiple Aeldrum ISC Corporations Prompt Positive Comment on Alusian Innovation Environment, Spirit of Collaboration*
	+ "Visions of the Future" *Cosmic Science Fair Includes Experimental Prototypes for Consumer-Grade Translane, Ether-Stabilizing Infrastructure to Reduce or Harness Storms for Civic Good, Gene-Therapy for Enhanced Intelligence and Vigor, Mathematical Proofs for Potential of Soul Computers that Could Use Nested Pocket Dimensions and Time Dilation to Approximate Intelligence of Gods*

**Cultural News:**

* "Calls for an International Court in Cosmic Media Assassinations, Occult Assaults, Blood Debts" *Nightmare at Sevalne, Death of Galorius and Other Shocking International Incidents Spur Calls for Civility and an International Law Department from* "Fialta Society for International Justice," *Criticizing Not Only Perpetrators but Reaction of International Community* – "(Alusia and Bishant) wanted hostages to make examples… these are the politics of thugs"
	+ "Law Isn't A Contract" *Management of Null Bombs, International Conflict and Justice Must Rely on Common-Sense Principles For All, Not Relationships and the Discretion of a Monarch, Says Sermaye Entertainment Conglomerate (SEG) Justice Hour*
	+ "Lawe Feels Fine" *Following his obscenity-laden appearance on "Sermaye this Week" earlier this year, Sermaye Councilor Reagan Lawe pays 5000 ducat fine for violating prohibitions on swearing during daytime hours on Sermayan television. After paying his fine, Lawe was heard saying,* "I'd pay that <<CENSORED>> fine again if someone could just tell me what the <<CENSORED>> those <<CENSORED>> mother-<<CENSORED>> <<CENSORED>>holes meant by a <<CENSORED>> blood debt."
* "A Different Kind of Enclave Refugee" *After Centuries of Elite Emigrants and Religious Exiles, Tens to Hundreds of Thousands of Elvish Refugees Come from Enclave Peasantry, Masses Feeling* "Abandoned, Utterly Forsaken" *By Their Gods.*
* "Fialta is Beautiful in Every Way" *Fialta Emperor and Empress Pose for Cover Photo Shoots in* "Glam Offensive" *Across Cosmic Media, Give Opinions on* "Fialt Beauty" *Across Religion, Aesthetics, Athletics. Leutarus Organizes Rounds of Interviews with Famous Fialta Athletes, Emphasizing Progressive Ideal of Martial Grace Without Violence.*
* "Most Anticipated Coronation in a Generation" *Death of Empress Leandra Means a Grand Ceremony for Coronation of Lapheraz Kataph. Tens of Millions Expected to Attend, Billions to Watch on Ethernet.*
	+ "The Peril and Promise of Youth" *Lapheraz will be Youngest Shantine Monarch Since Theodosius IX, Grandfather of Theoboda the Great, and Takes Responsibility of Divine Communion Decades Younger than Her Mother or Grandmother, Irboda II.*
	+ "What Kind of Communion Awaits?" *Leading Bishant-Watchers Debate What Character Lapheraz Will Add to the Angelic Succession.*
		- *Professor of Shantine Culture at Academy of Saldan College of Religious Politics, Milos Delinos,* "We saw a quarter century with Leandra I that was of course splendid, but ultimately understated compared to Irboda and certainly Theoboda. The question for us all is if Lapheraz will continue her mother's example of quiet stewardship, or decide that the ground is fertile to reignite the legacy of the elder Leandran-Kataphs."
* "The E-Word" *Statement of Mourning and Official Memorial to Galorius from Celestial Diet Recognizes Him as* "A Figure of Significant Import to the Governance of the Confederation" *Who Died* "During the Fulfillment of High Office" *But Does Not Acknowledge Him as Emperor, Refers to Him Exclusively as* "Liu Xuan"*.*

**Affiliate News Contributions:**

*Sermaye News Network*

* **Shake-Up at SSS:** *Sermaye Sports Syndicate has fired one of its top on-air personalities, J. Alexander, after anti-Fialtan after-hours rant goes viral. SSS CEO, Peter James, dismissed Alexander saying,* "Jones crossed a line in accusing the Fialta government of being responsible for the Elvish Enclave famine. If the Fialtans were quick to respond it's not because they can control the weather and caused the famine, and that should not need saying."
* **Sermayan Polling Services Releases Latest "Head of State Superlatives" Survey:**
	+ Most Likely to Succeed – President Wynn
	+ Best Dressed – President Wynn
	+ Most Talented – President Wynn
	+ Best Smile – Vayheun Istradez
	+ Most Likely to Put Us to Sleep While Speaking – Doge LePaix
	+ Class Clown – Emperor Leutarus
	+ Most Likely to Not Get a Joke – Chairperson Sfigmen
	+ Most Likely to Try to Science Wash a Corrupt Dictatorship – Prince Regent Koraksic
	+ Most Attractive – Empress Kataph
	+ Most Likely to Burn Us Alive For Publishing This List – Empress Kataph

### Year 532

***Shantine Crusade Averted, Middle Kingdom Crisis Spirals, Valdosian Contract Uncertainty Bruises Cosmic Economy***

*Editor's Note: The Gazette Editorial Board feels that the controversy over the status of the Grand Celestial Confederation has been sufficiently resolved to fully revert to the acronym "GCC" in preference to "GCE".*

**Casualty Report:**

* Middle Throne Conflict – 250,000 killed and 750,000 wounded
	+ GCC: 150,000 killed, 350,000 wounded
	+ Duchy of Volune: 100,000 killed, 400,000 wounded, 100,000 captured

**Economic Report:**

* Cosmic GDP Down 3.3% on Valdosian Contract Crisis and Middle Kingdom War
* Biggest Losers in Valdosian Crisis: Republic of Sermaye (-6%), Empire of Alusia (-6%), Fialta Imperium (-7%), Thalranese Marches (-9%), Valdosian Free State (-10%). Aeldrum Weathers Economic Storm at -0.4% GDP, Dominions Grow 0.1%, GCC Down 2.8%

**International News:**

* "Fire and Fury" *Shantine Empress Lapheraz I Ascends Throne with Dire Revelation that Empress Leandra I Died as a Result of a Failed Veiled Dominion Attempt to Infiltrate her Dreams. Calls for Dominions to Hand Over All Responsible for Shantine Judgment, Including Veiled Masters Involved in the Attempt, Or Face a Crusade.*
	+ "…Stoked by Deception" *Dominions Promptly Surrender a Dozen Officials, but Angelic Interrogation leaves Shantine Unconvinced. Empress Lapheraz declares war on Veiled Dominions, Deploys Shantine Imperial Navy and Signs Massive Two-Year Contract with Thalranese and Fialta Freebooters for Mercenary Support.*
	+ "… Doused by Armistice at Antenil" *Serene Duchy of Aeldrum Mediates Between Shantine and Dominions, Reaches Armistice with Shantine Fleet Already in Dominion Space and Less than Two Days out from Celestial-Imperial Gateworlds.*
* "Crusade Averted" *Treaty of Antenil Placates Empress Lapheraz with Significant Concessions: (1) Veiled Dominions Cede All Imperial-Space Worlds They Control Without a Connection to Celestial Space to Shantine Empire, Restoring the Adarnum Bastions Region to Full Shantine Control, (2) Dominions Acknowledge Guilt of Vayehun Istradez, Face of the Masters, But Assert that Vayehun Did Not Act With Consent or Understanding of the Masters. Vayehun to be Ritually Immolated by Shantine. (3) Veiled Dominions to Demilitarize All Worlds With Connections between Imperial and Celestial Space. (4) Shantine Kirvan Church Receives Right to Proselytize Within Dominion "Foreign Quarter" Worlds, Not Subject to Any Dominion Religious Law, but Barred from Establishing Militant Institutions Such as Knights of Adarnum or Leandra. (5) Dominions to Refrain from Espionage in Imperial Space, Under Aeldman Supervision and Enforcement.*
	+ "… or Merely Delayed?" *Exact Details and Scope of Aeldman Oversight of Dominion Activity in Imperial Space Remain Topic of Ongoing Negotiation in Overtime Discussions at Antenil; Analysts Warn Atmosphere of Mistrust Could Lead to Future Conflict.*
	+ "No Test Yet of Marivan Protocol" *Fialta Imperium Declares Readiness to Intervene Against WMD Deployment, But No Opportunities to Honor Commitments as Null-Bomb Capable Powers Back Down.*
* "Diplomatic Snub or Tight Schedule?" *Telranian King Gustav Keough III not Attending Shantine Coronation, Rescinds RSVP to Conduct First State Visit to Republic of Telrion by Sitting Telranian Monarch in History of Two Rival Nations.*
* "He's In Their Pocket!" *Duke Jinep Accuses Rival for Middle Throne, Duke Sanren, of Being an Agent of the Veiled Dominions, Cites* "Trusted Internal and External Sources," *Supposedly Unnatural Shadows in State Pictures, Convenient Deaths and Misfortunes of Sanren's Rivals, and Sanren's Seeming Volte-Face on Middle Kingdom Claim After Keshig Declared for Throne.*
* "Diplomatic Triumph at Limei for GCC" *Amidst Uncertainty and Rapidly Shifting Balance of Power in Middle Kingdom, Celestial Executive Council Reaches Agreement with Prince Jeong of Limei for Celestial Magnate to Join GCC as a Sovereign Partner. Limei Will Accept Full Economic and Navigational Integration with GCC and Pay a 1% Economic Tribute to GCC for Security Forces; Limei Will Act In Consultation with Diet of Notables and Executive Committee in all Foreign Affairs.*
* "Bringing Order to Disorder" *Councilor Liu Xin Endorses Duke Sanren of Kolong for Middle Throne After Private Discussions, Secures Support from Diet of Notables for Military Expedition into Middle Kingdom to Ensure Orderly Succession.*
	+ "Mixed Reactions" *Duke Sanren Welcomes Confederate Forces as Peacekeepers, While Duke Jinep of Gates of Volune Declares Expedition an Act of War, Vows Resistance.*
	+ "Parallel Tracks" *Prince Haelog of Keshig Strikes into Hinterworlds of Gates of Volune at Same Time as Confederation Forces, Seeming to Exploit Vulnerability of Duke Jinep, but Takes No Official Position on Confederation Intervention. Keshig Forces Appear to Give Confederation Fleet Wide Berth. Prince Haelog Denies Legitimacy of Both Sanren and Jinep as Claimants to Middle Throne.*
* "Course Correction?" *Less Than Three Months After Signing Accession to Celestial Confederation, Prince Jeong of Limei throws in for the Middle Thrones, Pushes Motion into Diet of Notables* "to bring the Middle Kingdom into glorious harmony with the Celestial Confederation through the magisterial person of Prince Jeong" *Jeong Declares that Celestial Confederation Should Not Support Any Claimant Who Is Not Prepared to Bring Middle Kingdom into Confederation.*
* "A Fourth Great Celestial War?" *Celestial Diplomacy Experts Speculate that Rapidly Escalating Conflict in Middle Kingdom Could Lead to Another Region-Spanning Conflict After Three Decades of Relative Peace. All Eyes on Veiled Dominons, Who Have Yet to Stake Any Public Claim on Middle Kingdom Succession.*
	+ "Guardians of Neutrality" *Kingdom of Great Aksai Warns Military Action Against Keshig, GCC if They Do Not Immediately Withdraw from Middle Kingdom Space*
	+ "Prepared to Arm the Defense of the Middle Kingdom Against Foreign Domination" *Brass Cities Breach Diplomatic Boundary of Celestial Space for First Time in Decades to Offer Discounted Arms Contracts to Aksai and Middle Kingdom Princes Who Resist Foreign Invaders.*
	+ "Protecting Our People and Our Investments" *Orcish Directorate Authorizes Raising of an Orcish Legion to Protect Expatriates in Celestial Space, Invites Coordination with Aeldrum, Alusia and Sermaye.*
	+ "Circling Vultures" *Race in Middle Kingdom to Sign Enclave and Freebooter Mercenaries to Contracts. Jinep Takes Early Lead, but Loses Significant Mercenary Forces in Battle with GCC.*
		- "Fight Shadow with Shadow" *Prince Kim of Kolong Very Publicly Hires Istomiri Bodyguards on Heels of Accusations of Veiled Master Collusion Against Duke Sanren of Kolong. [Sanren and Kim Divide Sovereignty of Rich Trade Planet of Kolong: Kim Holds Independent Title, While Sanren Owes Fealty to Middle Kingdom]*
		- "To the Highest Bidder" *Triad Princes Mobilize Military Forces to Secure* "Commercial Corridors" *to Supply Vital Resources to Belligerents in Celestial Space. Triads Claim to Seek Neutrality, Though Collaborating Closely with Duke Sanren. Triad Corridors Charge Premium for Navigational Rights to Mercenary Crews.*
* "Echoes of Falamar" *Seven Decades After Resurrection Crisis, Saldan at the Heart of Cosmic Threats and Sovereignty Questions Once More As Saldanese* "Liberation Society" *Revealed to be Behind Valdosian Contract Loophole.*
	+ "Where Does Personal Responsibility End and State's Begin?"
* "Seal the Country" *Valdosian Free State Imposes Virtual Travel Ban for All Etheric Travel Across or Within Borders, Imposes Media Blackout as International Frenzy Over Soul Contract Exceptions Rises*
	+ "Containment and Correction" *Millions of VFS Residents are Believed to be Under Compromised Boilerplate Contract. Unclear if an Eventual Contract Correction Can be Imposed Unilaterally or if it Will Require Contractors to Consent.*
	+ "Rebellion and Subversion" *Charitable Societies Raise Funds for Illicit Dissemination of Contract Loophole Intelligence to VFS Residents, Provide Relocation Services to Valdosian Refugees. Reports of Uprisings in VFS Denied or Downplayed by Local Governors.*
* "Mass Immigration" *Millions Continue to Leave Aeldman Commonwealth Each Year to Seek New Lives, Mostly in Aeldrum and Serene Republics. Fears of Economic Spiral Mount, As Do Calls for ISC to Step Up Industrial Support in Region.*

**Military and Disaster News:**

* "Who Are These People?" *Personal Guard of Celestial Councilor Slovic Intervenes to Prevent Assassination of Councilor Ben at the Hands of Celestial Terrorists. GCC Takes No Official Position on the Allegiance of the Terrorists, Though Rumors Swirl That They Were Agents of Veiled Dominions, Other Prevailing Theory is Celestial Isolationists Targeting Councilor Ben for His Aeldman Affiliation.*
	+ "The Masters Would Have Sent Better" *Count Shen Len of Celestial Intelligence Discounts Dominion Theory* "Slovic's men are the scum of celestial space, good for racketeering and putting down civilians, not fighting occult terror agents."
* "Lord Caulderus Slain in Shocking Car Bombing" *Thalranese Lord, Who Travelled to Imperial Court at Fialt to Participate in Interview with Emperor Leutarus on Subject of Fialta Identity, Is Murdered Within Hours of Returning to Tar'Thalran*
	+ "A Brother Lost" *Leutarus Mourns Death of Caulderus, Points Finger at High Lord Kanres With Evidence from Imperial Justiciars, Demands Justice. Defiant Kanres Dares Leutarus to Attempt Extradition. Thirteen Dead in Resulting Blood Feud Between Kanres and Heirs of Caulderus. Kanres and Surviving Nephew of Caulderus Declare* "Proper Thalranese Ending" *to Feud After Kanres Mortgages Estate to Pay Blood Debt.*
* "A Million Casualties at Approaches to Gates of Volune" *GCC Fleet Under Command of Liu Xin Pushes into Middle Kingdom Toward Gates of Volune. Fleet of Duke Jinep Gives Battle, Seizing Initiative from GCC Fleet to Score Early Victories, But Unable to Overcome 2:1 Numerical Advantage of GCC and Forced to Retreat to Gates of Volune.*
	+ "'A Race Against Logistics" *Gazette Military Analysts Conclude Jinep's Strategy Depended on Concentrating His Smaller Force and Striking GCC Fleet Fast Enough to Achieve a Defeat In Detail. Though Initially Highly Successful, Trading Losses with GCC at Close to 2:1, Jinep Was Not Fast Enough to Roll Up GCC Fleet Before It Could Bring Superior Numbers to Bear. In Danger of Encirclement, And Without Translane Technology, Jinep Used His Closing Window of Opportunity to Retreat to the Gates of Volune, Suffering Costly Losses in the Last Phase of Engagement.*
	+ "Blocked… But Not On All Sides" *Garrison and Fleet at Gates of Volune Bottlenecked by GCC Fleet on One Side, Keshig On Other, But Etheric Lane Route to Interior of Middle Kingdom Remains in Jinep's Control.*
* "EMP Strikes Against Etheric Infrastructure" *Radical Anti-Etheric Terror Groups Vandalize and Disrupt Etheric Infrastructure in Alusia, Aeldrum Sphere. Unclear if Attacks were Coordinated. One Terrorist Cell Leader Declares in Suicide Manifesto:* "the Hell-Lights of Modernity banish the shadows that keep our minds and souls safe from hideous truths – put out the lights, we are better Blind than Mad." *Minor Service Disruptions Occur, and Full Restoration of Ethernet Services Takes Less than 48 Hours on Affected Worlds.*
* "Easiest Money We Ever Made" *Freebooters and Marcher Mercenaries Celebrate Lucrative Contract Inked Shortly Before Shantine-Dominion Armistice. At Anchor on Genova, Hundreds of Mercenary Captains Drink Varyingly Ironic and Affectionate Toasts to Generosity and Health of* "Empress 'Phaz,"
	+ "Not Off the Hook" *Admiral Ilena Tiel'Drazir Vows on Behalf of Senior Commanders,* "We're keeping the engines hot and the men under contract. Most of them are racking up debts anyway. If the Shantine decide the Dominions need a crusading after all, they'll get what they paid for. If not, we'll start taking bids for the Middle Throne, preferably in ducats."
	+ "I Might Have Preferred a War" *Lord Governor of Port Genova Complains of Boorish Fialta Quartered in his Demesne. Church Attendance Soars to Avoid Drunken Revelers.*
	+ "Friendly Sparring" *Hundreds of Casualties, Dozens of Deaths in Ritualized Duels and Tournaments Among Knights of Adarnum, Knights of Leandra and Visiting Thalranese Warriors. Some Thalranese Express Disappointment,* "It felt more like the Adarnans and the Leandrans wanted an excuse to get at each other than to try their mettle with us. I had a Leandran throw the fight so he'd be sure to stay intact to fight an Adarnan next round. They killed each other. It was artless."
* "The Last Ship Out of Saldan" *Members of Saldanese Free Soul Society Who Discovered Valdosian Contract Vulnerability, Citing Fear of Valdosian Persecution, Attempt to Reach Sermayan Embassy at Invitation of Reagan Lawe to Seek Asylum. Several are Killed En-Route in Apparent Attack by Saldanese Citizens Furious at* "Academic Recklessness."
	+ "Is This What International Law Means?" *Several FSS Members Arrested Extrajudicially by Fialta Imperial Forces on Saldan, Acting Outside Imperium Embassy, Allegedly to Ensure Protective Custody After Killings. After International Outcry, FSS Captives Transferred to Custody of Saldanese Executive Council. All FSS Members in Saldanese Executive Council's Custody Subsequently Suffer Death or Debilitating Illness, Apparently Consistent with End-Stage Violation of Certain Valdosian Contracts.*
* "Sum of All Fears" *Reports from Enclave Refugees Suggest that Enclave Famine, Apparent Abandonment of Border Worlds by Elvish Triad and High Nobility Could Be Result of Mind Virus Outbreak.* *No Substantiated Cases of Mind Virus Have Been Found in Enclave Territory, or Anywhere Outside Naga Space.*
* "Angry Out of Work Fialta With Guns" *Economic Chaos in Thalranese Marches, Freebooter Colonies Drives Recruitment Surge for Mercenary Work, Specifically in Celestial Theater.*

**Economic and Technology News:**

* "The Trillion-Ducat Loophole" *Saldanese Rogue Academics, Styling Themselves the* "Free Soul Society"*, Identify and Disclose Loophole in Boilerplate Valdosian Soul Contract. Economic Panic Over Possible Unreliability of Valdosian Soul Contracts Send Debt Markets into Freefall Across Cosmos.*
	+ "Not Just Reporting the News" *Saldanese Free Soul Society Apparently Funded in Part by SNN Owner and Sermayan National Councilor Reagan Lawe, Who Also Publicized and Amplified Findings of the Group.*
	+ "How To" *Saldanese Publish Methodology for Computationally Identifying Vulnerabilities in Other Valdosian Contracts, Using Elder Script and Soul Computers, Revealing Evidence of Long-Suspected Soul Computing Capabilities in Saldanese Academe. Markets Dip Further on Publication.*
	+ "Just How Bad Could it Be?" *Report by Emiirates Group Suggests a* "Definitive" *Loss of Confidence in Ironclad Valdosian Soul Contracts Without State-Backed Substitutes Could Wipe Out a Third of Cosmic Financial System in Months, Cause Economic Chaos* "On Unprecedented Scale, With GDP Contractions in Double Digit Percentages Sustained Over 5 Years or More"
* "Rocks Under the Water" *Sermayan Financiers Warn of* "Perfect Storm" *As Sermaye's Financial System Shows Dangerous Signs of Being Overleveraged, With Sizable Investments in Celestial Space Endangered at the Same Time As Sermayan Housing and Other Debt Markets.*
* "Pulling in Every Direction to Stabilize the Cosmic Economy" *Valdosian Contract Crisis Prompts Suite of Mostly Unilateral Interventions by Foreign Governments.*
	+ "We Believe" *Sermaye, Aeldrum Signal Commitment to International Monetary System, Though President Wynn Stops Short of Rebuking Political Ally Lawe.*
	+ "Hold… Or Else" *Alusian Bank Runs Trigger Administrative Stopgaps, Bank-Guaranteed Debt Structures for Major Alusian State Enterprises Called into Question. Alusian Department of State Dispatches Agents to Mandate Free Flow of Supply Chains as Credit Risks Increase.*
	+ "Buy the Dip" *Aeldman ISC Chairman and President of Bank of Aeldrum Authorize Large Scale Buyup of Derivatives from Soul-Backed Assets to Stabilize Markets. Economists Estimate that Despite Establishing a Price Floor to Stall Freefall, ISC Pays Average 35-40% Under Par for Assets Worth Tens of Billions of Ducats.*
* "Risks are Limited and Actively Being Resolved" *Bank of Valdos International Chair Sfigmen Clarifies that Complex Financial Instruments are Not Susceptible to Computational Identification of Vulnerabilities* "in any realistic scenario for computing resources"*, and Extremely Unlikely to Have Any Vulnerabilities at All Due to Overlapping and Self-Reinforcing Clauses.* "A Valdosian Contract is something real, a part of the universe, that acts on all parties: like the ether, it is most stable when heavily layered"
	+ "Soul Computer Race?" *Major Signals from Cosmic Financial Markets Suggest that Confidence in Valdosian Contracts Has Rebounded Somewhat After BoV and Aeldman Responses, But Sustained Confidence Depends on Evidence that BoV Can Stay Ahead of Anti-Contractual Actors. Hedge Fund Manager Fourghex Rez'arves* "If another vulnerability comes out before the Bank shows it can quash them, I'd say we can expect a fire-sale on anything the Bank has touched that doesn't have some other backing."
* "National Epic of Gemcraft" *Druz Showcases New Gem Cutting Method, Clan Leaders Commission Vast Collection of Jewelry and Gem-Encrusted Statuary* *To Celebrate 1000th Birthday of Legendary Dwarven King Gralmond.*
* "It Grows Anywhere!" *Orcish Directorate Scientists Reveal New Genetic Hybrid Foods With 50% Greater Yield Than Comparable Crops and Significantly Improved Environmental Tolerances. Directorate FoodCorps Promises Free and Easy Delivery of Food to Economically Insecure Regions, Training from Directorate Scientists to Adapt Planting to Local Conditions and Maximize Yields for Local Farmers.*
* "An Old Idea Given New Life" *Deutschreich Showcases New Etheric* "Super Train" *Using Ether-Stabilizing Technology and Shield-Linked Shuttle System to Increase Speed, Reduce Cost of Freight Transport on Ley Lines. Train System Runs Parallel to Ethernet Infrastructure, Though Concerns About Etheric Storms Persist.*

**Cultural News:**

* "Perfect Storm of Boredom and Narcotics" *Grand Fialta Poetry Contest in Downtime for Mercenaries at Genova Produces Instant Classics of Thalranese Genre. Winning Titles by Vocal Acclaim:* "The Masters are Chickenshits" (*Haiku*), "Home by Thalranmass" (*Sonnet – Format Compliance Disputed*), "Loose as the Shantine Treasury" (*Limerick*), "Riches Are as Nothing Without Blood" (*Hymn*), "How I'm Spending My Bonus" (*Epic Poem)*
* "No Tricks Just Talent" *Famous* "Mentalist" *Hiel de Hiel Loses Talk Show, Retreats into Obscurity After Shocking Revelation that Celebrity's Famous "Cold Reading" Technique Actually Result of Innate Telepathic Ability.*
* "Splendid Architecture" *A Series of Grand Cathedrals of the Unified Pentacle Planned in Fialta Imperium Will Each Accommodate 100,000 Faithful in Main Hall, Be Located on Specially Chosen Sites for Collective Manifestation of Powers of Pentacle Gods.*
	+ "New Geometries for All Characteristics of the Temple" *Imperium Engineering Corps to Develop New Architectural Standards to Synthesize Styles of All Pentacle Gods, Produce Local Non-Euclidean Affects to Achieve Revolution in Acoustics Such That All Attendees Can Hear Speakers Without Etheric Amplification.*
* "A Growing but Lopsided Call for International Law" *With Economic Shock of Valdosian Contract Crisis In Full Swing, Fialta Imperium Scholars Continue to Advocate for Formation of International Legal System, Demand Accountability Outside of Narrow National Judiciaries. Few Takers on Internationalism Outside Fialta Imperium, Though Some Alusian and Directorate Legal Scholars Issue Friendly Response to Fialta Circular on Rights and Responsibilities of Nations.*
* "A Stark Look at a Grey World" *Valdosian Refugees Give Interviews to SNN, Aeldman News Organizations, In Which They Describe Grueling Working Conditions in Valdosian Free State, Pressure to Take On Ever More Debt Under Soul Contracts. Leading Ex-Contractee, Horace Guilen,* "The major difference between a soul contract and old Fialta slavery is supposedly that children don't inherit their parents' enslavement. My parents were given the choice of VFS or an open-ether mining operation to repay their debts, so I was born in the VFS barrack hospital. When I came of age, I had no choice but to sign the boilerplate contract if I wanted to hold any steady job, and once I signed, everything was designed to drive me deeper into debt."
* "Alusian Science!" *Alusian Scientific Media Programming Receives Enhanced Funding on Heels of Grand International Exposition, While Local Governments in Alusia Compete to Outdo Each Other In Regional Scientific Contests. Applications for Alusian Technical Academies Increase 18% as Regent Korascik Emphasizes Importance of Home-Grown Scientific Achievement.*
* "What is the Proper Place of the News?" *SNN's Defiant Stance on its Reporting of Valdosian Contract Vulnerabilities and Alleged Mind Virus Outbreak in Elvish Enclaves, Entangled with National Leadership Role of the Network's Owner, Triggers Domestic and International Disputes Over Media Responsibility and Accountability.*
	+ "Can We Sanction Them For This?" *Off-Record Remarks by Senior Diplomats of One or More Great Powers Suggest Unique Case of SNN's Entanglement with Sermaye Government Might Warrant Economic Sanctions for Future Disruptive Reporting.*
	+ "He Tells the Truth They Don't Want us to Know!" *Reagan Lawe, Though Vilified In Some Sectors, Acquires Heroic Status in Others. In Seeming Paradox for Aeldrum Politics, Lawe Polls Higher Than Any Aeldman Cabinet Official Among Aeldman Secular Nationalists and Practicing Kirvans. Alusian Grey-Ethernet Shows Significant Positive Support for Lawe, Even As General Alusian Public Opinion Blames Him For Painful Market Shocks.*
	+ "A Campaign for Media Standards and Ethics" *Chairwoman Hayward of Valdosian Bank of Sermaye Announces Candidacy for National Council in Next Year's Election, to* "Give Voice to Those Harmed by Irresponsible and Bigoted Journalism"*, Plans to Campaign Heavily in Districts that Voted for Reagan Lawe to Reduce His Electoral Share. SerBoV Did Not Comment on Whether the Campaign Would be Funded Significantly by the Bank.*
* "Who Takes the Blame?" *Imperium Cultural Documentaries on Sermayan Greed and Saldanese Recklessness Set Stark Contrast with Fialta Virtues. Rash of Violence Against Saldanese Nationals, Businesses and Satellite Campuses in Fialta Imperium, Alusia. Some Hostility to Sermayans Reported, But No Large Scale Looting, Vandalism as with Saldanese.*
	+ "A Mixed Blessing" *Kirvan and Idolmarite Churches Across Cosmos Celebrate Freedom of Valdosians Who Have Eluded Contract Terms, But Many Caution Restraint, Admonish that Saldanese Occult Efforts Have Included Attempts to Defy Kirva's Will, Revise Partition, Resurrect Gods. Speculation That Saldan May Have Moment to Seize Ideological Narrative for Occult Studies into the Divine, Alleviate Historic Kirvan Suspicions.*
* "A Brewing Reckoning" *Shantine Empress Renames Traditional Adarnum Bastions to Bastions of Leandra, in Recognition of Patron Angel's Role in Identifying Dominion Conspiracy and In Thanks for Bishant's* "Continued Golden Age." *First Public Replacement of a Title or Dedication to Adarnum by one to Leandra by Shantine Imperial Government Sparks Furor from Knights of Adarnum and Certain Bishops – Other Major Clerics and Shantine Grandees Censure Critics for Causing* "Disunity," *Though Few Take Stance of Openly Applauding Change.*
* "The Life of An Empress Should Have Cost Them More" *While Empress Lapheraz Receives Applause from Some in International Community and Many Shantine for Forbearance in Conflict with Veiled Dominions and Successful Negotiation of Proselytizing Rights, Other Shantine Openly and Loudly Protest Peace. Prince-Archbishop Basil Aktotes of Ilmera Gives Firebrand Guest Sermon at Zanevuela's Cathedral of Saint Mataxes,* "The Dominions Have Pulled the Wool Over Our Eyes, Whispered Comforting Lies in Our Ears, and Led Us to Settle a Debt of Blood with Land and a Consolation Prize of Faith. If a Million in the Dominions Now Hear Kirva's Sacred Word, It Is Because We Abandoned the Chance to Save Five Hundred Million. If One Or Ten Or a Hundred Unrighteous Suffered Kirva's Divine Wrath, It Is Because We Abandoned the Moment to Burn these Unrighteous Masters All!"

**Expert Excerpts:**

*Gazette Expert Correspondent Gordon Charles (Major-General, Semal Republican Army, Retired) Gives an Exclusive Analysis on Geopolitics of Celestial Conflict. Excerpts Below:*

"What is so different about what we may for now call the Middle Throne Succession Crisis, relative to the previous three Great Celestial Wars, is that Aeldrum does not have an obvious and trustworthy proxy."

"In the first war, under the Walled Garden policy, the conflict was essentially between the Nippon States and what was then called the New Celestial Confederation, on one side, and the interior powers of Aksai and the Middle Kingdom, on the other. With Aeldman arms supplies all but guaranteeing the peripheral powers could keep the advantage, the conflict more or less proceeded at the pace that Aeldrum dictated. Certainly the Fialta Imperium and the Bank of Valdos credibly indicated that they could and would support the interior powers, partially acting through their own proxy with the Brass Cities, but the Walled Garden policy was strong enough that this outside combination was essentially bought off with an influence carveout and Celestial space redefined to preserve Aeldman hegemony. This outcome was the crowning success of Aeldman proxy strategy, but it showed already a pattern that Aeldrum would continue until today, of ‘selling off' its sphere because it would not fight for it directly."

"In the second and third wars, after the collapse of the Walled Garden, Aeldrum used the Confederation as its proxy against the Nipponese and later the Veiled Dominions. Of course, Aeldrum then extended a form of security guarantee over the interior powers, weaker than its relationship to the Aeldman successor states but sharpened by the willingness of the Confederation to spend blood if Aeldrum would spend treasure. Again, we see Aeldrum amputating its sphere of influence to preserve a monopoly on hegemonic power in a narrower region, in this case abandoning its relationship with Nippon and New Nippon and defining its Celestial sphere of influence in opposition to what became the Veiled Dominions. So, we see Aeldman control degrading in the sense that the Serene Duchy no longer holds all the cards in Celestial Space, but still having a reliable partner in the Confederation. Indeed, the rise of the Freebooter colonies and the continued success of the Mirror Enclaves as a source of mercenaries show that Aeldrum's attitude toward the Celestial Sphere has been mostly to define it against great powers, not to maintain a total monopoly of military force within that sphere."

"Now, the Confederate-Aeldman partnership is clearly eroding. Aeldrum has made extremely forceful signals against the centralization of Confederate power within the Liu family, and the garrisoning of Aeldman naval forces in the Confederation suggests that Aeldrum does not have confidence in its proxy – the hand has to go back in the glove, so to speak. We see Liu, frustrated at home by foreign intervention, invading the Middle Kingdom and asserting the Confederation's independent foreign policy, in spite of Aeldrum. The Confederation has initiated a forced revision of its proxy status."

"The Confederation's leverage against Aeldrum is that there truly is not an obvious alternative proxy to continue Aeldrum's Celestial policy: if Aeldrum activates its navy to punish the Confederation and stop its campaign into the Middle Kingdom, it will be left without a convenient partner to manage the multi-factional politics of Celestial Space. If Aeldrum chooses this route, it is likely to find itself making costly military commitments while it searches for new partners. Even if Aeldrum acts only to prevent foreign intervention in the Middle Kingdom, it will likely find itself unable to effectively counter influence campaigns by powers with better understanding of local politics, such as the Dominions."

"So far, the only Imperial great power other than Aeldrum to signal a strong interest in Celestial power politics is Bishant, but the Aeldman-backed Shantine-Dominion armistice suggests that the Shantine are willing to coordinate with Aeldrum rather than pursue a unilateral policy. It is possible that if Aeldrum fails to maintain a local proxy in the region that it will be inclined to allow the Shantine to share the burden of managing the sphere, preferring a highly entangled partner over the resurgence of the Veiled Dominions. The opportunity for the Shantine Kirvan church to unite the millions of disparate Kirvan cults in Celestial Space and to evangelize to hundreds of millions more among the unconverted would surely be an attractive offer to Bishant and should give serious pause to the other Imperial great powers. The Fialta Imperium and the Alusians may find that they prefer the Dominions to the Shantine in this respect and thus provide them with the support to more aggressively partition Celestial space away from an Aeldrum-Bishant combination."

**Affiliate News Contributions:**

*Sermaye News Network*

* SNN Publishes Their Annual "Should They Stay Or Should They Go" Survey Results. In an annual tradition, the Sermayan Polling Services conducted their annual "should they stay or should they go" survey results. This year's iteration focused on the leaders at the heart of the recent SNN–Fialta leadership dust-up. Raw results, along with the options respondents were given, are:
	+ President Wynn – 92% Stay
		- 55% - Stay to keep successfully navigating us through the dangerous world created by BoV
		- 37% - Stay to keep us safe from the mind virus
		- 8% - Go as president, but stay a Councilor to allow Lawe as President
	+ Regan Lawe – 85% Stay
		- 51% - Stay to hold the powerful to account
		- 34% - Stay to keep fighting Valdosian corruption in Imperial Space
		- 15% - Go to allow the Bank of Valdos to make more money
	+ Emperor Leutarus – 65% Go
		- 45% - Go as he currently threatens cosmic peace by covering up the mind virus
		- 20% Go as he currently threatens cosmic financial stability as a lackey of the BoV
		- 35% Stay to keep entertaining us with his hilarious press conferences and "good" ideas
	+ BoV Chair Sfigmen – 73% Go
		- 72% - Go as they lied to the universe about the breach in the contracts, trying to destabilize the global economy by leaving this vulnerability open
		- 1% - Stay to maintain cosmic financial stability
		- 27% - Stay to give Chairman Lawe a heel for the drama that is his life.
	+ Sermaye BoV Branch Chairwoman Hayward – 91% Go
		- 85% - Go back to the Bank of Valdos and stop lying to all of us
		- 6% - Go to become a new Councilor
		- 9% - Who?!?!?!
	+ After seeing these results, Councilor Lawe is reported to have said, "I will stand by the results of this survey and continue my run for re-election. I only wish its other subjects would do the same."
* J. Alexander embraces mind virus "cures" – Former Sermaye Sports Syndicate start, J. Alexander, has been fined 15,000 ducats for promoting fake cures for the mind virus on his new radio show, InfoFights. The cures, including hormone supplements, various powdered roots, and something called a "warm juice enema" are building off current concern about the mind virus. J. Alexander has publicly thanked SNN President Regan Lawe for standing up for the truth in the mind virus. Upon hearing this, Lawe is reported to have said, "Maybe we're making a <<CENSORED>> mistake if Jones is supporting us on this."

*Best and Worst of the Net – A Selection of Top News Posts By Ethernet Traction*

1. "Off the books" - The Leandra-Adarnum power struggle continued on Wednesday with the renaming of the territory formerly known as the Bastions of Adarnum. "What's next?" a KoA official inquired, "Will we see the formation of KoAL or even worse, KoLA?"
2. "Uhhhhhhhh" - A scathing ANN editorial denounces the influence of Doge LaPaix. From the editorial, "LaPaix continues to tarnish his esteemed position with his inelegant, <insert human-like dogwhistle here, human-like is fine if none exists> speech, demeanor, and inaction. Why has Aeldrum delayed so in assisting our Enclave brethern? Under LaPaix we are a far cry from the once shining city upon the hill.
3. "Soul contract charade" - A group of Sermayean short-sellers pen an open letter: "What is the point of the BoV adding some words to their contracts when those contracts can just be ripped up?"
4. "Redhand or Leadhand?" - During a time of crisis, Lord-Regent Koraksic was found on his Space Yacht, oblivious. Is he reliable enough to be trusted with the dead man's switch?
5. "Bing bong" - Anonymous poster with handle Sidetalk with the most viral *E-Cafe* post of the week: "Real talk, I'm from deep up in Volune's folds and you know what, Duke Jinep is a fucking bitch. Fuck Duke Jinep y'all, he smoking on that GCC pack tonight."

### Year 533

***Imperial Great Powers Invade Veiled Dominions***

*Editor's Note: The Gazette Editorial Board apologizes for delays in issuing this summary of the year's headlines, owing to the ongoing disruption of ethernet services, and encourages readers to purchase the print edition for reasons of cosmic security.*

**Casualty Report:**

* Middle Throne Conflict – 150,000 killed in scattered engagements
* Thalranese Raids – losses untallied, estimated <10,000
* Dominions War – 5.3 Million Military Deaths, 5 Million+ Civilian Deaths
	+ Veiled Dominions: 4.7 Million Military Deaths, 4.3M+ Civilian Deaths, 2.6M POWs
	+ Shantine Empire: 80,000 Military Deaths, 1000 Civilian Deaths
	+ Fialta Imperium: 185,000 Military Deaths, 700,000 Civilian Deaths
	+ Serene Duchy of Aeldrum: 150,000 Military Deaths, 1000 Civilian Deaths
	+ Brass Cities: 50,000 Military Deaths
	+ Empire of Alusia: 0 Military Deaths, Estimated 1500 Civilian Deaths

**Economic Report:**

* Cosmic GDP recovered losses from Valdosian Contract Crisis before crashing 16.3% on trade and infrastructural disruptions from Veiled Masters' Counterattack in Dominions War.
* GDP Losses Concentrated in Belligerent Powers: Dominions -72%, Fialta Imperium -59%, Aeldrum -17%, Alusia -17%, Shantine -14%

**International News:**

* "A Moment of Unity" *Imperial Great Powers Show Historic Unity Against Veiled Dominions, First in Alleged Sneak Attack on Dominion Territory and Second in Resolve to Enter Hostilities in Spite of Threats of Retaliation from Veiled Masters.*
	+ "A Time to Act" *Public Information Indicates that Great Powers Discovered a Dominion Superweapon Had Been Used in Keshig-GCC Incident and Could be Deployed In Near Term to Cripple Imperial Economy, Acted to Prevent Development and Deployment.*
	+ "Unprecedented" *"G4" Represents the Largest Economic and Military Bloc in Cosmic History, Both In Absolute Terms and Relative to the Rest of the Cosmos.*
	+ "Lopsided" *Military Capabilities of the Combined Bloc are Estimated to Exceed Dominion Personnel, Battleship Tonnage, Materiel, etc. By 20 to 1.*
* "Strange Bedfellows" *Invasion of Dominions Swiftly Adds Brass Cities on Side of G4, But Apparent Survival of Veiled Masters and Continuing Hostilities Raises Question of Which Powers May Harbor the Masters, or Seek to Hunt Them Down. First-Prince Ismund, Ruler of the Perfect Princes, Issues Public Offer,* "To Hunt the Masters Into Every Fold and Bolt-hole With Every Resource the Cosmos Will Spare Us"
* "An Existential War" *G4 Leaders Declare that Invasion of Dominions Is Necessary to Deny Capacity for Cosmos-Ending Weapons Programs to Veiled Masters, Bring Territory Under* "Responsible Administration." *In Public Addresses, Each Leader Explains That Veiled Masters Have Developed a Demon-Virus that Behaves as a Sentient AI and Replicates Across Etheric Devices, Disrupting or Destroying Their Function.*
* "An Illegal War?" *Critics of G4 Action Say that Violation of Dominion Etherspace Prior to Declaration of War Constitutes Serious Breach of Diplomatic Norms.*
	+ "No Terms!?" *While Echoes of Resurrection Crisis Are Clear in G4 Invasion, Unified Military Action Against Saldan was Averted by the Academy's Capitulation to Demands of the Tripartite Powers of Aeldrum, Bishant and the Fialta Imperium: No Terms Were Offered in Invasion of Dominions that Could Allow De-Escalation.*
	+ "What the Hell Did We Vote For?" *Aeldrum Parliament Voted for Authorization of Force in Dominion Space on Threats of Dominion Attack on Ethernet Systems, But Murky Timeline on Order of Hostilities Leaves Many MPs, Including from Industrialist Party, Demanding Answers from LaPaix Administration.*
	+ "What Do We Do With the Planets?" *International Confusion About Fate of Dominion Territory as Occupation Forces Settle In.*
	+ "Where's Your Court, Leutarus?" *Outraged Jurists Demand to Know Why Fialta Advocate of International Law Permitted Hostilities to Open Without Formal Declaration of War, Process for De-Escalation or Presentation of Terms. Open Letter from Saldanese College of Laws:* "Leutarus has shown what we always feared, that the international court was to be an instrument for justifying Fialta imperialism, not for actually upholding any international standard of conduct"
	+ "The Masters Used WMDs" *Deployment of Dominion Anti-Etheric* "superweapon" *is Taken as Proximate Casus Belli for Invasion by Public Advocates of G4 Policy.*
	+ "F—‘em, Serves ‘em Right" *Belligerence Toward Veiled Dominions High in Alusia, Bishant Even Before Retaliation, More Ambiguous Attitude from Fialta and Aeldman Citizens.* "The Blood of Empress Leandra Is Avenged When Every Veiled Master is Unmasked and Burned," *Cries Prince-Archbishop Basil of Ilmera*
	+ "…a Damn Good Start" *Public Sympathy for Veiled Masters Ranks Low, Even Among Those Who Criticize the G4, With Dominion Subjects Taking Center Stage as* "Innocents in the Crossfire*.*"
	+ "We Do Not Have All the Facts at This Time and Will Withhold Judgment" *President Hayward of Sermaye, Days After Accession, Says She is Seeking Clarification from G4 Powers Before Issuing a Sermayan Policy.*
* "Where Does it End?" *With No Clear Wargoals Articulated, Endgame of Dominions War Remains Murky, With No Public Sign that Veiled Masters Have Been Captured or Destroyed (In Spite of Collapse of Most of Dominions' Civil Service)*
* "We are Strictly Neutral" *GCC Asserts Neutrality, But Allows BCs and Aeldrum to Pass Through Territory En-Route to Strike Dominions*
* "What Does This Mean for GATO?" *Aeldman Invasion Without Declaration of War or Apparent Prior Attack on Aeldman Territory Raises Question of Obligations for GATO Members. Calathan Ambassador to Aeldrum, Marquis of Izoth, Asks,* "Does Collateral Damage from Dominion Attacks Suffice to Engage Us In a Mandatory State of War?"
* "A Bloodless Crusade?" *A Year and Half After Treaty of Antenil, Shantine Ground Forces Land Virtually Unopposed in Historic Foreign Quarter Worlds of Veiled Dominions. Hundreds of Thousands of Kirvan Converts and Adherents of Allied Tetrad Faiths of Volune, Idolmar, Yonthran Flock to Shantine Banners, Welcome* "Liberation" *From* "Terror" *of Dominion Rule.*
	+ "A Frightening Model for Expansion" *International Observers Take Notice of Rapid Adoption of Kirvanism and Co-Opting of Church of the Tetrad Both in Foreign Quarter and in GCC Worlds, Citing Increasingly Open Conversion Efforts and Bold Public Shantine Promises of Protection from Alleged Religious Persecution.*
* "Starting Gun" *Keshig Ships Skirmish with GCC Patrolboat, Killing Much of the Crew – Prince of Keshig Denies Intent to Harm GCC, Claims His Forces Mistook GCC Craft for Vessel Under Duke Jinep. GCC Rejects Account and Orders Strike into Keshig.*
	+ "An Intervention for Peace… And a Show of Force" *Veiled Dominions Use Unexplained Power to Stop Engagement of GCC Fleet with Keshig Forces at Middle Kingdom Border, Simultaneously Shutting Down All Ships Engines in Incident Broadcast Across Cosmic Media. Public Explanations Hold That Dominions Deployed a Powerful EMP. After Some Time, Ships Are Reactivated Slowly and Allowed to Return to Their Original Positions – Shocked Commanders Do Not Renew Engagement.*
* "Celestial Trade Confederation" *Veiled Dominions Outline Plan for Celestial Harmony, Proposing an Economic and Defensive Alliance with 3% Subsidy for Common Defense. Confederation Places Explicit Limits on Foreign Investment From Outside Alliance, Implies Protection for Members Who Launch Wars of Aggression Against Celestial Nonmembers.*
	+ "Few Takers" *Only Prince of Keshig Signals Firm Interest, and King of Aksai Rejects Confederation Out of Hand as* "Hegemony in a Silk Glove"*.*
	+ "Fear Changes Minds" *After GCC-Keshig Fleet Incident, Movement in GCC Diet of Notables to Accept CTC Places Significant Pressure on Leadership, Which Continues to Publicly Oppose Proposal. Duke Jinep of Volune Strikes Deal with Dominions to Preserve Integrity of Middle Kingdom.*
	+ "All Moot Now" *Annihilation of Dominion Military Forces and Occupation of 80% of Dominion Territory by G4 Obviates GCC Motion and Other Interest in CTC.*
* "We Have Bigger Worries" *Insurgent Candidacy for Middle Throne Claim Within GCC by Prince of Limei Stalls Amidst Keshig-GCC Incident and Dominions War*

**Military and Disaster News:**

* "It Wants to Live and Grow" *Veiled Dominion Superweapon Revealed to be Intelligent AI, Showing Signs of Intense Self-Preservation, Destroying Parts of Its Own Host Systems to Deny Countermeasures*
	+ "Not Just Computers" *Accounts of Dominions Demon-Virus Infecting Ships' Engines, Propagating Over Power Lines, Suggest that Any Etheric System May Be at Risk, Though Stability and Longevity of Possession May Vary*
* "Silence" *GCC Shuts Down Ethernet Systems and Grounds Ships Shortly Before G4 Invasion of Dominions, While AeldNet Systems Across Celestial Space Limit Communications in Apparent Bid to Prevent Spread of Demon Virus.*
* "Kolong Ablaze" *Prince of Kolong and Duke of Kolong Clash in Border Conflicts, Apparently Initiated During Ethernet Blackouts Across Celestial Space That Prompted Each to Believe the Other Had Blocked Out Communications for a Sneak Attack. Victor in Conflict Remains Indeterminate.*
* "Total Etheric Control" *Dominion Fleets Annihilated in All Theaters, Leaving G4 in Full Control of Etheric Lanes, Able to Impose Blockade of Dominions.*
* "Mission Accomplished" *Fialta Black Fleet Strikes at Seemingly Impossible Angle into Heart of Upper Gates of Veiled Dominions, Shattering Bulk of Dominion Fleet with Minimal Losses, Outpacing Demon-Virus Deployment Through Rapid Strategic Bombing of Etheric Installations Throughout the Theater.*
	+ "Ground Victory" *Dominion Ground Forces Defend Gates from Fialta Landings But Are Swiftly Overwhelmed by Fialta Air Supremacy. Famed Palace Complex of Veiled Masters Destroyed, Albeit With No Sign of Masters to Be Found.*
	+ "Occupying the Shadows" *Fialta Ground Forces Complain of Lethal Shadows and Other Insurgent Threats in Dominion Capital, as They Pacify Region.*
* "Soft Landing" *Shantine Forces Take Foreign Quarter (Demilitarized per Terms of Treaty of Antenil) with Minimal Bloodshed, Demolish Dominion Fleet at Lower Gates and Storm Hinterworlds, But Face Stiff Ground Resistance at Key Gateworlds. Last Holdouts of VM Territorial Control Remain in Shantine Zone.*
* "Too Big to Fail" *Aeldman Parliamentary Navy and Dragoons Naval Strike Force Experience Coordination Issues, Leading Dragoons to Hit Dominion Fleet at* the "Stitch" *Prematurely: Dominion Ships Seize Initiative and Spearhead into Dragoons Ships, Breaking Encirclement in Time to Engage Parliamentary Navy in a Second Spearhead. In Spite of Heroics, Outgunned Dominion Ships Are Eventually Encircled and Destroyed by Force Ten Times Larger.* "Not a Glorious Day for Aeldman Tactics" *Observes Retired Aeldman General.*
	+ "Too Slow to Stop Them" *Engagement at Stitch Delays Aeldman Ground Forces, Which are Further Stalled by Elite Contingent of Dominion Troops at Etheric Gates. Dominion Defense, However, Leaves Way Open for Overwhelming Brass Cities Forces to Land on Opposite Side and Sweep Dominion Resistance. In Terror of Brass Cities Invaders, Millions of Dominion Subjects Attempt to Flee Toward Supposed Position of Aeldman Ground Forces, But Are Slain by Dominion Troops Holding Cordon.*
	+ "Processing" *Hundreds of Thousands of Dominions Subjects, POWs Are Taken Into Brass Cities Facilities Erected Shortly After Invasion, Not to be Seen Again*
* "Where Was Alusia?" *Alusian Navy Takes No Apparent Part in Dominions Invasion, Claiming to Hold* "Defensive Positions Against Attacks into Imperial Space"
* "Striking Back" *Veiled Dominions Apparently Discover Undeclared Invasion Very Shortly Before First Armed Contact, Threaten Deployment of Unspecified Means to Destroy Imperial Economies (Revealed to be Demon-Virus and Some Form of Agricultural Pest): Counterstrikes Deployed in Capital Theaters of G4.*
* "Cosmic Blackouts" *Fialta Imperium Sees Widespread Ethernet Shutdowns, Merchant Fleets Grounded, Economic Chaos and Power Plant Explosions. Interplanetary Travel Grinds to a Halt.*
* "Containment" *In Aeldrum, Bishant and Alusia, Countermeasures to Demon-Virus Appear More Successful, Containing Outbreaks to City or Planetary Scale. In Many Instances, Demon-Virus Excised Within Less than 24 Hours, But Theater-Wide Shutdowns Remain in Place for Security.*
* "More Fuel to Fire" *Reports of Fialta Freebooter Raids in Valdosian Free State and Fialta Imperial Grand Duchies Coincide with Dominions Invasions and Counterstrikes. Ethernet Chaos and Breakdown of Communications Makes Positive Identification of Perpetrators Difficult. Thalranese Marches Deny All Responsibility:* "When We Go to War, We Declare It"
	+ "Get Out While You Can" *Scattered Reports that Fialta Freebooters Stormed Valdosian Ports, Offered Transit Out of VFS and* "Guaranteed Contract Annulments" *For Exorbitant Fees. Some VFS Residents Are Believed to Have Committed Extensive Looting, Theft and Extortion of Valdosian Assets to Meet Steep Cost of Passage.*
	+ "The Treasuries Are Looted!" *Grand Duke Armand Neptos of Outer Marivan Reports His Capital Was Assaulted and Despoiled by* "Pirates"

**Economic and Technology News:**

* "Back to Normal" *Concerted Political Effort by Emperor Leutarus Succeeds In Stabilizing Fialta Economy in Wake of Valdosian Contract Uncertainty, Returns Confidence to Economic System.*
	+ "Calm After the Storm" *As Alusian Government Seeks to Quell Riotous Response to Financial Controls Through Rationing System, Stabilization of Cosmic Markets Leads Alusian Banks Reopen Following Fialta Economic Lead.*
	+ "An Adult in the Room" *Surprise Victory of President Hayward in Sermaye Elections Surges Valdosian Soul Contract Assets Almost Back to Par Value.*
* "A Technical Solution" *Valdosian Contract Monitoring and Soul Computer Testing for Future Vulnerabilities Stake Line of Defense Against Future Economic Crises, Give Credence to Leutarus's Message of Stability*
* "Someone Had to Make Money on This" *Aeldman ISC Posts Booming Profits from Recovery of Assets Bought at Low Prices to Stabilize Valdosian Asset Markets, While League of Sovereign Republics Sees Historic Returns for* "Community Wealth Fund" *on Currency Arbitrage*
* "Open for Business!" *Aeldman Soul Computing Services Offered to Foreign Powers in Wake of Public Dissemination of Saldanese Soul Computing Schematics.*
* "They're Hanging Bankers… But Not Here" *Markets Unmoved by Accounts of Violence and Chaos in Financial Institutions in Presidential Republic of Delarma. President-for-Life Julius Kon Throws Political Support Behind Reagan Lawe and Outlaws Bank of Valdos. Serene Doge LaPaix,* "Nobody can find Delarma on a map."
* "Not So Unified?" *Economic Measures to Resolve Valdosian Contract Crisis Saw Fault Lines Before Dominion Crisis, With Kirvan* "Miracles" *Voiding Millions of Soul Contracts for* "Refugees" *and* "Returning Children of Kirva" – *Non-Kirvan Shantine Subjects in Ahlam and Lechtus Regions Who Escaped Their Contracts With Church Assistance.*
* "DRAINAGE" *Telranian Republic and Kingdom of Telrion Enter Heated Dispute Over Quicksilver Deposits That Span Border, Claiming Intentional Exfiltration of Precious Material Through Hidden Channels in Telranian Desert Rock*
* "Did We Come at a Bad Time?" *Leadership of Dar'Asmad Authorizes Economic Embassy to Tour Cosmos Seeking Industrial Partnerships to Commercialize Alchemical Lore of Asmadi Empire.*
* "We Win With Wynn" *Deutschreich-Semal Etherrail Route to Pin Jump Announced, Exclusive Contract Negotiated by Republic of Sermaye. Semal Withdraws Legal Claims Against Sermaye for Valdosian Fiscal Crisis, Releases Seized Assets Shortly before Sermaye Elections.*

**Cultural News:**

* "An Historic Election" *Unprecedented Turnout in Sermaye Councilor Elections as Valdosian Fiscal Crisis Upends Traditional Political Alliances, Ending in Surprise Finish as Longtime Alyxander Wynn Ally Reagan Lawe Shockingly Backs SerBov Chair Rita Hayward, Who Takes Presidency*
	+ "Family Feud Rekindled" *Revelations That Councilor Reagan Lawe Intentionally Sabotaged a Prior Candidacy of his Son, Alan Lawe, By Revealing the Younger Lawe's Wife Had Been a Dalthadi Priestess, Are Coupled With Surprise Evidence that the Elder Lawe is a Devoted Volunite, May Have Acted for Religious Reasons to Sabotage Bank of Valdos.*
	+ "A Real Commitment" *President Wynn Forges Alliance with One Person, One Vote Party, Promising to Pursue Expansion of Voting Right Property Thresholds and Limitation of Voting Rights For An Individual to One District At a Time. 1P1VP Throws Full Support Behind Wynn.*
	+ "A Moment of Reckoning" *Traditional Wynn Allies in Republican Council Lose Big in Polling, See Voting Share Decline. Wynn Retains Nominal Electoral Lead and Takes Seat on Council, But Alliance with 1P1VP Leads Remaining Corporate Leaders on Republican Council to Withhold Their Support for President. Wynn's Promise to Hold Reagan Lawe Accountable for Irresponsible Acts Causes Lawe to Also Withdraw Support. Wynn and Coalition of Leftist Councilors Unable to Secure Majority, and in Surprise Move Rita Hayward (2nd Place Finisher) Pushes for Presidency, Receiving Votes of all Former Wynn Allies, Including Lawe.*
	+ "We're Not Supposed to Lose!" *Alyxander Wynn Appears to Suffer Mental Breakdown at Podium After Results of Council Vote for Presidency: Live Argument Between Apparently Rival Personalities of the Former President,* "Al" *and* "Xander," *Stuns Sermaye's Public*
* "A Meeting of Civilizations" *Dominions War Represents Unprecedented Interaction Between Imperial and Celestial Civilizations.*
	+ "Bringing Fire and Brimstone" *Fialta and Shantine Leaders Described Conflict as Offering Pathways for Unity of Faith Against Veiled Masters*
	+ "Is This A Colonial War?" *Dominions Invasion Demonstrates Overwhelming Military Superiority, Raises Fears that Celestial Instability Could Lead to Forced Administration of the Region by Imperial Interests.*
* "Aeldrum's National Champions" *Public Opinion of Aeldman ISC Corporations Soars With Enhanced Cultural Programming Linking Aeldman National Pride and Culture to ISC Economic Model. Trust in ISC Appears to Exceed Trust in Any Aeldman Government Institution, With Evidence of Local Politicians Outside of Industrial Party Seeking ISC Remediation for Civil Service Shortfalls.*
* "Fighting Inequity, the ISC Way" *ISC Launches Successful Programs to Enhance Economic Mobility and Educational Access for Career Paths Through ISC Employment, Targeting Disadvantaged Regions and Populations.*
* "Leandra or Kirva" *As Religious Enthusiasm in Celestial Space for Shantine Kirvanism Continues to Grow, Especially in GCC and Dominion Foreign Quarter, Criticisms from Some Kirvans in Imperial Space Mount that Knights of Leandra Hold Too Much Power in Missionary Work, Compromise Theological Consistency for Alliances with Celestial Faiths.*
	+ "Not Our People" *Knights of Adarnum in Certain Chapters Issue* "Doctrinal Test" *For Their Protection of the Faithful that Appears to Exclude Communities that Worship Leandra as a Direct Object of Faith.*
* "Megachurch of the Pentacle Opens in Fialta Imperium*" Multiple Pentacle Miracles Lend Unity to Event - Angels of All Pentacle Gods Make Appearances, Place Symbols of Support Upon Altar. In One Voice, Angels of the Pentacle Applaud Fialta Cultural Triumphs*
	+ "My Kids Will Love This Someday" *Tickets for Megachurches Reach Backlog Of Years as Enthusiasm Sweeps Not only Imperium but Wider Pentacle Spheres*
* "Suppressing the Story" *Accusations of Saldanese-Sermayan Collusion Mount Around Mind Virus Panic Deutschreich Media Breaks Stunning Report of SNN Tampering and Coaching Interviewees*

**Affiliate News Contributions:**

*The Gazette Takes No Responsibility for the Following Content*

**Best and Worst of the Net – A Selection of Top News Posts By Ethernet Traction**

1. "Dominion Indulgences" - *A firebrand Ilmeran bishop declares* "The Dominions have again Led us astray and Led us to abandon a full Reckoning of their Lower Gates. We are a nation of faith, the pinnacle of crusaders - is this truly Leandra's Message or has the Wool been Pulled over our Eyes?"
2. "Aeldman Decay" – "Minister Smesimm and Doge LaPaix should be embarrassed by our Dominion War showing," posts a scathing ANN editorial. "How could we need to be bailed out by some backwater Celestial power? We need a firm and steady hand to coordinate our nation - LaPaix has been too undistinguished to be steady, too young to be firm."
3. "Market instability" - *A group of Sermayean short-sellers pen an open letter:* "You know the ticket for market instability in Celestial Space caused by a Middle Kingdom Crisis? Just up-level the crisis to the complete annihilation of a Celestial Great Power. It's probably all instigated by the Bank anyway - desperate as they are to cover up the complete impotence of their soul contracts. You can already see them moving from squashing opposition via spreadsheets to squashing opposition from the halls of Sermayean government."
4. "Alusian Mediocrity" – "When history remembers the G4, it will not remember Alusia except perhaps to note the Brass Cities took Alusia's rightful place. We have no culture, we have no navy - where is our honor? Where is our pride? I look around and sadly see a nation built not to win, but to avoid domination."

### Year 534

***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*

## Notes

1. ↑ For the map corresponding to the Grand Strategy 2 era, use the drop-down selector in the top right of the website and choose "510 A.U."
2. ↑ Editor's Note: The Editorial Board regrets the use of the word "coup" in a previous headline, given the political instability and uncertainty of Celestial Space at this time. The Gazette did not wish to imply that the GCC had staged a coup in Limei and apologizes for any confusion resulting from this poor word choice.
3. ↑ The Gazette has chosen to use the term "Dominions War" to refer to the conflict of the Imperial Powers and the Veiled Dominions, in preference to popular alternatives such as the 4th Great Celestial War or the Imperial Celestial War, due to the lack of participation in the conflict by other Celestial Powers.
4. ↑ Historic Rivals of Both the Veiled Masters and the Porcelain Lords of the Brass Cities
5. ↑ SNN Tabloid Affiliate Headlines from 427-28 Included: "Dad, I Married a Priestitute! Shocking Revelations Tear Apart Lawe Family."