Imperium of Whitecrest

From the ashes of the Fascist Dictatorship arose the Monarchy. The Imperium sprawls from the waves of the *Rust Sound* to the Foothills of Einheitsgorod. It's army, the 2nd largest in Vastumlandt, guards the borders of Whitecrest with utmost vigilence. The King touts Whitecrest as the "Third Way," in opposition against the misery peddled by the snowy Einheitsgorod, and Meracia's ever-invasive tentacles of democratic "Reform." However, a careful eye will see the fanatical cult of personality carefully contructed around the royal family. The brutalisation and subsequent enslavement of the Frischii, and the ever increasing expansionism that rivals the ambitions of even Meracia

## History

The history of Whitecrest starts in the Lunar year 98. Whitecrest was originally known as the Coronastadt Republic, a nation built on Democratic-Republic ideas and practices. It's people flourished for over 150 years. However by year 256, the Republic had eroded into a bastion of corruption and obvious class desparity, with the middle class quickly disappearing, and an economy quickly spiraling into recession.

This trend continued up until the beginning of the 1st Regularae War of 277. President Licentius von Ferrstrasse declared war upon the neighboring Kingdom of Frischia, citing aggressive Frischii military posturing.

### 1st Regularae war and Subsequent Power Struggles

The 1st Regularae War ended in 281 with a pyrrhic Coronastadt victory, whereby the Frischii nation was forced to concede 35 miles worth of land along its western border with Coronastadt. However the war ultimately bankrupted the Republic's treasury, leaving the nearly 600,000 soldiers totally destitute. The war came at tremendous human cost for Coronastadt. The Republic ultimately took 2.7 Million casualties, to the 980k Frischii casualties.

The disasterous campaign in West Frischia and the economic collapse that ensued at the war's conclusion, culminated in the Ianuarius Revolt of 285. The revolted instated the charismatic Wilhelm Comitatus at the helm of the state. This marked the foundation of the fascist *Falcrion State.* Under Comitatus, the now defunct Republic saw a brief economic recovery, and the consolidation of gains along West Frischia, however it also saw a massive loss of life due to purges of political opponents and dissidents. By the formation of the Imperium in 302, over 9,697,000 political enemies and dissidents had been sentenced to death, with a further 3.7 million having been imprisoned. During the purges, Comitatus feared a possible counter-revolution, and in 291 established the Coronastadt Monarchy. Under this arrangement, the King held little more than ceremonial power, and kept the populace appeased.

### The Purple Revolution and the Rise of the Royal Family

However, Comitatus' reign would not last forever. In the year 298, a whistleblower leaked valuable information concerning corruption and ultimately brought to light the extent of the fascist purges. What insued was mass demonstrations in the streets, riots, and Falcrion Legions ceasing all contact with Military High Command. Within a month, the situation deteriorated into full blown civil war, with Royalists taking the center stage, resulting in the "2nd Regularae War" or the "Purple Revolution."
The dust settled in the winter of 301, with Septimus II von Coronastadt at the helm. From the balcony of the burned out husk of the Falcrion Chancellery, Septimus II declared the formation of *The Imperium of Whitecrest*, the name referencing the Ivory Cross that emblazoned the patches of royalist units. The ratification of the Imperium's Constitution, known as the "*Codex,"* occured on the first week of *Ianuarius,* in 302 the same month as the *Ianuaris Revolt*.

The new government consisted of a Constitutional Monarchy, with the House of Coronastadt as the head of Governance. The instatement of two Consuls were to delegate most executive powers to two democratically elected equals. Additionally, the Senate was established as a representative body of all Whitecrestian citizens. Under this sytem, the Senators were elected every year, and Consuls elected every 4 years. This system ensured that Regularae citizens had their voices heard in the halls of government. This system would not last forever however, at least not in the form it was intended. After 250 years of propaganda, undermining, and petty cronyism, the Royal House of Coronastadt emerged as the unquestioned authority in Whitecrest, and the remaining honorable pillars of democracy were thoroughly eroded until all that remained was an Absolute Monarchy.

### The Verdantine Intervention

While most either viewed the Purple Revolution with indifference, others viewed it as an existential threat. Across the Northern Mare, the Duchy of Verdantii saw the instability of its Southwestern neighbor as a rabid snake poised to strike. On Februarius 24th, in the year 352 the Duchy mobilized its expeditionary forces and embarked on an intervention on the eastern coast of Whitecrest. The invasion consisted of four landings along the northern coast. The Verdantine army hoped to decapitate Whitecrest's freshwater sources which stemmed from the rivers and reservoirs along the northern coast. The landings initially were successful as the Verdantii found that the areas they had landed were entirely deserted. With such initial success, the Verdantii proceeded to march southward, with Army Group 3 marching downstreamstream to where the *Sangktwasser* and *Aquiis* rivers merged. As the 3rd army reached the rivers' delta, the Regularae launched their counterattack. Using the river bank as a natural frontline, the 3rd Verdantii Army Group quickly found itself surrounded on all sides as the Regularae crossed at the nearest point between the two rivers. The 3rd Verdantii Army Goup sent runners to inform Army Groups 1,2, and 4 of the dire situation unfolding, but to no avail. Runners informed then forlorn army that as the Rugularae stationed at the river had envoloped them, a second Regularae force has beaten the other groups westwards towards the mountains where they would now be making a final stand.

When this news was given to high command at the rivers' basin, the order was given to dig in, they would be taking as many of the enemy with them as they could. A spiderweb of trenches, gun emplacements, minefields, field cannons, and traps were erected at lightning speed. All the Verdantii could do is wait for the inevitable onslaught. The onslought would indeed come. at 0430 hours, the darkened morning sky was set ablaze by artillery bombardment, annihilating the Verdantine Army, reducing the entire army's combat effectiveness to less than 30%. The details after the bombardment tothis day are unknown, but what is recorded is that the Regularae soldiers hoisted the black flag, signaling no quarter was to be given. Of the 500,000+ Verdantii encircled in the basin,approximately 200 escaped with only between 20-50 men ever seeing Verdantine soil again. Armistace was signed the following week, as the remants of Army Groups 1, 2, and 4 surrendered, were taken prisoner, and subsequently extrajudicially executed. The last bullet fired at Augstschuss 13th, 350 at 1300 hours.

### Personal Union with Techaris and Subsequent Annexation

Following this great victory, the southern neighbor of Whitecrest, the Technaris Republic sought closer ties with Whitecrest, either out of fear or newfound respect. The Technaran King, in the agreement known as the *Luminae Accords*, arranged the marriage of his daughter to the Crown Prince of Whitecrest. However, tragedy would strike Technaris when the Crown Prince of Technaris fell off his horse and died within the week. With the King in his 80s and in declining health, Technaris and Whitecrest would find themselves in a personal union, albeit a very imbalanced one. Not one year after the union formed, did the *2nd Luminae Accord* was signed, which formally annexed Technaris into the Imperium.

Following annexation, the House of Coronastadt invested heavily into Imperial propaganda as a way to curtail any resistance early. The propaganda proved marginally effective. While the efforts did ensure the prevention of resistance movements, it did not warm the populace any further to Whitecrest, as they continued to maintain a rather cynical attitude to their situation.

### The Meracian Wars

Once again however, any peace that was to be won after the Verdantine Intervention was short lived as another enemy across the sea geared up for intervention, in the form of the Federation of Meracia. On Septimutrius 23rd, year 366, The President of Meracia declared that the expansionism evident in the Great Mare and its surrounding erritories presented a growing threat to national security and announced an "Extraordinary Operation" to restablize and castrate the fledgling power of the Great Mare. That evening, Federation soldiers landed on the dislocated far-western banks of Whitecrest. By Septimutrius 30th, a mere week after the first beachhead was established, Meracian troops had already captured everything west of the *Gleiss* river and managed to secure a frontline a mere 50 miles of Ivoria. This was the zenith of Maracian gains for the duration of The Meracian Wars.

The Regularae King, Basil IV von Coronastadt, ordered for mandatory mobilization of all Regularae citizens of 16 years and older, and the construction of a defensive line along the city limits of Ivoria proper. This would mark what was known as the "*Ivorian Line.*" What followed was 15 years of brutal trench warfare and urban combat, spread out across multiple treaties, cease-fires, and frozen conflicts. This culminated in a total war of 4 seperate Whitecrest-Meracian wars.

The results of these wars bear a scar on the conscience of Regularae society, and resulted in the fermentation of Xenophobic and war-mongering disposition of Whitecrest's population. This is not the result of a wildly successful propaganda campgaign. This attitude stems from the result of the Meracian wars, and an unchecked bloodthrirst and desire for vengeance upon the invaders.

The Treaty of Ivoria, or rather the Cease-fire of Ivoria as it is often called, was signed in the year 381. The cease-fire is a painful memory for Whitecrest. The treaty resulted in nothing more than the regaining of land Whitecrest had already taken, and the withdrawal of Meracian troops from the lands of the Great Mare. The war cost the lives of some 50.7 million Regularae Soldiers, and 55.3 million Meracian soldiers.

### The Long Peace

Though the war came at great cost, and an embittered populace, the Imperium was safe for now. What followed after the Armistace was what is now referred to as "The Long Peace." The economy, almost as bad as the period following the 1st Regularae War, was eventually able to recover. Jobs returned, the population soared, and money flowed. Technology improved somewhat, and for once the average citizen could feel at ease. This period was a time of cultural and economic boom. Culture prospered as the Royal Family and their Propaganda efforts were in full swing. The Royals began to shape the populace via propaganda. They wanted a populace that would be, as Basil IV von Coronastadt described: "...loyal because of their nobility, and will be noble because of their loyalty." Military spending increased as Regularae citizens cried out and demanded, sometimes even with a violent fervor, that something as tragic as the Meracian Wars should never happen again.

### The Arconian War

   The stained glass mural that was the Long Peace and its consequences, was shattered on Martschheim 10th, Year 450. A group of terrorists, suspected to originate from the neighboring Kingdom of Arconium, unleashed a wave of death upon multiple cities in Whitecrest, in what would be immortalized as the *D'Chateau Attacks*. The combined use of high-explosive bombs and chemical bombs killed a total of 13,439 citizens and injured a further 56,000 citizens. The enraged populace demanded war, and

recruitment centers quickly became overwhelmed at the amount of recruits lined up to join the Legions.

On Martschheim 15th, the King sent a list of demands to the Arconian king, one of which was the investigation of those responsible for the terror attacks. Arconia refused.

What proceeded was the announcement of a "Total War" against Arconia. "Let not one living the that hath breath live." declared the minister of war. "Let the death of your sons and daughters, the sacrifice of your mothers and fathers, and the demise of your brothers and sisters fuel your rage. For your rage must be the ultimate court that deals the final judgement."

The Arconian War lasted 2 years. With the end result of the total desolation and uprooting of Arconian society, victory was easily achieved. The Imperial enacted severe reprisals upon Arconian citizens for Regularae deaths in the D'Chateau Attacks. For every Regularae Citizen killed, 100 Arconians would be rounded up and executed, and for every Regularae Citizen injured, 50 would be pressed into hard labor, rebuilding the cities leveled in sieges by the Imperium. The reprisals resulted in the death of 1,343,900 Arconians and a further 2,800,000 being inducted into slavery. The war was not easy, with Whitecrest gaining a close victory after many sieges against key cities often nestled high in the mountain tops.

### The Short Peace

After the Arconian War, the lack of war and a resumption of normal trade and consolidation resulted in what became known as the "Short Peace." While this peace lasted for 29 years, the living standard never again rose. The economy stagnated and even today still hovers at 4.2%. The last remaining rights of the average citizen in Whitecrest have been done away with, and the Regularae now live in an Authoritarian Police-State. Freedom of the Press, once a sacred tradition, was trampled by the state. Freedom of Speech and Assembly, the hallmarks of the Republic, were cast to the wayside, and left to rot. Habeas Corpus, the last dignity of the people,was now a joke in the eyes of the Imperium. Demonstrations and protests, now were subject to brutal crackdowns, with sometimes violence being used. The Imperium made it very clear, and still does to this day, that they are the ones in charge.

### The Mistellan War

While the Imperium may have been able to tightly control the populace, what it could not control was its economy. Faced with a fiscal cotastrophe, the Imperium cast its eyes to the briny island fortresses of the Mistellan Order. The Monarchy of Whitecrest knew that in order to curtail a possible future economic apocalypse, it was imperative to secure the Mistellan Isles.

Thus, on Martscheim 10th, 479, the Imperium began its bombardment of Mistella. The Island, mostly guarded by Militias and a second-rate military, stood no chance against the onslaught of Imperial might. Thus the Ordo Mistella surrendered within 4 hours of first landfall.

The Imperium, realizing the possible liabiliy Mistella could be if not placated properly, dealt a light hand to the newly subjugated nation, albeit begrudgingly. The Island nation was rebuilt as a fishing colony, and a drydock hive. From here, the Imperium would dominate not only the fishing markets and exports, but also would lord over the waves as the unquestioned naval power in the *Northern Mare* and the *Mare Occidens.*

The fishing industry in Ordo Mistellan, now *District 3,* saw a boom in productivity and wealth, especially due to the geographic location of the islands. The islands proved to be a iron gate to the great north, and as a result received immense funding and support from Imperial Coffers.

### 2nd Meracian Intervention

Once again feeling threatend by Whitecrest's imperialism, and seeking to break down the iron gate that closed over the Northern Mare, Meracia began a lightning-quick strike into the heart of Whitecrest. The Meracian army made landfall at the beaches near Opulara, but were met with an unyielding defense by the *5th Royal Garrison*. Machine gun emplacements, anti-tank pillboxes, and a honeycomb of trenches proved to a brick wall that the Meracian army was forced to hurl itself against multiple times. The initial landing cost the lives of some 250,000 soldiers, and a further 300,000 wounded. With Regularae reinforcements arriving from adjacent bases, and the Imperial Fleet making its way from the Northern Mare, The Meracian army decided to try one last push at the weakest sector to break through the defenses and force the defenders on to open ground. The Meracian forces managed to crack open a sector, and stampeded into the flat grasslands. The 5th Royal Garrsion had no choice but to beat a hasty retreat to a backline defense. The Meracian troops managed to gain a sizable coastal foothold, and began to land additional reinforcements onto the beaches. However, the tides shifted back into regularae favor as their surface fleet arrived. The Whitecrest Army and elite divisions began trickling into the frontlines, and the navy scored a decisive victory in the *Red Straight*, effectively cutting off Meracian reinforcements. The Whitecrest armed forces counterattacked towards the port, recapturing it, and decimating the Meracian armored divisions statined there, and killing approximately 20,000 Meracians and a further 150,000 Meracians reported as missing or wounded.

With the port secured, and Meracian morale shattered, the armed forces of Whitecrest pushed on to drive the Meracians out of the flatlands. In whatwould be known as *The 2nd Battle for the Fertilwald Plains,* the Meracians were brutally defeatead in a pitched battle. The Meracians were forced to fall back to the beach landing zones they they had fought so hard to secure in the first days of fighting. It was at this very moment, that the Meracians were forced to strike their colors, and to hoist the white flag. The remaining 221,360 Meracians were taken prisoner. The "*Altus Kommando der Arma*, (AKdA)" the high command of the Whitecrest Army, ordered that every Meracian Officer and NCO be summarily executed resulting in the death of 40,522 Meracians. The remaining 180,838 were ordered to split into groups of ten. Each group of ten would be forced to single out the youngest soldier to step forward. The singled out soldier would first be branded with a hot iron on his stomach that was inscribed "Bêl Krïm," Regularae for "War Criminal." Next, the Regularae officers would force the other 9 Meracian prisoners to beat the branded soldier to death, with the Regularae officer dealing a coup d'grâce with his sidearm. The result was a closed casket funeral for Meracians families, once the bodies of the dead were relinquished to Meracian authorities. A total of 18,083 Meracian troops were killed via this method, called "Mors per Dekimas." Peace officially was signed the following morning, Martscheim 21st, 479.

### 2nd Verdantine Intervention

No sooner had Whitecrest repulsed the Meracian invasion force, did the Verdantine Expeditionary Force (VEF) once again threaten Ivoria's water supplies. Landing at the same beachhead as the 1st Verdantine Intervention, the goals were the same. Cut off Regularae water supplies , and to starve the city out. The Verdantii initially made much greater progress compared to the first intervention. The Verdantii had nearly overrun the countryside, and had begun siegeworks around the Imperial city of *Argentum.* The Verdantii were initially able to reinforce their gains, and landed aditional armor and infantry regiments. However, much like the first war, the VEF was strategically outplayed by Regularae forces. While the VEF may have had land force superiority at the outset of the war, would they could never hope to match was the Regularae airforce. The AKdA ordered sabotage groups to disrupt supply lines along major highways. The result was a logistical nightmare for the VEF. Food, water and ammo now barely trickled in. Many VEF fighters had barely enough food and water, and many cases were undersupplied. Their tanks quickly ran out of fuel, and many were forced to be abandoned. The VEF forced a retreat from Argentum, and headed north. As they retreated, the Regularae airforce ambushed the VEF column, first disabling the front and rear segments, before destroying everything in the middle, piece-meal. The retreating VEF force of 600,000 men was reduced to a shattered and forlorn 144,000. The remaining troops traveled west into the mountains to make a final stand. Along the way, the VEF remants conducted terror operations and partisan activities on any Regularae villages that stood in their path, leaving macabre sights to be found for the persuing Regularae Legions.

The VEF reached the mountains, and constructed a vast network of trenches, pillboxes, tunnels, and machine-gun emplacements. Remaining tanks were buried up to their turrets to act as field artillery, and the remaining oil siphoned out for more important uses. The fortifications were made to be as painful as possible for Whitecrest to conquer. The VEF knew they'd be starved out sooner or later, and so an indefinite stand was on nobody's mind.

As the Whitecrestian Legions descended upon the ragtag army, the emplacements roared to life. By the end of the first day, 50,000 Regularae had died attempting to storm the fortification network, with 30,000 VEF militants dying in their defense. Eventually the bullets ran dry for the VEF and their network of trenches were overrun, and their tunnels had been breached by elite strike teams. It was at this moment that the remaining 55,000 VEF retreated into the inner sanctum that was their headquarters. Here, they decided that it was better to end the battle on their own terms, rather than face the the terror of Whitecrest's white hot retribution. all 55,000 survivors comitted ritualistic suicide in the secluded headquarters.

The total loss of life over the course of this first phase of the 2nd Verdantine Intervention was inumerable. Between 700,000 and 1.3 million Regularae citizens had lost their lives in the flames of war, and a further 3 million displaced. 3.1 million Verdantine troops had perished, wheras the Whitecrestian govern,ent sacrificed a little over 640,000 soldiers to defend the Fatherland.

With the Fatherland secured, and the invading VEF dealt with, the AKdA began the fomentation of an audacious plan to strike back at the Verdantine nation, and to bring the Verdantii to their knees. The AKdA landed on a massive combined landing on Verdantii beaches. The Imperial navy would facilitate an amphibious landing, whilst a horde of transports would paradrop troops deep into enemy backlines.

The operation launched on Meius 22nd, 481. Imperial Falcro transports soared overhead as battleships and heavy cruisers laid waste to Verdantii entrenchments and pillboxes. With its main army decimated, the Duchy of Verdantii was all but unable to mount any kind of defense, relying solely on local militias and reservist units. Thus, the beaches were subsequently overrun by the Imperium, and the AKdA found its armies overlooking the crown jewel of its adversary.

The Regularae troops mounted a siege of *Verdantii,* the Duchy's capital and namesake. It was a bloody siege that lasted 9 months and resulted in the capitol falling under the jackboot of Regularae occupation. The Regulrae Legions swep north and south and continued to blitz to through every coastal town, slowly funneling more troops every day. Peace came on Februarius 14th, 482. The duchy of verdantii was to be directly annexed in its entirety into the Imperium. The war cost the lives of some 5 million Verdantii soldiers and civilians, with a further 13 million being displaced.

In the aftermath of the war, the Imperium launched a massive campaign to completely eradicate Verdantine culture. THis took the form of forcing schools to swap to Ivorian curriculum, paired with mandatory Regulare lessons. Street names were renamed in Regularae, Verdantine holidays replaced with Imperial holidays, and Verdantine music outlawed. By the end of the following century, the word "Verdantine," meant nothing to the very people that the Duchy once nurtured.

### Einheitsgorod Civil War

As the peace arrived for Whitecrest, a thunderstorm arrived in the south. The Mountainous giant that was the *Weissrech Republic* collapsed into civil war. On one side was the radical collectivist revolutionaries, and the Statist Republicans on the other. The once dormant bear had now awoken, and was a major player on the world stage again.

Whitecrest, seeing a chance to make a profit off of the insuing civil war, signed a lend lease agreement with the Collectivists. The civil war lasted just over 7 years. a total of 10 million Weissrech soldiers on both sides died as a result, and the Collectivists prevailing. The victorious revolutionaries renamed their new home to the "*Democratic Republic of Einheitsgorod*."

At the conclusion of the civil war, major cities were renamed in honor of the revolution, and an expansionist foreign policy by the fledgling power emerged.

### The Schwetum Crisis

As the new century turned on the morning of Ianuarius 8th, 502, news reached the cities of Einheitsgorod, Ivoria, and *Freiurbia* that the *Frostschlien Empire* had fallen into civil disorder. The Frostchlien royal family had died off, with no available clear successor. The king had died of old age, and had lost all of his heirs either of disease, intrigue, or war. As a result, multiple claimants to the Empire's throne had emerged, and now were in an intense power struggle for the land of iron and stone.

Meracia, Einheitsgorod, and Whitecrest soon felt the ramifications of this civil war, as their Schwetum imports began drying up. Whitecrest, relying on imports due to the scarcity of Schwetum in its own country, and necessity for Schwetum in building its battleships' hulls and its tank hulls. Meracia, considered the Frostchlien Empire a valuable neutral buffer state between itself and Whitecrest, and thus became immediately invested in resecuring its eastern bulwark that was Frostschlien.

Einheitsgorod, while being importing Schwetum, albeit not in as large quantities as Whitecrest did, relied on the Frostschlien Empire for its exports of high quality tools. Thus, all three major powers were not only hurt by the ensuing crisis, but all had some amount of interest vested in the re-establishment of law and order in the state.

All three powers made promises of grandeur and support. The Federation supported the Erdher Family, a family with the largest swatch of control, and the remnants of the inter-regnum government. Meracia bankrolled most of the war effort for them, causing the interim government to be a puppet to Meracia's whims, lest the debt collector be called in via Meracian troops.

Einheitsgorod, fueled its own revolution in the shattered nation. Propaganda and revolutionaries were sent overseas to incite a peasant uprising, which proved wildly successful. Worker's unions sprung up in many Frostchlien cities and declared independence, wreaking havoc upon existing supply lines of already existing and well-established factions.

Whitecrest, had no interest in supporting an existing family. Fueled by nothing more than pure expansionism, and quest to put an end to the crisis, landed the *3rd Ivorian Regiment* on the southern coast of Frostschlien proper. Secondly, the Ivorian Navy and the *2nd Ivorian Regiment* and *5th Mistellan Volunteer Legion* seized the Frostschlien client states of *Reichsprotektorat of Cascatio* and the *Reichsprotektorat of Reichdomus.*

The ensuing civil war between the different factions persisted until all that was left were the Interim Government, the *People's Republic of Eisenmare*, and the Regularae army. By this point, the civil war had already cost the lives of 44,000 Frostschlien citizens, and a further 70,000 displaced. While the casualties were fewer than prior wars, the damage done to the civilization was great, given the sparse population of the country.

Whitecrest first sought to wipe out the Interim Government, and crush any remaining legitimate claimants before it could take on the Einheitsgorod backed militias. The Interim Governemnt, having lost its foothold in the mountains and reduced to the lowlands, proved easy pickings for the Legions. The AKdA launched a blitzkrieg against the isolated pockets of government forces, quickly overrunning their positions. In the immediate aftermath of the Interim Government's collapse and subsequent surrender, the Regularae military showed no quarter, and ordered the immediate execution of Frostschlien nobles, beurocrats, and surviving royal family members. Approximately 5,220 Frostchliens were executed in front of the Royal Palace and their bodies haphazardly tossed into a shallow grave. This campaign against the Interim Government cost the lives of 50,000 Frostschliens, and 15,000 Regularae soldiers.

Next, Whitecrest turned its attention to the mountaintops, where the Eisenmare Militias were perched. Here, the Ivorian commanders decided to directly assault any and all water sources and food sources, and ran extensive espionage to gain intel on Eisenmare logistics.

The Regularae Airforce were called upon to extensively bomb civilian infrastructure including farms, markets, and water treatment plants. Over the course of 4 months, 5,000 Eisenmarians died as a direct result of the airstrikes, 30,000 Eisenmarians starved to death, due to a lack of reliable food and water supplies. The airstrikes proved incredibly effective, forcing the citizens to resort to cannablism, and relying on snowfall and rainfall for water.

After seeing the satisfactory results of this initial wave of airstrikes, the AKdA called for a second wave of airstrikes on any known septic processing centers. These airstrikes were designed to destroy the citizens' ability to safely quarintine waste, and subsequently allowed disease to spread like wildfire throughout the besieged population, most notably affecting the Military.

Lastly, the Legions were ordered to seize any roads, highways, and passageways leading into the besieged areas to cut off any remaining logistic routes.

The beleaguered troops, now totally cut off from any kind of supplies, their food and water sources destroyed, and disease decimating their ranks, proved no match for the Legions. Many militiamen could barely raise their rifle and keep steady aim, due to malnutrition and amaciation. Within 5 hours, the Militia and their populace surrendered unconditionally to the Legions. The Frostschlien civil war lasted 1 year and 8 months.

The Frostchlien people were now crushed under Ivorian jackboots...

### 3rd Regularae War (2nd Frischii War)

In the aftermath of the Frostschlien Civil War and the annexation of the region into the Imperium, an eerie calm settled over the world. Meracia retreated to its corner of the world, slowly rebuildingits compusure and licking its wounds.

Whitecrest however became ever more paranoid however. It knew that Einheitsgorod would not wait long before it attacked the Imperium directly, and the Imperium needed time to prepare for such a large scale war. With its back against the wall, the Imperium decided to stall as much as it could, and to bide for as much time as possible. Though intitally it started off as frail handshakes and smiles through gritted teeth, it became more and more collaborative in nature. The Imperium and Einheitsgorod eventually signed a non-aggression pact, and a general alliance. However, while any person may see this alliance as a lopsided union against Meracia, an astute observer would note the internal realpolitik and constant backbiting that occurred in the alliance security councils. Many times, alliance funds were spent unequally either on defenses conveniently close the the borders, or used in vanity projects designed to fail, and drain the other's economy in the long-term. This alliance was nothing short but another economic proxy war between Einheitsgorod and Whitecrest, and quickly strained the veneer of good relations between the two powers.

As tensions peaked, the Imperium used the opportunity to launch a suprise invasion into the neighboring Kingdom of Frischia, as a last ditch effort to salvage the alliance. The military operation known as "*Einsatzus Septimus*" began on the early morning of Aprelium 15th, 505. Ivorian troops atop mechanized halftracks and flanked by main battle tanks burst through the Frischii borders. Advance fire teams were sent ahead to clear the way through any resistance mounted by the native inhabitants.

It was not until the first wave of Ivorian troops secured the initial 30 miles of Frischii territory, that the King stood on the Imperial Palace's balcony before his subjects, and formally declared war upon the Kingdom of Frischia. The crowd quickly was stirred into a frenzy, cheering on the King and his promises of more land to be settled by the Regularae people. By the end of the speech, the people were foaming at the mouth and demanding total war. They wanted nothingless but the wonton slaughter and spilling of Frischii blood.

While the Frischian nation initially did well slowing down the Ivorian columns, they knew that the collapse of the frontline was inevitable. However the troops were determined to make the armies of Whitecrest pay with blood for every inch of ground that they took. The Frischii troops took no prisoners, nor did they accept defectors. Any soldier of Whitecrest that attempted to defect or surrender was subsequently shot. Many times, the Frischians used bombed out buildings' basements as torture chambers for Ivorians that were unlucky enough to be estranged from their units.

While the Frischii army was busy repelling the Imperium to the West, catastrophe broke to the south. Whilst the Frischii army was distracted, Einheitsgorod sent its troops to invade the Kingdom from the South and Southeast. The Frischii inhabitants initially thinking the Weissrech soldiers were coming to aide the Frischii against Whitecrest, welcomed the soldiers as heroes and liberators. But their hopes were dashed, when each time the Crimson Standard was hoisted over the balconies of their town halls.

As word spread westward and reached the Ivorian-Frischii front, the Frischii ranks were thrown into chaos. The Frischii government ordered all armies retreat to the capitol and to enact a scorched earth policy. All crops, towns, and roads were to be destroyed before they fell into enemy hands. approximately 1.1 million Frischii inhabitants were put to the sword, and 100,000+ square miles were razed in this process. The war ended in a matter of weeks, with 750,000 Frischii soldiers dying, a further 990,000 wounded or missing. 2.3 million frischii civilians killed, and millions more displaced.

The land that was once the Kingdom of Frischia, was partitioned between Whitecrest and Einheitsgorod. In the *Treaty of Warthvia,* Einheitsgorod was ceded the southern territories which were rich in minerals and and coal, as well as the southern mountain regions. Whitecrest wa granted the remaining territory, albeit the inheritor of desolated fields.

The Imperium quickly dispersed its armies across the captured towns, plunging the now occupied region into Martial Law. While normally the Imperium after a few months could begin the integration process, the Frischii Resistance burned bright and hot, and thus was hard to quell. Though the Military Occupation was hard, it paled in comparison to the horrors that were to come.

### Establishment of the Generalgouvernement

As time wore on, the Monarchy began eying *Sylvania*, the last light of freedom for Frischii refugees. However, the Imperium would have to figure out what to do with its elite units stationed in the occupied regions. The solution was the formation of "*Generalgouvernement*." The Generalgouvernement was to be semi-autonomous puppet state of the Imperium. The puprose of this state was to head the industrial scale extermination of the native inhabitants and to ensure the land was ripe for Regularae settlers. The plan was to exterminate anywhere between 60 and 70% of all Frischii people, and to leave the remainder alive to be pressed into chattel slavery to Regularae settlers. The most loyal officers were selected to head this administration, and to begin siphoning volunteers from District 1 to form garrison units. After a few months, the *Cohors Magisträt,* numbered over 450,000 Ivorians. It was when the numbers of the Cohors swelled that the Legions migrated north to prepare for the next campaign, that initiated what was eventually called "The Black Years."

Over the course of the next 10 years, the Generalgouvernement grew to be a truly terrifying force. Having been gifted 4 armor regiments, the Cohors were able to maintain an iron grip over the populace. The men of the cohors initially performed their tasks remarkably well, and the Generalgouvernement seemed to have been a major success. The Frischii people, once numbered almost 9 million, were culled to a mere 1,166,000 dispersed throughout the district. Of those remaining Frischii, 477,000 were forced into slavery or remained in the ranks of the impoverished or dying homeless.

However, the sword of damocles would fall upon the heads of the Generalgouvernement in the Spring of 517...

### The Ivoire Uprising

In the spring of 517, armed Frischii insurgency groups took to the streets and began a general uprising. Long accumulated stockpiled of weapons systems were thrown open to the public. Many towns fell to the initial uprising. The Generalgouvernement inititally believeing this to be mere partisan activity, sent small advance groups to retake these towns and to flush out the dissidents. The long Cohors columns crept through cities, only to be suddenly ambushed, leaving only their burnt out husks.

The anonymous cabal of the insurgency groups began hijacking Generalgouvernement Radio broadcasts, and used these channels to solidify its legitimacy. The insurgency, fashioning itself as the *Frischii People's Militia,* broadcast news of victories and progress in the war. The ranks of the militia swelled exponentially, and soon thereafter the militia was able to conduct large scale offensives.

By this point, the Generalgouvernement had been paralyzed. Many divisions were surrounded and besieged in the cities they were initially stationed in to garisson. The zone of control the Generalgouvernement had was now reduced to the main highways and adjacent cities, its once vast mandate now reduced to tentacles that clung to the population for dear life.

The Cohors knew something had to be done, and so launched "*Fall Glanzbourg.*" The operation first began by staging breakouts for the remaining surrounded divisions, and evacuating them to the capitol to rearm and replenish. This proved a massive success, as beleaguered troops were relieved and were reunited with their logistics routes. In each of the relieved positions, troops were ordered to raze the abondoned positions to the ground, leaving nothing for the insurgents to utilize but mere rubble.

With the troops recovered and replenished, the second part of the operation could commence. The Generalgouvernement reinforced its main city Glanzbourg, and staged line advances through all sectors. Aerial bombardment, artillery strikes, and armored spearheads cleared the way for garrisons to retake control of large swaths of territory. The Cohors implemented the use of fire bombs to clear forrests and tall grass whenever possible. This paralyzed the insurgency, as they had become reliant on the cover provided by the vegetation to stage suprise attacks on enemy advance columns.

The result was the recapture of most of the Northern and Northwestern territory for the Generalgouvernement, and the collapse of the Frischii People's Militia. The Frischii people ultimately sacrificed 559,600 of their own, while the Generalgouvernement expended 433,000 troops quenching this rebellion. At the end of the Ivoire Uprising, the Frischii people were reduced to a mere 606,300, many of them forever behind the Sable Curtain of the Generalgouvernement, once again enslaved to their Ivorian masters. All that remained of the Frischii rebellion was a mere 200,000 collectively, all of them retreated deep into the devastated remains of no-man's land or into mountain cities.

### The Last War

The Imperium, having recently annexed Sylvania as the Ivoire Uprising was happening, knew that its ability to bide time was over. It sent any Legions it could spare to the southern border, beyond which laid the vast stretches of Einheitsgorod. The legions were ordered to construct defensive fortifications, in anticipation of a Weissrech attack. The defensive network was constructed with 3 main defensive lines across the Weissrech-Regularae border, altogether accumulating 32,500 miles worth of trenches. Minefields, dragon's teeth, and barbed wire were set up ahead of each trench line, with gun emplacements and heavy gun pillboxes dotted throughout the lines. A total of 150,000 heavy artillery batteries were placed in the backlines, and new provisional airfields constructed closer to the border regions. nearby cities and towns were fortified with imposing Anti-Aircraft flak towers, trench networks, and walls. Bomb shelters were subsidized by the Imperium for every citizen 1,000 miles of closer to the border regions. The Imperium, desperately in need of additional troops to allow for reserves to possibly be sent to the weary garrison in the Generalgouvernement, reached out to none other than the Federation of Meracia. The two, mutually despsing eachother, recognized that the Weissrech threat was bigger than them, and so begrudgingly signed a co-operation pact. Though the two nations fought the same enemy, it was not uncommon for fist fights breaking out between Meracian and Regularae soldiers. These fights were almost always over minor grievances, with the end result usually being multiple dead Regularae and Meracian soldiers, and the Military Command of both armies largely doing nothing about it.

The storm broke at 8:43PM, Octheim 31st, Lunar Year 525. Wessreich soldiers charged down from their mountaintop bases into the open plains. The soldiers, in a frenzied rush, broke down the border posts and began their assault on any Regularae divisions stationed nearby. To this day, nearly 20 years to the day, the war still rages in the south. The two titans hurl punches at eachother. Over the course of the war, over 50 million have died in brutal trench warfare and urban combat, with neither side capable of gaining a decisive advantage over the other.

## Government and Politics

The Imperium is governed by a Constitutional Monarchy (Absolute Monarchy de facto), with a fairly streamlined order of government. At the highest echelon of power, rests the Monarch and the Royal Family. The family is a Male-Preference Primogeniture, with so far a total of 31 Monarchs having ascended to the throne.

The lowest form of government, exists the Senators. These senators are native inhabitants of their district, and are democratically elected every 2 years. These delegations of Senators meet quarterly in the Imperial Parliament to vote on laws.

In the upper chamber of the Parliament, exists the Censors. These men are also elected within their district, and also meet quarterly for the purpose of presenting reports to the King and requesting any needed supplies.

Lastly, there are the two Consuls. Second only to the King himself, these two are directly responsible for drafting bills to be voted on by the Senate. These officials are elected in national general elections.

While there officially are 10 Districts in the Imperium, there exists only 9, due to the existence of the Generalgouvernement. Though the region is well on its way to becoming a fully fledged District, it currently remains a Military Administration. This ordeal means that administration of tis area falls upon the shoulders of a single man, the *Praefectus-General*. This man directly reports to the King, and defers to his majesty regarding all matters that reaches his ears via his subordinate generals. While this system causes the Generalgouvernement to be largely regarded as a necessary tumor, it is largely ignored due to the aforementioned immenent incorporation, which is expected by 530.