Foreign Concerns Gazette/Year 450 - 451

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***Will War in Celestial Space End Imperial Peace?***

**Economic News:**

* "Take It From Here" *Aeldrum Releases Patent On Hovertech To Affiliates Of Mossag Etherics, Reserving IP on Military Applications.*
* "Reform the Endowments" *Saldanese Colleges, Executive Board Reach Landmark Deal with Bank of Valdos to Reform Saldanese Domestic Endowments.*
* "Our Coffers Raided, Our Gates Left Open" *Alusians Protest Foreign Investment through* "Predatory Loans", *Blame Government Trade Posture*.
* "Investment Opportunity" *Bank of Valdos Accepts 2.6k EU of Consumer and Institutional Investment Through Sermayan Brokers.*
* "A Service Vision" *Consumer Deposits with Bank of Valdos Increase in Alusia, Imperium. Bank-Watchers See Diversification into Service Offerings as Bid to Penetrate Hesitant Markets, Maximize Returns in Key Regions.*
* "Beyond Manufacturing" *Deutschreich Announces National Development Program Will Fund HotSpot Infrastructure: Sermayan Firms to Implement Aeldman IP in Deutschreich's trade zone.*
* "Resettlement Afield" *Fialta Displaced from Zanevuela Offered Land, Economic Opportunity through Valdosian Pioneer Program in Proposed Fialta Imperium Colonies in Celestial Space.*
	+ "Boots, Shovels, Rifles" *Tens of Thousands of Fialta Join Valdosian Colonial Corps, Formed to Pacify and Settle* "Lawless" *Celestial Territories.*
* "The Cracks in the Dam?" *Fialta Union Firms Fail to Repay Loans, Threatening Solvency of Government-Backed Credit Program.*
* "The Great Get Greater" *Great Powers Account for 81% of Imperial Economy at End of 550. Minor Imperial Powers Show Approximately Equivalent Total GDP to Alusian Empire.*
* "Go Where We Can Use You" *Two Years Into Ambition Labor Liberalization Program, King Gunnar Proudly Reports Sizeable Economic Gains. In System Some Call* "Perverse On The Level Of Great Dalthadi Opera"*, Many Dwarves Restricted by Clan Labor Laws Leave Druz to Work For Foreign Firms Contracting With Druz Clan-Guilds.*
* "New Contract Partners" *Reports That Brass Cities Enter Substantial Contract Manufacturing Agreement With Imperium Partners.*
* "More Links in the Supply Chain" *Alusians Implement Extensive Integration of Raw Material Processing Facilities to Improve Efficiency of Factory Supply Chain, Extend Supply Chain Multipliers.*
* "Will It Make Guns?" *Fialta Imperium Factories Produced with Alusian-Supplied F2s Slated for Massive Streamlining of Fialta Arms Industry. Valdosian Bank Oversees Supply Chain.*
* "The Valley of Death" *Shantine Mechanization Drives Enormous Local Gains, But Sees Decoupling from Efficient Trade Arrangements.* "Every Drachma Gained from Mechanization Costs Half a Drachma in Trade Gains"
* "Master the Deficit" *Alusian 5 Year Plan to Prioritize Reducing Alusian Trade Deficit.*
* "First Graduates" *Alusian Healthcare Reform Plan Reaches First Milestone, Graduating 600,000 Medical Staff.*
	+ "Academies En-Masse" *Alusia Cuts Ribbon on Six New "Instructor Academies" and Two New Medical Academies.*
* "Factory-Factory-Factory… in Aeldrum?" *Serene Duchy of Aeldrum Organizes New* "Colonial Factory Corporation" *to Produce Equivalent to F3 in Aeldman Colonies. CPC prospectus slates 4 F2-equivalents, With Priority For Colonial Deployment.*
	+ "Exporting ISC From the Core?" *CPC Could Account for over 10% of Aeldman Colonial GDP in Three Years. While most Industrial-State Cooperative Ventures Remain Core-Based, CPC Could Mark Shift in Aeldman State Policy.*
	+ "The New ATC?" *Aeldman Progressives, Free Market Advocates Criticize F3 Plan.* "ISC has distorted the Core Economy so badly that the government spends more on issuing corrective loans than on any other line item. The Colonies can only be worse: any indigenous development occurring there will be suffocated by the brute force of yet another super conglomerate. The Aeldrum Trade Company is back with a new brand, and a vengeance."

**International Relations and Affairs:**

* "Defining a New Model for the Patriarchates" *Kirvan Patriarchs Recognize Shantine Empress Theoboda as Patriarch of Bishant in Omnibus Agreement.*
	+ "Domestic Concessions" *Shantine Patriarchs Will Reserve Control Over The Tithes of Their Domains, Not Funding Bishant Patriarchate. Patriarch of Korinth Granted Rights to Raise Autonomous* "Korinth" *Chapter of the Knights of Adarnum. Patriarch Latakon of Highveldt Named Shantine Secretary of State. Empress Promises That Her Case Is Exceptional:* "No One Else Will Hold The Shantine Crown and The Patriarchate At Once."
	+ "International Patriarchate" *Theoboda Forms International Patriarchate, to Consist of Shantine Patriarchs and Alusian Patriarch of Ahlam. Members of the International Patriarchate Swear to Uphold Each Other's Domains and the Protection of Kirvanism: All Members Hold a Veto on the Admission of New Members, or the Appointment of Patriarchs to Existing Seats.*
	+ "Division of Domains" *International Patriarchate Recognizes Patriarchs of Sevalne, Aeldrum as* "Special Friends" *Without Seats on Council. As* "Celestial Patriarchs," *Aeldrum and Sevalne Shall Have Responsibility for Celestial Kirvans, With No Interference from International Patriarchate. Shantine Church To Close Some Abbeys Abroad. Ahlam Recognized as Responsible for Fialta Union. Imperial Kirvan Hierarchy Remains Ambiguous, Many Functions Devolving Implicitly to Patriarch of Korinth.*
* "Sold! To the New Patriarch of the Marches!" *Marcher Lords Auction Rights To* "Kirvan Patriarchate of the Marches." *In Fierce Bidding War Among Alusia, Bishant and Aeldrum, Shantine Delegation Headed By Arren Kane Wins Bid At 1400 Economic Units. Patriarch Will Have Right To Raise Tithes Tax-Free, With Full Control Over Church Moneys.*
* "Rally Against the Outsiders?" *Aeldman Diplomats Circulate Intelligence that Ships Alleged to be Yushanese Pirates in Raiding Incidents Must Have Been Equipped and Likely Crewed by a Great Power Navy.*
	+ "Not Good Enough" *Aeldmen Secure Tenuous Cease Fire, But Peace Breaks Down Within Weeks As Celestial Powers Squabble Over Disarmament Timetables, Border Security. Hostilities Resume.*
* "Colonial Wave" *Fialta Imperium Announces Intention To Subjugate Worlds In Celestial Periphery.*
* "The Great Celestial War" *After Aeldman Cease Fire Fails, Belligerents in Celestial Space Represent Majority of Region's Population, Industrial Capacity. Nippon States, Triad Princes, Yushan face Middle Kingdom, Great Aksai.*
	+ "Shots Supplied, Not Fired" *Brass Cities Sign Arms Contracts to Provide Munitions to Middle Kingdom.*
	+ "Not Our Mercenaries" *Mirror Enclaves Disavow Companies of Elvish Soldiers of Fortune Reportedly Serving on All Sides of Conflict.*
	+ "Very Much Our Mercenaries" *Thalranese Marches Enter Discussion With Nippon States To Supply Troops.*
	+ "Dragged In?" *Pressure From Nippon For Ashgarate to Join War Redoubles with Renewed Fighting.*
	+ "Trade Falters" *As Privateers Clash Along Etheric Lanes, Celestial Trade Volume Reduced Up to 50%.*
* "Grand Bargain between Shantine Empire and Fialta Imperium" *Fialta Emperor, Shantine Empress Declare New Consensus on Religious Relations. In Mutual Recognition Of Overlordship, Both Sides Avow That Religious Minorities Must Abide By Law of The Nations They Inhabit.*
	+ "A Haven Safe and Warm" *Kirvans Will Be Encouraged to Leave Fialta Imperium for Shantine Empire: Those Who Stay Renounce All Reparations And Must Swear Oath of Allegiance to Fialta Emperor. Immigrants To Shantine Empire to Receive Land And Cash Grants.*
	+ "Your Roots Are Here" *Fialta Landholdings To Be Expropriated in Shantine Territory. Bank of Valdos Ordered To Liquidate Shantine Assets Immediately. Fialta Imperium Promises Compensation, New Land For All Exiled Fialta That Immigrate.*
	+ "Escalating Restrictions" *After Voluntary Departure Phase, Shantine and Fialta Envision Series Of Further Measures: Shantine Plan Mass Deportations of Fialta, Fialta Plan Internal Relocations of Remaining Kirvans To Designated Kirvan Worlds Under Imperium Jurisdiction.*
* "Shifting the Balance" *Fialta Imperium Announces Completion of* "Conduit," *An Artificial Etheric Lane Permitting Non-Translane Vessels to Safely Pass Between Marivan and Brass Gates.*
	+ "A Porcelain Lord in Imperial Space" *In Historic First, Delegation of Porcelain Lords Visits Fialta Imperium, Crossing* "Conduit" *to Greet Fialta Emperor.*
	+ "Heretical" *Aeldrum Spirans Decry* "Violation of Noloth's Weave" *By Conduit.*
	+ "Unacceptable Violation of Sovereignty" *Nipponese, New Celestial Confederation Condemn Conduit, Demand Immediate Decommissioning.*
	+ "Ensuring Celestial Integrity" *Aeldman Ships Reportedly Navigate* "Perimeter" *of Celestial Space, Vowing Neutrality in Conflict. Middle Kingdom Protests that Aeldman Ships Surely Coordinate Patrols with Nippon.*

**Military, Criminal and Disaster News:**

* "Utterly Bizarre" *Intelligence Sources, International Leaders Baffled As Aeldrum, Alusia Reveal Failed Attempted Assassination on M. Emiir By Alusian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Giannis Politis.*
	+ "Remanded To Aeldman Justice" *Alusian Government Extradites Disgraced Politis to Aeldrum. Aeldman Dragoons Seize Politis In Midst of Unsuccessful Suicide Attempt Before Transfer.*
	+ "I Am Emiir. I Am Strong. I Am Aeldman." *Defiant Emiir Hurls Invective, But Strikes Note of Understanding With Empress Illyana For Extradition of Politis.*
	+ "What Do You Expect From Fialta?" *Aeldman Tabloids Roar At* "Imperium Infiltration" *of Alusian Empire, Seizing on Fialta Ethnicity of Giannis Politis. Leading Headlines:* "Alusian Cabinet Rampaged While Empress Drank Tea," "Fialta Thugs In Alusian Cabinet Kept Their Armies From Fighting in CW2," "Could Politis Have Been Bank of Valdos Stooge?"
	+ "Violent Radical Cults" *Alusia Announces That Politis' Secret Conversion From Idolmarism To Obscure Death Cult Preceded Assassination Attempt, Vows to Excise* "anti-State" *Cultish Influence From Alusian State and Populace.*
* "The Knives Are Out" *As Ground Troops and Gunships Clash Across Celestial Space, Waves of Assassinations Sweep Region. Middle King Narrowly Escapes Knife, Broadcasts Speech to Troops:* "We Threw Off The Yoke of Naga Terror: We Will Not Submit To Nippon's Pale Imitations"
	+ "Blood Money" *Pirates, Gangsters Seek Rich Bounties Placed On Peers Accused Of Aiding Or Subverting War Efforts. In Chaos of War, Some Outlaws Have Prizes On Their Heads From Both Sides. Exodus From Outlaw Cities As Violence Escalates:* "Whoever Is Left Standing At The Station Will Be Richer Than A King."
	+ "Blast From The Past" *Millions of CW1 Surplus Arms Deployed In Celestial Space.* "The Main Difference Between Nippon and Aksai Infantry Is How Recently The Aeldmen Made Their Guns."
* "An Academy For the Military, And a Pipeline to Industry" *New Fialta Military and Engineering Academy Will Provide Training For Elite Troops, Military Engineers. Marshal Cato Comments,* "These Academies Must Help Fialta To Remind Themselves That They Have Produced The Greatest Mortal Warriors In History."
* "Over The Border" *Thalranese Ground Troops Push Priestess Marinia Back Over Firhbank Border. Thalranese Close Firhbank Border:* "Reroute All Trade Through Del'Mar. Nobody In Or Out Until The Bandits Earn Their Final Reward."
* "Military Reformer" *Lord Ontario, Chancellor of Shantine Cabinet, Comes to Prominence As Champion of Military Reforms. Shantine Organize All New General Staff, Retrain Hundreds Of Thousands of Troops In Modern Tactics.*
	+ "Aristocracy at the Heart of Government" *Ontario's Officer Cadres Overwhelmingly Drawn from Shantine Nobility, Continuing Central Position of Aristocracy At Center Of State Reforms.*
* "Build Back and Build Out" *Alusians Develop Expanded Warship and Raider Fleet, Estimated To At Least Double Naval Strength.*
* "The Burning Of The Sarava" *Merchant Ship Becomes Suspended In Gate In Deutschreich Trade Zone. Coursing Energies Cause Ship To Catch Fire, Falling From Sky After Melting Sufficiently To Break Suspension. Over Two Hundred Reported Dead.*

**Culture and General Interest:**

* "Where Is The Discipline?" *Orcish Directorate* "Honor Corps" *See Dramatic Increase In Membership As Criticism Of* "Soft" *New Ways Of Life Mount: Conflicts With Directorate Authorities Over Armament.*
* "Long overdue" *Alusia Announces Inclusion Of Union Representatives Of Shantaran Faith In Council Of Faiths*
* "Academies Demonstrate Fialta Vision" *Emperor Neptos Projects Vision of Fialta Strength At Inauguration of Fialta Military and Engineering Academies. Overtly Martial Themes Dominate, But Neptos Emphasises Knowledge and Superior Lore, Connects Conduit Technology To Fialta Greatness.*
* "Giving Up On Pluralism" *Fialta-Shantine Grand Bargain Reverses Momentary Gains for Religious Pluralism in Shantine Empire. Fialta Emperor's Decision To Leave Patriarch Tarlo's Seat Empty Speaks to Abandonment of Integration of Kirvans.*
* "A Stern and Loving Guardian" *Kirvan Angels Summoned at Ports of Zanevuela to Welcome And Review Hundreds of Thousands of Kirvan Migrants. Religious Ecstasies, Panic Attacks, Follow.*
* "A Hierarchy For The Spiran Church" *Aeldrum Church of the Spires Brings Together Thousands of Spiran Adherents In* "Great Conclave" *at Aeldrum Spire. At Termination of Conclave, Church of Spires Announces Formal Leadership Structure: A High Weaver Leads The Church From Aeldrum Spire, Seven "Silk Threads" Serve As Bishops, Responsible for Remaining Spires of Aeldrum and Pin Jump. Serene Doge of Aeldrum to be Honorary* "Silk Thread" *of Aeldrum Spire.*
	+ "Our First High Weaver" *Church of Spires Nominates Human, Lars Tresson. Tresson Launched* "Noloth Travel Agency" *To Share Vision of Spires With Others.*
	+ "The Hand At The Loom?" *Aeldman Minister of the Occult Al'Hazred Resigns Cabinet Position To Preside Over Spiran Conclave, Accept Title of Silk Thread of Estonne Spire. Al'Hazred Widely Credited As Leading Spiran Theologian.*
	+ "The Outlying Thread" *Elvish Adventurer Siel Levasse Assumes Church Leadership At Pin Jump, Taking Point on Celestial Relations.*
* "Withdrawals" *Public Health Concerns Mount As Withdrawal Effects Of Dalthadi Birth Control Become Apparent.* "Increased Libido Is A Feature, Not a Bug."
* "An Occult Judiciary" *In Endowment Reform Agreement With Bank of Valdos, Saldanese Colleges Form Special Judiciary, Advised By Valdosian Church, To Adjudicate Soul Contract Disputes.* "Better Contracts And More Trust Mean Better Business"
* "Druz Vaccine" *In First Major Success, Aeldrum Pharmaceutical Consortium Announces Successful Vaccine To Combat Druz Fever.*
* "It Returns" *Psionics,* "Sensitive Persons" *Reported Across Cosmos To Experience Remarkably Similar Nightmares: Gate Opening, A Figure Appearing At Once To Leave And Enter, Unspeakable Vistas Beyond. Saldanese Scholar Claims That Adjusting For Local Time Dilation, All Recorded Nightmares Were Approximately Simultaneous.*
* "Where's Our Money?" *Kirvans In Thalranese Marches Protest Auction of Patriarchate, Demand Share of Proceeds. Thalranese Prince Cattrel Comments,* "The Agreement Is With A Great Power. We Do Not Bargain With Our Subjects."
* "A Grand Palace Of State" *President of Delarma Announces Construction Of Vast Administrative Complex, With Commensurate Private Residence.* "The Great Fountain Shows The Coursing Strength Of Delarma; The Imported Trees, Our Strength; The Gold Leaf Upon Every Gate, Our Prosperity."