Duke Titanium

Duke Titanium was the leader of the Duchy of Montecazzo. After the Great Collapse, he was declared a saint in the Elinite Faith.

## Biography

In 39 AUC, Titanium founded the Duchy of Montecazzo. When missioniaries of the Elinite Faith visited the Duchy, its inhabitants converted in droves after Duke Titanium endorsed the faith. The Duke himself would often go to Neo Boreopolis on pilgrimages. When the International Community was founded in 43 AUC, Duke Titanium called together the Ducal Council to advise him on IC membership. Debate dragged on in the chambers. Conservative nobles clashed with liberal merchants, scrutinising and debating every last detail of the International Community's charter, as well as the various resolutions that it had adopted. The proud landowners and estate holders in the nobility decry losing a fully-independent foreign policy, with one particularly outspoken Baroness declaring that "Montecazzan membership in the IC is tantamount to a general liquidation of this Duchy's sovereignty and autonomy!" On the opposing side, trade- and cooperation-minded burghers lament that Montecazzo did not immediately join to become a founding member of the IC, citing lost potential revenues, missed opportunities for international influence, and a cooling of external relations. A miniscule amount of radicalists directly voiced their dissent against the Duke himself, remembering the bombastic, scathing rejection of the organisation that he had personally assented to. They were promptly extirpated by the Household Guard and handed off to the Constabulary. All the while, His Highness sat, filled with terrible attentiveness. He had originally denounced the IC, sharing many of the same sentiments his blue-blooded vassals held. About foreign policy. About sovereignty. But eventually, as news trickled in, and the Duke connected the dots, he began doubting this hardline position. He had never considered himself an isolationist, and he saw innumerable opportunities for his Domain's voice to be amplified on the world stage. Indeed, that is why he called this conference. He had hoped for a consensus, or at least a compromise to be reached by the estates. However, where His Highness expected cooperation, he only saw petty squabbling and bitter disagreement. Eventually, the Duke opted to remain isolated, seeing the IC as an attempt to curb the Duchy's sovereignity.

Its international isolationism eventually led to the Strait Crises, during which Duke Titanium briefly waged war against the Republic of the Isles of Birillum. The Duke successfully led a campaign into Birillum's territory, attacking a secret research base and forcing Gouvernour General Dale White to peace negotiations. As part as the peace deal, Birillum was granted free passage through the Strait and in return they would recognize Montecazzo's claim. In the aftermath of the Crisis, a convention was held in the city of Legatia, known as the Legatia Convention, during which it was decided that Montecazzo should join the IC as an observer. This amicable arrangement came about thanks to the efforts of the more diplomatically-minded nobles, priests, and plutocrats, and has been presented and assented to by the Duke. A lesser known second part of the Strait Crises followed in May of 44 AUC when religious zealots from the Pontificate dug the Aarvaos Canal through Montecazzan territory. The Pontificate issued an apology and guaranteed that Montecazzan control over the Canal would not be disputed. Duke Titanium accepted their apology. After the Crisis died down, the Duke founded the Lordship of Terraverde to guarantee its hold on the newly construct Aarvaos Canal.

In 46 AUC, the name of the council advising the Duke on stately affairs changed from the Ducal Council to the Governing Council. In the lead-up to the Crusade against the Ahmanites, Duke Titanium issued an embargo against the Theocratic State of Ahman. During the crusade itself, Montecazzo sent several divisions to support the Siege of Zarashemela. During the Great War, Montecazzo fought on the side of the Nations of the East against Birillum, the Wallaceian Empire and Chiyesa. Duke Titanium personally led several campaigns against Birillum, using his prior experience to overwhelm the Republic.

After the Great Collapse, Montecazzan nationals within Neo Boreopolis (mostly traders, pilgrims and diplomats) were teleported along with the Pontificate to Dimension S-2012. They received permits from the Council of Neo Boreopolis to build a new city quarters within the star fort on the coast on the condition that the Montecazzans would take the defence of the capital upon themselves. Renaming it to Fort Montecazzo and building a church in honour of their former Duke, who had been declared a saint shortly before, the Montecazzan quarters quickly grew into bustling area. When the Duchy itself was transported to S-2012 in 1144 AA (S-2012 date), only a few minutes had passed in the minds of the Montecazzans, while the diaspora in S-2012 had already gone through several generations. This caused a minor temporal shock, but also new diplomatic opportunities. Despite Montecazzo's historical isolationist tendencies, Duke Titanium participated in the Frozyland Accords of 1145 and Montecazzo subsequently became a member of the United Nations.