Grand Strategy 1

The **Grand Strategy 1** campaign took place in Imperial Space starting in 443 A.U. and concerned great power politics and interplanetary grand strategy. It continued the events of the parallel Spires of Aeldrum and Legacy War Campaigns (395-399 A.U.), was most directly preceded by the Inquisition Campaign and was followed roughly 70 years later by the second Grand Strategy campaign.

## Background

The great powers of the cosmos are defined by their military and economic capacity and by the reach of their influence: all have extensive spheres of influence that encompass other nations or great institutions and compete over these spheres. In the 440s, these powers are the Serene Duchy of Aeldrum, the Fialta Imperium, the Shantine Empire and the Empire of Alusia.

In brief, Aeldrum seeks to preserve its status as dominant power across the cosmos while weathering internal troubles, Bishant seeks to expand its diplomatic influence while remaining the second great power, Alusia is rapidly making itself into the “next generation” of empire with high ambitions, and the Fialta Imperium wants to reassert total authority over all Fialta.

The current international landscape of Imperial and indeed Celestial Space continues to be defined by the legacy of the Coalition War (395 A.U. - 399 A.U.), which pitted the Coalition, led by the Serene Duchy of Aeldrum and consisting also of the Shantine Empire, the Despotate (now Empire) of Alusia, the Orcish Directorate, the Thalranese Marches, the Margravate of Tarim, the self-declared Domain of Shantara, the Kingdom of Sigvald and the Brass Cities (until the latter changed sides) against the Fialta Imperium and the Nippon States. The war claimed tens of millions of lives, severely affecting the Thalranese, Directorate and Margravate populations in particular. The Coalition ultimately emerged victorious, in significant part due to the development of the “null bomb” by Aeldrum.

The war set Alusia on the path to becoming a great power and significantly degraded the power of the Fialta Imperium and the Nippon States. The Nipponese were dealt the loss of almost all of their holdings in Imperial space, a virtual blockade of one of their routes into Imperial space by the Shantine, mass uprisings in Celestial space by their client states and an opportunistic invasion of their colonies by secondary Celestial powers such as the Middle Kingdom. The result was the diminishment of the Nippon States to a secondary power. The Fialta Imperium was handed a more structured humiliation, in the form of the Fialta Confederacy, spearheaded by the ambitious Thalranese Marches (fellow Fialta). The Confederacy provided an umbrella for any Imperial world to effectively declare its independence (if it could win it before the Imperial garrison detained or massacred the local leadership) and join a confederation guaranteed by the victorious Coalition (naturally the Alusians, Aeldmen and Shantine were especially willing to find various claimant princes and freedom fighters to back). Effectively, the Fialta Imperium lost a third of its territory as well as important trade autonomy.

Nevertheless, the Imperium remains roughly on par with the ascendant Alusians and the promise (or threat) of total Fialta unification continues to weigh heavily on grand strategists (the Imperium, after all, was able to put up a valiant fight against half the cosmos for three years and found itself truly outmatched only with the exit of the Nipponese from the war and the deployment of an Aeldman superweapon).

Several bilateral relationships are essential to understanding cosmic international politics: these are the relationships among Aeldrum, Bishant, Alusia, the Fialta Imperium and the Fialta Confederacy. Beyond these relationships, the outward stances of secondary and minor powers are more unilateral and tend to form the backdrop of great power competition. The key bilateral relationship are described below.

To the Fialta Confederacy, Aeldrum is alternately an economic predator and oppressor or a guarantor of independence against the Fialta Imperium: to Aeldrum, the Confederacy is the best means of containing the Fialta imperium, a lucrative market and a compelling demonstration that no international system can survive without a powerful backer (naturally, Aeldrum). To the Fialta Imperium, Aeldrum is the architect of unfair containment and the shackler of the Fialta people: to Aeldrum, the Imperium is an upstart and revisionist power, whose devotion to the Pentacle and to a competing cultural supremacism makes it at best a wary partner and at worst an existential enemy.

To the Shantine Empire, Aeldrum is a familiar if not particularly well-loved partner on the cosmic stage: as the two great trade powers of the 2nd and 3rd centuries, Aeldman and Shantine interests historically clashed (especially as then upstart Aeldrum outmaneuvered Bishant’s historic trade monopolies), but rarely to the point of outright military conflict (and never to the level of total war), and the devastation of the Shantine Empire in the 4th century sufficiently separated Aeldrum’s scope and level of power from Bishant’s to turn the Shantine into respected but usually junior partners in a distinctly pro-Aeldman cosmic order. Since then, Bishant has recovered much of its power, and while still weaker in many respects than Aeldrum, has forged a parallel rather than directly competing base of power, focusing heavily on diplomatic influence and the soft power of its religious ideology, which Aeldrum cannot match. To Aeldrum, Bishant’s diplomatic and religious strategy is difficult to reconcile with the Aeldman model, making it an object of increasing suspicion, especially as it becomes increasingly clear that the Shantine cannot always control the “mad dogs” of Kirvan religious radicalism on which much of their soft power rests: the Shantine are consistent partners, but both sides have had frequent cause to complain bitterly that the other has not carried their share of the burden (Bishant has not forgotten Aeldrum’s lukewarm assistance in the Fialta-Shantine wars a century ago, and Aeldman policy in the Coalition War rested heavily on the expectation that their Shantine allies would drop out if the tide ever turned against them).

To Alusia, Aeldrum has so far been a useful engine for its own imperial expansion and economic development: however, the benefits of this follower model are rapidly depleting, bringing Alusian and Aeldman relations to a possible head as Alusia defines itself as a truly autonomous great power. Alusia was pleased to serve as the extra leverage that Aeldrum needed to overcome Shantine resistance to certain aspects of the post-war order: having achieved relevance, Alusia is now likely to increasingly exercise its leverage independently, perhaps weighing the scales against Aeldrum rather than in its favor. These same shifts are equally apparent to Aeldrum, which has been content since the Coalition War to use Alusia as a subordinate partner, often preferring straightforward Alusian imperialism to the complex diplomacy of Bishant. With the evolving status of Alusia as a great power in its own right, Aeldrum is likely to shift its view of Alusia from subordinate to rival, though in the Aeldman view the resulting tensions promise to be far less bitter than the rivalry with the Fialta and less fraught than the ever-present religious zealotry of the Shantine.

### Cosmography

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

## Characters

*This section is incomplete. You can help The Aeldrum Wiki by expanding it*.

## Summary

### Year 443.5 - 444

**Economic News:**

* Connection of Ethernet Systems: increased trade ties and improved trade efficiency across the great powers.
	+ "The Ping Heard Around the Cosmos" *Aeldrum-Shantine-Alusian-Thalranese-Directorate Network launches on Aeldrum's General Etheric Ethernet Infrastructure.*
		- *Prince Gunnot of Thalranese Marches Greenlights Endorsement Campaign for Thalranese Ethernet Adoption:* "Faster, Better, More United." *Media Campaign emphasizes heroic Thalranese victory in negotiations with Aeldrum.*
		- *Bank of Valdos Presides Over Connection of Fialta Imperial and Fialta Confederate Ethernet.*
		- "Technology for Peace?" *Aeldman tech outlays closely connected to "Conventions of War" project spearheaded by financial genius M. Emiir.*
	+ "Out From the Cold?" *Alusian-Imperial Ethernet Hookup reported.*
* "Who's Buying Ethernet?"
	+ *Aeldman diplomats offer discount ethernet systems to Druz, Deutschreich, Saldan, Confederates.*
	+ *Druz signs major contract, but reports of cooler reception from others.*
* "Across the Cosmos, Big Outlays on Infrastructure"
	+ Alusia begins building massive capital goods facility. Rumors of project being scrapped and relocated after Empress Illyana decides to build an even bigger facility to build capital goods factories. Large movements of investment money throughout Alusia as economy pivots to a more international posture.
	+ Aeldrum spends big on industrial investment in its colonies as part of Serene Doge Bareth's initiative.
* "The Next Big Thing?" *Alusian Diplomats Make Trade Overtures and Offer Orders on Modular Factories.*
	+ *Republic of Sermaye eagerly inks trade deal with Alusia. Deutschreich negotiations more standoffish, but arrive at a deal.*
	+ *Saldan and Alusia discuss capital import arrangements. Friendly reunions between Saldanese Professors and Saldan-Educated Alusian officials.*
* "Death and Taxes" *Alusia raises taxes.*

**International Relations:**

* "War and Peace" *Ambitious Conference Being Organized by Aeldman Government to Establish Conventions on War.*
	+ *Thalranese Marches, Alusia, Bishant, Druz, Orcish Directorate send delegates.*
	+ *Observers Slated from Deutschreich, Saldan, Fialta Confederacy.*
* "A King in Demand" *King Rubloff of Druz Hosts Aeldman and Alusian Dignitaries. Aeldmen and Druz ink massive ethernet contract and free trade deal. Druz and Alusians conclude warm negotiations for a Druz migrant-worker program in Alusia.*
* "Charm Offensive": *Empress-Consort of Alusia visits Republic of Delarma. Glitzy wine tastings and warm assurances abound.*

**Military, Criminal and Disaster News:**

* "This One's From Uncle Guillarme!" *Aeldman Counterterror Unit Wipes Out Alleged Rebel Cell on Chelonia*
* "Unhappy Coexistence" *Ur'Behk Religious Extremists in Kingdom of Bec Clash with Royal Troops After Kirvan Pilgrims Go Missing*
* "An Old Celestial Drama – Privateers Clash with Middle Kingdom Merchantmen" *Accusations Against Prince of Yushan Spur Diplomatic Spat*
* "Kirvan Church Vandalized and Burned in Confederate Space!" *Church Ruins Marked with Thalranese Religious Icons, Imperial Slogans, Fialta Supremacist Symbols. Anti-Congressional, Pro-Imperial Factions Implicated.*

**Culture and General Interest:**

* "Mass Proselytization" *Millions in Alusia and Aeldrum Tune in to Kirvan Sermons Carried over the GE EtherNetwork.*
	+ *Patriarch Balmor of Korinth Becomes a Cosmic Media Sensation with Sermon from the Site of 3rd Treaty of Korinth*
	+ *Protests from Patriarch of Ahlam as Alusian Faithful Miss Church to Hear from Patriarch Balmor.*
* "A Killer Stalks Zanevuela!" *Reports of Serial Killings Across Confederate and Imperial Space. Unconfirmed Rumors of Connection to MO of Aeldman-Linked Assassins.'*
* "Dress to Rule" *A Restrospective on Empress Theoboda of Bishant's Wardrobe, and an Inside Report on What the Empress Burning Her Old Clothes Tell Us About Her Kirvan Faith.*
* "Crown Prince in All But Name?" Select Aeldman aristocracy introduced to Crispin Aefendt, son of Serene Doge Bareth, at lavish 10th birthday party thrown by mother Laena Aefendt.
* " Religious Mass Media Proliferates" *Dalthadi Church Launches Ethernet Drive in Imperial and Confederate Space. Dalthadi Cardinal Takes Aim at Contraceptives if Used "Outside the Church's Instructive Gaze"*

### Year 444 - 444.5

**Economic News:**

* "Uneven Sanction Responses from '3C Powers'" *After threats to cut off trade in event of Imperial entry into Confederate Space, Shantine Empire and Serene Duchy of Aeldrum follow through, but Alusia reverses position, maintains Confederate commerce. Aeldrum, citing that the Imperials were not part of its commercial ultimatum, preserves trade with the Fialta Imperium.*
* "Shantine, Aeldmen Sign Major Arms Contract" *Shantine and Aeldman Governments Reach Contract for Aeldrum to Provide Majority of Shantine Military Materiel and Supplies, at Significant Savings.*
* "A Realignment on Trade?" *Flurry of trade deals, signs of cosmopolitical fault lines.*
	+ *Deutschreich increases trade ties to Alusia, but Sermaye pivots from Alusia to Shantine-Aeldman-Directorate trade bloc in exclusive commercial deal.*
	+ *Aeldrum and Saldan reach a free trade agreement and a technology investment contract.*
* "Heavy Imports" *Alusia begins massive import program of capital goods from Aeldrum, Saldan. First Druz migrant workers arrive in Alusia to help establish this new 'model industry'.*
* "Racking up Debts" *Aeldman Government, Bank of Valdos both raise enormous funds amidst growing international uncertainty. Investors flock to bonds, but some financial experts keep a wary out for a long-term deficit pattern. Imperial and Aeldman governments both believed to be running a deficit, but Aeldman treasury remains largest in cosmos, followed by Valdosian Bank.*
* "Confederate Integration Program Unveiled: Major Financial Gains for Fialta Emperor, Dalthadi Bakken" *Integration of Confederate economy into the Imperial economic system is rapid and lucrative – growing pains and reduced foreign trade cause some economic anxiety for Confederates as Imperial economy soars and Imperial tax revenues grow an estimated 20%. Confederate Princes, buoyed by Valdosian largesse, express high optimism, rally populace. Dalthadi church launches ambitious unity program, sees gross tithing increase over 25% across the Confederacy and Imperium.*
* "Tightening the Belt Now to Feast Later" *Empress Illyana of Alusia declares to her people a time of national growth and investment; announces a '5 year plan' to raise per-capita income in Alusia to new heights through state-led industrialization. Alusian citizens enthusiastically support talk of industrial growth, proudly share stories of Alusian export achievements, but significantly increased tax burden weighs heavily on short-term growth prospects, consumer spending.*
* "A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats" *Massive Aeldman state investments in industrial development in the Aeldman colonies, while Core Worlds enjoy continued Tech Sector Growth from Ethernet Contracts. Aeldman state investments also include huge outlays, equal to estimated 7-8% of Aeldman GDP, to reorganize swathes of Aeldman steel, chemical, tinned food and machineworks industries on Aeldrum and in Core. Stocks in affected industries soar.*
* "A Shot Across the Bow" *Aeldman naval yards and munitions factories increase input to support large increase in military strength. Mass recruitment of Aeldman regular troops in the colonies.*

**International Relations:**

* "Strange Bedfellows" *As Religious Violence Grips Confederacy, an Unlikely Alliance Between Moderate Kirvan Clergy, led by Rising Star Bishop Tarlo, and the Dalthadi Bakken Produces Resounding Calls for Unity, Raises Millions for Interfaith Reconstruction of Damaged Churches.*
* "A Worst Case Scenario" *As Confederate Crisis Grows and Local Princes Called for Imperial Assistance to Bolster Ineffectual Congressional Troops, Bishant, Alusia and Aeldrum issue a mixed message of support for Confederate independence and offers of assistance in combating civil unrest, while threatening dire sanctions if the Confederacy accepted Imperial military presence. Though pro-neutrality Congressionalist leaders welcome the support, a general revolt of the Princes in Congress results in a constitutional amendment, forming the Fialta Defense Community with the Fialta Imperium. The high level language of this amendment is copied below:*
	+ The Confederacy shall, from the date of accession of this amendment, enter into a mutual defense pact with the Fialta Imperium (the "Fialta Defense Community", or FDC).
	+ Upon activation of this amendment, the Fialta Emperor and his designated representative shall negotiate the terms of the FDC, including an applicable policy framework.
	+ The framework shall include as its foundational principles: (i) mutual respect and a preference for peace (ii) mutual recognition of defense needs (iii) freedom of navigation (iv) military cost sharing and (v) the respective rights reserved to the Emperor and the Princes on other matters, to be defined
	+ *Our junior correspondents in the Confederacy report that effective immediately, Fialta Imperial ships will begin patrolling Confederate space, and Imperial troops will assist counterinsurgency efforts. Off-the-record diplomat comments "In six months and without firing a shot, the Imperium all but undid forty years of containment that the Coalition spent millions of lives to secure."*
* "No Hard Feelings?" *Sermaye makes compensatory payment to Alusia for trade annulment and floats future factory purchases.*
* "We May Have a True Partner At Last" *Strong words of support for Alusian rapprochement from leading Deutschreich politicians.*

**Military, Criminal and Disaster News:**

* "The Dossier My Brethren Gave Their Lives For" *Knight of Adarnum Gives Exclusive Interview on the 'Marivan Dossier', Which Provides Photo Evidence, Schematics of Massive Imperial Naval Construction. Financial Analysis, Production Photos, Suggest Imperial Navy Could be at Least Twice as Large as Previously Believed, and Growing.*
* "Televised Arrest of Knight of Adarnum Chapter on Marivan" *Outrage Across Fialta Imperium as Evidence of Mass Knights of Adarnum Conspiracies Emerges -- Photos of a "Skinchanger" Occult Monster in KoA Employ. At Least 20 Knights of Adarnum Believed to be in Imperial custody. Evidence of Widespread Knights' Activity in Imperium, Confederacy.*
* "Gone Quiet?" *Alleged Aeldman Serial Killer Seems Not to Strike in Confederacy Anymore.*
* "Vive L'Empereur!" *Wildly Jubilant Fialta Crowds Greet Imperial Troops Sent to Confederacy to Put Down Civil Unrest. Kirvan clerics advise the faithful to stay home, avoid trouble. Kirvan rebels forced to retreat to hinterlands across the Confederacy.*
* "Put Us In!" *Fialta Nationalist Militia flock to enlist in the Imperial army as auxiliaries; Self-Styled Grand-Captain Mirbus of Fialta National Front claims* "If His Imperial Majesty Puts up the Weapons, We Can Give Him a Division Today, and Ten by Next Year."

**Culture and General Interest:**

* "Reaching an Understanding" *Patriarch of Ahlam Reverses Criticism of Kirvan OnlyFlames platform after reaching media-exchange deal with Shantine Patriarchs, Empress Kataph. Ahlam begins distributing Shantine OnlyFlames Content, While Delivering Live Speech on Pan-Kirvanism to the Faithful on Bishant.*
* "The Mystical and the Modern" *OnlyFlames content continues to soar in popularity across Bishant, Aeldrum, Alusia. Patriarch of Ahlam distributes sermons from himself and the Shantine Patriarchs into Confederacy via ethernet link with Alusia. Open-Air Watch Parties Attract Thousands.*
* "This is Not Kirvanism" *Shantine Empress Denounces Excesses by Individual Knights of Adarnum, But Speaks of Redemptive Power of the Church and the Sacred Mission of the Knights. The Empress continues to center herself as the secular face of Kirvanism: unprecedented outpourings of adoration from non-Shantine Kirvans Accompany Empress Kataph's Ethernet Appearances.*
	+ *Defiant Shantine Patriarchs Denounce Enslavement of Kirvans as Far Greater Evil than Any Adarnan Violence.*
* "Once a Dalthadi, Always a Dalthadi?" *Patriarch of Korinth Places a Temporary Excommunication on Bishop Tarlo, Citing "Betrayal of the Kirvan Faithful" and "Suspect Religious History"*. *The Patriarch has chosen to request a vote of the Kirvan Council of Patriarchs to formalize the Excommunication of Tarlo. Tarlo was formerly a Dalthadi seminarian before renouncing Dalthad and joining the Kirvan Church.*
* "Shantarans: Masterminds or Scapegoats?" *As Denunciations of Knights of Adarnum Proliferate, Kirvan Church Leaders In and Out of Confederacy Maintain Shantaran Agents-Provocateurs Responsible for "False Flag "Religious Violence in the Confederacy.*
* "Hostility to the Knights at an All Time High" *Knights of Adarnum roundly excoriated by Confederate, Fialta Imperial media: Dalthadi Church launches a popular civic watch campaign. Kirvan moderates condemn Knights of Adarnum provocations and false flag activity, but maintain that they believe Shantaran agitators caused initial violence.*
* "Not Just for Big Business Anymore?" *Ethernet Cafes Open on Aeldrum, Harwel, Lidenia, Calath. Terminals at Each Cafe Allow Users To Connect with Users At Any Other Terminal in Any Other Cafe -- Lag-Times Of Under 1 Minute Are Reported. Prices remain high, but cafes attract crowds of well-to-do Aeldmen*
	+ "We Will Not Be Censored" *Ethernet Neutrality Becomes Rallying Cry on Aeldman Ethernet Channels as Users Decry Corporate Control of Ethernet*
	+ "The Spirit of John Jones Lives On" *Ethernet Cafes in Serene Duchy Become Hotbed of Conspiracy Theories. Claim that Alusia is Arming Kirvan Radicals, Shantine Fringe Groups Dominates Ethernet Buzz. Acronym WWJJD Animates Message Boards.*
	+ "Who Made the Spires?" *Viral posts in Aeldman ethernet campaigns suggest that the Spires are older and far more cosmically significant than any work of Baradun. Our correspondents report this fascination spreading into salons and public houses across the Duchy.*
* "In Our Folly, We Have Let the Arrogance of Aeldrum Push Us Right Under the Emperor's Boot" *Prince Paloctus delivers furious, tearful speech to Congress of Princes. Standing ovation from ardent Congressionalists, but many Princes walk out when Paloctus decries "The Flow of Tainted Valdosian Gold into the Pockets of this Assembly."*
* "An Expression of Loyalty" *Multiple Confederate Princes Fly Imperial Banner Above Confederate Flag, Seek Audiences with the Emperor.*

### Year 444.5 - 445

**Economic News:**

* "An Investment Starting to Pay Off" *Alusian Capital Imports, Druz Migrant Worker Programs Begin to Show Fruit: First Factories Constructed Under Program Expected to Return Almost 10% Annually.*
	+ *King of Druz Comments Favorably on the Money Flowing Back From Subjects Working in Alusia:* "They Can Finally Bring Honor to Their Clans."
* "Full Exposure" *Deutschreich and Alusia Reach Historic Deal for Full Trade Relations.*
* "Guns, Guns, Guns!" *Aeldrum and Alusia Ink Contract for Aeldrum to Provide Major Maintenance and Supply to Alusian Navy and Ground Forces.*
	+ *Aeldrum adds Alusia to Bishant in Growing International Arms Trade.*
	+ *Publicly Traded Shares of Naval Manufacturer Mossag Industries Post Record Growth (Mossag is Majority-Owned by the Aeldman State).*
* "The Bear's Market?" *Ursa Arms Company (Led by Aeldrum's Count du Montreal) Estimated Valuation Doubles on Reports of Mass Mergers and Supply Chain Integration.*
	+ *Ursa Arms is Forecast to Beat Nebai Industries (Also Growing Strongly on Ethernet Construction Contracts) for 3rd Spot of Aeldrum's Largest Companies by Next Year, Behind Titans Mossag Industries and General Etheric Company.*
	+ *Telrion Mining Corporation Joins Top 10 Aeldman Companies on Strength of Quicksilver Demand.*
* "This Season's Robes Are Crimson, But the Knights of Adarnum Are Going with Leather Jackets" *Shantine High-Fashion Comes to Alusia, Aeldrum. Inside and Outside the Shantine Empire, Kirvan Clergy and Nobility Debut a Liturgical Calendar with Special Clothing and Votive Lines. Shantine Exports to Aeldman and Alusian Markets Estimated to Increase 75% by End of Year, Putting Bishant at Forefront of Growth in Consumer Trade.*
	+ *In Confederacy, Alusia, Anti-Establishment Trendsetters Proudly Wear Shantine Clothes, Carry Votive Candles with the Kataph House Emblem.*
* "Aeldman Debt Markets Enthusiastically Pour into Raising of Mass Sums For State-Led Industrial Organization." *Aeldman State Now Carries Debt Just Under 11% of GDP, Up From 0% a Year Ago.*
	+ *Monsieur Emiir Assures Financial Observers That New Industrial Conglomerate, Not the State, Financing 100% of Aeldman Interest.*
* "Who Leads, Who Lags?" *Despite Significant Gains in Church Tithing, Imperial Taxation and Bank Receipts, Imperial Economy Overall Lags Aeldrum, Alusia.*
	+ *Alusian Investment Programs Drove Non-Government Economy to 96% of Pre-5 Year Plan Levels, on Schedule to Enter Net Growth for Ordinary Alusians By Next Year.*
	+ *Aeldman Economy Soared on Ethernet Construction Contracts, Trade Concessions, Arms Sales, Industrial Reinvestment to Colonies, But Experts Warn that Low-Hanging Fruit May Soon Be Plucked.*
	+ *Bishant Retains Strong Lead as 2nd Cosmic Economy, But Shows Worrying Signs of Economic Growth Falling Behind Record Population Growth.*
	+ *Thalranese, Confederate Economic Growth Comparable to Imperium, with Thalranese Slightly Ahead.*
* "Still Out In the Cold" *Fialta Imperium Shows Least Gains from Cosmic Trade of Any Great Power.*
	+ *37.5% of Alusian GDP Comes From Trade. Our Reporters Note Disparities Between Official Alusian Import/Export Figures and Evidence from Key Alusian Trade Partners, Suggesting Alusia May Overstate Its Ratio of Expert to Import.*
	+ *27% of Aeldman GDP Comes from Trade, but Aeldrum is Largest Trade Partner by Economic Returns for Every Other Great Power.*
	+ *25% of Shantine GDP Comes From Trade, but Shantine Tariffs Mean 38.5% of Imperial Revenues Depend on Commerce.*
	+ *19% of Fialta Imperial GDP Comes From Trade Outside the FDC Zone. Despite Warm Trade Relations with Alusia, Three Quarters of Imperial Gains from Trade are Driven by Aeldrum.*
* "Warriors Who Need Peace?" *Thalranese Marches draw 61% of GDP from Foreign Commerce.*

**International Relations:**

* "Take Me Home, Holy Flames!" *Kirvan cleric self-immolates on ground of the Abbey of Konira in protest of Fialta Imperial military presence. The Abbey of Konira was the original posting of Bishop Tarlo. Ruling Prince Ymres comments,* "I condemn in the strongest possible terms the fire hazard caused by this protest."
* "Cautious Openness Platform" *Deutschreich Parliament Passes Resolution of Friendship with Alusia. Deutschreich Politicians Declare:* "We Are Ready to Meet the World!"
* "A Wary Accommodation" *Fialta Confederacy Reaches Joint Peace-Keeping Agreement with Fialta Imperium, Thalranese Marches, Serene Duchy of Aeldrum, Orcish Directorate, Empire of Bishant and Empire of Alusia.*
	+ *Confederate Generals will have command, but up to half of boots on the ground will be foreign peacekeepers.*
	+ *Confederacy insists that only Confederate and Fialta Imperial military vessels (excluding transports) will be permitted to operate.*
* "An Ultimatum Satisfied?" *With Shantine and Aeldman Troops in Confederate Space, Powers Lift Sanctions on Fialta Confederacy.*
* "Mutual Probation" *Fialta Imperium Joins 3C Community on a Provisional Basis. Aeldrum and Bishant Express Willingness to Discuss Future Trade Expansion, But No Concrete Offers.*
* "OnlyFlames Extinguished?" *Alusia Blocks Shantine OnlyFlames Programming, Claims that OnlyFlames Has Been Linked to Violence Against Alusian Officials.*

**Military, Criminal and Disaster News:**

* "We Surrounded Them, and They Just Kept Fighting" *15,000 Kirvan Radicals Believed Killed in Engagements Across Confederacy, Another 20,000 (Mostly Wounded) Captured.*
	+ *Confederate and Peacekeeper Forces Report 2,000 dead, 6,400 wounded in Heavy Fighting.*
	+ *Despite Crushing Defeats, Kirvan Radical Forces in Confederacy Estimated to Stand at 130,000, up from 70,000 Six Months Ago. Kirvan Radical Forces Show High Standardization of Arms and Tactics, Suggesting Organized Leadership.*
* "They Don't Want Us Here" *3C Peacekeepers Recount Slurs, Aggressive Chanting from Hostile Fialta Civilians in Confederacy. Fialta Militia Groups Conduct Military-Style Drills in Sight of Peacekeeper Bases. Anti-Foreign Agitation Increases on Worlds with Peacekeeper Presence.*
* "A Call to Arms: Action to Follow?" *Thalranese Prince Gunnot Summons Privateers, Personal Fleets from Tar'Thalran to Join Thalranese Navy, Increasing Thalranese Naval Strength by 50%.*
* "Aeldman Military Expansion Slowing Down, But Not Reversing" *Aeldman Military Outlays on New Forces Decline 33% from Previous Six Months. Total Aeldman Military Spending is Estimated to have Increased 50% Since Last Year.*

**Culture and General Interest:**

* "Slow Down to Make History" *Half-elf half-orc aviatrix F.L. Farrago flies hydrogen-fueled fighter plane from Aeldrum to Lidenia, marking first known modern solo flight between two gate worlds and first officially documented flight in two centuries between two Aeldman gate worlds without using etheric drive. Farrago,* "I did get quite a few hails asking if I'd lost my ship and needed help."
* "Where's The Soul?" *Nebai Biologics Subdivision unveils first viable vertebrate clone, a monitor lizard named Larry.*
	+ *Subdivision chief clarifies that Larry is expected to enjoy a relatively normal lifespan in spite of his lack of a soul, but that more complex organisms will not be cloned until implications of soullessness are understood.*
	+ *Ethernet message boards swarm with claims of coverup.* "The government perfected cloning forty years ago, they're just letting us see it now. That's why they killed Lidenia, he was going to tell."
* "Chess Champions of the Cosmos?" *Alusian child prodigies routinely beat foreign grandmasters in exhibition chess matches. Saldanese child development scholar claims lack of cinema, regimented lifestyle support* "grid-based thinking."
* "What's Happening in the Nippon States?" *Higher-than-usual migration of cash-rich Nipponese into Imperial space and rumors of a "broken seal" in the Veiled Halls spur speculation.*
* "The Silk Baron of Yushan" *Film premieres on the life and adventures of the late Xeros Mepatos, Shantine silk merchant who traveled to Celestial space and helped develop Yushan's domestic silk industry from Russian and Shantine silkworms. Relatives of Mepatos claim that stories of him buying a captured Brass Cities drone platoon and turning them into a living factory are greatly exaggerated, and that inclusion of fictitious Aeldman elvish associate is* "pure tokenism." *Ethernet distribution is expected to make* "Silk Baron" *historic hit for Highveldt Moving Picture Company.*
* "A New Fire" *Alusia launches WeFlame as Moderated Alternative to OnlyFlames, Patriarch of Ahlam Presides. WeFlame captures significantly lower audiences than OnlyFlames, Does Not See Significant International Consumption.*
* "Excommunication!" *Patriarchs of Bishant, Ahlam, Aeldrum, Highveldt, Brumaire, Korinth vote to Excommunicate Bishop Tarlo of Fialta Confederacy. Patriarch of Sevalne abstains.*
	+ *Tarlo asserts independence, commitment to Kirvan security, as Kirvan Protestors Demand Tarlo Surrender His Title and Estates to the Patriarch of Korinth: Counter-Protestors Form Human Wall Around Tarlo's Palace, Singing Local Hymns.*
	+ "A Kirvan Schism?" *Patriarch of Sevalne's Leaked Remarks to Sermayan Bishops Show Increasing Concerns About Tensions Between Assertive Shantine Leadership and Non-Shantine Clergy or States.*
* "What is Fialta?" *Confederate and Imperial Intellectuals Produce Mountains of Correspondence on Questions of Fialta National Identity, the Place of Foreigners, the Role of the Emperor and the Right or Capability of the Imperium to Transcend Old Traditions, Make New Ones.*
* "The Wound in Reality" *Aeldman merchants discover "Cultists of the Unnamed" performing ritual aboard ship deep in New South Saldan Exclusion Zone. Cultists claim to have been transported from planet Gnoll and tunnel through space and time by the Unnamed, a being that will unmake the cosmos. The cultists were taken into Aeldman custody.*
	+ "Psychosomatic Hysteria or Omen?" *Aeldrum Clinics Claim Dramatic Increase in Synesthesia Cases Following Public Spectacle of Unnamed Cult.*
	+ "The Cultists Prove that Reality Has Holes that Need to be Closed – The Seamster Is Real, and It Will Save Us" *Ethernet chatter explodes about "Noloth the Seamster" purported creator of Aeldrum Spires, Pin Jump. Dime novel "The Repairer of Reality" claims that Noloth is the cosmic answer to the Unnamed Cult.*
* "From Ethernet Pulp to Respectable Idea?" *Preeminent Salons on Aeldrum, Lidenia, Harwel, Welcome Discussion of Mysterious Noloth and the Origins of the Aeldrum Spires. Several Publishing Firms Confirm Forthcoming Books on "Spire Mania."*
* "A Flying Car in Every Garage" *Saldanese Engineers Claim They Are On Brink of Consumer-Accessible "Repulsor-Gas" Permitting Civilian Hovercraft.*
* "We Want the Real Thing!" *Outcry from Kirvan Faithful Across Alusian Cities at Stoppage of OnlyFlames Service.*
	+ *Thousands of "Pirate Broadcast" Systems Reported, As Alusians Pick Up Ethernet Signals from Shantine Empire and Bounce Them into Alusia Over Unauthorized Channels.*
	+ *Many Alusians Traffic in Recordings of OnlyFlames services. "Bootleg" viewership estimated to exceed WeFlames participation by 30%.*
	+ *Citing Religious Freedom, Alusian Clerics Play Shantine OnlyFlames as Part of their Sermons.*
* "The Voice and Look of Tomorrow" *Shantine votive and fashion items proliferate at countercultural showings of OnlyFlames sermons in Alusia, Confederacy. Polls indicate increasing number of Kirvans consider Empress Kataph a better moral exemplar than local heads of state.*

### Year 445 - 445.5

**Economic News:**

* "Glad to be Noticed" *Shantaran Free State Accepts Trade Agreement with Empire of Alusia, Negotiates Navigational Rights.*
* "Kickstarting Saldan Trade" *Academy of Saldan Establishes Trade with Empire of Alusia, Empire of Bishant, Marches of Thalran. Bishant and Thalran accept Toll-Free Passage of Merchant Ships Between Alusia and Bishant. Alusia-Saldanese Relations Prove Instrumental in Smoothing Discussions.*
	+ "Mass Education?" *Academy of Saldan and Alusia discuss mass training program for Alusian workers to enter new pre-fab factories. Ambitious matriculation of up to 1 million students per year is projected.*
* "Celestial Horizon" *Aeldrum Establishes Trade with New Celestial Confederation (NCC).*
* "More Guns" *Aeldrum Inks Military Supply Contracts with Thalranese, NCC.*
	+ *Aeldman steel and other manufacturing concerns complete reorganization under the Ursa Consortium.*
	+ *Aeldman Arms Industry and Affiliates Now Represent 6.9% of Aeldman economy (direct arms sales represent 2.7%).*
* "Selling Our Souls?" *Shantine Patriarch Decries Trade with Slave-Holding Powers, Induces Shantine Empress to Once More Sever Ties with Fialta Confederacy. Patriarch Jan Excoriates All Powers Profiting From Commerce with Slavers. Shantine Trade Ties with Slave-Holding Thalranese Remain Currently Unaffected.*
* "Now Accepting Pre-Orders" *Alusian "Factory-Factory-Factory" Project Completed, to National Fanfare. So-Called F^3 Represents Unprecedented Mobilization of Capital Goods Manufacturing. Imminent "Factory-Factory" Rollout Excites International Attention, as Investors Wait for Modular Factories to Come onto Market in Phase 3 of Alusian Industrial Plan. Sermayan, Confederate, Deutschreich Buyers Register Significant Interest.*
* "System Online" *Kingdom of Druz Ethernet Hookup to General Etheric Network Launches Successfully. King of Druz Presides Over Start-Up Ceremony with Aeldman Officials.* *Sermayan Ethernet Network Slated to Launch in 6 Months.*
* "Shifting the Burden" *Aeldrum Enacts Steep Tax Hike on Tithing by Religious Institutions, Offers Modest Tax Break to Rest of Economy. Idolmarite Cardinal and Kirvan Patriarch Protest, Citing Lack of Public Social Services to Compensate for Reduced Church Functions.*

**International Relations:**

* "A Defusing Detonation" *International Observers Give Sigh of Relief as Each of the Null Bomb Capable Powers (Aeldrum, Fialta Imperium, Bishant, Alusia) Completes Controlled Simultaneous Detonation of a Null Bomb at Neutral Site, In Moral Victory for Arms Control Efforts.*
* "Perhaps Not Too Open" *While Trade with Alusia Continues, Deutschreich and Serene Duchy of Aeldrum Reach Impasse Over Trade Discussions.*
* "Confederate Partition?" *Rumors Swirl of a Breakup of Fialta Confederacy as Confederate Government Continues to Prove Impotent to Resolve Rebellions and Peacekeepers Excite Controversy. Princes Confer in Private As Crisis Mounts: Leading Figures Include Prince Paloctus, Prince Gunnot. Majority of Princes Register Pro-Imperial Stance, But Loud Minority Begins Open Discussion of a Breakaway State in Confederate Congress.*
* "Stopped at the Border" *Patriarch Jan's Abolition Address Does Not Reach "FialtaNet" (Confederate, Imperial Ethernet), but Kirvan Churches Replay Broadcast Offline to Jubilant Confederate Congregants.*
* "Historic Conference Planned" *As Confederate Crisis Remains Unresolved and Outrage Over Fialta Slaveholding Increases, Aeldrum, Alusia, Bishant, Fialta Imperium and Thalranese Marches Agree to Major Diplomatic Conference. Issues at Hand Include Future of Fialta Slavery and Resolution of the Confederate Question.*
* "Abolition is Our Priority" *Shantine Empire Emerges as Moral Leader on Issue of Slavery in Fialta Territories. Observers Note Military Mobilization, Economic Activism as Signs of Significant Commitment.*

**Military, Criminal and Disaster News:**

* "I'm Doing My Part!" *As Confederate Crisis Drags On, Shantine Empress Calls Feudal Levies and Bonded Merchant Ships into Service, Effectively Doubling Fighting Strength of Shantine Navy and Tripling Ground Strength.*
* "Slow and Steady Mobilization" *Serene Duchy of Aeldrum Continues Mobilization at Same Rate as Previous Six Months, Estimated at 40% the Recent Rate of Shantine Mobilization. No Evidence of Further Fialta Mobilization.*
* "All Quiet?" *Fialta Imperium Shows Little to No Mobilization Activity, But Experts Caution that Secret Mobilization is Not Out of Question.*
* "Playing Soldier or Building an Army?" *Fialta Confederates as Young as Twelve Joined Up With Militia Groups For Camaraderie, Sense of Order. Now, Thousands Are Forming A "National Corps" to Support Police Functions in Confederacy: Skeptical Peacekeeper Officers Comment* "They Spend More Time Parading Around Unarmed Kirvan Civilians Than They Do Actually Protecting or Fighting Anyone." *On Many Worlds, These Corps Outnumber and Outgun Princely Forces.*
* "Kirva's Judgment Upon You" *Recovered Weapons from Kirvan Partisans "betray" Fialta wielders – Several Fialta Officers Severely Injured as Battle Trophies Turn on Them. Kirvan Partisans and Sympathetic News Outlets Rejoice at "Divine Intervention."*
* "Your God is Firing Blanks!" *Imperial, Confederate Generals Uncover Occult Nature of Weapons Captured from Kirvan Partisans. Overwhelming Evidence of Occult Sophistication Leads Intelligence Officials to Claim Partisans Must Receive Foreign Assistance.*
	+ "Petition of Princes To Execute All Knights of Adarnum Upon Capture Gains Raucous Support in Fialta Confederate Congress"
	+ "Leaked Audio Of Known Knights of Adarnum Meeting with Key Partisan Leaders in Confederacy" *Files Captured in Raid*
* "Death to Tyrants" *Riots in Streets of Delarman Capital as President-for-Life Orders Crackdown on Demonstrators. Enclave Embassy Recalls as Elvish Subjects to Militarized Elvish Quarter as Rioters Attack Enclave Symbols and Threaten Elvish Delarmans.*
* "The Mother of All Storms" *Etheric* "Mega-Storm" *Disrupts Trade Routes Around Yushan. Celestial King of Aksai Reportedly Seeking "Military Solution" to Alleged "Nipponese Divine Provocations"*

**Culture and General Interest:**

* "One God, One Morality" *Kirvan Patriarch of Bishant, Jan the Baptist, Delivers Impassioned Speech with Act of Divine Intervention to Rapturous Onlookers at Shantine Imperial Cathedral. In Two Hour Speech, Shantine Patriarch Excoriates Moral Failings of Great Powers in Tolerating Fialta Enslavement of Hundreds of Millions. Patriarch Interweaves Claims of Kirva's Divine Supremacy with Visceral Reminders of Horrors of Slavery – Thousands of Listeners Reported to Weep and Beat Themselves for Complicity. The* "Abolition Address" *Becomes Record OnlyFlames Success Across Shantine, Alusian, Aeldman Networks.*
	+ "If Parlor Tricks Get This Kind of Reception, I Can Recommend an Excellent Dalthadi Fire-Eater" *Confederate Princes, Imperial Grandees Comment Derisively on Abolition Address. Thalranese Warriors and Priests Decry Attack on "*Thalranese Way of Life*" by Kirvan Foreigners.*
	+ *Sales Explode for Cameos of Patriarch's Distinctive Image and Color Scheme for Kirvan Laity Fashion Lines*
* "He Cleans, He Folds, He Cooks!" *"Mister Brass" home androids debut in special limited-run order from Aeldman Mechatronics Corporation (AMC), A Partner of GE. First 1000 models to be sold domestically, Sermayan Distributor Secures Distribution Rights for Sale of 5,000 Models Outside Aeldrum. AMC Promises "Drink Mixer Protocol" Computer Card Next Season, Compatible with Current and Future Mister Brass Models.*
* "We Need a Succession Plan" *Imperial Intellectuals Debate Future of Imperium as Uncertainty About Imperial Succession Casts Shadow over Imperial Leadership in Confederacy.*
* "Bloodsap: The New Opium?" *Deep Red Color of Drink, Semi-Permanent Lip Stains Add to Unusual Fashion Appeal of Mildly Addictive Drink of Choice for Fialta Princes, Now Expanding Rapidly into Alusian and Aeldman Markets. Chartered Organization of Aeldman-Shantine Medicines (CHOAM) Assures Shareholders that Opium, Spice Sticks Will Retain Market Dominance.*
* "'Silk Baron of Yushan' Flops, But 'Pelvis' Breaks Box Office" *Critics Prefer 'Silk Baron' for Artistry and Direction, but 'Pelvis,' featuring three previously unreleased songs of Mr. Resley, the late halfling country rock star, offers comfort and nostalgia.*
* "Noloth Hysteria" *Ethernet and Public Discourse on Mysterious Noloth Reaches Fever Pitch with SECOND Confounding Appearance of Ship in Aeldman Space, Now at Telrion From Long-Rumored "Third Line." Aeldman National Security Officials Make No Comment.*
	+ "The Spires, The Lanes: Noloth" *Academic Monogram Circulates with Firmer Occult Evidence for Noloth as Hitherto Unknown Elder God.*
	+ *Several High Profile Individuals Affirm Noloth as Aeldrum's God, Seek to Develop Rituals. Nipponese Expatriates Host "Noloth Sessions" to Teach Lore of Elder Gods. Baroness Lavenia Exhibits Shrine to Noloth in Fashionable Aeldman Salon.*
	+ *Aeldrum MPs Form Commission to Investigate Noloth.*
* "Licensing the Flame" *Shantine OnlyFlames Content to Be Licensed on WeFlame Platform Alongside Other Religious Media, Including Discussions with Pentacle Clergy.*
	+ *OnlyFlames Content Remains Most Popular, and OnlyFlames "Bootlegs" Continue to Proliferate in Alusia (Despite Arrests).*
	+ *Pentacle, Syncretic Clergy in Alusia Protest at Broadcast of "Kirvan Supremacist" Speech by Jan of Bishant.*
* "Abolitionism: A Growing Cause" *In Wake of Jan's Abolition Address, Protests Across Alusia Demanding End of Trade with Fialta Slavers. Saldanese Alumni Criticize the Academy for Allowing Trade with Thalranese. Aeldrum Abolitionist Clubs See Dramatic Increase in Membership. Sermayan Trade League Claims It Will Not Hear Any Diplomatic Overtures for Fialta Commerce Until Abolition Question is Resolved.*
* "Friendly Brawling" *Alusian and Directorate Units Reenact Old Boxing Rivalry from Past Coalition PeaceKeeping Efforts.*
	+ *Exhibition Match Between Alusian and Directorate Sergeant Majors, both Coalition War Veterans, Ends in Mutual Knockout, to Uproarious Approval.*
	+ *Chess Exhibitions Attract Considerably Less Interest from Directorate Troops, Who Complain that Game Improperly Simulates Merits of Infantry Wave Attacks: Proposed "Chess-Boxing" Format with Forward Capturing Pawn Rules to Debut Soon.*
* "Etheric Guitars and Blue-Robes" *Shantine Merchant Style Moves to Forefront of Shantine Material Culture as Trade Heats Up, Bishant Looks Outward. Sermayan Merchants Begin to Emulate Shantine Styles.*
* "Patriarch of Sevalne Accepts WeFlame Contract" *In Lengthy Interview with Alusian Minister Beriak, Patriarch Outlines Vision for Economic Progress Through Kirvan Cosmic Ties and Cooperation between Church and State. Patriarch of Sevalne Continues to Emerge as Champion of "Cooperative Kirvanism" in Friendly Dialogues with Alusian Intellectuals.*
* "Ethernet Cafes on Aeldrum Buzz with Rumors of 'K'" *Former Aeldman Intel Officer Writes at Length on Folly of Aeldmen "Falling for Same Trap Year After Year" In Confederate Quagmire, Claims to Leak Secret Details on Aeldman Foreign Policy.*
* "Drawing in the Net" *Ethernet Cafes See Significant Reorganization as Aeldman Media Companies Move into Ethernet Space, Spearheaded by Major Investments from Count du Montreal.*

**Foreign Concerns Special Economic Report:** GDP and GDP/100k people of the Great Powers:

* Serene Duchy of Aeldrum: 43.8k econ, 1.62/pop
* Shantine Empire: 29.8k econ, 1.19/pop
* Empire of Alusia: 23.6k econ, 1.54/pop
* Fialta Imperium: 14.7k econ, 1.02/pop
* Thalranese Marches: 5.11k econ, 2.5/pop

### Year 445.5 - 446.5

**Economic News:**

* "A Factory in Your Town" *Alusian Modular Factories Come into Production, See Mass Sales to Aeldman Market. Alusian Administrators Expect Full Production Within 1 Year. Sermaye Expresses Strong Interest.*
	+ "One Careful Owner" *Aeldman Government Sees Break-Even on Alusian Factory Imports with Aggressive Re-Sale Program to Colonial Industries. Aeldrum has Negotiated Major Mid-Term Import Contract for Further Factories; Aeldman Internal Capital Transfers from Core to Colonies Abate With New Factory Imports.*
	+ "Sorry But We Have Our Own" *Alusia Set to Draw Down Capital Imports from Saldan, Aeldrum in Coming Year. Aeldman Government, Spearheaded by Manuel Emiir, Assumes Temporary Management of Capital Export Program to Alusia: Alusia Shifts Entirety of Saldanese Import Profile to Aeldrum.*
	+ "Can I Pay in Factories?" *Alusian Empire and Fialta Imperium Conclude Agreement to Offset Entirety of Alusian Payment Obligations under Treaty of Saldan With Modular Factories. Bank of Valdos Negotiates Right of First Refusal on Entirety of First Semi-Annual Shipment of Factories, Distributes to Private Investment Partners.*
* "Ethernet Connects Cosmos" *Serene Duchy of Aeldrum Completes Ethernet Project in Republic of Sermaye, Academy of Saldan Reveals Completed Home-Grown Ethernet. Speculation Abounds of Ethernet Connections Between AeldmanNet and FialtaNet Outside Carefully Managed Alusian Junction.*
* "A Cosmic Trade Community" *Terms of Treaty of Saldan Reveal Plans for a Trade Consortium on Full Trade Basis for all Great Powers, as well as Saldan, Sermaye and Thalranese Marches. Provisional FATBASS Agreement Promises Common Trade Standards and Unrestricted Trade Passage to Downstream Partners for Members.*
* "Arms and Capital Exports" *Aeldrum Pitches Capital and Arms Contracts to Secondary Markets: Orcish Directorate, NCC, Kingdom of Veran Enthusiastically Accept Arms Deal; Sermaye Holds Out but Ultimately Accepts Separate Arms Contract. Orcish Directorate Leads Demand for Capital Exports, Followed by Sermaye then Druz; Kingdom of Veran Claims Unable to Find Applications for Capital Goods. Saldan Lukewarm on all Counts.*
* "Largest Direct Economic Transfer on Record" *Compensatory Payments to Fialta Slaveholders Represent Close to 10% Nominal Increase in Fialta Imperial GDP, Estimated 6% Increase to GDP of Marches.*
* "The New Economy on the Block" *Fialta Union Presents Minor Economic Profile, Boosted Significantly by Integration with Empire of Alusia. Economic Gains for Stagnant Worlds of Former Shantaran Free State Encouraging Sign that Membership has Benefits.*
* "Surprising Church Power: Unprecedent International Capital Mobilization" *Mass Raising of Special Tithes for Rapid Emancipation of Kirvan Faithful in Fialta Territories by Shantine Kirvan Church Doubles Semi-Annual Payment to Slaveholders, Accords 1/6th of Kirvan Slaves their Freedom 5 Years Early.*
* "Is Bigger Better?" *Thalranese Integrate New Members, But Import Gains Decline: Economic Growth from Confederate Coup Positive, But Underperforms Expectations.*
* "A Universal Tax Break" *Prince Gunnot of Marches Concedes Extension of 5% Tax Rate to All of Thalranese Marches, Matching Promise to Incoming Princes for Domestic Lords. Thalranese Marches Estimated to Run Modest Budget Deficit Due to Payment Obligations under Treaty of Saldan: Gunnot Assures Public that Thalranese State Has Sufficient Reserves to Avoid Debt for Duration of Payment Period.*
* "A War Chest, But No War" *Financial Reporter Reveals Vast Shantine Imperial and Church Treasuries, Comments on Enormous Budget Surplus as Most Governments Run Tight Margins.*
* "Five Year Plan a Success" *Alusian Non-Governmental Economy Reaches Parity with Pre-Plan Levels.*
* "Strategic Planning" *Nebai Industries Makes Sweeping Patent Claims and Lobbies for Extensive Grants in Disused Etheric Frequencies.*

**International Relations:**

* "An Historic Thaw" *Landmark Treaty of Saldan Embodies Unprecedent Normalization of Relations Between the Coalition Powers and the Fialta Imperium. Ambitious Agreement Charts End of Slavery in Fialta Territories, Partition of Anemic Fialta Confederacy into Functioning Pieces.*
	+ "If We Won't Go To War, We Need to Decide What Price We'll Take to Accept The Situation" *Sources Comment that Saldan Meant Honorable Path to Accepting Thwarting of Aeldman-Led Imperial Containment Policy in Fialta Confederacy*
	+ "Pleasure Doing Business" *Abolition of Slavery Reduces Pall Over Commercial Ventures for Shantine Merchants in Fialta Space.*
	+ "An Alusian Model Client" *Proposed Fialta Union Represents Major First on Imperial Stage for Alusian Influence. Alusia Agrees to Cede Firbahnk, Long Considered Flashpoint with Marches, as Union Capital.*
	+ "The Forces of Cooperation" *Multiple Sources Indicate that Pentacle Churches Played Significant Role in Restraining Imperium Militancy.* "The Kirvans Took Us to The Table, But the Pentacle Made a Deal Possible."
	+ "A Moral Paragon" *Cosmic Polls Indicate that Majority of Shantine and Non-Shantine Credit Empress Theoboda Kataph With Key Leadership in Achieving Abolition. Alusian Patriarch of Ahlam Singles Out Kataph For Praise in Sermon of Thanks, Praises Empress Illyana for* "Joining Her Strength to an Example of Active Kirvan Morality"*.*
* "Rising Star?" *Alusian Foreign Minister Giannis Politis Proves Instrumental in Developing Parameters for Nascent Union's Foreign Relations, Secures Shantaran Free State's Political Membership in New Country. Positive Reports of the Minister's Easy Manner and Commitment to Peace.*
* "66% is an Upset; 6% is a Disaster" *Confederate Partition Results Surprise International Commentators as Thalranese Marches Claim Estimated 28% of Confederate Territory. Sources Indicate Expected Split was Closer to 70-75% Imperium, 15-20% Union, 10% Thalranese.*
	+ "A Speech for the Ages: Speaking with the Voice of Thalran" *Prince Gunnot of Thalranese Marches Delivers Impassioned Diatribe Against Imperial Modernization Efforts, Linking them to State Tyranny and Decay of Fialta Way of Life. Under Pressure to Demonstrate Leadership Autonomy Against Great Powers and Suspicion of Overly Close Aeldman Cooperation, Gunnot Seizes Identity as Conservative Standard Bearer for Fialta.*
	+ "A Tax Break Never Hurt Either" *Imperium, Marches and Union Leveraged Special Concessions to Attract Princes. Union Promises Preferential Industrial Investment, Imperium Offers 2.5% Tax Break to Princes for 2 Years, Marches Offer Indefinite 5% Tax Break. Breakdown of Princes Choosing Imperium versus Other Powers Closely Follows Voting Lines on Confederate Constitutional Amendment Two Years Prior Creating Fialta Defense Community: Pro-FDC Princes Tended Overwhelmingly to Join Imperium.*
	+ "The Princes Wanted Autonomy Not Utopia" *Union's Immediate Abolition Policy without Slaveholder Compensation and Promises of Economic Development Through Industrialization Believed to have Contributed to Lackluster Attraction of Princes in Partition Vote.*
* "Paper State or Greatest Trick Shantara Ever Played?" *Weakness of Union Leaves Prince Paloctus Outsized Voice of Fialta Princes in His New Nation, but in a Nation Economically and Politically Overshadowed by a Shantaran Majority.*
* "The Grand Tour" *Serene Doge Bareth Aefendt of Aeldrum Embarks on Historic Tour of Celestial Space. Visits New NCC Trade Partners, Monarch of Middle Kingdom, Receives Delegation from Yushan.*
	+ "Your Temperature is Unusual for an Elf" *In Historic Meeting, Serene Doge Reopens Relations with Brass Cities After 45-Year Freeze.*
	+ "A Near Thing" *Allegations of Aeldman Espionage and Execution of Aeldman Nationals in Aksai Spur Aeldman War-Frenzy, Calmed by Careful Diplomacy and Messaging from the Serene Doge*
	+ "Celestial Pivot?" *As Doge Bareth Makes Photo Opportunities, Feverish Aeldman Diplomatic Activity in New Celestial Confederation and Nippon States.*
* "Welcoming our Purifiers" *King of Bec Grants Charter for Knights of Adarnum to Establish Chapter in Kingdom of Bec, with Mandate to Pursue and Suppress UrBehk Cult.*
* "Foes to Friends" *Nippon States Conclude Treaty of Alliance with Yushan; Joint Expedition Wins Decisive Battle Over Pirates, Alleges Triad Prince Sponsorship.*

**Military, Criminal and Disaster News:**

* "Remarkably Peaceful" *Kirvan Radicals Move Underground or Surrender as Peacekeeper Functions Pass to New Suzerains of Partitioned Confederacy. Imperium and Union Adopt Policies of Limited Amnesty; Dalthadi Church Chairs Truth and Reconciliation Committees Aimed at Fialta and Kirvan Atrocities.*
	+ "Healing Hands" *Idolmarite medical mission heals the physical and spiritual wounds of Pentacle worshippers and Kirvans alike. Two hundred patients report simultaneous visions of Idolmarite angel, miraculous restoration of injuries.*
* "Riots in the Streets, Civil War on the Horizon?" *Mass Urban Risings Against Delarman Regime Prompt Brutal Crackdowns, Street-Fighting. Enclave Embassy Deploys Guards to Protect Elvish Citizens in Delarman Capital; Confusion Reigns as Regime Leaders Denounce Each Other and Rebels. Contagion of Violence to Rural Areas Not Yet Reported. Rebel Demands Vary, But Themes of Hostility to Foreign Influence and Triad Faith Prevail. Rioters are presently multifaith, but strong Kirvan and Idolmarite strains in evidence.*
* "A Planned Resurgence?" *Failed KoA Operations in Fialta Imperial Space Lead Imperial Intelligence to Claim Knights of Adarnum Planning to Rebuild Marivan Cell. Public Executions of KoA Assets Become Standard: Some Kirvan Leaders in Imperium Oversee Ritual Burnings of "Heretical Terrorists."*

**Culture and General Interest:**

* "New Fialta?" *Fialta Cultural Hit, "Firebreaker Trilogy" and related Media Take Theater, Cinema and Fialta Ethernet by Storm. Themes of Fialta Nationalism Mix with Virtues of Silent Strength, Mercy and Peaceable Dominion without Disdain for the Dominated. General Popularity of Imperial State at Apparent All-Time High, Despite Concessions on Slavery and Sensitive Religious Issues. Firebreaker, Others, Offer Recitation of Imperial National Mythology and Emblazon Fialta Cultural Discussion with Fialta Cruciform -- "The Pentacle Waiting to be Reforged."*
	+ "Cultural Diplomacy" *Fialta Cultural Epics Reach Foreign Markets, Gaining Surprising Popularity in Aeldrum, Alusia; Shantine Public Response is Reserved, but Cultural Commentators Give Extensive Attention to Fialta Cultural Exports.*
	+ "Parades of Welcome and Integration" *Celebrations of Milestones in Imperial Status Across Fialta Space as Millions of Revelers Welcome New Imperial Subjects, Affirm Cultural Touchstones of Imperial Leadership over All Fialta.*
	+ "New Management?" *Fialta Emperor Announces Radical Shift in Imperial Succession Law, Draws on Lengthy Debate in Fialta Academic Circles to Justify Imperial Right to Designate Own Successor on any Basis. Emperor Declares Claudius, a Senior Naval Officer of Distinction, as Heir.*
	+ "A Signal" *Heir is of Genteel but Not Aristocratic Birth, Rose From Junior Rank by Merit. Outrage in Imperial Family, Rumors of Attempts by Elderly Prince Felix to Challenge Claudius to a Duel. Non-Imperial Princes Exhibit Disdain and Concern for Choice, Credited in Large Part with Success of Marches in Claiming Significantly More Territory than Expected in Confederate Partition.*
* "Silence in the Garden" *No New Edicts from Veiled Masters of Nippon in Five Years.*
* "Unusually Strong Criticism" *Aeldman New Reform MP Jill Fermal Rails Against* "Corruption in Aeldman Military Industrial Complex" *as Aeldman Arms Contracts Bring Vast Sums to Economy, State and Ursa Arms Consortium, Chaired by Aeldman Minister of War Count Guillarme du Montreal.* "Aeldrum is not a credible guarantor of peace when we arm foreign powers for the enrichment of our leaders."
	+ "Unusually Active" *Serene Doge Defends Contributions of Count du Montreal in His Longest Parliamentary Floor Speech in 10 years. Aeldman Economic Successes Form Centerpiece of Speech and Public Polling Indicates Strong Positive Reaction.*
* "I'm OK!" *Saldanese Engineer Survives Two Hundred Foot Descent from Failed "Consumer" Hovercar, Vows Bespoke Hovercars will Pale in Comparison to "Air-Carriage of the Masses."* "I'm putting in a grant request for a Mister Brass that I can reprogram to do the piloting next time"
* "Not Done Yet" *After Wildfire Effect of Emancipation Speech, Patriarch Jan the Baptist of Bishant Maintains International Profile with Exhortations for Special Tithes to Achieve Early Liberation of Kirvans in Fialta States. Alusian and Aeldman Kirvans Open Pocketbooks for Unprecedented Donations, Matched in Full by Shantine Church.*
* "A Heavy Hand" *Alusian Secret Police Crack Down on Hackers Bypassing Alusian Ethernet Content Restrictions. Leaked Video Shows Secret Police Brutality Against Suspected Hackers, Arousing Criticism from Clergy and Intelligentsia.*
	+ "Getting Organized" *Re-broadcast of banned material has become more sophisticated, and despite stiff enforcement, dissident culture flourishes in semi-secret viewing rooms and on contraband radios.*
* "Religious Cooperation Council" *Aeldman Government, In Wake of Religious Unrest in Confederacy, Coordinates with Key Religious Leaders in Serene Duchy to Form Semi-Governmental Advisory Board for Religious Affairs. Chairs on Board Granted to Religious Leaders with at least 7% of Aeldman Faithful: Kirvan, Dalthadi, Idolmarite and Elvish Triad Leaders Take Posts, with Secular Chair Representing Aeldman State and Floating Chair to be Occupied by Rotation of Minority Faith Groups.*
* "Pay or Resign!" *Political Scandal in Sermaye as Collapse of Senior Politician's Financial Venture Jeopardizes Promised Private Funding for 200,000-person Sermayan "All Athletic Amphitheater"*
* "The Great Cosmic Bake-Off" *Popular Aeldman-Alusian Aethernet Program Showcases Regional and International Baking Techniques. Hailed as a Welcome Sign of Common Pleasures, Cosmic Bake Off Takes No. 2 Spot Behind OnlyFlames in Aethernet Traffic.*
* "Noloth Will Reveal the Strands" *Church of Spires Unveiled, Receives Official Aeldman Recognition and Achieves 7 Million Official Converts in Three Months. Nominal CoS Worship Places Proliferate in Aeldrum Spires and in Pin Jump.*
	+ "Aeldman or Not, It's a Holy Place" *Orcish Directorate Settlers in Directorate Quarter of Pin Jump Appear Highly Receptive to Sacred Status of Pin Jump. Staunchly Secular Orcish Leaders Rebuke "Corrupted" Converts.*
	+ "More Mysteries for a Shadowed Faith" *Third Mysterious and Unaccountable Appearance of Cultists of the Unnamed, Now at Lidenia. Dozens of Cultists lined up in vicinity of Castle Lidenia: former director of cleaning staff for late Count Homer alleges that they were standing at the very edge of the Lidenian dungeons.*
	+ "The Faith We've Been Waiting For" *Aeldman Elites, After Two Years of Enthusiastic Speculation, Flock to Church of Spires. Count Guillarme de Montreal and Minister Al'Hazred become first Cabinet-Level Aeldman Officials to Announce Conversion. Proposals for Pilgrimage and Evangelical Programs Spread Through Philanthropic Circles.*
	+ "A Faith for a Nation, Not a Race" *Ordinary Aeldman converts to Church of Spires, other Noloth-sects, enthusiastically describe appeal of faith opening space for patriotism beyond elvish culture, alternative to "foreign faiths."*
	+ "Dangerous and Obscene" *Sharp Criticism of Church of Spires from Religious Leaders in Aeldrum. Triad Exarch comments,* "Either it's a Blasphemous Fiction or these poor fools *are* giving their worship to an Elder God. That possibility however remote should be of grave concern to us all."
* "Ethernet Cafes Go Cosmic" *FialtaNet sees debut of Ethernet Cafes in Aeldman Model. Fewer Conspiracy Theories, More Debates About the Legality of the Lanius-Devacles Duel of '21 and the Validity of Rondels.*
	+ "Can We Stick to the Issues?" *Aeldman Ethernet Café Discussions of Labor Policy, Economic and Social Inequality Foster Robust Intellectual Community.* "Just don't mention Noloth, it gets the trolls in a lather."
* "Chess Boxing – Schachkampf!" *Chess Boxing Spreads Across the Lanes -- Alusian Sponsorship Sees Ready Adoption Among Confederate PeaceKeepers, Shantine Merchants Get In on the Game.* "Black and Blue Meets Black v. White" *In Exciting Game*

**Foreign Concerns Special Economic Report:** GDP and GDP/100k people of the Great Powers:

* Serene Duchy of Aeldrum: 49.04k econ, 1.76/pop
* Shantine Empire: 32.96k econ, 1.27/pop
* Empire of Alusia: 27.28k econ, 1.75/pop
* Fialta Imperium: 23.08k econ, 1.22/pop
	+ with reparations: 25.94k econ, 1.38/pop
* Thalranese Marches: 5.58k econ, 2.69/pop
	+ with reparations: 6.02k econ, 2.9/pop
* *Alusian economic growth surges as state investments take effect; Shantine growth driven largely by new Fialta Imperial trade; Imperium realizes growth from territorial annexations and trade*

### Year 446.5 - 447

***A President Missing, a King and a Prince Dead:***

**Assassinations, Civil War, Economic Tremors**

A Year After Treaty of Saldan, Great Powers Pursue Ambitious Economic Policy Amid Instability In Minor Powers

**Economic News:**

* "Growing Pains or Death Spiral?" *In six months after integration of Confederate Princes, Thalranese economy contracts by 36% under sustained trade, supply chain and capital liquidity shocks. Observers comment that outsized Thalranese trade sector exposed it to magnified shocks.*
	+ "Mismatched Expectations" *Economic Analysts Conclude Thalranese Economy Suffered Liquidity Crisis as Investment Poured into New Territories; Fragile Supply Chains and Trust Relationships Snapped in Painful Reorganization of Thalranese Internal Economy; Saldanese economist Willard Bernat comments,* "We always anticipated some loss to the original Marcher Lords from the integration of less developed Confederate worlds, but this crisis exceeds all expectations. It seems that many lords had the same idea and crippled themselves trying to avoid a loss."
	+ "Acrimony, Internal Strife" *'Old Guard' lords of the Marches blame Confederate newcomers, demand they pay for economic collapse or suffer piracy. Gunnot holds firm, refuses punitive taxation.*
	+ "Foreign Owners Threatened" *Valdosian assets in Thalranese Marches broadly suffer with the economy; Sermayan, Shantine and Aeldman merchants close warehouses and cancel trips, writing off assets meant to establish commerce. Relatively small size of Marcher Economy allays fears of an infectious downturn.*
	+ "Last Minute Stimulus" *Aeldrum, Alusia Reach Eleventh-Hour Agreement to Supply Loan of 800e at 3% Interest to Fund Marcher Stimulus Package.*
		- "We Didn't Vote for the Marches to be Puppeteered by Aeldmen!" Thalranese lords and Confederate Newcomers decry "Debt Slavery." *High Lord Armalos Circulates Political Cartoon of Prince Gunnot Being Strung Hat-in-Hand to an Aeldman Caricature.*
		- "Rampant Corruption" *Estimates Circulate that Up to a Third of Marcher Stimulus Package was Captured by Unintended Recipients.*
		- "Rays of Optimism" *Stimulus sees uptick in economic activity: forecasts hold that without further shocks, Thalranese economy could stabilize in next six months, but warn that fragile economic organization could see enormous setbacks.*
	+ "A Crushing Deficit, With No Tax Options" *Sources close to Marcher Government Report Treasury Virtually Exhausted, with Historic Deficit Anticipated. Gunnot's Promise to Set Discretionary Taxes at 5% for Fialta Lords Makes Raising Taxes Political Impossibility, Say Observers.*
* "The Clans Will Do What Is Right, I Am Sure" *King of Druz Imposes Quarantine Measures, Anticipates Halted Trade as Unusual Fever Spreads among Dwarves.*
* "Annexation and Trade Drive Economic Performance: But What About the Fundamentals?" *Aeldrum dominates economic growth through state spending, trade expansion, but internal growth is strongest in Alusia.*
	+ "An Economy Built on State-Led Industry" *Aeldman Capital Goods, Arms and Ethernet Industries Spearheaded by National Champion Firms Account for 1/5th of Aeldman GDP.*
	+ "Fundamental Differences in Organization" *Alusia reports strong factory sales at considerable profits, but returns accrue entirely to the state, without evidence in wider economy. Aeldrum's reliance on industry contractors to produce arms, capital goods means that sales revenue accrues to wider economy.*
	+ "ToSTA Did Not Erase All Alignments" *Strong Demand for Aeldman Capital Goods in Historic Trade Partners and New Celestial Venues; Deutschreich, Fialta Union Put in Recurring Alusian Orders; Sermaye Buys from both Powers.*
	+ "Competitor, Customer" *Aeldrum Dominated International Demand for Alusian Factory While Organizing its Own Capital Goods Industry.*
* "Commodities Exchange – Taking the Uncertainty out of Trade" *Alusia Announces Imminent Opening of Commodities Exchange: Deutschreich will be Inaugural Partner. Overtures to ToSTA Partners Expected.*
	+ "A Natural Place for Administrative Excellence" *Alusian Civil Service Procedures to Be Integrated into Commodities Exchange for Maximum Efficiency. Expected Trade Volume Growth as high as 15% Forecast.*
* "Stock Exchange: Equilibrating Cosmic Capital" *Sermaye Announces Plans for Stock Exchange, Emphasizes Opportunities for Mutual, International Growth from Connecting Investors to Capital-Constrained Businesses in other Nations. Aeldrum Expresses Initial Interest.*
* "Supply Chain Integration – The Key to Commercial Strategy?" *Aeldrum's state-led arms and capital goods sales rely on historic integration with industrial partners: Alusia develops supply-chain integration program in similar model, forecasting large economic multiplier on factory production.*
* "An Invitation to the Walled Garden" *Aeldrum Concludes Landmark Trade Agreement with New Celestial Confederation (NCC), Nippon States permitting Pass-Through Trade to Interior Celestial Partners. Aeldrum Secures Trade Arrangements with All Interior Celestial Powers in Flurry of Diplomatic Activity.*
	+ "Guarding and Trading at the Door" *Orcish Directorate, NCC, Nippon, Thalranese and Aeldrum agree to Mutual Defense Pact centered on routes from Imperial to Celestial Space, including the Pin Jump and Mir'Thalran.*
		- *In Recognition of Defensive Pact, Thalranese Marches conclude trade deal with Nippon States.*
	+ "A Quarter of the Pin Jump Means a Seat at the Table" *Orcish Directorate is Aeldman Partner in Distribution, Pass-Through and Other Commerce Deals.*
	+ "We Open and Close the Gates" *Nippon Reserves Exclusive Distribution Rights with Neighbors, but in Historic Gesture Allows Limited Aeldman Merchants*
	+ "Hooking Up the Cosmos" *Aeldrum's General Etheric Begins Ethernet Construction in Nippon States and NCC. Commits to Ethernet in two theaters each, as well as Ashgarate of New Nippon.*
* "A Rapid Integration" *Shantine Empire Rapidly Integrates Kingdom of Bec into Wider Economy. Comparatively Small Bec Economy and Strong Shantine Merchant Presence Facilitate Smooth Integration.*

**International Relations:**

* "A Personal Union" *Queen-Mother and Regent Alana of Bec Consents to Betrothal of her son the King of Bec to Shantine Imperial Heiress. In Sweeping Treaty, Shantine Forces Assume Protective Obligations in Bec, Receiving Navigational and Taxation Rights to Support Efforts Against Insurgent Ur-Behk Cult. Becois Concordat Affirms Individuality of Kingdom, Administrative Autonomy and Embodiment of Two Crowns in Planned Royal-Imperial Marriage.*
* "Not Just a Commercial Arrangement" *Omnibus Aeldman Trade Deal in Celestial Space Includes Defensive Pacts for Critical Trade Routes, Also Enshrines Bilateral Understandings Among Celestial Powers. Observers Speculate that with Rapprochement of NCC, Middle Kingdom and Aeldrum and Nippon Acting in Historically Close Concert, Platform for Celestial Peace May be In Progress.*
	+ "Overheating the Foreign Service" *Aeldrum Reported to Have Spent Fortune Administrating a Government Working Overtime to Secure Vast Trade Concessions in Celestial Space.*
* "Disarmament Delayed" *Promising Null Bomb Disarmament Talks Between Aeldrum, Fialta Imperium Lead to Joint Resolution for Mutual Detonation, But Execution Delayed by Assassination of Prince Claudius, Casting Uncertainty over Future of Agreement.*
* "Cooperating to Support the Marches" *Alusian and Aeldman Officials Worked Closely to Develop Aid Package for Thalranese Marches, Presented United Front in Pursuing Economic and Political Stability in Historic Coalition Partner. Shantine Express Support, but Involvement is Less Direct.*
* "Speak only in a manner befitting of the faithful, in person and on the Ethernet: be sure that the shadow cast by your words and actions would not vanish before the light of Kirva's flame, that your deeds be truthful and just." *Empress Theoboda transmits broadcast across OnlyFlames pleading for Kirvan radical elements abroad to behave as ambassadors of Kirva, to mixed international reaction.*
	+ "A Soothing Voice, A Moral Example" *Shantine, Confederate and Alusian Kirvan Clerics Praise Empress for her Spiritual Example, Express Thanks for Compassionate Voice that Speaks to Kirvans Without Dismissing or Suppressing. Aeldman Lay Kirvans and Middle Clergy Express Strong Support.*
	+ "A Show of Authority" *Aeldman and Sermayan Patriarchs Express Concern at the Shantine Empress's Assumption of Spiritual Leadership.* "Why Did These Words Need to Come from the Empress and Not From the Shantine Patriarchs?" *Kirvan Bishop of Harwel Asks in Televised "Church Chat" Conversation with Legate of Aeldrum's Idolmarite Cardinal.* "Perhaps Well-Meaning, but an Inappropriate and Dangerous Linkage of Shantine Imperial Power to Kirvanism," *Writes Excommunicated Bishop Tarlo from Diocese in Newly Fialta Imperial Space.*
	+ "A Dog Whistle" *Critics of the Empress Point to Ambiguous Messaging, Read Remarks as Concession to Predictably Violent Individual Kirvan Morality.* "Either she means to encourage them, or she's afraid anything more forceful will cost her the cult of personality she's built," *comments retired Alusian general staff officer.*
* "Diplomatic Assistance from a Gunboat" *Elvish Enclaves Dispatch "Embassy Ships" to Delarman Space to Support Elvish Community, Provide Humanitarian Aid and Keep Peace as Violence Escalates.* *Gazette Informants Report Elvish Embassy Receiving Private Visits from Multiple Rebel Factions.*

**Military, Criminal and Disaster News:**

* "Crown Prince Claudius Slain in Shocking Car Bombing" *The Crown Prince was Killed by an Explosion Moments after Leaving a Review of Senior Military Officials*. *Claudius was Due to Attend Meeting at Imperial Palace on Discovery of Alleged Sword of Dres'Fialt.* *Emperor Asterion Expresses Grief, Resolve, Touring Military Establishments Affiliated with Claudius. Asterion Vows to Find Perpetrators.*
* "King of Bec Assassinated in String of Terror Attacks on Bec Capital" *Ur-Behk Cult Takes Violence from the Forests to the Cities, Throwing Government in Chaos.*
	+ "Knights of Adarnum Feel the Burn" *KoA Chapter Houses in Bec Targeted for Arson and Drive-by-Shootings in Ur-Behk Terror Campaign.*
* "President of Delarma Goes Missing: No Reported Sightings in 3 Months, Government Dissolves Under Competing Succession Claims"
* "Gunshots and Screams, Neighborhood Cordoned Off" *Urban violence in Ahlam as Alusian Secret Police Arrest Effort Turns into Floor-by-Floor Melee with Mass Casualties. Reports Indicate that Alusian Police Lost Control of the Combat Zone and that Many Suspects Escaped. Second Similar Incident Reported, with Police Cordon Holding. No Comment Yet from Alusian State Authorities.*
* "Riots on Bishant and Highveldt: Effigies of Patriarch of Highveldt and Lord Yannek Burned" *After Accusation of Revelationism against Lord Yannek by Patriarch of Highveldt, Competing Mass Demonstrations Clash on Shantine Holy Worlds. Riotous Masses Demand Removal of Yannek from Government, While Larger Groups Threaten Patriarch of Highveldt for Tacit Insult of Empress Theoboda. Violent Clashes Narrowly Avoid Escalating with Speedy Trial of Yannek; Empress Theoboda Personally Intervenes at Highveldt to Calm Mob and Rescue Patriarch of Highveldt from Besieged Palace.*

**Culture and General Interest:**

* "The First 100,000" *Ambitious Aspire Student Program on Aeldrum Successfully Rotates First 100,000 Participants: Students Enjoy Career Training, Civic and Historical Education, Networking and Spiritual Support in Aeldman Capital. Estimated 20 Percent Remain on Aeldrum, 30 Percent of all Students Estimated to Join or Help Found Local Spire Churches.*
* "Trial of the Century" *Lord Yannek Submits to Trial by Fire in Eyes of Kirvan Angel at Heart of Basilica of Bishant. Yannek is Seared for Imperfections, but Judged Innocent of Charges of Misleading Empress and of Heresy. After Recovery Period, Yannek Resumes Senior Post in Shantine Government to Wide Acclaim.*
* "A Crisis Weathered" *Polls and OnlyFlames Consumption Show Ecstatic Support for Shantine Imperial Government in Wake of Highveldt Accusations: Empress's Popularity at All-Time High, but Signs of Discontent from the most Orthodox Kirvans. Cosmically, polling suggests Shantine Empress now dominates public perception of Kirvanism, especially among non-Kirvans. Patriarch Jan rated most favorably among Patriarchs.*
* "Taking the Big Chair" *Patriarch of Highveldt Expresses Remorse for "*Error of Judgment*" and Ensuing Violence in Accusing Lord Yannek and Chooses Meditative Retirement to "*Consider my Errors*." Bishop Latakon, Longtime Protegee of Jan of Bishant, Accepts Election to Patriarchal Post with Strong Support from Patriarchs of Korinth and of Brumaire.*
* "Nothing Sends Regards Like a Hovercar" *Fialta Imperial Palace Approves Gift of Luxury Hovercar to every Imperial Prince for Anniversary of Confederate Partition.* *Fialta Artificer Rol'Seroyce Accepts Commission for Cars' Etheric Engines.*
* "A Sign: Endorsement or Demand for Action?" *Thalranese Mining Venture in Gunnot's Private Estates on Tar'Thalran Discovers Ancient Sepulcher Containing Alleged Sword of Dres'Fialt. Doctor Eero Norman, Fialta Archaeological Expert, Confirms Validity. Gunnot's Thalranese Cleric Claims Gift from Thalran to Gunnot; Critics Claim Sword is Sign that Thalranese Marches Must Survive by Old Ways, Not New. Lord Armalos:* "We've given up cherished rights, bound ourselves in trade, and paid dearly for it. The sword is a reminder of who we are: I do not think Gunnot will show himself able to heed this clear sign."
	+ "A Leader Bruised but Still Confident" *Gunnot's Political Messaging Around Thalranese Economic Crisis Shows Resolve, Dismisses Opposition Leaders: Generally Favorably Responses from Thalranese Aristocrats, Driven Heavily by Expectations of Speedy Conclusion to Crisis.*

**Foreign Concerns Special Economic Report:** GDP and GDP/100k people of the Great Powers:

* Serene Duchy of Aeldrum: 64.03k econ, 2.3/pop
* Empire of Alusia: 30.2k econ, 1.93/pop
* Empire of Bishant: 39.3k econ, 1.48/pop
* Fialta Imperium: 31.07k econ, 1.64/pop
* Thalranese Marches: 3.87k econ, 1.87/pop
* *The Gazette has updated its methodology to include the effects of Aeldman state spending more accurately.*
* *The Fialta Imperium has overtaken the Empire of Alusia as the 3rd largest economy in the cosmos, largely on the strength of trade gains. Shantine growth has also largely been driven by the expansion of trade with the Imperium. The Thalranese Marches have contracted by 36%.*
* *"Fundamental" non-trade and non-investment growth was highest in Alusia, at 5.37%, followed by Aeldrum at 5.29%, Bishant at 3.09%, the Thalranese Marches at 3.08%, and the Fialta Imperium at 2.73%.*
* *Aeldman economic gains were dominated by capital sales, arms contracts and general commerce, mostly stemming from Celestial Space.*
* *Aeldrum and Alusia were the laggards in population growth, with 1.28% in Aeldrum and 1.39% in Alusia. The Shantine lead cosmic population growth, with a consistent rate of above 2.5% the last three years.*

### Year 447 - 447.5

***Second War of the Coalition Sweeps Cosmos:***

**After Fialta Imperium Invades Thalranese Marches, Bishant, Alusia and Aeldrum Intervene**

**Casualty Reports:**

* **Deaths Reported This Issue**: 2.39M
	+ Fialta Imperium: 783k military, 675k civilian
	+ Shantine Empire: 529k military, 160k partisan
	+ Thalranese Marches: 217k military, 30k civilian
* Marivan Theater
	+ Imperial Casualties: 25k KIA, 25k WIA/MIA
	+ Civilian Casualties: 175k Dead, 300k Wounded/Missing
* Tar'Thalran Theater
	+ Imperial Casualties:
		- Naval: 94k KIA, 188.1k WIA/MIA
	+ Thalranese Casualties:
		- Naval: 111.6k KIA, 113k WIA/MIA
* Firhbank Theater
	+ Imperial Casualties:
		- Naval: 24k KIA, 49.5k WIA/MIA
		- Gate: 45k KIA, 45k WIA/MIA/POW
	+ Thalranese Casualties:
		- Naval: 80k KIA, 120k WIA/MIA/POW
		- Gate: 25k KIA, 50k WIA/MIA
		- Civilian Casualties: 30k Dead, 100k Wounded/Missing
* Zanevuela Theater
	+ Imperial Casualties:
		- Naval: 118.8k KIA, 237.6k WIA/MIA
		- Gate: 34.3k KIA, 101.8k WIA/MIA/POW
		- Interior: 442k KIA, 670.7k WIA/MIA/POW
		- Civilian Casualties: 500k Dead, 2M+ Wounded/Missing
	+ Shantine Casualties:
		- Naval: 97.7k KIA, 150k WIA/MIA
		- Gate: 34.1k KIA, 64.1k WIA/MIA
		- Interior: 397.4k KIA, 423.8k WIA/MIA
		- Partisans: 160k KIA, 160k+ WIA/MIA

**Economic News:**

* "Overheating or Sign of a Confident New Normal?" *Aeldman Prevailing Interest Rate Climbs to 5% as Rapid Economic Growth Raises Value of Capital.*
* "A Decentralized Computing Solution" *Aeldrum Unveils Consumer-Terminal Solution for Computing, Mobilizes Economic Resources to Construct Hundreds of Ethernet Hotspots and Mainframe Computers With Capability to Service Millions of Aeldman Terminals.* "The Gains from Computerization Are Coming Soon, And They Will Be Enormous" *promises Spire-Doge Luvelath at Groundbreaking Ceremony.*
* "Moving at the Commanding Heights" *Massive Aeldman Outlays on Pharmaceutical Consortium and Administrative and Consulting Capabilities for State-Industrial Cooperation in Arms, Capital Goods Production.*
* "Turning to the Domestic Market" *Alusian State Makes Broad Overtures for Domestic Industrialists to Purchase, Deploy State Factories. With Alusian supply chain integration and deployment agreements, outlook for domestic consumption is strong.*
* "Open for Business… But Who's Joining?" *Alusian Commodities Exchange Launches with Deutschreich as Founding Member, Saldan and Sermaye Agree to Participate, but Aeldrum and Bishant Remain Noncommittal.*
* "Mirror ToSTA?" *Celestial Trade Consortium Begins to Take Shape on Similar Grounds to ToSTA Agreements, with Aeldrum, Nippon, New Celestial Confederation, Middle Kingdom as Founding Members. Negotiations to Include Kingdom of Aksai Break Down, But Prior Bilateral Trade Patterns Hold, In Sign of Growing Celestial Stability.*
* "Killing to Pay the Bills" *Thalranese Marches Ink Mercenary Contract, Deploy Raider Group and Ground Forces to Support Government of President Mielnar of Delarma. Passage through Aeldrum and Enclave Financing Signal Commitment of Both Governments to Mielnar Regime. Gunnot Proudly Proclaims Fiscal Solvency for Likely Duration of Economic Crisis from Military Contract.*
* "Divestment is a No Confidence Vote" *Bank of Valdos Divests Significant Investments from Thalranese Marches Ahead of Economic Policy Vote Called by Prince Gunnot, Deepening Thalranese Economic Panic.*
* "The New Tenant Economy" *Shantine Government Launches Agricultural Mechanization Effort with Heavy Imports from Aeldrum, Close Coordination Between Empress and Shantine Aristocracy. Nobles Express Eager Support for Farming Machines and Local Cottage-Factories to Maximize Productivity of Overpopulated Shantine Lands.*
* "Academy Outsourcing" *Academy of Saldan Initiates Bold Development Plan for Factory Trade Schools in Alusia, with Generous Funding from Alusian Imperial State.*
* "No Sign of Improvement" *Under Successive Economic and Military Shocks, Thalranese Economy Enters Freefall.*

**International Relations:**

* "A Successor in Time of Crisis" *Fialta Imperium Announces Prince Neptos, Great-Grandson of the First Emperor Tiel'Fialt, as Crown Prince and Imperial Heir.*
* "A Legitimate Government" *Aeldrum, Bishant and Elvish Enclaves Recognize Government of President Mielnar of Delarma. Mielnar is former member of Delarman Cabinet: Believed to Represent Compromise Choice in Ending Violence, Mielnar Promises Economic Growth Without Sacrificing Delarman Identity, and Religious Pluralism. Shantine Recognition and Praise Allows Mielnar to Make Overtures to Kirvan Population.*
	+ *Progress Front Remains Leading Rebel Faction, Controlling Third of Delarman Planetary Gates, Disrupting Internal Navigation; Progress Front Demands Better Political Representation for Urban Populations, Full Economic Opening and Transparency Commission Against Enclave Influence.*
* "I Resign!" *In Dramatic Showdown with Lords of the Marches, Gunnot Presses Economic Agenda, but Receives Pushback from Lord Karenus. Gunnot Grandstands But Does Not Win Desired Approval from Assembled Lords: Refusing a Duel from Karenus, Gunnot Resigns, Taking Sword of Dres'Fialt from Assembly and Forcing Way Out.*
* "The Marches Did It!" *Domestic and foreign public relations campaign from Fialta accuses senior leadership of the Marches for orchestrating the assassination of Claudius, Laying Blame on Gunnot Government but also Gunnot's Rival Karenus.*
* "A King Without Compare, Or Successor" *Beloved King Graff of Druz Perishes in Fever Gripping His Kingdom, Leaving Divided Clans Unable to Find Successor in Multiple Elections.*
* "Scandal and a Dissolute Parliament" *campaign funding corruption scandal rocks Deutschreich, parliament agrees to special election; broad accusations of Alusian meddling*
* "The Gang's Back Together" *Shantine, Alusian and Aeldman Governments Declare War on the Fialta Imperium in Defense of Thalranese Sovereignty.*
* "An Expression of Displeasure" *Gunshots, Race to Mobilize, in Palace Coup After Failed Invasion of Marches. Fialta Emperor Asterion Flees Palace as Bank of Valdos, Imperial Navy and Church of Dalthad Declare New Emperor, Prince Neptos. Neptos Accepts Crown, Establishes Emergency Military HQ at Marivan and Seals Fialt. Tir'Fahn, Imperial High Judge, Named Crown Prince. Tir'Fhan's two sons engaged to youngest daughters of Neptos in complicated legal agreement.*
	+ *Fialta Grand Marshall Cato Declares Asterion Still Legitimate Emperor; Army and Portion of Fialta Security Bureau Appear to Remain to Loyal, With Strongest Support for Asterion Among Thalranian Faithful.*

**Military, Criminal and Disaster News:**

* "Knives in the Bedroom? Gunnot Evades Nighttime Assassins"
* "The City NEVER WAS" *Nipponese Political Turmoil as Portions of Inner Quarter Sealed Off, Nipponese Expatriates Disappear: All Contact Lost with City of Yenne, Nippon Insists City Does Not Exist in Historical Records.*
* "Nasty, Brutal and Short" *Delarman Civil War Seemed Poised for Protracted Conflict, With Government of President Mielnar Opposed by Progress Front of Adrienne Adal in Full Third of Delarman Worlds, But Intervention of Enclave and Marches Forces Overwhelmed Rebels and Ended Conflict.*
	+ *Marcher Forces Show Extreme Brutality in Putting Down Rebellion, Looting and Killing Prisoners. President Mielnar Terminates Mercenary Contract, and Marches Agree to Leave With Payment for Services Rendered.*
	+ *Naval Mines Impede Enclave Vessels, Buying Adal Forces Time to Scatter and Suggesting Foreign Aid. Adal Escapes Delarma, but Many Senior Members of Progress Front Captured or Killed. Progress Front Continues To Issue Messages in Exile from Unknown Location.*
* "Kept in Check but Far From Defeated" *Cult of Urbehk Continues to Terrorize Rural Bec Lands, but Metropolitan Core Secured by Mass Deployment of Shantine Troops. Urbehk Moves into Guerrilla Posture as Direct Confrontations, Successful Against Becquois Royal Forces, Meet with Defeat Against Shantine Numbers and Firepower.*
* "Thalran Must Bear Witness" *Fialta Imperium Launches Bold Two-Pronged Naval Invasion of Thalranese Marches on Claims of Thalranese Guilt for Death of Crown Prince Claudius. One Fleet, Apparently Using Stealth Technology, Slips Past Semal to Engage Thalranese Raiders En-Route to Tar'Thalran. Second Fleet Strikes Deep into Thalranese Territory to Attack Firhbank, Raising Specter of Trans-Lane Capability.*
	+ "Rally Around the Flag" *In Midst of Election, Lord Karenus Receives Advanced Notice of Fialta Invasion from Anonymous Sources. Karenus Wins Election, Draws on Crippled Thalranese Treasury, Debt and Personal Favors to Raise Private Raider Fleets. Thalranese Forces Under-Strength in Home Territories Due to Forces Performing Mercenary Service Abroad.*
	+ "Stalling Tactics" *After Promising Start, Fialta Naval Drive Toward Tar'Thalran Stalls. Thalranese Endure Heavy Losses, But Effective Strength of Imperial Invasion Force Seems Blunted.*
	+ "Getting There Is Only Half the Battle" *Imperial Navy Crushes Thalranese Fleet at Firhbank, but Imperial Army Fails to Gain Any Ground in Disastrous Attempted Gate Landing. Imperial Ground Forces Are Battered, and Fleet Appears to Withdraw.*
	+ "Failure Is Not An Option" *Rumors Swirl that Fialta Naval Commanders Who Failed to Press Against Thalranese Were Executed for Cowardice.*
* "A New Crusade" *Shantine Empire Declares War of Solidarity with Thalranese Marches, Becoming First Great Power to Intervene in Thalranese-Imperium Conflict.*
	+ "A Severe Imperial Miscalculation" *Shantine Navy Pours from Korinth Toward Marivan, Blowing Aside Hastily Scrambled Fialta Imperial Force. Fialta Warships Demonstrate Stealth Capability During Retreat. Rumors of Trans-Lane Capability Swirl:* "They Headed Off the Lane Entirely."
		- "Regroup" *Bank of Valdos Raider Group Refuses Engagement at Zanevuela, Takes Planet-Side Route toward Marivan, Where Fialta Naval Forces Mass.*
	+ "Bloody Landing" *Shantine Forces Ignore Hinterworlds, Storm Zanevuela Gate. More than 3.8 Million Shantine Disembark at Zanevuela*
	+ "Kirva is With Us!" *Knights of Adarnum Complete Mass Distribution of Arms in Zanevuela Theater; Estimates Vary Wildly from 300,000 to 3 Million Partisans under Arms in Support Shantine Invasion. Leader of Kirvan Partisans, Preacher Mataxes, Declares* "Everyone who has known slavery, who knows the hatred of the Fialta for the weak and the small, is a child of Kirva the Protector: our duty is to teach and arm the weak."
	+ "We'll Be At Marivan in No Time!" *Shantine Forces Break Fialta Imperial Army at Zanevuela in Spectacular Month of Overwhelming Victories: Imperial Army Stalled Fighting Partisans, Allowing Shantine to Break Out from Zanevuela Gate. More than Two Thirds of Imperial Forces Captured or Destroyed at Decisive Engagement.*
		- "A Last Stand" *Remaining Imperials at Marivan-Facing Zanevuela Gate Defend City in Ferocious Week of Fighting. Half of defenders are killed before overwhelming Shantine numbers break Fialta defense. All Imperial forces at Zanevuela* "scattered, dead or captured," *announces Shantine General Sion Yatron.*
	+ "Atrocities Follow in Wake of Kirvan Zeal"
		- "We Don't Have Time for Prisoners!" *Shantine Push to Sweep Semal Leaves Few Resources to Guard Prisoners of War. Anonymous officer comments,* "I'm not sure if it's kinder to shoot them or leave them in the care of the partisans."
		- "Burn Them All, Kirva Will Know We are Righteous!" *Kirvan Partisans under Preacher Mataxes Ritually Burn 10,000 Fialta Prisoners of War They Were Tasked to Guard. Shantine Colonel Latak, On Arriving at the Scene, Attempts to Kill Mataxes with Sword But Is Physically Restrained by Aides and Carried from Scene, Screaming,* "Let me show you Kirvan mercy, you sadistic [expletive]!"
		- "Neighbors Killing Neighbors" *Fialta Militia, Kirvan Partisans Clash Across Zanevuela and its Hinterworlds. Firebombings, Mob Violence and Running Gunfights Ravage Hundreds of Communities. Estimated Deaths from Sectarian Violence Exceed 100,000. Fialta "Grand Captain" Mirbus of Fialta National Front Issues Public Call:* "This is the Existential War, Brothers and Sisters. We Must Recognize It, and Fight It. Every Kirvan is an Enemy."
		- "If You Can Carry a Gun, You Can and Must Kill for Our Savior Kirva" *Knights of Adarnum Arm and Train Women, Children, Elderly. Reports of a "Children's Crusade" Haunt Zanevuela.*
* "Mass Mobilization: Alusia Gets Into the Game" *Alusia Masses Forces At Del'Mar, Aeldrum Keeps Heavy Presence At Capital but Builds Up at Semal, Signals Support for Shantine Push via Zanevuela. Shantine, Aeldman and Alusian Forces Grow Significantly, with Shantine Leading Mobilization Scale. Aeldrum News Network Works Overtime to Encourage Young Aeldmen to Enlist.*
* "Retaliation?" *Disaster at Imperial Capital of Fialt as Rogue Cargo Ship Evades Detection, Delivers Null Bomb Payload Directly to Planetary Gate. Estimated Death Toll is 200,000.*

**Culture and General Interest:**

* "We Believe" *Alusian Civil servants organize march of solidarity with Alusian State and in Celebration of Five Year Plan.*
* "Renewed Interest in Church History" *History on the Orthodox Structure of the Church circulates widely in Shantine Learned Circles as Questions Rise in Wake of Highveldt Crisis.*
* "Foreign Role Model" *Theoboda becomes most popular girl's name in Alusia*
* "Unfortunate Timing" *Ten Aeldman PMs come out as Dalthadis; Dalthadi conference declared, Bakken invited, 4 Weeks Before Outbreak of War.*
* "Loud and Proud" *Kirvan Church Establishes New Abbeys in Zanevuela, Reilla and Chelonia. Charitable Funding Pours from Shantine Kirvan Coffers into Local Communities.* "We will Tend to those Left Behind by their Leaders." *Chelonia and Reilla efforts received mixed local reception, but ecstatic crowds pour into services at Zanevuela abbey after Shantine victory.*
* *Patriarch Jan of Bishant gives an impassioned speech via OnlyFlames condemning Fialta Invasion of Thalranese Marches.* *Jan Praises Military Intervention of Bishant:* "Empress Theoboda will defeat the Fialta aggressors and free all remaining Kirvan slaves through this military effort. Kirvans in all worlds are called upon to urge their governments to join the war effort against the Fialta and engage in civil disobedience until they do."
* "A Change in Management?" *Alusian Kirvan Clergy Sees Significant Re-Shuffling at Direction of Patriarch of Ahlam, Citing* "Lack of Moral Clarity in Certain Structures of the Church."
* "Dueling Messages" *Amid Attempted Coup, Asterion Trades Barbs with His Former Court, but Dalthadis Dominate Messaging.*
	+ "We Have Been Lead Astray" *Dalthadi Church Blankets Fialta Airwaves with Messages Against Asterion. Millions listen to broadcasts criticizing Emperor's numerous failures of leadership in recent years, including* "the humiliating defeats in the Marches and 200K dead at our gate while he was more concerned about changing the traditions that made us great."
	+ *Emperor Asterion Delivers Impassioned Pre-Recorded Address to Imperial Subjects:* "Those that pretend to the Fialta throne care not for the wellbeing of their people, only the wellbeing of their titles. None embody this more than Neptos—he knew of the plot but did not intervene, the actions of one who cares for none more than himself and his image. Ask yourself, ye Fialta: is this the posture of someone who you would have succeed me? I leave judgment in your hands"

### Year 447.5 - 448

***Home in Less than a Year, But At What Cost? At What Gain?***

**After Coalition Victory, Serene Doge of Aeldrum Joins 5.4 Million Dead**

**Casualty Reports:**

* **Deaths Reported This Issue**: 2.8M
* **Total Deaths from the Second War of the Coalition**: 5.38M
	+ Fialta Imperium: 2.05M military, 40k partisan, 675k civilian
	+ Thalranese Marches: 872k military, 30k civilian
	+ Serene Duchy of Aeldrum: 885k military, 10k civilian
	+ Shantine Empire: 529k military, 190k partisan, 100k civilian (occupied Zanevuelans)
* Marivan Theater (all naval)
	+ Thalranese Casualties: 655k KIA, 655k WIA/MIA
	+ Aeldman Casualties: 765k KIA, 1,665k WIA/MIA
	+ Imperial Casualties: 1,215k KIA, 1,215k WIA/MIA
		- Naval: 90k KIA, 90k WIA/MIA
		- Ground: 30k KIA, 90k WIA/MIA
		- Civilian/Noncombatant: 10k KIA, 30k WIA/MIA
	+ Imperial Casualties:
		- Naval: 25k KIA, 35k WIA/MIA
		- Ground: 27.5k KIA, 32.5k WIA/MIA/POW
* Zanevuela Theater:
	+ Shantine Partisans: 30k KIA,70k WIA/MIA
	+ Fialta Partisans: 40k KIA, 100k WIA/MIA/POW
	+ Civilians: 100k KIA, 200k WIA/MIA

**Economic News:**

* "A Fever Rising" *Aeldman economy rides tide of military contracts; interest rate lurches from 5% to 7% as capital shortage intensifies, while consumer goods on track for 10% annual inflation.*
	+ "Crowding Out" *Aeldman economic growth driven by Industrial-State ventures left little room for small enterprise, distorted economy toward military, capital good and infrastructure production. Consumer industries starved for cash, labor. Aeldman MP criticizes overshadowing of free enterprise:* "Fully one third of our economy is tied up in these colossal state ventures; the economy is booming, but who's buying?"
		- "Organizational Delays" *ambitious state-backed Aeldman pharmaceutical consortium stalls agglomeration under strain from rising interest rates.*
	+ "Like a Straight Jacket" *Despite enormous inflows of hard currency from roaring trade surplus, Aeldman money supply binds burgeoning economy: state-driven ventures drive enormous capital shifts, leading to uneven money supply.*
	+ "Help Wanted" *Military mobilization pales compared to labor flows to state-sponsored industries, driving labor shortage in Aeldman core.*
		- "Import Labor" *Nipponese-Aeldman agreement opens flow for up to 100 million workers to enter Aeldman economy from Celestial regions. Vast company towns spring up across Core Worlds, reminiscent of Guild work-houses of old.*
	+ "Taking Capital to the Wider Economy" *Minister Emiir oversees establishment of Aeldman Lending Authority, to bring low-interest capital access to underserved portions of economy, championing consumer sector. Aeldman budget enshrines 500 economic units per turn for Colonial Development Authority, chaired by Spire Doge Luvelath.*
* "Contagion or Convergence?" *Alusian economy shows signs of similar overheating to Aeldrum on delayed schedule, as interest rates climb 1% overnight, ending year up 2% with consumer inflation picking up.*
	+ "Familiar Problem" *Alusian economic growth surged on supply chain integration, with distortive effects on labor, capital markets.*
	+ "Running a Deficit" *Alusian capital shortages accentuated dramatically by severe current accounts deficit: currency outflows from Alusia estimated at 15-17% of economic activity have been norm for last 5 years, straining money supply. Where Aeldrum's money supply has grown too slowly to keep up with production, Alusian money supply has shrunk dramatically on breakneck imports.*
	+ "Supply Chained" *Alusian integration with foreign trade makes currency deficit looming challenge: shocks to Alusian economy from loss of foreign imports could reduce GDP over 25%.*
	+ "Going where the workers are" *While Alusian labor demand is at unprecedented high, more even spread of production growth reduces acute shortages of labor in comparison with Aeldrum.*
* "Cosmic Currency Crisis?" *Unprecedented cosmic economic growth strains gold supplies, raising costs of imports and highlighting limits of fiscal systems. Growing voices in academia, government openly discuss policies of currency debasement or free-floating currency. Multilateral solutions may be difficult to achieve in a cosmos so recently emerged from war.*
	+ "Underdeveloped, but Cash Rich" *sitting on stores of budget surplus and years of positive current accounts across economy, Shantine state, church and economy poised for advantageous currency position in capital-hungry cosmos.*
	+ "Consolation" *despite economic woes, Fialta Imperial economy remains relatively cash rich with comparatively low debt load for state and Pentacle Churches.*
	+ "Tapped and Still Thirsty" *Just as Thalranese Economy shows signs of recovery, debased and undersupplied currency may not survive a run on gold.*
	+ "Big Enough to Matter?" *Prosperous secondary economies such as Saldan and Sermaye may provide important sources of capital in currency crisis, but experts unsure if their currency surplus will suffice.* "If gold really takes off, we may see substantial Aeldman and Alusian gains of the last five years transferred to other powers."
* "Ravages of War and Peace" *Fialta Imperium suffers 29% economic contraction due to territorial concessions, loss of trade, cessation of foreign slaveholder compensation and shock of immediate emancipation.*
	+ "Some Forgive Faster Than Others" *Sermaye, Aeldrum and Alusia reopen trade with Fialta Imperium immediately on conclusion of Treaty of Tar'Thalran; Bishant and Thalranese Marches offer no positive signals, Saldan pleads administrative exhaustion. Aeldrum, Alusia endorse Imperial readmission to TOSTA, but status uncertain.*
	+ "Prior Planning" *Despite accelerated timeline, educational and workforce relocation resources prove ready to absorb millions of immediately emancipated slaves, dampening economic shock to Imperium.*
* "The Lines of Credit that Bind?" *Aeldrum maintains 150 economic unit semiannual line of credit at 5% interest with Thalranese Marches; Aeldrum, Bishant and Alusia commit to 150 economic units of credit semiannually to Fialta Imperium to facilitate war reconstruction and economic adjustment to emancipation, at rates of 2% under each power's domestic interest rate.*
* "Balance at Last" *With 260 economic units of mercenary contracts from Aeldrum, war spoils and dramatically reduced military upkeep due to catastrophic losses at Battle of Semal-Marivan, Thalranese Marches achieve budget surplus in bittersweet positive sign for beleaguered economy.*
* "Tapping the Domestic Market" *Alusian factory program begins sales to domestic Alusian firms, accounting for 14% of total factory production volume.*
	+ "Still Mostly for State Consumption" *State deployment of Alusian factories dominates output, as foreign orders dip with cessation of emancipation compensation to Imperium.*
	+ "All Shapes and Sizes" *Alusia begins experimenting with specialist factories to suit tailored applications. Factory-Factory specializing in factories for prefabricated housing ranks among highest priorities: existing Consumer F2 to be retooled to satisfy refugee, immigrant and colonial needs.*
* "More than Just Factories – Building a Healthier Empire" *Ambitious expansion plan for Alusian healthcare sees inauguration of construction of large medical academies to supply nation with medical professionals. Anticipated programs include hospital construction and factories to supply medicine and infrastructural materials.*
* "From Farm to Factory" *Shantine mechanization of agriculture underway on Bishant and hinterworlds, with mass grants of farm equipment to nobility: aristocracy manages mechanization from Aeldman imports, builds extensive "cottage factories" to employ displaced peasants. Total labor reallocation in first year estimated at 9.3 million. With hundreds of millions of tenant farmers, pool for growth appears deep.*
* "The Way of the Future?" *progress in Aeldrum on ambitious technological projects.*
	+ "Machines for the People" *"Hotspot" ethernet project paired with mainframe supercomputers allowing consumer terminal access to make consumer ethernet and computing publicly accessible at fraction of previous cost. Aeldman government to build infrastructure, leaving private sector to supply terminals.*
		- "Neveth goes first" *Spire Doge Luvelath secures construction of inaugural Hotspot infrastructure to serve Neveth Spire.*
		- "Quid Pro Quo" *Saldan supplies deep roster of technological and administrative experts on 5 year contract in return for Aeldman construction of Hotspot to service Saldan.*
	+ "Machines for Industry" *Mechanization program under collaboration of Nebai Industries, Aeldrum Mechatronics Corporation to automate production at Ursa Arms consortium factories.*
* "Amid War, New Frontiers of Trade" *Empire of Alusia achieves trade agreement with Nippon States through Nipponese Foreign Quarter: Aeldrum remains only Imperial power with limited merchant passage rights through Nipponese worlds to Celestial Space.*
* "All These Guns and No-One to Shoot" *Military budgets soared during wartime, but experts doubtful of force reduction.* "The peace still needs to be enforced." *Others criticize war profiteering as source of pressure to keep military budgets fattened.*
* "State Correction" *Alusian State discloses evidence of unlicensed investment by Bank of Valdos in Alusian economy, acting through Fialta Union. Alusian State promptly nationalizes known Valdosian assets as enemy resources, and forms State Enterprise to manage seized assets.*
	+ "You Deceived the State, the Church, the People" *Anti-Valdosian violence, with some extension to violence against other Pentacle Faiths, flares in Metropolitan Alusia on war frustrations and secret investment allegations*.
	+ "The roots are far from dug up" *Patriarch of Ahlam, anonymous civil servants warn that Valdosian financial influence could be much deeper.*

**International Relations and Affairs:**

* "The War is Over" *Empire of Bishant, Serene Duchy of Aeldrum, Thalranese Marches and Empire of Alusia Declare Victory Over Fialta Imperium.*
	+ "A Quick Peace" *Aeldrum, Bishant dictate terms to Fialta Imperium, Alusia signs on after Imperial acquiescence to major terms. Signing ceremony conducted at symbolic site of Tar'Thalran. Fialta Imperium was left no room to reject terms but was permitted to add financial aid requirements for reconstruction and economic adjustment to emancipation terms.*
		- "A Glorious Day" *Shantine Empire achieves major concessions, including immediate emancipation for all Imperial slaves, waiver of all compensation obligations of foreign powers for Imperial emancipation. Shantine annex Zanevuela and hinterworlds between Korinth and Zanevuela on Estonne line, gaining imposing second access point to interior of Fialta Imperium and restoring "Shantine Protectorate" after century's interruption.*
			* "Relieving Obligations" *Alusia and Shantine benefit equally from end of slaveholder compensation.*
		- "Strategic Concession" *Serene Duchy of Aeldrum extracts Imperial promise to decommission null bomb production facility, render Black Pyramid in Marivan theater inoperable under armed international observation.*
		- "Restoring Relations" *Aeldrum is bound by treaty to restore trade relations with Fialta Imperium and promises vote of support for readmission to ToSTA organization.*
		- "Back to Base" *Naval forces at Semal-Marivan battle retreat to respective naval installations under treaty terms.*
	+ "Victory Frustrated" *After horrendous naval losses, Thalranese Marches frustrated to receive no compensation from Fialta Imperium. Unable to raise further forces to prosecute war in short term, Thalranese government agrees Armistice with Imperium but refuses to ratify formal treaty of peace.*
* "After the Storm, Calm in the Shadows" *Merchants and diplomats remark on dramatic reduction in signs of civil disturbance within Nippon states; reported erasures of persons return to normal levels.*
* "A King Chosen by Ethernet" *King of Druz elected by etheric vote of clan elders after nine months of lengthy deliberations. Gunnar Kamrand inherits a kingdom slowly recovering from fever after losing estimated 3% of population. King Gunnar announces,"*The Worst is Over," *vows he will push for reopening of normal trade relations.*
* "Hung Parliament" *Deutschreich remains unable to form government, judiciary issues mandate for leading party to achieve coalition within 2 months or face new elections.*
* "Crowned and Confirmed" *Emperor Phillip Neptos is crowned Fialta Emperor at Fialt in hasty ceremony before negotiations at Tar'Thalran. Deposed Emperor Asterion, incommunicado for months, is presumed dead as Imperial court, including Asterion supporters such as Grand Marshal Cato, swear fealty to Netpos.*
* "Interim Choice or Another Generational Leader?" *With death of Serene Doge Bareth Aefendt, explosive media campaign and Parliamentary horse-trading sweeps Count Guillarme du Montreal to leadership as rival Doge Luvelath of Neveth bows out of race. With victory at Semal-Marivan in hand, Guillarme enjoys strong initial support but will need to maintain momentum to secure re-election at end of late Serene Doge Bareth's official term in two years.*
* "Playing for Second" *Following death of Prince Karenus and Lord Gunnot, Thalranese Marches struggle to coalesce around new leadership: front-runners Lord Armalos and Prince Cattrel offer competing visions. High Lord old guard Armalos champions tradition, but old isolationism tinged with revanchism and garbed in memory of victorious Karneus. Ex-Congressionalist Cattrel emphasizes economic solutions, security through alliances. Rumors persist that Marches may abolish post of Titular Prince, inaugurated in time of crisis for Gunnot and carried in war by Karenus, and revert to rule by council.*

**Military, Criminal and Disaster News:**

* "Victory in the Marches" *Alusia declares Imperial aggression repulsed by Thalranese victories, takes no further part in fighting.*
* "Bloodiest Naval Battle in History" *Battle of Semal-Marivan claims distinction of most recorded deaths in naval battle. Estimates of number of ships engaged exceed 5,000, range as high as 10,000. Aeldrum and Thalranese faced off against Fialta Imperial navy in brutal week-long engagement: Imperial forces were forced to retreat off-lane and toward Marivan ahead of arrival of Aeldman reinforcements, delivering hard-won battle victory to Coalition.*
	+ "A Pincer Foiled and Reversed" *Coalition Forces attempted pincer maneuver against Fialta administrative capital at Marivan, strategic word of Ehbett, with Thalranese-Aeldman fleet striking out from Semal, Shantine fleet striking from Korinth, Zanevuela. Etheric storms at Korinth, Zanevuela (now known to have been caused by Imperial null bombs) prevented Shantine passage onto Marivan line: due to greater distance from Semal to target, Thalranese-Aeldman forces were well on their way to rendezvous before receiving word of Shantine delays.*
		- "Taking the Stage" *Imperial Grand Admiral Tenebrius makes appearance in Aeldman rear aboard enormous flagship.*
	+ "Drown Them in Our Blood" *Thalranese fleet at Semal-Marivan experienced destruction or disabling of 88% of ships, suffering bulk of losses holding vanguard of Thalranese-Aeldman fleet against Imperial pincer maneuver.*
	+ "Bizarre Heroism" *Knights of Adarnum hijack Fialta stealth warship, with apparent intention of delivering to Shantine Empire for study, but instead ram warship to force premature detonation of Fialta null bomb, dealing significant damage to Fialta fleet.*
	+ "To the Victor, the Spoils" *Aeldman and Thalranese crews trawl enormous quantities of Imperial materiel, naval wrecks from ether around Semal-Marivan battlesites. Aeldman officers issue orders to destroy wrecks which cannot be towed.*
* "Long-Term Insurgency?" *Fialta Militia and Kirvan Partisans clash in Zanevuela as Shantine troops prepare for deeper strikes into Fialta Imperium*. *Civilian casualties high.*
	+ "For Kirva, and Adarnum" *Knights of Adarnum draw on pool of Kirvan Partisans at Zanevuela to raise standing army of 600,000 men.* "Professional Troops can Keep the Peace without the Same Errors of Judgment"
* "Deep Strike" *Fiatla Imperial naval force strikes deep into Aeldman colonies, hitting Black Pyramid site at "Forgotten World," a little over two weeks from Pin Jump. Aeldman forces on-hand to protect site were insufficient and devastated by Imperial warships, allowing Imperials to launch torrential air-campaign onto Forgotten World, deploying two null bombs (detonating one) and successfully disabling Aeldman Black Pyramid and destroying two Aeldman null bomb production sites. Evidence suggests Aeldman null bomb stockpiles were elsewhere and thus unharmed.*
* "Good for Raids, Not Pitched Battles" *Military commentators remark that terrifying stealth and trans-lane capabilities of Fialta Imperial navy allowed it to score two superlative victories against lightly defended naval targets: Firhbank and the Forgotten World. Imperial naval forces gained impressive tactical advantages in pitched battles and showed easy disengagement capabilities but are believed by experts to have underperformed in heavy fighting.*
* "First Strike Doctrine" *Fialta Imperial navy deployed estimated six null bombs in course of War, violating 3C Arms Agreements: two at Forgotten World (one recovered unexploded by Aeldman forces), one to cover retreat at Semal-Marivan and three to generate or sustain etheric disturbance at the Korinth and Zanevuela gates.*
* "Fewer Null Bombs" *With destruction of Aeldman null bomb production sites at Black Pyramid on Forgotten World and treaty-mandated decommissioning of Fialta Imperial Black Pyramid and null bomb production facility, cosmic production capabilities may be at lowest point in decades. Coalition War saw detonation of six null bombs (five Fialta Imperium of six launched, one unknown at Fialt), but without public intelligence on production in course of war, it is unclear whether stockpiles have actually diminished.*
* "It's Death to be an Airman" *Heaviest casualty rates of the war endured by amphibious units; Fialta navy displays* "callous disregard" *for life of amphibious crews, sacrificing swathes of fighters and bombers to sustain capital ship effectiveness*. *Aeldrum plays more conservatively with forces, but Aeldman amphibious units bear by far the greatest brunt of deaths.*
* "The Class of ‘47" *Aeldman, Fialta navies deployed large proportions of untested recruits; while green units bore disproportionate casualties to established elite forces, Battle of Semal-Marivan and other engagements provided military experience for hundreds of thousands of fresh sailors and officers to form next generation of great power navies. Shantine forces at Zanevuela, in contrast, tended to be professionalized and experienced.*
* "Horror at Summit" *At reception after signing Treaty of Tar'Thalran, terror attack slays Serene Doge of Aeldrum, Grand Master Halifax Novascotia of Knights of Adarnum, two Thalranese lords.*
	+ "Radical Thalranese" *Terror attack was carried out by Thalranese nationalist, belonging to terror cell calling itself* "Fialta Unbowed". *Bomber evaded security measures by concealing explosives inside body; artificial stomach cavity and biological detonation mechanisms suspected.*
	+ "Strict Condemnation" *Thalranese Prince Karenus issues condolences and disavows violence at Tar'Thalran summit, shifts blame to inflammatory Gunnot*, "he wanted Aeldrum to restore his cowardly rule, and when they refused, he responded like all failures, by punishing others for his inadequacy." *Gunnot branded outlaw by Thalranese state, remaining assets in-country expropriated.*
* "Showdown" *After branding as outlaw, Gunnot demands duel with Karenus; after initial refusal from Karenus, Gunnot threatens that Sword of Dres'Fialt will be forever lost if his demands not satisfied. Karenus consents; ensuing showdown sees Karenus and Gunnot slain.*
	+ "The True Victor" *Former Thalranese priestess retainer to Gunnot summons angelic intervention to confirm that Gunnot won duel before being gunned down by Karenus's guards.*
	+ "A Traitor and a Weasel" *Thalranese state alleges that Gunnot cheated in duel, killing Karenus while his back was turned and forfeiting protections of honorable combat, leading guards to slay him.*

**Culture and General Interest:**

* "Diversity in Defense of Empire" *FialtNet disseminates images of non-Fialta subjects and non-Kirvan Fialta rallying in defense of Fialta Imperium, emphasizing cosmopolitan rule under a benevolent state*.
* "*NOT GOOD ENOUGH" Kirvans Go on Strike in Metropolitan Alusia to protest Alusian cessation of military activities, Demanding War of Immediate Emancipation, End of Fialta Tyranny.*
	+ "The Century of Fialta Impunity is Over!" *demonstrators rally to revanchist cries, citing history of Fialta Imperial aggression.*
	+ "We Will Not Be Replaced" *Mass refugee program sees Alusia set to accept tens of millions of possible refugees from Shantine-threatened Imperial territories. With largely non-Kirvan refugees steering toward Ahlam, metropolitan Alusian Kirvans sound alarm at cultural and religious dilution*.
* "Falling Stock" *While public attitudes among Kirvans toward Knights of Adarnum remain highly positive, Alusian civil servants and Aeldman politicians express frustration, anger toward alleged KoA abuses in War.*
* "Kirvan liberation war" *Patriarch Jan doubles down on emancipation as essential goal of war, cites continued suffering of the enslaved. Jan emphasizes that peaceful Kirvans should find other ways to contribute to war*.
	+ "A Moral Reminder When Our Leaders and Neighbors are Complacent" *Portions of lay Kirvan populations outside Bishant flock to Jan as moral exemplar, sometimes in preference to local Kirvan bishops or patriarchs.*
	+ "Unwelcome and Divisive" *Aeldman pacifist groups criticize Jan for placing"*foreign moral obsessions" *on Aeldman backs.*
* "Is this War Worth These Allies?" *Millions of Aeldmen protest war, citing disgust at Shantine war crimes, lack of Aeldman material gain.*
	+ "All Over the Ethernet" *Ethernet cafes become epicenters for dissemination of news on atrocities committed in Shantine occupied zone, burgeoning criticism spills into public spheres. "Legion of K" implicated in multiple leaks of photographic evidence.*
	+ "What do we get for it?" *Aeldman militarism is connected by politicians to distorted and uneven economic growth*.
	+ "Difference of Opinion" *Protests and Counter-Protests on Aeldrum Turn into Riots as Pro-Shantine Demonstrators Brawl with Pacifist Groups*
		- "With us Or Against Us" *Motorcade of Patriarch of Aeldrum Firebombed by Kirvan radicals disattisfied with his lukewarm attitude toward war*
	+ "What Did We Win?" *After war, Aeldman enthusiasm for victory is dimmed by lack of tangible changes in Aeldman quality of life.* "We're short a Pyramid, and so are They – we could have stayed equal and kept nigh a million lives if we'd quit while we were ahead."
* "Not Aeldmen but Alldmen" *Serene Doge Bareth makes pitch for a cosmic-facing national orientation, moral imperatives to be achieved by Coalition War, in polarizing speech.*
	+ "I was an Emancipator Personally" *Bareth invokes Aeldman abolition, to support from constituents, derision from opponents*
	+ "Aeldrum is not Exportable" *Intellectuals and politicians on Aeldrum, core worlds resist calls for universalism, pan Bareth for* "degradation of Aeldman identity"
	+ "Fault Lines" *Pacifist branch of Aeldman Conservative Caucus, including strong showing of Colonial MPs, rebukes Serene Doge for* "spending Aeldman lives on foreign problems and moral adventurism"
* "Yowl" *Weeks after conclusion of war,* "War Poetry" *gains popularity in Aeldrum, Bishant, with very different themes. Voices such as Aldan Ginsbeth decry madness and futility of Aeldman participation, while Rudlard Keplinus praises moral necessities of war.*
* "They Took my Hovercar and Made it a Weapon! They even changed the name!" *Saldanese Scientist pens tell-all criticism of Saldan-Aeldrum contract to weaponize* "ethercar" *innovations in vehicle levitation.*
* "Clash of Manners" *Some Shantine Farmers Leave Tenancy Altogether, Seek New Lives in Imperial Capital, Bringing Rural ideas, Sometimes Shocking Urban Hosts.*
* "Where *Do* They Get This Music" *Innovation in fast disc-transcription allow portable and rapidly transmissible audio, spurring unprecedent dissemination and remixing of Shantine, Aeldman, Sermayan, Saldanese music in uncensored ethernet ecosystems.*
* "A New Day for Radio Fialt" *Radio Fialt introduces a new type of content, the ethercast, a long-form audio format. Top hits include its newscasts ("Planet Econ", "The Quotidian", the "Joseph Regan Experience"), cultural shows ("This Fialtan Life", "My Dad Was a Porno"), and assorted non-fiction ethercasts ("Cereal", "Welcome to Nolothville", "99% Othal").*

### Year 448 - 448.5

***Breaking the Fever? Powers Convene on Economic Crisis***

**Economic News:**

* "The Big Float" *Imperial nations agree to float their currencies: debt denomination arrangements, Celestial Exchange and key gold compensation instrument, Ducat Inflation Protected Bond (DIP Bond), poise Aeldman ducat as a central currency in new cosmic monetary order.*
	+ "All the gold in the cosmos" *Aeldrum, Alusia commit to 4,000 and 6,000 face value of DIP bond issuance respectively. Aeldrum issues DIPs through Sermayan partners, Alusia to issue DIPs to Shantine Empire; Sermaye and Bishant may then re-sell.*
* "Back on Course" *Prince Armalos of Thalranese Marches announces return to economic normalcy, though estimates of GDP/capita remain down 10% from peak.*
	+ "Flush with Cash" *Landmark cash deal for emancipation of Thalranese slaves sees Marches with money to burn – Thalranese buy DIPs, ships.*
* "The Race to Beat Inflation" *International Demand for Instruments, Factories burgeons as economists forecast inflation to correct monetary shortages in Aeldrum, Alusia could exceed 15% in first year.*
* "Backlogged" *Demand for Alusian factories soars as government rush to liquidate currency holdings ahead of currency float. Inflation-protected contracts and asset swaps dominate deals, as Alusian backlog exceeds 18 months: Bishant, Sermaye and Orcish Directorate dominate orders.*
	+ "Standardized Catalogue" *published pricing schedules for Alusian factories find many high-volume takers on short-run contracts, in preference to long-run smaller-throughput arrangements.*
* "Selling the Golden Goose" *Alusian Factory Diplomacy includes granting Factory-Factories; two direct sales to Imperium inked, F2 endowment for Alusia, F2 to be sited in Deutschreich and negotiations reported for F2 supply chain integration in Fialta Union.*
* "The Flood Gates Broken" *Druz anticipates enormous economic gains from expanded international trade, as clan-based economic model will be able to satisfy international demand. King Gunnar declares,* "We will not have to face the unthinkable compromise of making a dwarf work in a profession other than the one of which he is a master."
* "Mass Mechanization" *Across the cosmos, labor-saving technologies suggest new economic vision*
	+ "A Thresher on Every Estate" *Shantine outlays for agricultural equipment expected to exceed 1300 economic units this year, with industrial capital goods imported to employ population estimated to exceed 2000 economic units of value.*
	+ "The Mechatronic Factory" *Ambitious collaboration of Ursa Arms Consortium, Nebai Industries and Aeldrum Mechatronics Corporation sees widespread automation of arms, munitions and other military supply factories.*
* "Late to the Game, First to the Finish" *One year after purchasing technology from Serene Duchy of Aeldrum, Republic of Sermaye announces it is on course for completion of infrastructure projects that will supply 90% Hotspot coverage to Sermayan citizens.*
* "Going Full Guns" *Sermayean state outlays quadruple on factory purchases, infrastructure projects, DIP bond brokerage. Saldanese economist Willard Bernat* "This represents a very major bet for the Sermayean state, and an enormous amount of private sector money has doubled or tripled down on the state's wager"
* "A Golden Gate to the Walled Garden" *Proposed Celestial Currency Exchange will trade ducats for gold-backed notes to sustain gold-standard Celestial commerce.*
* "Cosmic Trade League" *ToSTA consortium now covers almost all Imperial powers, representing unprecedented degree of economic interconnection and commercial liberalization.*
* "Joining the Cosmos" *ethernet link in former Shantaran Free State completed.*
* "Downpayment" *Fialta Imperium doubles sovereign debt to cover expenses of emancipation within territory. Rumors of lingering budget deficit.*
* "Pulling a Profit!" *Aeldman ethernet construction in Celestial Space moves toward for-profit contracts, with promised constructions for trade concession completed.*
* "Treasury 0" *Serene Duchy of Aeldrum continues empty-treasury policy, relying on debt to finance aggressive economic solutions.*
	+ "Imports and Internal Mobility" *Estimates of 100 million Celestial workers and at least 10 million colonial ASpire-program participants as private and public solutions to Aeldman labor shortage kick into overdrive.*
	+ "Taxing the Industrial-State Cooperative" *Aeldman Parliament votes to raise taxes 5% on "ISC" programs. Deep entanglement of industry with state underpins "*maximum revenue for minimum economic impact*" policy.*
	+ "Rebalancing the Economy" *Enormous Aeldman fiscal outlays on low-interest loans for sectors disfavored by distortive effects of Industrial-State Cooperatives.*
* "New Leadership" *Alusian state sees new Minister of Finance, Marina Nueva cer Puertos, a cousin of the Empress, come to forefront with wide variety of economic measures.*
	+ "Corrections" *Alusian trade policies reduces imports, dragging on supply chains and economic performance to bring down trade deficit.*
	+ "Spend Everything We Have" *As currency deficit threatens to drag down Alusian economy before currency float can be achieved, substantial Alusian foreign exchange inflows from factory sales totally disbursed to wider economy through low-cost loans.*

**International Relations and Affairs:**

* "Ready to Meet the Cosmos" *Deutschreich agrees to establish special economic zone open to cosmic commerce, with Alusia as key bilateral partner. Deutschreich-Alusia economic zone will represent 20% of Deutschreich GDP at time of agreement, though anticipated Alusian F2 placement could increase productivity of region by more than a third.*
* "Hitching to the Wild Ride" *Sermaye, Aeldrum ink economic integration program to allow workers, merchants, investors to pass between countries. Speculation that Sermayean firms may be able to participate in Aeldman Celestial Trade through mergers with Aeldman-headquartered firms.*
* "Summit at Sevalne" *International fiscal summit at Sermayan world of Sevalne represents broadest gathering of international representatives in known history, with diplomats from every independent Imperial state. Omnibus treaty reflects diverse threads of international diplomacy tied together by urgency of monetary crisis and strong Aeldman-Alusian diplomatic bloc.*
	+ "Early Emancipation" *Shantine Empress presses for early emancipation of Thalranese slaves, paying estimated 34% above remaining obligations to liberate slaves three years early. Alusians offset remaining obligations by promising additional factories to Shantine, and premium for early emancipation* *covered by Bank of Valdos liquidations in Shantine territory.*
	+ "Everyone has their price" *DIP contracts, factory orders, debt forgiveness, all figure among demands of states to take the plunge on a floating currency. No takers from Celestial Space.*
* "Legal Recognition" *Bank of Valdos receives legal recognition, protection from reprisals for bilateral investment, across Imperial space.*
	+ "Open for Investment!" *Alusia extends hand of business cooperation to Valdosian Bank, mere year after expropriation of Valdosian investments under Alusian State Owned Enterprise.*
	+ "You Can Stay, For Now" *Shantine recognize Valdosian presence in their territories: Valdosians receive operating rights in return for liquidating one quarter stake in payment to Empress; Shantine reserve right to purchase remaining Valdosian assets in territory at fair market prices.*
* "Mutual WHAT Pact?" *Announcement of negotiations between Fialta Imperium and Empire of Alusian to establish mutual defense pact prompt sharp remarks, surprise from Shantine, Aeldman governments. Mutual defense agreement shelved with successful Sevalne Treaty, reportedly on strength of Article 1 recognizing territorial integrity and Article 2 providing sanctions for wars of aggression.*
* "We have concluded that Alusia and her partners in our country acted indiscreetly but not improperly" *Deutschreich government successfully forms parliamentary coalition, no charges filed in political corruption scandal.*
* "The Understanding Between Two Republics is a Sacred One" *Sermayan Council President warmly praises new partners in Serene Duchy of Aeldrum.*
* "Just Six Months After Death of Doge Bareth, a Tense Atmosphere" *Strict security measures at the Sevalne Summity give looming reminder of grizzly calamity at Tar'Thalran.*
	+ "Power Projection" *Rumors surround cadre of bodyguards surrounding Serene Doge Guillarme at Sevalne:* "Every last one of them was a psionic, and a strong one at that – our guy said it was like looking directly into headlights" *off-record remarks from foreign diplomats converge on psionic theory, emphasize unusual appearance and uncertain national origin* "maybe they were Aeldman colonists or Veranian."

**Military, Criminal and Disaster News:**

* "Monopsony" *Aeldman intermediaries buy up hundreds of Fialta naval wrecks from Thalranese state and privateers. Other foreign buyers reportedly find little luck.*
* "Rebuilding the Fleet" *Thalranese Marches put large payments into recruiting large raider fleet to replace losses from hastily assembled fleet lost at Battle of Marivan.*
	+ "Upgrading for the Next War" *Marches sign contract with Alusia for construction of a shipyard to supply warships to Thalranese lords.*
* "I am the Grand Master Now" *After reports of brief internal dispute, Knights of Adarnum anoint new Grand Master, Arren Kane, second son of wealthy Kane dynasty of Brumaire and highly commended senior commander of KoA operations in Zanevuela campaign.*
* "Panic at the Café" *Desperate Cafe Owners Across Aeldrum Scramble to Resolve Mass Corruption of Servers as "Virus" Infects Aeldman Cafes*
	+ "Are the Banks Safe?" *Panic in Aeldman Financial Markets As Virus Compromises Infrastructure*
	+ "Online Crusade?" *Evidence of KoA Involvement in Virtual Attack on Aeldman Infrastructure: Official Sources State On Background that "*Tools, Practices of Ethernet Infiltration Point At KoA Technology" *Aeldman state silent on origins, asserts* "We are considering all possible explanations."
* "Death to Traitors" *Prince Ymres of Konira gunned down by Fialta militia in drive-by shooting hours after public conversion to Kirvanism. As guards surround dying Ymres, jeers from crowd,* "See if Kirva really wants you, you [expletive]". *Sixteen assassination attempts on Princes and senior officials who convert to Kirvanism in two weeks, killing Princes Ymres and Andares, twelve government officials and dozens of bystanders.*

**Culture and General Interest:**

* "We're working on some wild [expletive]" *hot mic at academic panel on Saldan suggests exciting breakthroughs in etherics.*
* "How to Manage a Factory" *Alusian Empress Illyana pens, distributes management manual for production standardization; early readers praise lucid style, accessible diagrams.*
* "A Real Constitution" *Fialta Imperium unveils new Constitution, establishing clear succession rules, solidifying position of Imperial Court, formalizing rights of the Emperor, integration Princes of the Imperium into political process.*
	+ "In the Background" *Church of Dalthad and Bank of Valdos reserve powerful positions of assent or appointment over court ministers but church leaders do not have guaranteed direct posts on Imperial council: Valdosian Chairwoman Filiki cedes court post to new Treasury Minister, Andrella.*
	+ "Bygone Bygones?" *Fialta Court includes coup leader Grand Admiral Tenebrius and initial Asterion loyalists, Grand Marshal Cato and Fialta Security Bureau Director Octavia.*
	+ "Inaugural Delegates" *Prince Symeon (Dalthadi) and Prince Martellus (Secular/Unaffiliated) stand as first representatives of Fialta Princes to Imperial Court, give their assent to Fialta Constitution and take seats.*
* "The Court of Splendors" *Prince of Yushan gives guided tour of his palace gardens and Hall of Marvels in fifteen-reel documentary film, distributed internationally and mandated to play continuously on theater screens in Yushan. Foreign commentators praise the breadth of the collection and the Prince's expertise. Regime critic writes,* "His Majesty's beard grows before your very eyes, which has the virtue of being slightly more interesting than watching the grass grow in the background and considerably more interesting than the three-hour digression into the different varieties of crystal which no ordinary subject of His Majesty will ever afford" *disappears shortly after.*
* "You Got Your War, We Got Your Economic Collapse " *Criticism of Aeldman government mounts on ethernet as war cost, profits stack up against inflation*
	+ "First Great Challenge" *Success of monetary float widely believed to be definitive in political viability of Montreal administration, with general election and Parliamentary vote for Serene Doge just two years away.*
* "Why are we so short on gold if Alusia has been running such a heavy export model?" *Alusian civil servant censured by managers for pamphlet alleging irregularities in Alusian trade accounting.*
* "A Different Economic Vision" *Aeldman state leaders outline elaborations, changes to historic economic policy. Serene Doge Guillarme touts taxes that hurt his own bottom line, sells an Industrial-State model that is an engine for the economy and the state, but one which will not burn everything else to keep going.*
	+ "We're Fixing It!" *Luvelath lays out case for Aeldman economic policy, praises cabinet's joint solutions.*
	+ "Celestials are Alright by Me" *Guillarme hosts social gatherings, shakes hands with Celestial workers to promote cultural harmony.* "The more hard working people we bring to Aeldrum, the more this economy can grow."
* "Cabinet and Party Reshuffling" *Serene Doge Guillarme reshuffles the Bareth cabinet.*
	+ "Back in from the Cold" *Count Sevrar Orvhim, controversial Aeldman Chief of Intelligence during First Coalition War, tapped by Guillarme as Chairman of the Conservative Party and named Chief of Staff to the Doge.*
	+ "War Buddies" *Longtime Montreal loyalists and veterans of the First Coalition War, Col. du Monde, Maj. Grall, Commo. Lazarus and Col. Dr. Iz follow "General Guillarme" to senior ministry positions.*
	+ "The Old Guard" *Count Solaire, Monsieur Emiir and Madame Nebai keep their positions as senior cabinet officials.*
	+ "Two Pillars of Foreign Policy" *Guillarme names Minister for Imperial Affairs and Minister for Celestial Affairs as co-equal cabinet posts, formally dividing functions of Foreign Affairs ministry.*
	+ "Dealt Out" *Senior Aefendt intelligence officials moved under direct purview of Count Solaire. Aefendt-era Conservative leadership gives ground to Guillarme and Luvelath allies. Iz and Lazarus take state-reserved board positions in Mossag Industries.*
	+ "Luvelaths in Government" *Ambitious funding of new programs in Core and Colonies sees old political allies of Doge Sinvas Luvelath of Neveth filling junionr ministerial ranks.*
	+ "A Rogues' Gallery" *Reform Party Leader Jill Fermal Decries Montreal Cabinet.* "Are we surprised that the most corrupt minister of the Aefendt administration has populated his cabinet with murderers and jackbooted enforcers? Are we surprised his answer to Doge Luvelath's challenge was to buy him off with billions of ducats of public money for colonial moneypits?"
* "Give that Money to the People!" *People's Freedom Front in Aeldman colonies demands that half of funding to Colonial Commissioner's office be dispersed to locally elected "community councils"*
* "Real Estate Deal" *Academy of Saldan Executive Board buys up all property on a small planet, relocates inhabitants.*
* "5 Year Plan March" *Alusian musician presents musical composition celebrating success of Five Year Plan to state cultural ministry, claims composition includes themes and instruments from every Alusian administrative sector and major faith, with words in the ten most common languages, all praising the virtues of purposeful work.*
* "International Mission for Kirva" *Shantine Kirvan Church Announces Missionary Program for Displaced Youth in Shantine Empire. Key destinations include major abbeys on Zanevuela, to "*welcome our new brothers and sisters to the Empire", *and abroad on Reilla and Chelonia.*
* "The Quixotic Q" *Videos start circulating in Shantine ethernet of a man attacking one of the new automated threshers in Shantine with an electric lance as part of an elaborate stunt to call to the attention of unemployed agricultural workers in Shantine space.*
	+ "What Unemployment?" *Shantine Lords Question Quixotic Q -- "Who would think the serfs would ever feel overburdened by leisure?"*
	+ "We Were Happy on the Land!" *Peasants protest loss of livelihood to machines, speak to inspiring example of "Q".*
* "F in the Chat" *New ethercast series on Aeldnet centers on mysterious figure "F" who claims to be the personal secretary of the former Emperor Asterion. F threatens to release a massive file dump over the Ethercafe chats.*
* "Tithing Rights" *Alusia grants tithing rights to major churches of Interfaith Council: churches may tithe up to 4% from worshippers provided that half of tithing revenue is spent of programs coordinated with Alusian state.*
	+ "Kirvan Migrants" *Kirvan Church helps Alusia pay Thalranese Marches for every Kirvan immigrant allowed to pass through Del'Mar checkpoint.*
	+ "Shelter and Hope" *Idolmarite funds to be directed toward church-run hospital network, integrated into ambitious Alusian healthcare expansion.*
* "Interfaith Dialogue" *Pentacle-Kirvan Bonds Established in Alusia in State Media Campaign "*The Partition Required the Gods to Work Together*"*
	+ *Jan the Baptist Excoriates Pentacle in Lengthy OnlyFlames Sermons, rebroadcast in Aeldrum and Alusia. Patriarch Jan protests proposed rapprochement and integration with Pentacle worshippers in Alusia, Bishant.* "The Pentacle are not your friends, they are Kirvan slavers who should not be trusted or cooperated with. The evil of their enslavement of Kirvans will not soon be forgotten."
	+ "Alusians are one people. Just as Alusian Kirvans are your friends and not radicals that slaughtered Zanevuelan civilians, Alusian Pentacle worshippers are not slavers - they are your fellow emancipator" *Patriarch Jan's Statements Bookended in Alusian Media by Patriarch of Ahlam's Speech Condemning Violence, and Followed by Oration from Minister Marina cer Puertos*
		- *"*Community and Mercy are the Kirvan Virtues that Defined Alusia in Its Early History*" Patriarch of Ahlam Gives Historical Lecture on Tolerance, Kirvan Roots of Alusian Values.*
		- "Only a fool considers an armed Fialta a civilian! And we all know there's no such thing as an unarmed Fialta!" *Preacher Metaxes riffs on recording of Alusian media response to Jan on big-screen projector at Zanevuela in rally of tens of thousands of partisans after two-hour military-style drill session.* "One people! They want Kirvans no different from the hellspawned slave-driving heirs of the Arch Traitor Thalran! Any depredation, as long as they all obey – brothers and sisters, that sounds like Dalthad and Valdos to me!" *The rally concluded with a show of hands of attendees who had personally slain a Fialta.* "You are the Hands of Kirva's Deliverance"
* "The Show is In Town" *After year in Kingdom of Veran gathering talent, Shantine-Sermayan impresario debuts* "Musical of the Mystical" *show at Pin-Jump.*
* "Putting the Act to the Test" *Half-orc Aeldman citizen lodges claim to title of late Baron Levalle, arguing late father's elvish status entitles him to elvish status and makes him first in line through his mother to the Levalle title.*
* "Divine Guidance" '*Occult Eminence" Abdul Al'Hazred of Aeldrum publishes tract on "*divine embodiment*" of Noloth by Aeldman parliament "*Through Her Will, the Legislation is Woven*"*
	+ "Noloth Embraces Us All… But Do We All Embrace Her?" *Estimates that more than 5 percent of Aeldman populace may profess worship of Church of Spires by end of year. Spirism or Noloth-worship would, at such a rate of participation, approach the footprint of Dalthadism.*
* "They really do follow you around the room" *Exposition on Semal of* "Faces That Have Known" *receives tens of thousands of visitors, after years in regulatory limbo and a special dispensation from Governor Raisel. Photographs, sketches by avant-guard artist Byron Pirchfellow showcase those who have had experiences with the occult or "impossible." Empty frames, whose photographs were too sensitive to be allowed for public view, provoke audiences with titles like,* "His Tongue Burned When He Spoke The Name", and "The Book Her Dreams Dictated to Her." *Private collector purchases* "Portrait of a Slim Constable" and "The Experience at the Prison Yard" *within first day of exposition for unregistered sum.*
* "Tolerance for me, but not for thee?" *Shantine policy, international focus on finance sparks criticism from Church of Dalthad.*
	+ "Pentacle worship is a private matter" *Shantine Empress extends prohibition on public Pentacle worship to newly annexed territories, forbids construction or maintenance of Pentacle religious buildings.*
		- "Fialta Dignity Will Not Come Cheap" *Grand Captain Mirbus of Fialta Militia issues ethernet broadcast exhorting Fialta under Shantine jurisdiction to practice Pentacle worship openly, display religious iconography.* "Do it Loud, Proud and Armed."
	+ "Conversions Encouraged" *Fialta Princes who convert to Kirvanism are granted aristocratic titles within Shantine Empire and retain much of their political status. Shantine introduce conversion incentives for masses, from abbey-based aid to lotteries and land grants.*
	+ "A Disappointing Day for Religious Tolerance" *Fialta Bakken declines to sign on to the Treaty of Sermaye over a lack of formal protections for Pentacle worshippers in territory brought under Shantine control in the aftermath of the Second Coalition War.* "The Fialta Imperium was asked to respect the rights of Kirvans to freely worship in the Treaty of Saldan. The Church of Dalthad has been consistent in following through on these promises by advocating for Kirvans to be appointed to the highest levels of government, investing in the human capital of freed Kirvan slaves, and celebrating the contributions that Kirvans have made to the Imperium. We've done all this despite continued religious extremism in the form of hateful rhetoric and deadly violence. It is extremely disappointing to the Church that the right to freely worship without fear of sanction or interference by Her Imperial Majesty's Government was not extended to the Pentacle faithful in territories it newly controls through the Treaty. While the honeyed words of the Empress at the Summit show that there is hope for change in the future, they alone will not sweeten the bitter rhetoric the Patriarchs have spewed for years. Dalthadis everywhere look forward to rectifying this tragic oversight of the Summit as part of ongoing dialogue with - and actions taken by - those of all faiths who truly believe in the right to freely worship."

### Year 448.5 - 449

***The Big Float***

**Economic News:**

* "A Working Relationship" *Saldanese Executive Board Publicly Authorizes Investment by Bank of Valdos in Assets Returning Up to 1.2% of Saldanese GDP. Half of Valdosian Investments to be Endowed on Behalf of Saldanese Executive Board, Compensated by Saldan Through Mix of Research Contracts and Institutional Debt.*
	+ "Clear and Well Managed" *Saldanese Executive Board faces little resistance from leading colleges or faculty and student groups in wake of Bank investment news.*
* "Welcome Back" *Bank of Valdos makes estimated 2% investment in Alusian Economy in partnership with Alusian State. Large Alusian debt-raise reported with Valdosian assistance.*
* "Four Categories" *Aeldman-Saldanese research team publishes rating system for cosmic economies, ranking national economies based on GDP-per-capita, size of economy not dependent on trade and technological development.*
	+ "Advanced Economies" *Saldan, Sermaye and Aeldrum enter this category for high GDP-capita, high base economies and high technological development. Authors note uneven economic status of Aeldrum: Aeldrum and her core worlds would, alone, be more economically advanced than Saldan, but poor development in colonies is comparable to third-rank economies.*
	+ "Growth Economies" *Alusia, Fialta Union and Kingdom of Druz enter this category. Alusia distinguished by relatively high GDP-per capita and other economic development indicators compared to other economies. Despite high GDP-capita, Union and Druz excluded from Advanced Economy category by "poor economic fundamentals and low technology". All three economies have shown much higher than normal growth, but also high economic instability and significant reliance on trade at substantial deficits.*
	+ "Middle Economies" *Fialta Imperium, Thalranese Marches, Orcish Directorate, Deutschreich, New Celestial Confederation and Shantine Empire enter into this category. Middle Economies are characterized by GDP-per capita of between 1.8 and 2 economic units, low to medium rates of base economic growth and mid-level technology. Middle Economies are also relatively resilient to trade shocks, though relationships with Advanced Economies are most crucial. Middle Economies show much lower levels of economic distortion than Growth or Advanced Economies, usually also with more even geographic distribution of economic activity (with exception of highly economically productive "Deutschreich-Alusia Economic Zone"). Relatedly, Middle Economies are notable for absence or modest presence of colonial economies, in contrast with Aeldrum or Alusia.*
	+ "Poor Economies" *Republic of Delarma, Nippon States and other Celestial Powers enter this category. Poor Economies are characterized by low GDP-per-capita, low rates of economic growth and low levels of technology. Within category, Nippon States exercise outsized economic power and show heterogeneous economic development, with wealthy Foreign Quarter and Inner Quarter contrasted to large swathes of poorly developed colonies (in mirror of Aeldrum, overall poverty of Nippon States is contrasted with a core more comparable to Middle Economies). Some poor economies are relatively central organized (Middle Kingdom, Kingdom of Aksai), while others border on the anarchic (Kingdom of Veran), but all are characterized by very low economic surpluses and difficulty generating innovation and investment.*
	+ "Unclassified" *Brass Cities and Elvish Enclaves were not classified due to their highly unusual economic structures: both powers have very limited market economies, dependent either on extreme command economy or divine grant-system.*
* "Diversifying?" *Bank-Watchers predict high prioritization of investment in advanced and growth economies.*
* "Aeldman Economy in Perspective" *Aeldman Economy Now Exceeds Next Two Largest Economies Combined, Comparable to Combined Celestial Economy.*
* "A Lopsided Cosmos" *"Big 4" Great Powers Dominate Cosmic Economy with 61% of GDP*
* "Uneven DIP Issuance" *Aeldrum issues all 4,000 economic units of DIPs allocated by Treaty of Sevalne. Alusia compensates Bishant in factories rather than DIPs for portion of Shantine gold stocks, and compensates Bishant with further factories not to exercise portion of DIP options. Estimates that Alusia was able to offset substantial part of DIP obligations from Aeldman-Issued DIPs traded to it by Sermaye, Bank of Valdos.*
	+ "Big Holders" *Largest international DIP Holders are believed to be Shantine Empire, Bank of Valdos, Republic of Sermaye, Thalranese Marches.*
* "Don't Rock the Float" *Imperial Powers coordinate on multilateral currency float, recalling gold to national treasuries and ending gold-convertibility of currencies per Treaty of Sevalne.*
	+ "Fiscal Leadership" *Serene Duchy of Aeldrum sets international trends with fiscal policy, closely matched by Sermayan partners. Foreign observers call independent Valdosian-led float in Fialta Imperium* "exemplary."
		- "BUY GOLD NOW" *In wake of early news that currency will be floated, Aeldman speculators and "fiscal preppers" hoard gold stocks. Junior Aeldman Finance Official Comments,* "They're saving us the trouble of compensating them."
	+ "Gold is Our Enemy" *Marina Nueva stirs Alusian public to enthusiastically support Alusian float in mass-media speech laying out dangers of currency restrictions implied by gold. Alusia experiences higher-than-average inflation during reinflation of currency depleted by years of gold outflows.*
	+ "Unprepared, Unmotivated" *Saldanese floating policy is uneven and disorganized, as colleges drag out floating protocols, hoard gold and intellectual controversy over viability of float. Executive Board manages to force through non-convertible crecible, but shows poor ability to control currency in future. Sermayan politician quips,* "Our Saldanese friends are simply too sophisticated to agree on a cogent fiscal policy."
	+ "Uneventful" *Currency floats occur largely as planned in other cosmic powers.*
* "A Reckoning on Trade" *As free-floating currencies find their real value, stark winners and loses stand out. Aeldman ducat takes defining role as major international medium of exchange.*
	+ "Contraction Pains" *In sign of previously overheated economy, currency corrections see economic losses for all powers. Some powers see minor losses in GDP from trade tightening relative to forecasts: 1.2% for Saldan, 1.3% for Aldrum, 2.6% for Imperium. Shantine Empire at 4.4% sees similar pain to most of the minor powers. Fialta Union experiences crash of 15% of GDP, and Alusia leads trade losses with 18% contraction from soaring input prices and tumbling drachma value.*
	+ "Sell Bonds to Keep 'Em Buying" *Minor powers running modest to vast trade deficits, but currencies are stabilized by policy of heavy credit subsidy for trade expenses. Serene Duchy of Aeldrum cuts checks for Thalranese Marches, Kingdom of Druz, Republic of Delarma, Orcish Directorate; Alusian Empire establish loan program for Fialta Union, tied to subsidy programs for Union domestic industry.*
		- "Sustainable?" *Kingdom of Druz and Fialta Union run trade deficits estimated at half and one quarter of economy respectively, casting doubt on long-run viability of financing programs.*
	+ "Unsubsidized Deficit" *Alusian Drachma falls to lowest valuation of major currencies on trade deficit of Alusian economy. Factories show strong potential as means of offsetting Alusian trade deficits, but long-term demand uncertain.*
* "Factory Demand – Momentary Glut or Sustainable?" *Alusia has collected a fortune in payments for factory contracts, but now must fulfill thousands of F1 orders and endowment, integration or transfer of at least four F4s. Long-term profit-making demand expected to be driven by Aeldman resales to Celestial, while hundreds of factories or their profits allocated annually to fulfill treaty obligations to Deutschreich, Thalranese Marches.*
* "Inflation Brings Debt Relief and Surplus for Some, Depreciation for Others" *Inflationary policies in Fialta Imperium, Serene Duchy of Aeldrum reduce debt burden for aggressively financed government budgets. Sizable Shantine, Dalthadi and Kirvan treasuries depreciated up to 10% with inflation and currency exchange corrections.*
* "Fiscal Discipline" *Fialta Imperium reports budget surplus, no debt raises coming into float, thanks to unspecified cost reductions.*
* "Debt Keeps Climbing" *Aeldman state debts continue to grow faster than government receipts in frenzy of spending and subsidized credit to Aeldman firms and international partners. Aeldman debt remains proportionally smaller than Fialta Imperial debt. Aeldrum is estimated to derive one third of its income from contracts, rather than taxes.*
	+ "Red-Hot Anti-Distortion" *Aeldman debt programs to fund sectors of economy outside of State-Industrial Cooperative programs see significant short-run growth, re-equilibration of economy, but no obvious path for long-term equilibrium outside of continued easy money policy.*
* "Massive Mechanization" *Shantine Imperium witnesses mechanization of over 50 million agricultural jobs, estimated to increase productivity of Shantine non-trade economy by some 4%. Majority of Shantine farmers participating in programs work in land-grant factories within three miles of their farm plots.*
* "Catching up?" *Bishant Leads Great Powers on Economic Growth Overall, Shooting up 10%*
* "Alusian Tithing" *Alusian Religious Council Unveils Tithing Regulations, Granting Churches the Right to Raise Tithe Money from Faithful provided that half of Tithe Income is Allocated to Joint Projects with State. Projects are expected to have religious theme, such as Kirvan Church helping to offset immigration fees and housing costs for Kirvan migrants from Thalranese Marches.*
	+ "Partnership with the Bakken" *Alusian State Religious Programming includes multiple appearances by the Bakken Alia, signaling unusual state consent to foreign involvement in Alusian religious life.*
* "Tithing Reciprocity?" *With relaxation of religious restrictions on Pentacle faiths in Zanevuelan territories, diplomatic rumors of tithing reciprocity between Shantine Kirvan Church and Pentacle Churches in Fialta and Shantine territory.*
* "Celestial Exchange Opens" *Serene Duchy of Aeldrum uses gold from DIP issuance to fund gold-ducat exchange in Nippon Foreign Quarter and Pin Jump. Exchange to serve a combination currency exchange and fractional reserve banking function as estimated 80% of exchange funds to be issued into Celestial Space as investments to encourage economic growth, with Nippon States and New Celestial Confederacy leading investment strategy.*
* "Pass-Through Rights" *First Sermayan merchant companies see their goods entering Celestial Space aboard Aeldrum-flagged ships. Nipponese and NCC expected to closely monitor flagging procedures to avoid unrestricted trade.*
* "Alusia Celebrates the End of the First 5-Year Plan with the Opening of a Second F3" *Empress Illyana reports over 10,000 factories produced and distributed across cosmos. Extraordinary five year growth of Alusia was set back by fiscal adjustments of float, but standards of living remain dramatically higher than at beginning of program.*
* "Amidst Float and Deficits, Powers turn to Tariff Regimes" *Nippon States, New Celestial Confederation, Thalranese Marches raise tariffs.*
	+ "No Taxes, No Deficit" *Thalranese Marches adopt ambitious program of tariff-driven state budget, negotiating with Shantine, Aeldmen and Alusians to prevent reciprocal tariffs. Thalranese import rules bring trade deficit close to zero while stabilizing government budgets.*
		- "Protecting Celestial Pass-Through" *Thalranese guarantee tariff reimbursement for Aeldman goods passing through Marches en-route to Celestial Space.*
		- "Union and Alusian Exceptions" *Alusian Empire secures tariff exemption licenses for Alusian merchants in return for annual factory payments.*
		- "Tax Enforcement" *Serene Duchy of Aeldrum concludes tax-haven prevention agreement with Thalranese Marches, establishing legal and operational measures against tax evasion in tax-free Marches. Alusia, Imperium sign on to program.*
	+ "Gate Fees" *Nippon States reach tripartite agreement with New Celestial Confederation, Serene Duchy of Aeldrum for Celestial "gate keeper" powers (Nippon, NCC) to issue tariffs on goods passing in and out of their territories: domestic imports to be tariffed at 5%, with pass-through goods tariffed again at point of exit at additional 5%.*
		- "Special Carve-Outs" *Serene Duchy of Aeldrum receives license exemptions equivalent to 10% of estimated trade volume, to be issued to Aeldman merchants at state discretion.*
		- "Coordination for Ethernet" *Aeldman Ethernet Construction in Celestial Space Expands with third NCC theater, financed by Nippon States on condition of NCC coordination on tariff and exchange policy.*

**International Relations and Affairs:**

* "Recruitment Rights" *Shantine Empress signs accord with Thalranese Marcher Lords, granting Thalranese annual indemnity for Shantine right to dispatch military recruiters into Marches in event of war with a third party. Marches make no commitment on pricing of recruited forces, leaving terms to discretion of individual lords and mercenary captains. Deal gives Shantine access to estimated recruitment pool of 10 million Fialta retainers and armed gentry.*
* "Mind Your Manners" *Orcish Directorate Generals sign agreement with Knights of Adarnum Grand Master Arren Kane permitting Knightly Chapter to operate openly in Directorate territory out of Shantine Embassy.* "We look forward to a new era of security cooperation with our historic Shantine and Aeldman allies."
* "Minor Power Conference" *Serene Duchy of Aeldrum leads conference of Minor Imperial Powers to coordinate on currency float, trade policy and credit. Republic of Sermaye heads Aeldman-backed trade commission to maintain trade at sustainable deficit levels.*
	+ "Still Remembering Bareth" *Finance Minister Manuel Emiir Credits vision of late Serene Doge as he leads Aeldman trade policy.*
* "Division over Radicalism" *Serene Duchy of Aeldrum takes strong stance of cooperation with Knights of Adarnum, Shantine Empire on religious extremism in conjunction with Aeldman Religious Protection Council, while Alusia and Fialta Imperium continue to take lukewarm view of Shantine Kirvan Church and KoA.*
* "An Invitation Made Once in Centuries" *Nipponese ambassador invites Serene Doge Guillarme du Montreal to a personal visit of the Garden of the Veiled Masters, in celebration of historic cooperation.*
* "Vouching for Trade" *Working closely with Aeldman diplomats, New Celestial Confederation secures assent to next iteration of Celestial Trade Organization from Middle Kingdom, Nipponese, Yushan, New Nippon and new members, Kingdom of Aksai and Triad Princes. Holdouts are Brass Cities, Mirror Enclaves. Status of Kingdom of Veran in possible organization remains diplomatically fraught over historic enmities.*
* "Come Into My Parlor" *Brass Cities receive envoys from Middle Kingdom, Mirror Enclaves, send* "marvelous" *Musical Machine to Prince of Yushan.*

**Military, Criminal and Disaster News:**

* "All Quiet?" *No Large Scale New Troop Recruitment Reported Among Major Powers.*
* "Still Behind" *Leaked Alusian military report indicates that top brass is not confident Alusian navy could withstand an attack by any of the great powers,* "Alusia's present naval capability is comparable to the emergency forces raised by the Thalranese Marches in the Second Coalition War, a country with less than a sixth of our economy." *Report concludes dismally,* "In any bilateral conflict against a great power, Ahlam is forecast to fall within two months. The Empire is effectively a military client of the 3C, not an ally."
* "Millions of armed people" *Estimates from Fialta veteran clubs, church membership and property rolls in new Shantine territories suggest that over ten million ethnic Fialta reside in the territories with access to firearms and prior combat training. Official militia groups swell to five million members.*
* "Armed and State-Backed" *Rolls of the Kirvan partisans indicate at least three million Kirvans in region with Shantine-supplied arms and military training. Anonymous Shantine garrison officer comments:* "Three million is what the Knights could arm under enemy occupation in the middle of a blitz. If the Empress or the Church gives the word, we can have an armed Kirvan civilian on Zanevuela for every Fialta in two months."
* "Keeping the Peace" *At least two million Shantine ground troops remain posted at Zanevuela, with half a million more soldiers distribute among hinterworlds.*
* "Still Waiting for Answers" *Public Speculation Remains Rampant on Origin of Mysterious Attacks on Aeldman Ethernet Cafes.*
* "Who Gets the Tech?" *With Aeldman reverse engineering of stealth and trans-lane technology virtually assured, open questions on distribution of technology to other partners by Aeldrum, Imperium.*
* "Bareth is Avenged*" Serene Doge du Montreal announces the capture and execution of the terrorists responsible for the death of the late Serene Doge Bareth Aefendt. Aeldman intelligence reports that assassins were a mix of fringe elements: disaffected Thalranese Marchers, unhappy with the resolution of Coalition War II, working alongside Kirvan separatists that became radicalized during the Confederate Crisis.* "It is right that justice has been served this day, and that my dear friend Bareth may now rest peacefully in Noloth's weave - but this violence must end. Enough life has been lost in the name of 'righteousness' and 'faith'. The politicians and religious leaders who stoke these flames must cease the petty maneuvering and look to the true well-being of their peoples."
* "The Sword-Arm of Thalran" *Thalranese Warrior Priestess Marinia, Ally of late Prince Gunnot, Appears on Firhbank with Sword of Dres'Fialt, Retinue of* "Sword Brethren." *Marinia leads raids against Fialta Union and Thalranese Marcher territory along poorly policed land border. While Marcher Lords dismiss Marinia as* "a bandit with a replica blade," *and Prince Paloctus responds,* "Who?" *when asked about Marinia,* *tales from border towns say that the Priestess has acquired folk hero status and a growing band of followers disaffected with local rulers.*

**Culture and General Interest:**

* "Where's my hovercar?" *Since Aeldman acquisition, rollout of consumer hover technology appears stalled.*
* "Aether Trek" *Alusian Empress announces vast project to launch a mobile, self-sufficient etherbase for off-lane etheric exploration. Hundreds of thousands of workers mobilized for construction, and millions of applications for crew positions received from jubilant Alusian citizens.*
	+ "Exporting Alusia" *The Base will feature a multicultural, multireligious officer cadre, intensive material recycling capabilities, hydroponic systems to feed up to one hundred and sixty thousand crew and sailors of affiliated ships, and systems for material extraction and fabrication to produce colonial habitations and modular factories.*
	+ "The Best and Brightest in Bulk" *The Base will require ten thousand engineers, ten thousand agronomists and ten thousand assorted base crew, in addition to tens of thousands of manufactory workers and soldiers.*
* "We Aim for the Highest Standards for the Common People" *Alusia plans for full health coverage for 95% of subjects within five years.*
* "Make the Journey" *Patriarch Jan Issues General Religious Call for Faithful to Undertake Pilgrimage to Bishant --* "Be Known to Kirva!"
	+ "An Unusual Liberty" *Alusia promises 25 million travel visas to Alusian Kirvans for pilgrimage, to be distributed by Patriarch of Ahlam.*
	+ "Faith Tourism" *Tens of millions of Aeldman Kirvans join waiting lists for Church-subsidized tickets to Bishant.*
	+ "Unprecedented Access" *Soaring incomes, cheaper and safer travel, extensive Church subsidies contribute to burgeoning participation in pilgrimage – once the province of the wealthy or once-in-a-lifetime faith journeys, international travel is becoming a popular activity.*
* "An Empire of Blood" *New social documentary series from Patriarch Jan on OnlyFlames examines* "ways that slavery is a fundamental aspect of Fialta identity, culture, religion, and economy," *in searing critique of collaboration with Pentacle faithful.*
	+ "Burn Them All!" *The Church of Dalthad releases a counter-series of documentaries featuring* "heart-wrenching interviews" *from those who were witness to Mataxes' cruelties towards Fialtan PoWs*
		- "They're Coming for Us!" *Fialta off-duty soldier shoots three Kirvan clergy after mass at newly built Kirvan church on Hybern, where secret copy of* "An Empire of Blood" *was exhibited. Soldier is beaten to death by Kirvan parishioners, leading nearby Fialta to intervene. Seven Fialta, Thirty Kirvans die in resulting shootout and subsequent violence over two days. Fialta military commander brings five Fialta servicemen before Court-Martial. Mayor survives assassination attempt after closing Kirvan Church.*
* "There was freedom in working the land" *in Bishant, serf-turned cleric collects stories of unhappy peasants forced into factories*
* "Freezing Discourse "*lecturer at the Saint Alexis Seminary on Bishant is threatened with stoning for a lecture on the historical dangers of overreaching emperors*
* "As Cosmos Looks On, Test for Tolerance" *Shantine Empress faces crisis as Grand Captain Mirbus of Fialta Militia leads tens of thousands of Fialta in armed public worship of Pentacle Gods. Empress issues OnlyFlames speech in which she calls for greeting* "New Shantine Brothers and Sisters" *with open arms. Empress issues decree reversing restrictions on public worship and repair of Churches, to jubilation from Fialta subjects, public trepidation from Kirvan leaders. Preacher Mataxes,* "Every secret Pentacle-Lover in this Empire will descend on Zanevuela to exploit the empress's generosity. They've learned they can get what they want by threatening force, and they won't stop."

### Year 449 - 450

***Upheaval Sends Cosmos Reeling Back Toward War***

**Economic News:**

* "New Partners" *Bank of Valdos, Republic of Sermaye publicize Valdosian investment deal. BoV to invest in assets returning up to 2% of Sermayan GDP, compensating Sermayan state with a stake in Bank’s International Investment Fund equivalent to 20% of Bank investment in Sermaye.*
	+ "Get in on this" *Sermayan International Stock Exchange to offer limited public investment options in Bank of Valdos Fund next year.*
	+ "Mutually Assured?" *Bank of Valdos, Sermaye cite extensive trust-building measures and contingencies. Valdosian assets in Sermaye will fall under a holding company auditable by Sermayan state to reduce opportunities for hostile economic action. Valdosian investments will be secured against repossession through Sermayan government and consumer stakes in the Bank Investment Fund.*
	+ "Passing Through?" *Speculation in Sermaye that Valdosian holding company could make inroads into Celestial Space through agreements with Serene Duchy of Aeldrum.*
* "Inflation Strikes" *Kingdom of Druz, Academy of Saldan see soaring inflation rates; warning signs in Fialta Union. Inflation in Saldan, Druz blamed by officials on major one-time currency inflows from foreign investors.*
* "Soliciting Bids" *Deutschreich unveils 1000 economic unit annual budget for economic development, solicits international bids for industrial programs.*
* "Bringing Home the Bacon" *Valdosian, Dalthadi currency inflows to Fialta Imperium from abroad stabilize trade deficit and buoy domestic importers.*
* "Industry Champions" *Aeldrum organizes two new state-industrial conglomerates covering the pharmaceutical (Aeldrum Pharmaceutical Consortium) and machine/automaton sectors (Aeldrum Mechatronics Corporation).*
* "TeaCoin Wave Rises, Crashes, Drowns Investors in Union, Marches, Aeldrum, Imperium" *Aeldrum Stock Ticker HODL Sees Variance of 500% in 2 weeks. Economic Losses Estimated at 800 Economic Units. Mistrust in cosmic currency float drove international speculation on alternative currencies.*
* "Outsourcing" *Aeldrum Mechatronics Corporation sites component manufacturing for automata in Kingdom of Druz. Long term inflows estimated to offset 10-20% of Druz trade deficit.*
* "A Fatal Test?" *Simmering Conflict in Celestial Space threatens Aeldman-led Celestial Trade League. New Celestial Confederation sends mixed signals on commercial future as Middle Kingdom ally squares off with Nippon States and Yushan.*
* "Currency Appreciation" *Remittance of foreign funds, large-scale investment from institutional and private entities drive up demand for Alusian drachmas, supporting Alusian imports. Alusian Drachma still trailing other major currencies, but closing gap.*
* "The Best Returns on State Money?" *Shantine agricultural mechanization reported to deliver over 15% economic returns within a year. Economic analysts predict Shantine mechanization potential remains largely unrealized,* "we could see similar returns on investment for a scale three or four times larger."
* "Savings and Loan" *Bank of Valdos and Alusian Empire establish an Alusian consumer banking service. Interest rates of 2-3% for deposits attract tens of millions of borrowers.*
* "Pipeline to Industry?" *Fialta Imperium to spend thousands of economic units on military academies, enrolling first students and end of next year. Half of academy capacity will be devoted to training officers and special operations troops, half to military engineers expected to perform military and industrial roles.*
* "Not Just in Alusia Anymore" *Fialta Imperium receives, activates two Factory-Factory units. F2s slated to produce arms factories to reduce cost of Fialta military scale.*
* "Debt Games" *Aeldman debt increases over 40%, but interest rates fall to 5.5% as currency stabilizes and state lending programs but downward pressure. 20% of Aeldman debt raised is used to refinance high interest debt from capital crisis.*
	+ "Print and Lend" *Aeldman inflationary policy feeds into lending stream.*
	+ "Gold Clearing" *Aeldman state issues debts denominated in gold at a premium of 0.5%*
* "Celestial Depositor" *Alusia deposits large share of gold reserves with Nipponese subsidiary of Celestial Exchange.*
* "Hotspot Capitals" *Saldanese Executive Board Unveils Aeldman-designed Hostpot System on Saldan, bringing "distributed consumer computing" to the academy. Planets of Sevalne, Aeldrum, Saldan lead cosmos in hotspot development.*

**International Relations and Affairs:**

* "This Means War" *Following accusations of state-sponsored piracy, Middle Kingdom declares war on Prince of Yushan. Nippon States declare war in support of Yushan. NCC attempts mediation, Kingdom of Aksai asserts "armed containment," threatens to invade Triad Princes if they allow Nipponese materiel or forces to pass through in support of Yushan. Ashgarate of New Nippon, Protectorate of the Mirror claim neutrality. Brass Cities offer no comment, send ships to Nipponese and MK borders.*
* "A Reelection with some Fault-Lines" *Serene Doge Guillarme of Aeldrum achieves re-election to a full ten-year term. In Aeldman Parliament, Reform Party grows;* "Dalthadi Clique" *doubles to twenty members; Dalthadis and half of Colonial Party MPs enter protest-vote for Doge Sinvas Luvelath, despite Luvelath explicitly refusing to campaign. Protest and opposition vote would be sufficient to block constitutional reforms, ending thirty years of supermajority caucus for Serene Doge.*
* "Where No One Has Gone Before" *Alusian Empire launches "Enterprise of Alusia," a deep ether exploration super-vessel with on-board hydroponics, shipyards and a crew of 70,000. With accompanying escort, the great expedition will number fully 160,000 members.*
	+ "Getting Our Bearings" *Enterprise to search out distant cosmographies by forgotten or new routes.*
	+ "Ride-Along" *Representatives of the Alusian Kirvan, Idolmarite and Dalthadi Churches appended to Expedition.*
* "Not a State Religion, but Religion of the State?" *Fully a quarter of Parliamentary votes (aristocrats, MPs, governors, Doges) are now held by professing believers in Church of the Spires. CoS is now by a large margin the leading religion of the Aeldman political establishment, though over half of Parliamentary votes are held by non-religious persons.*
	+ "A Dangerous and Deluded Cult" *Aeldman Politician, Baron Jacques Vanel gives impassioned speech in Parliament against Church of Spires.* "Aeldrum has no gods, Aeldrum needs no gods. Our ancestors knew the price of trusting divine promises."
* "A Patriarch for the Kirvans of the Imperium" *Fialta Emperor Phillip Neptos elevates Bishop Tarlo as Patriarch of Marivan, with responsibility for the Kirvan faithful of the Fialta Imperium. Kirvan clergy and institutions within the Imperium recognizing the seat of the Fialta Kirvan Church at Marivan will receive tithing rights, state support.*
* "To Whom is a Kirvan Loyal?" *Patriarch Tarlo of Marivan inaugurates tenure by blaming* "Shantine Religious Imperialism" *for seeding mistrust and sectarian violence, issues religious sermon exhorting Kirvans in Fialta Imperium to swear an oath of fealty to the Fialta Emperor before all loyalty to the Empress of Bishant.*
	+ "Remember Who Ended Slavery" *Patriarch Wenceslas of Korinth castigates Tarlo as,* "the excommunicated puppet of a Fialta tyrant", *asserts that all Kirvans in Fialta Imperium owe their eternal gratitude to the* "Emancipator Empress" *Theoboda.*
	+ "Fealty Wars" *Kirvan pilgrims to Bishant swear oaths of loyalty to Shantine Church, some willingly, others under apparent duress from radical mobs. Issue of fealty splits Kirvan congregations in Fialta Imperium: walk-outs common.*
* "Redemption?" *Alusian Empire rescinds terrorist designation for Knights of Adarnum. Alusia and KoA outline five-year plan for trust building and legitimation. Knights of Adarnum commit to limited, supervised operations in Alusia under auspices and responsibility of Shantine embassy.*
	+ "Service to Kirva and Alusia" *Patriarch Antim of Ahlam discusses forming a Knights of Adarnum Chapter within Alusia.*
* "I am the Patriarch" *Empress Theoboda Kataph of Bishant declares herself Patriarch of Bishant minutes after burial of Patriarch Jan, ending two thousand years of separation between the Shantine Monarchy and clerical leadership positions in the Kirvan Church.*
	+ "Absurd" *Patriarch of Aeldrum issues sharp rebuke of Empress’s seizure of Patriarchal title.* "Kirvanism is not Bishant, and this act by the Empress shows a cynical distortion of the faith"
	+ "Heretical" *Ten thousand Kirvan clergy sign a petition for Empress Kataph to renounce Patriarchal title, undertake a penance for* "Revelationist lapse"
	+ "Saintly" *Hundreds of millions of Kirvans demonstrate across Shantine Empire and cosmos in support of Empress Theoboda. Banners, portraits proclaim Empress as embodiment of Kirva’s mercy and* "Living Saint."
	+ "Legal?" *Patriarchs of Shantine Church have not yet convened to vote on Empress’s declaration, though fate of defiant Highveldt three years ago looms large. Patriarchs of Sevalne, Ahlam have not yet issued comments.*
* "Long Live the Empress-Patriarch" *Knights of Adarnum, led by Grandmaster Arren Kane, declare support for Empress Theoboda as Patriarch of Bishant. Order of the Knights of Adarnum officially declares its allegiance as a Shantine institution.*

**Military, Criminal and Disaster News:**

* "Merchant Raids" *Hundreds of raids ravage commerce of the Middle Kingdom: unusually organized and well-equipped fleets strike with ruthless efficiency, plundering at will. Middle Kingdom alleges that high level of organization indicates Yushanese state sponsorship.*
* "Disarmament" *Empress Theoboda of Bishant gives order for disarmament of civilian populations of Zanevuela and other new Shantine conquests. Any persons serving in the Shantine garrisons or other reserve forces shall be permitted to retain their arms. Many Fialta civilians attempt to conceal firearms from inspectors. Shantine officials:* "Plenty of Fialta turned in their guns, but we only have half as many weapons in custody as expected."
* "A Long Death" *Patriarch Jan shot by assassin with ties to Fialta Militia mid-sermon.* "Divine Flame" *descends from pulpit to smite shooter. Jan is taken to hospital, dies after week of declining health.*
	+ "An End to Patience" *Empress Theoboda expresses sorrow at death of Patriarch Jan, vows justice. Strong words suggest limits to tolerance policy:* "If the response to rhetoric is violence, after we have opened our arms, then I don’t see what more we can do."
	+ "Doing This Right" *Knights of Adarnum authorized by Shantine Empress to make sweeping arrests to ensure total compliance with Zanevuela disarmament order, uncover mass armories hidden from Shantine authorities. Hundreds of Fialta killed, tens of thousands arrested.*
	+ "Trading Blows" *Grand Captain Mirbus of Fialta Milita slain allegedly resisting arrest. Preacher Mataxes escapes assassin’s bullet, calls for every able-bodied Kirvan to join Shantine military reserve and obtain a gun.*
* "Mandate Cut Short" *Patriarch Tarlo assassinated by car-bombing, in echoes of death of Prince Claudius. Fialta Imperium authorities single out Kirvan radical factions for blame, citing anger over Tarlo’s* "Imperium-first" *policy of fealty.*
* "Tenebrius Survives Attempt on Life" *In continued string of assaults, Admiral Tenebrius’s motorcade comes under heavy fire from Kirvan insurgent group.*
	+ "Survival Doesn’t Cover It" *Admiral reported leaping from burning staff car, killing two men with pistol before impaling third with sword, fighting way to intact car and running over fourth assassin in daring escape, still shooting pistol out window.*
	+ "Still in Charge" *After month of secluded recuperation from injuries, Tenebrius returns to active duty as Grand Admiral, taking command back from Neptos’s Interim Appointee.*
* "By Right of the Sword" *Warrior Priestess Marinia continues to raise forces in Firhbank hinterlands. Daring raid on a Union Armory takes her forces within a hundred miles of Paloctus’s capital.*
	+ "Back and Forth" *Union guns used to strike at Thalranese farmsteads, encouraging impoverished tenants to arm themselves and join* "Marinia’s March"*.*
	+ "Back Off" *Union pursuit force crosses Firhbank border, receives shelling from Thalranese border positions for violating boundary. Paloctus demands compensation*.
	+ "We’re Coming Over There" *Prince Armalos deploys army of 500,000 elite soldiers to Firhbank to put down Marinia’s rebellion.*
* "Mind Virus" *Aeldman world in vicinity of Pin Jump put into lockdown, all travel restricted, as Serene Doge Guillarme addresses parliament, discloses outbreak of* "Mind Virus" *affecting estimated 1 million troops and staff. Rumors that Aeldman Black Pyramid site may be compromised for years.*
* "Massacre, Counter-Massacre" *Fialta Imperium, Shantine Empire awash with sectarian violence: deaths from mob violence, militia skirmishes, exceed 10,000.*
	+ "Keeping Them Separate" *Fialta Imperial armed forces called into to keep warring religious factions separate. Marshal Cato gives order to fire on Fialta rioters who refuse orders to disperse.*
	+ "Follow the Law and You Will Be Safe" *Strict curfews pair with "refuge churches" as Shantine clergy and civil servants on ground in Zanevuela offer carrot-and-stick approach to integration.*
* "Mechanize the Naval Yards" *Serene Duchy of Aeldrum mechanizes naval production, prepares for* "shuttle warships" *using advanced hover technology to permit warships to operate planetside.*
* "Expand and Modernize" *Alusia raises substantial new fleet capacity, flexing translane capabilities under umbrella of exploratory expedition.* *Shantine Empire refits entire elite warship force with translane capabilities.*

**Culture and General Interest:**

* "Fire and Vengeance" *Death-bed sermon of Patriarch Jan of Bishant, released after burial, sweeps Shantine and cosmic media. Jan declares,* "I trust the Empress to lead our people, the Kirvans of all the Cosmos, into a glorious age of common faith. Kirva will act through her." *The ailing Patriarch exhorts the faithful,* "Those who struck at me showed that nationhood is nothing compared to faith. I die for my faith, and because of the faith of my shooter, not his nationality. Avenge me, Kirvans, by living always with the knowledge that faith is above nation in all things."
* "Why Didn’t You Vote? Because I Couldn’t" *Income thresholds for Aeldman voting rights come under fire from grassroots groups, Reform Party.* "What did the sacrifice forty years ago of millions of Aeldman soldiers for their citizenship rights mean if their children are kept from voting by their income?"
* "Case of the Century" *With strong public support from leading aristocrats such as Counts Guillarme du Montreal and Sinvas Luvelath, half-orc Enrick Remmek takes title Baron of Levalle through matrilineal claim.*

### Year 450 - 451

***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."

### Year 451 - 452

***A Year of Unexpected Change***

**Economic News:**

* "Aeldrum Cannot Rely On Me To Last Forever" *Baron Emiir Announces Legacy Planning, Centered On Reproducing His Leadership Of Aeldrum's Wildly Profitable Industrial-State Cooperative System.*
	+ "Industrial Control Board" *Emiir's Legacy Institution, Industrial Control Board, To Harmonize Management of Industrial-State Cooperative. Board To Be Staffed By Directors of Aeldrum's Largest Consortia. Speculation That Count Du Montreal May Forego Reelection To Chair Institution.*
	+ "A Worthy Successor" *Baron Emiir Introduces Eva "Tissa" Bachelier as Deputy Minister of Finance, Designated Successor.* *Self-Made Ms. Bachelier Came From Middle Class Human Family on Aeldrum, Built Fortune On Unusual* "Cosmic Theory" *Of Market Behavior. Bachelier Was Early Convert To Church of Spires, Observers Remark On Close Personal Friendship With Former Aeldman Occult Minister Al'Hazred.*
* "Etheric Elevators" *Private Firms Take Aeldman Hovertech Patents, Debut Highly Profitable Material Transfer Systems Through Etheric Gates,* "No Need For Expensive Docks When You Can Run A Shuttle Train." *Still No Sign Of Cheap Flying Cars.*
* "The New Fialta" *First Cadets of Imperium Engineering Academy Complete First Year Of Intensive Program. Instructors Praise Cadets,* "These Officers Will Fight Economic Wars As Heroically As Their Forefathers Fought The Wars of Conquest"
* "Anti-Corruption Drive" *Alusian State Department Receives Broad Arrest Powers To Investigate, Hold Civil Servants Implicated in Corruption. Commentators Observe Significant Turnover In Departments Closest To Alusia's Greatest Sectors For Economic Growth.*
* "Hard To Grow When The World's On Fire" *Economic Woes in Celestial Space as War Drags On: Trade Disruptions, Violence, Economic Uncertainty Drive Investment Money Out Of Middle Kingdom.*
* "Phase Two Mechanization" *As Shantine Empire Places Largest Order Yet For Alusian F1s, Apparent Pivot In Policy As Shantine Enter Into Utilization Contracts For Four Aeldman F2s, Pre-Order Three Aeldman Hotspot Systems.* *Shantine Merchants, Aristocrats, Praise* "Vertical Integration" *Of Economic Development.*
* "Shut It Down" *Fialta Imperium Agrees to Suspend Operation of Celestial Conduit, Halting Trade, Investment and Colonial Movement Into Celestial Space.*
	+ "No Return Ticket" *With Shutdown of Celestial Conduit, Over 1 Million Pioneers and Colonial Troops Left Without Return Route Or Means of Direct Resupply.*
	+ "Healthy Interest" *Amidst Uncertainty, Bank of Valdos Recruits Estimated 7 Million Interested Colonists For Celestial Venture.*
* "Debt Addiction?" *Aeldman interest rates rise to 6% as Serene Duchy Raises Estimated 9% Of GDP Worth Of Debt. Anonymous Junior Minister,* "Every year, they [the cabinet] fight to keep the debt in check, and every year the debt wins."
	+ "Harsh Criticism For State-Industrial Entanglement" *Between State Projects And The Industrial State Conglomerates, Nearly 40% of Aeldrum's GDP Is Under State Or ISC Purview.* *Jill Fermal Calls For Strikes,* "The Industrial Control Board Will Be Our Cage! At This Rate, Half Our Economy Will Be Controlled By Montreal And His Elites! Half The Output of Near Three Billion Souls Will Be Decided By A Thousand!"
	+ "Self Sufficiency Measures" *Aeldman Trade Deficit Coverage Falls By Third, As Aeldrum Pursues Measures To Increase Export Capabilities of Minor Powers. Aeldman Deputy Finance Minister Circulates* "Bachelier Doctrine" *Emphasizing Foreign Direct Investment By Aeldman Firms In Developing Economies, Taking Compensation In Production Of Semi-Finished Goods To Prevent Local Currency Depreciation.*
	+ "Drag Debt" *Aeldman Consumer Debt Program Circulation Burgeons To Keep Up With Capital-Flows To ISC Sectors: Annual Debt Issuance Up Two Thirds From Inception.*
* "Bringing Imperial Techniques To Celestial Space" *Valdosians Deploy Alusian Prefab Habitations In Colonies, Post Vast Investments In Brass Cities.*
* "Decontraction In The State Enterprise" *Alusia Announces Tax-Preferred Status For Assets Held By The Alusian State Enterprise. Decontraction Effects Expected To Increase Size Of Alusian Economy Up To 4.5%. Alusian Economic Ministry Claims Alusian State Receipts Will Grow 6% From Measure. Bank Of Valdos Anticipated To Receive Major Benefits From Decontraction.*
* "Foundries and F1s" *Alusian Foundry And Infrastructural Facilities Begin To Integrate Into Alusian F1 Supply Chain, But Revenue Cannibalization Concerns Lead To Discussion Of Private Sector Spinoffs.*
* "Robust Domestic Market" *Alusian Domestic Factory Sales Hit 3500 Units, Larger Than Any Foreign Client. Experts Suggest That While Domestic Sales Will Never Demand Full Alusian Capacity, They May Prevent A Supply Chain Collapse In Event of Lost Foreign Sales.*
* "Hotspot Online" *Deutschreich Hotspot System Comes Online In Deutschreich-Alusia Economic Zone, More Systems To Follow In Deutschreich Interior.* *Sermaye-based AetherCorp Posts Top Profits Of Publicly Traded Sermayean Companies.*
* "Disappointing Reception" *League of Sovereign Republics Receives No* "Serious" *Responses To Trade Opening Proposal.*
* "Stable Currencies" *Leading Cosmic Currencies See Relatively Small Fluctuations Year-on-Year, Suggesting That Choppy Waters May Be Calming.*

**International Relations and Affairs:**

* "Mutual Defense" *Shantine Empire and Serene Duchy of Aeldrum Agree To Mutual Defense Pact. Any Declaration of War Upon Either Nation Shall Be Declaration Upon Both.*
* "Taking The Chair" *Patriarch Antim Of Ahlam Succeeds Late Foreign Minister Of Alusia Giannis Politis. Alusia-Watchers See Pivot Toward Bishant: Ahlam's First Official Engagement Is State Visit To Bishant, Meeting With Shantine Empress, Ahlam's Counterpart Patriarch Latakon.*
	+ "Fialta Affairs" *Alusia Nominates Deputy Ministerial Position Charged As Special Envoy To Fialta Territories, Assigned to Alusian Heir And Royal Consort, Prince Peter. Prince Peter's First Official Engagement Is Formal Visit And Hunting Trip With Fialta Imperial Court.*
* "Security Measures, Not War" *Prince Armalos of Thalranese Marches Dispatches Half Million Thalranese Soldiers Across Firhbank Border In Pursuit of Thalranese* "Bandit Warlord" *Marinia. Thalranese Forces Occupy Territory Surrounding Union Capital, Declare Fialta Union* "Failed State."
* "The Family Business" *Crown Princess Irboda Theoboda Valentina of the House Kataph Assumes Patriarchate of Thalranese Marches, Joins Her Mother Empress Theoboda In International Patriarchate. Thalranese Marches Permit Special Detachment of Shantine Imperial Guard to Ensure Security of Patriarchal Residence on Tar'Thalran.*
* "A Memo Of Hope" *Serene Duchy of Aeldrum, Fialta Imperium Release Memorandum of Understanding For Celestial Operations And Mutual Commitment To Regional Peace.*
	+ "A Wrinkle In The Promise" *Six Months After Release of Celestial Memorandum, Fragile Understanding Threatens To Collapse As Nipponese States Accuse Fialta Imperium of Selling Arms, Supplying Military Advisors to Middle Kingdom In Violation of Celestial Memorandum. Aeldrum, Imperium Agree To Joint Investigation, Suspending Celestial Conduit Operations Meanwhile.*
		- "A Monumental Hypocrisy" *Emissary of Middle Kingdom Lodges Public Protest With Aeldman Government.* "On The Word Of Nippon's Two-Faced Shades, A Conduit Which Promised Prosperity Is Suspended. The Possibility That The Middle Kingdom Might Receive Some Assistance Against Rapacious Invasion Is Cause For Cataclysmic Alarm, While Aeldrum's Ruling Businessmen Make a Fortune Selling Arms To Those Who Cry Against Foreign Interference."

**Military, Criminal and Disaster News:**

* "Glory and Carnage" *After Lightning Campaign And Crushing Victory Over Union Security Forces, Thalranese Priestess Marinia Leads Warband Into Heart of Fialta Union Capital, Seizing City.*
	+ "Folk Hero" *Before Invading, Marinia Rallied Largest Force Yet, Over A Quarter Million Strong, In Speech From Firbahnk Hills,* "This sword is the sign of Thalran. By this sign, the Fialta will remember that their birthright is conquest. Let any plush princely lapdog of foreign heathenry make answer if he dares."
	+ "Waste Not, Want Not" *Prince Paloctus Reported Dead Minutes Ahead of Marinia's Triumphal Entry Into Union Capital. Cadaver Seized And Strung Up By Marinia's Retinue.*
	+ "Encircled" *Thalranese Forces Close In On Union Capital, Invest City.* "We Have The Artillery To Pound Every Soul In the City Into The Rubble, But We Are Prepared To Negotiate."
* "Slow Grind" *Nipponese Alliance Presses Middle Kingdom, Aksai On All Sides, But Few Breakthroughs.*
	+ "Stiffer Resistance" *Middle Kingdom General Luande Rallies Forces At Critical Gates Of Volune, Stalls Nipponese Invasion Force. Middle King Raises Luande To Duke.*
	+ "Out Of the Game" *Thalranese Mercenaries In Celestial Space Complain Of Missed Opportunity To Participate In Union Campaign.*
	+ "Translane Technology In Action" *Third Party Observers Claim Nipponese Maneuvers Are Evidence Of Large-Scale Adoption of Translane Technology.*
* "High Treason" *Patriarch of Korinth, Hundreds of Supporters Seized And Extradited To Bishant In Ruthless 24-Hour KoA Operation, On Charges Of Treason Against Empress Theoboda And Conspiracy To Assassinate The Empress And Grandmaster Kane.*
	+ "Who Were The Conspirators?" *Alleged Accomplices of Patriarch of Korinth Included Korinth Chapter of Knights of Adarnum, Populated By Radicals Linked To Tenure of Halifax Novascotia.*
	+ "Why Were They So Beautiful?" *Hushed Rumors, Gibbered Recollections Of Doomed Prisoners Give Chilling Outline Of Knights Of Adarnum Engaged In Korinth Operations. Stories Of Warriors Eight Feet Tall, Shrugging Off Mortal Wounds, Tearing Korinth's Bodyguards Limb From Limb,* "Every Biomantic Sorcery, Poured Into A Perfect Living Statue Carved In The Pitiless Countenance Of Adarnum's Vengeance"
	+ "Give Them Fire" *Empress Theoboda Condemns Korinth Conspirators To Public Immolation. Millions Assemble Outside Great Basilica Of Bishant To File Past Execution Pyres.*
	+ "Front Row Seat" *Empress Theoboda, Grand Master Kane Preside Over Burning Of Korinth Conspirators. Kane Lights Pyre Of Patriarch of Korinth, Delivers Speech Promising Vengeance To Those Who Oppose Bishant, Kane Or Adarnum.*
	+ "A Disgusting Miscarriage Of Justice" *Patriarch of Aeldrum Censures Proceedings In Korinth Case.* "This Is Adarnan Tyranny, Not Kirvan Faith. Thalran Burned Kirva's Enemies Once, Too." *Aeldman Cardinal of Idolmar Writes Concurring Statement,* "Aeldrum Should Not Be In A Defensive Alliance With A Power That Recklessly Stokes The Fires Of Unthinking Zeal"

**Culture and General Interest:**

* "Baronial Favors" *Aeldman Parliament Awards Baronial Titles At Recommendation of Serene Doge Guillarme To Senior Cabinet Officials Manuel Emiir, Chella Nebai, Kyra Lazarus.*
* "Secularism's First Great Moment?" *News Of Aeldman Financing For Saldanese* "Belief Bomb" *Project Sparks Severe Condemnation From Aeldman Secularists, Progressives.*
	+ "Resolved To Our Satisfaction" *Aeldman Cabinet Claims Funding Was Bareth-Era Initiative, Used To Secure IP Rights Over Belief Bomb R&D To Deny Opportunity To Irresponsible Foreign Powers. With Appointment Of Secularist Leader Baron Vanel As Minister for Secular Affairs and Aeldman Values, Secularist Complaints Subside.*
* "Demanding a Voice" *Native Telranians Protest Local Water Use Laws Instituted By Telrion Governor, Elected By Aeldman Citizens Resident On-Planet. Ninety Percent Of Telranians Are Not Aeldman Citizens And Do Not Have Voting Rights On Matters That Affect Them. Telranian Protests Spark Wave Of Sympathetic Protests Across Aeldman Colonies, Demanding Political Rights For Non-Citizens.*
	+ "Turnabout Is Political Disaster" *Aeldman MPs Robustly Decry Dangers Of Extending Franchise.* "It Is Absurd And Offensive To Suggest That Aeldrum's Subjects Should Decide On Matters Of Core And Capital."
	+ "Reckoning Deferred?" *Aeldman Parliament Votes To Devolve Local Legislative Power To Assemblies Elected By Residents, Regardless Of Citizenship Status. Protests Largely Subside Over Concession.*
	+ "Grand Bargain" *Doge Luvelath Receives Credit For Complex Political Negotiations Necessary For Aeldman Constitutional Amendment To Achieve Legislative Devolution In Colonies.*
		- "Where Was Montreal?" *Criticism From Conservatives Over Lack Of Leadership From Serene Doge. Media Pundits Refer To Luvelath As* "The Other Serene Doge."
		- "The Big Split" *With Grand Bargain, Fault Lines Become Impossible To Conceal, And Leading Aeldman Political Coalition Sunders Into Four Camps. Industrialists Under Serene Doge Guillarme, Colonialists Led By Doge Luvelath, New Conservatives Led By Count Ovrhim, Secularists Led By Baron Vanel.*
			* "A Noble Disaster?" *Luvelath's Policies May Spell Doom For Luvelath Political Machine, As Neveth Spire Aristocrats Criticize And Drift From Colonial Party.*
			* "Who Is the Next Serene Doge?" *No Clear Front-Runner To Succeed Serene Doge Guillarme, No Clear Mandate For Incumbent To Seek Second Full Term.*
* "Fulfilling Her Destiny" *Empress Theoboda Receives Visitation From Kirvan Angel, Leandra, At Burning Of Korinth Conspirators. Fires Of Condemned Said To Redouble In Strength As Visiting Angel Draws Flames Into Twisting Firestorm To Give Herself Shape. Before Assembled Millions, Leandra Declares Theoboda A Living Prophet, A Saint Pre-Destined, Heralds* "Golden Age" *Assured By Empress-Patriarch.*
	+ "Wild Jubilation" *Shantine, Kirvans Across Cosmos Proclaim Adoration For Empress.*
	+ "The Chronicle of Adarnum" *Patriarch Latakon of Highveldt Presents Sumptuous Hand-Lettered Copy of Adarnum's Hagiography To Empress.* "The Prophet-King Is The Only Worthy Example That Remains For Your Majesty To Follow."
* "Another Kirvan On The Cabinet" *Alusian Economic Minister Marina Nueva Openly Admits Kirvan Faith, Praises* "Warm and Bright" *Future Of Kirvanism*.
* "State Exams" *Alusia Implements System of State Personality And Aptitude Exams To Augment Civil Service Test.*
	+ "A Different Take On Difficult Personalities?" *Marina Nueva Leads Carefully Constructed Team Of Maverick Economists, Censured Civil Servants, Other* "Reformed" *Alusian Administration Gadflies.*
* "Welcome to the Family" *Titular Television and Ethernet Program, A Joint Production Of Alusian Kirvan Church And Alusian Ministry For Culture, Follows Life Of Fictional Kirvan Immigrant Family In Alusia. Prefab Apartment Setting Supports Cast of Characters Showcasing Breadth Of Alusian Experience. Program Enjoys High Ratings, Praised By Viewers For* "Wholesome Comedy and Good Values."
	+ "A Fine Example of Our Values" *Alusian Religious Council Issues Bulletin Of Support For Alusian Ethernet Program, Citing Virtues Of Tolerance, Hard Work.*
	+ "Uplifting Humor" *Carefully Scripted Program Emphasizes Laughs* "With, Not At" *Diverse Characters*
	+ "A Break Without Spectacle" *Cosmic Syndication Talks As Alusian Program Offers Relief From Anxiety Of Uncertain Cosmos. Renowned International Film Producer Rex Regis Roy Rez IV,* "This is a new flavor, and people love it. It's not Fialta cinema if someone doesn't die brutally, it's not Shantine without a tearful existentialist monologue or a fire scene, it's not Sermayan unless someone gets rich or dies trying, it's not Aeldman unless the protagonist is better than you, and if you understand what the hell's happening, it's not Saldanese. This Alusian production is entertainment without the need for heroes or villains."
* "Where Is The Enterprise?" *As Alusian Flagship Television Program Completes Exciting Season, News Of Real-Life Inspiration Remains Scant.*
	+ "Novelty" *Viewers Praise* "Enterprise" *Program For Engaging Plots, Unexpected Stories. Rex R.R. Rez IV,* "Truly international cosmic cinema has been stale – the Fialta programming we've seen the last ten years is beautiful stuff, but it isn't really *for* consumption outside the Imperium or the Pentacle, you just can't get all the references. *Bareth* is a great biopic but it's *for* Aeldmen. Even the Alldmen speech. Especially the Alldmen speech."
	+ "Why Aren't We Going?" *Aeldman, Shantine Writers Question Why Exploration Is Alusia's Province.* "Our Merchants Closed The Frontiers This Century, But There's A New One Waiting For Us"
* "Is It Heresy To Restore the Weave?" *Spirans Question Theological Basis Of Spiritual Arguments Against Fialta Conduit. Two Camps Emerge,* "Constructivists" *Emphasizing Possibility of Extending Noloth's Weave, Even Mastering It, And* "Purists" *(derisively,* "Primordialists") *Committed To The Sanctity of Noloth's Natural Form.*
	+ "Unravelling?" *Under Theological Pressure, Spiran Splinter Factions Emerge. Some Twenty Percent of Spirans Profess Membership In Spiran Churches Outside Church of Spires Mainstream.*
* "Reward For Loyal Service?" *Shantine Empress Elevates Mataxes To Patriarchate Of Korinth.*
	+ "Burn The Impurities" *First Act of Patriarch Mataxes Is To Ritually Burn Residence Of Predecessor, Purge And Banish Swathes Of Korinthian Clergy.* "My Rest Shall Be In The Shadow Of The Pulpit."
		- "Like-Minded" *Mataxes Creates Archbishopric of Zanevuela. Inaugural Holder,* Teresa "The Blind" *Was Major Leader In Zanevuelan Uprising In Second Coalition War, Reportedly Lost Sight Mid-War Allowing An Angel To See Through Her So That* "Kirva Might Witness Our Sacrifices*.*" *Tens Of Thousands Of Wounded Veterans Of Zanevuela Conflict Assemble To Receive Teresa's Benediction.*
	+ "The Sainted House" *Patriarch Mataxes Delivers Six Hour Speech On Heroic Lineage Of House Kataph.* "This Most Glorious House Could Not But Yield A Prophet."

### Year 452 - 453

*Great Celestial War Ends, But Tensions Rise In Imperial Space: Will Disaster Come From Union Crisis?*

**Economic News:**

* "Going International" *With Strong Connections to Alusia's State-Owned Investment Enterprise and Growing Interests Abroad, Bank of Valdos Appears to Pivot Institutional Focus. Chairwoman Filiki Announces Completion of Fialta Imperium Branch of Bank of Valdos, To Be Responsible for Imperial Needs While Existing Bank Capabilities Reform Into* "International Bank of Valdos."
	+ "Decoupling or Renewed Vows?" *Bank-Watchers Anticipate Pivot to International Bank Could Mean Reduced Long-Term Obligations to Fialta Imperial Government. Others Anticipate Continued Close Partnership with Imperium, Church of Dalthad and See Imperial Branch as Commitment Signal.*
* "Consumer Banking" *Bank of Valdos Draws Tens of Thousands of Economic Units In Consumer Deposits. High Flexibility, Bank's Comparative Advantage in Delivering Interest, Make Valdosian Consumer Banking Highly Popular In Alusia, Imperium.*
	+ "Faith Dividend" *Alusian Kirvan Church Offers Competing Deposit and Loan System, Supplemental Insurance.*
* "Growing Partnership" *Republic of Sermaye Signals Increased Ties to Bank of Valdos. BoV Investment Portfolio to Double in Size.*
	+ "Same Deal" *Growing BoV Portfolio Preserves 20% Stake for Sermayean Government. Bank To Double Issuance of Shares in Valdosian International Investment Fund.*
		- "Hot Opportunity" *Valdosian Investment Fund Consistently Posts Above-Market Returns, Attracts High Valuations on Secondhand Market.*
	+ "Setting Up a Branch" *Sermaye Inks Deal for Sermayean Branch of BoV. Sermayean Branch Targets* "Operating Capacity Equivalent to 50% of Fialta Imperium Branch"
* "The Walled Garden Stays Closed" *Celestial Peace Agreement Forbids Imperial Traders from Entering Celestial Space Except Through Nippon Gates, New Celestial Confederation.* "Celestial Trade Concordat" *Ratifies Tariff-Free Commerce Inside Celestial Space, Preserve Tariff Rules for Goods Passing In and Out of Region.*
	+ "Not In the Club" *CTC Establishes Trade Regime For Middle Kingdom, Aksai, Nipponese, Ashgarate, NCC, Yushan, Triad Princes. Mirror Enclaves Do Not Sign, Brass Cities Excluded.*
	+ "The Arms of Consolation" *Serene Duchy of Aeldrum Establishes Military Supply Rules and Guarantees to Bring Defeated Middle Kingdom, Aksai To Suitable Parity With Nippon States. Deal Preserves, Extends Lucrative Aeldman Arms Monopoly.*
	+ "Get Out" *Bank of Valdos Agrees to Liquidate Holdings in Celestial Space, Transfer Proceeds to Nippon States. Aeldrum Provides Partial Reimbursement to Valdosians on Successful Verification of Sales.*
* "New Friends" *Brass Cities Join Imperial Trade Community, Admitted to TOSTA by Vote of Great Powers, All ToSTA Members But Union.*
	+ "End-Run" *Thalranese Marches Refuse to Acknowledge Vote of Shantaran Union Leadership to Admit Brass Cities. Shantine, Aeldmen, Imperium Demand Union Recorded as Abstaining. Shantaran Leadership Lodges Protest, Refuses All Brass Cities Trade.*
	+ "Raw Material Conversion" *Bank of Valdos Records First Imports from Brass Cities Factories Investments. Imperium Raw Materials Shipped To BCs Return As Capital Goods, Join Growing Reform of Imperial War Industry.*
	+ "Getting Our Money's Worth" *Bank of Valdos Places 5% Tariff On All Trade Goods Passing Through Conduit to Brass Cities.*
* "Going Big" *Shantine Empire Achieves Record Annual Mechanization, Receiving Vast Shipments from Alusia*, *Aeldrum of Consumer Good Factories, Textile Equipment, Agricultural Machines. More Than Half of Estimated* "Surplus Farm Labor" *Has Migrated to Industrial Work.*
* "Colonies Back Online" *Bank of Valdos Receives Shipments from Alusia of Specialized "*Micro-F2 Clusters*" To Support Development of Colonial Territories Near Brass Cities.*
	+ "Making Use of Capacity" *Analysts Predict that Cosmic F1 Demand Has Likely Peaked as Major Consumers Either Lock in Long-Term Arrangements or Seek F2 Systems Outright to Satisfy Local Needs. Some Expectations for Alusia to Focus on Domestic Demand for F1s, Pivot to Exporting F2s.*
* "Spending Surge" *Alusian Military Budget Expected to More Than Double, as Empire Raises Numerous New Ships, Ground Regiments. Long-Term Concerns Emerge About Sustainability of Large Forces as F1s, Alusian Signature Exports, Become Commoditized In Increasingly Competitive Market.*
* "Debut" *Aeldrum Ships First F1s, Product of Aeldman Colonial Development Corporation, to Shantine Empire. Aeldrum Projects All Preordered F2 Capacity Online by End of Next Year.*
* "Outsourcing" *Alusian State Hits Record Domestic Sales of Foundry F1s, Targeting Alusian Industries with Low Capital Prices, Guaranteed Contracts Selling into State-Run Supply Chains.*
* "First Graduates" *Alusian Medical Profession Swells with Graduates of Mass Education Program, Bringing Doctors to Underserved Regions of Empire. Educators, Technicians Slated as Targets of Broadening Training Mandate.*
* "A New Future for Aeldman Industry" *Industrial Coordination Board Hold First Meeting In Newly Completed Headquarters on Aeldrum. Inaugural Chairwoman Baroness Nebai Presides.*
* "Next Generation Computing" *Sermaye Etherics Corporation Debuts* "Portable Terminal" *Technology, Offering Peer-to-Peer Connection for Civilian Computing Systems, Without Need for Centralized Mainframe.* "PTs" *Offer Lower Computing Capability, But May Be Deployed Without Need for Intensive Infrastructure.*
* "It Bleeds Quicksilver" *Telranian Mining Company Claims Improved Yields, Better Safety From* "Gossamer Mining" *Using Bio-Engineered Derivatives of Deep Ether Species to Draw Quicksilver From Soil.*
* "Debt Explosion Trends Down, but Not Abated" *Aeldman Debt Grows Another 4,600 Economic Units, Keeping Interest Rates Higher, But Down from Extreme of 11,000 EU of Debt Previous Year. State Receipts Continue to Outpace Interest Growth, But State Debt Grows Faster Than Economy for Fifth Year Running.*
	+ "It's Not About Finishing Projects, It's About Fundamentals" *Parliamentary Critics Say Aeldman Budget Deficit Will Not Close After Major Outlays Such as Industrial Coordination Board Are Off Books. Estimates Show Baseline Maintenance and Credit Programs Exceed Aeldman State Receipts.*

**International Relations and Affairs:**

* "Peace in Celestial Space" *Treaty of Volune's Gate Marks End of Great Celestial War, Largely Read as Nipponese Victory. Landmark Document Defines Celestial Space Officially, Excludes Brass Cities from Region. All* "Interior" *Powers Signing Document Agree Not to Trade Outside Region.*
	+ "Commerce Before Land" *No Territorial Concessions in Treaty.*
	+ "Navigation Rights" *Treaty of Volune's Gate Grants Patrol Rights to Nipponese, Aeldmen in Regions Deemed at High Risk of Smuggling or Other Violations of Celestial Trade Concordat.*
	+ "Withdrawal" *Fialta Imperium Appears to Recede from Celestial Forefront as Treaty Terms Dictate Aeldman Hegemony.*
* "Proper Stewards" *Alusian Empire Issues Statement of Support for Shantaran High Priestess Diella Neverin as Leader of Fialta Union. Shantaran Church Claims Mantle of Leadership In Power Vacuum Left By Death of Prince Paloctus.*
* "Denunciation and Recrimination" *Alusia Denounces Marcher Presence In Union Firhbank, Threatens to Capture Entirety of Firhbank if Marches do Not Vacate.*
	+ "We Do Not Recognize Your Puppets" *Marchers Claim Shantaran Union Leadership is Illegitimate Imposition of Alusian State, Nullifies Existence of Union.* "There Is No Union Territory to Violate. Only Alusian Imperialism to Defy."
* "The Bargain Is Undone" *Delegation of A Third of Union Princes Assembles at Dalthadi Cathedral in Union Territory. In Ceremony Overseen by Dalthadi Bakken Alia, Princes Declare Union Illegitimate, Reject Alusian* "Imposition" *of Shantaran Leadership. Dissolving Themselves From Union, Princes Swear Allegiance to Fialta Imperium. Bakken Accepts Oaths of Allegiance on Behalf of Emperor Neptos.*
	+ "Illegitimate and Reckless" *Shantarans Denounce Secessionist Princes, Allege Lack of Quorum Made Any Decision Illegal.*
	+ "Tense Co-Existence" *Imperium Ships Enter Union Space To Secure Newly Sworn Princes, Share Patrol Space with Union Ships.*
		- "No Fly Zones" *Alusia, Imperium Declare No-Fly Zones in Joint Patrol Areas; Alusia Issues No-Fly Warning Around Firhbank. Marchers Reply,* "We Cannot Guarantee the Safety of Any Ship in the Alusian Empire and Following the Logic of the Tyrant Illyana and Her Medalled Lapdogs, Encourage All Neutral Merchants to Avoid Alusia's Benighted Space."
* "Religious Tensions Rise" *Empress-Patriarch Theoboda of Bishant Calls on Patriarch of Aeldrum to Protect Flock Amidst Religious Violence, Receives Tirade of Accusations Relating to Brutal Execution of Patriarch of Korinth and Alleged Conspirators,* "I Will Not Be Lectured by a Mass-Murderer." *Relations Between Shantine Church and Aeldman Church Appear at Historic Low.*

**Military, Criminal and Disaster News:**

* "Military Drawdown, But Sales Up" *With Peace In Celestial Space, Troop Counts Decrease but Arms Orders from Imperial Space Only Rise. Tens of Thousands of Thalranese Mercenaries Expected to Return Home, Join Their Nation's War With Alusia.*
* "No More Deaths, No More Maiming" *Orcish Directorate Bans Blood Sport, Arrests Top General for Maintaining Illegal Fighting Ring. Fifty Senior Orcish Officers Resign In Protest.*
* "Phony War?" *Thalranese Jeer at Alusia's Deliberate Pace of Mobilization. Returning Mercenaries from Celestial Conflict Stand for Photographs at Firhbank Siege Lines.* "In the Time It's Taking Them to Get Shoes That Fit Their Conscripts, We Went Clear Across the Cosmos, Beat the Celestials and Came Home to Beat Them Too."
	+ "Back to Lead" *Alusian Crown Prince and Royal Consort Returns From Fialta Embassy Role To Command Alusian Forces at Ahlam.*
* "Humanitarian Crisis" *Alusia Airdrops Supplies to Beleaguered Union Capital. Supplies Promptly Seized by Marinia, Distributed to Her Forces.*
* "Brutal Desecration" *Shocking Images, Video of Defiled Corpses Implicate Radical Spiran Sect. Aeldman Media Alleges Spirans Sought Out Fresh Cadavers to Perform Etheric Augury Using Intestines.*
	+ "Outraged Retribution" *Aeldman Secularist Groups Denounce Church of Spires, Commit Acts of Violence Against Spiran Congregations. Baron Jacques Vanel Calls for Abolition of Spiranism.*
	+ "Widening Violence" *Aeldman Anti-Religious Sentiment Inflamed, Leading to Riots, Terror Against Aeldman Religious Communities. Kirvans, Spirans, Others Form Militias. Allegations of Partiality as Aeldman Dragoons, Constabular Forces Accused of Cracking Down Hard on Religious Militias, Largely Containing Rather Than Dispersing Secularist Mobs.*
	+ "Removing a Tangle" *Spiran Radicals Assassinate Jacques Vanel Outside Empire Club, Turn Themselves In, Alleging Noloth Guided Their Action.*
* "A Foolish Attempt" *Shantaran High Priestess Survives Assassination Attempt. Assassin, Apparently Elvish, Cleared Bloody Swathe Through Priestess's Bodyguards. Apparently Slain High Priestess Revealed to be Body Double, as Real Diella Neverin Emerged from Among Guards to Incapacitate Assassin.* "We Will Learn Who Guided This Feeble Hand, and We Will Send Them a Proper Example of the Assassin's Craft."
* "Something Rotten in the Kingdom of Veran" *Rumors of Renegade Perfect Princes Overwhelming Veranian Forces Before Being Turned Back In Decisive Battle. Sources Allege Renegades Deployed Superweapon, Possibly Null Bomb, In Desperate Counterassault. Aeldman Forces, Arms Enter Region to Support Veranian Regime.*
* "One Step Ahead of the Law" *String of Daring Heists on Harwel, Pin Jump, Semal Strike Banks, Art Galleries, Private Collections. No Casualties Reported in Heists, Though Two Suicides Followed Private Thefts.*
* "Consumer Protection" *Aeldman Government Accuses Dalthadi Church of Allow Corrupting, Occult Influence in Birth Control Drugs, Vows Extensive Reforms through Aeldrum Pharmaceutical Consortium to Ensure Drug Safety.*
* "More Reforms" *Shantine Military Continues Reform Program. No Outward Expansion, But Deepening of Officer Roster, Equipment and Drill Modernization. Shantine Navy Estimated to be Mostly Raised to* "New Standard" *Set By Shantine Military Reformer, Lord Ontario.*

**Culture and General Interest:**

* "A Moment of Reckoning" *Church of Spires Bands Closer Together Against Outside Violence. Theological Dissensions Deepen as Mainstream Church Blames Splinter Groups for Inciting Religious Hatred, But Within Established Hierarchy and Communities, Signs of Deep Union.*
* "Defining an Alusian Kirvanism" *Patriarch Antim of Ahlam Gives Series of Sermons On* "Uniquely Alusian Religious Virtues."
* "Blame to Go Around" *Denunciations of Baron Vanel Extended to Celestial Immigrants,* "Undue Influence" *of Nipponese Diplomats in Government of Serene Doge Emiir.*
* "Growing Roster" *Alusian Television and Film Offerings Expand, Spearheaded by Enthusiastic Alusian State Department. Rumors of Alusian Funding Plans for Large Scale Media Ministry Dedicated to Producing Alusian Entertainment Programming.*
* "You Can Never Go Home Again" *Cultural Tensions in Druz as Expatriates Find Returning to Guild-Life in Kingdom Challenging.*
	+ "...But Home Is Where You Find It" *Druz, Other Dwarven Communities, Draw Together for Common Opportunity in Aeldrum, Alusia, Sermaye. Dwarven* "Joint Clans" *Become Common, Cultural Crossovers Between Long-Separated Groups Proliferate.*
* "Religious Schism?" *Opinions of Empress-Patriarch Polarize Heavily Outside Shantine Empire, as Supporters Deepen Reverence, Detractors Become More Brazen. Assembly of Aeldman Clergy Submits Petition to End Recognition of Shantine Church to Patriarch of Aeldrum.*
	+ "One Church, One Tithe" *In Counterprotest to Criticisms of Empress-Patriarch, Junior Clergy and Kirvan Laity Across Cosmos Declare They Will Pay Tithes To Bishant, Not Local Hierarchy.*
* "I Know What They Were" *Spiran Silk-Thread Al'Hazred Claims to Decipher Meaning of Mass-Visions of* "Closing Door." *Promises Answers at Mass Gathering of Spiran Faithful Before Aeldrum Spire.*
* "Fialta Nationalism Resurgent?" *Thalranese and Union Prince Criticism of Alusian Interventions in Union Governance, Imperium Acceptance of Princely Fealty Suggest Unusual Intersection of Fialta Powers Around Cultural Self-Determination. Familial Language Underscores* "Fialta Identity" *Back In Play After Era of Often Acrimonious Inter-Cultural Disputes.*
* "Songs of the Pantheon War" *Brass Cities Dispatch* "Drone Orchestra" *To Tour Imperial Space, Perform Ancient Music of Baradun.*
* "An Administration in Crisis" *Amidst Religious Violence, Growing Calls for Resignation of Serene Doge Guillarme du Montreal. Political Alliance with Doge Luvelath, Count Orvhim Collapses as Pair Enter Motion for Impeachment.*
	+ "Defending the Wrong Things" *Guillarme Receives Nationwide Backlash For Speech Attempting to Calm Religious Sentiments. Aeldman Reactionary Movements in Media and Culture Paint Image of a Serene Doge Bent By Foreign Influence and Spiritualism.*
	+ "Compromise" *After Baron Emiir Gives Speech of Support for Defiant Guillarme, Orvhim Proposes Emiir as Judicious Successor. Guillarme Agrees to Resign if Simple Majority Carries for Emiir's Candidacy. Emiir Wins Election by Narrowest Margin, Apparently on Strength of Economic Policy, Religious Neutrality.*
	+ "Cabinet Reshuffle" *Newly Elected Serene Doge Emiir Returns Count Guillarme to Ministry of War. Count Solaire Retains Position as Head of National Intelligence, With Expanded Powers of Arrest and Coordination with Religious Protection Council and Minister for Secular Affairs. Count Orvhim Becomes Secretary of State. Tissa Bachelier Assumes Anticipated Role as Finance Minister, Old Emiir and Guillarme Ally Chella Nebai Heads Industrial Cooperative Board, While Guillarme and Nebai Partner Lunesh Elath (Founder of Aeldrum Mechatronics Corporation) Heads National Science Foundation.* *Emiir Dismisses Luvelath from Government, Leaves Open Slots For Colonial Ministry, Secular Affairs.*

### Year 453 - 453.5

***IT'S WAR!***

**Stoicism, Zeal, Opportunism, Ambivalence From Cosmic Powers As Millions Die Months Into Imperial Space Conflict.**

**Economic News:**

* "The Bonds of Trade, Severed" *Alusian-Shantine War Leads Fialta Imperium to End Trade With Bishant. Thalranese Blockade of Del'Mar blocks Imperium-Alusian Trade Link, Forcing Imperium To Route Alusian Trade Through Aeldrum.*
	+ "Selective Enforcement?" *Serene Duchy of Aeldrum Maintains Trade With All Factions As Imperium Alleges Shantine War of Aggression Invokes Treaty of Sevalne To End Trade. Imperium Allegation Does Not Appear to Extend to Bishant's Thalranese Allies, Whose Trade Remains Welcome in Imperium.*
* "Gains From Others' Losses" *Aeldman Arms Industry Poised to Reap Enormous Windfall From Arms Sales. Serene Doge Pledges Armed Neutrality With Sales To All Parties In War.*
	+ "Giving It All We've Got" *As Warring Powers Turn To Outsiders For Materiel, Aeldman Arms Production Capabilities Could See Fullest Proportion of Utilization Since First Coalition War.*
	+ "Getting In On The Game?" *With Del'Mar Blockaded, Imperial Materiel Support to Alusia Will Depend Either on Translane Transportation or Aeldman Pass-Through Rights. Translane Transportation Offers Safety Valve, but Volume Expected to be Highly Constrained.*
* "Demand Crash" *Alusian F1 Receipts Fall Precipitously With Loss Of Shantine Demand. Aeldman-Shantine F1 Options Likely To Go Unexercised.*
* "Fiscal Squeeze" *Sermayean Stock Market Plummets as Speculation on Easy Money From Low Aeldman Interest Rates Fails.*
* "Rescue Investment" *Bank of Valdos, Sermayean Government Reach Agreement For Fiscal Injection: Sermayean Economy Expected to Stabilize Rapidly. Sermayean Council President:* "We Are Optimistic That This Year Will Close Out As Our Seventh Straight Year Of Growth Above the Historic Average."
* "Total Economic Mobilization" *Signs In Alusia, Bishant of Total Economic Overhaul For War. Mass Mobilization Expected to Cause Labor Shortages. Pressure on Domestic Industry May Be Alleviated By Foreign Support.*
* "On Track For A Fiscal Surplus" *Serene Doge Emiir Touts Imminent Fiscal Surplus, but Experts Raise Doubts.* "If Emiir Can Do It, It's a Political Windfall For His Model, but this Economic Leadership Has Not Shown Anything Approaching Fiscal Discipline in a Decade."
* "A Regime For Intellectual Property" *Talks Rumored Among Aeldrum, Sermaye, Saldan and Bank of Valdos to Establish International IP Protection Regime. Proposed Intellectual Property Board Could Have Backing of Leading Technological and Economic Powers.*
* "Moneypit" *Critics Deride Aeldman Intervention in LoSR:* "We've Destroyed Their Economy, and Now We're Paying to Keep It On Life Support."
* "Can't Fight Forever" *Observers Speculate That Thalranese Forces, Though Bolstered By Union Gains, May Need to Resort to Plunder or Debt to Pay Soldiers If Conflict Extends Too Long.*
* "Currencies Wobble" *Anticipating Enormous Trade Deficits for Military Mobilization, International Markets Edge Down on Shantine, Alusian Drachmas, Up On Aeldman Ducat and Imperial Crown.*

**International Relations and Affairs:**

* "Kirvans, The Time Is Now" *Shantine Empress Theoboda Throws Full Moral Weight Into Kirvan Insurgency. Empress Makes Dire Allegations Against Alusian Government, From Kidnapping to Brainwashing to Human Experimentation. Empress's Speech Accompanied by Angelic Summoning, Kirvan Pageantry and Rebroadcast Across Cosmos: Protests and Riots Against Alusian Embassy in Aeldrum, Bishant.*
* "No Backing Out" *As Ahlam Insurgency Simmers, Alusian State Presents Demands to Shantine Empress, Is Rebuffed With Declaration of War of Kirvan Liberation. Kirvan Church Reveals Demands Included Dismantling of Knights of Adarnum and Abolition of Worship of Adarnum.*
* "Ending All Pretense" *Princes Armalos and Cattrel Issue Thalranese Declaration of War Against Alusia, Bringing An End to Long Standoff Over Fialta Union. Cattrel's "*Blood In The Water" *Speech Receives Cheering Acclaim From Hundreds of Thousands of Thalranese Warriors.*
* "Call For Discussion" *Fialta Emperor Calls For Cooler Heads to Prevail,* *Forewarns of Calamity For All Sides In Alusian-Shantine War.*
* "Aeldmen Non-committal" *Aeldrum Pronounces Armed Neutrality, No Change In Trade Relations With Any Powers. Serene Doge Emiir Takes Negative Position On Conflict Overall But Gives No Indication of Support For One Side Or Another.*
* "Alusia Defiant" *Alusian State Calls For International Support Against Excesses of Radical Kirvanism, Religious Intolerance.*
* "Stern Warning" *Aeldrum Issues Stern Warning To League of Sovereign Republics In Connection to Southgate Train Station Bombing At Semal.*
* "Terms Dictated to LoSR" *Count Orvhim Quits Sickbed to Issue Terms to Premier of League of Sovereign Republics, Secures Total Agreement: Aeldrum Will Maintain Navigational Control Over LoSR Space, Installing Checkpoints At All LoSR Gates*. *Aeldrum Pledges Short-Term Funding to Sustain LoSR Agriculture, Long-Term Accrediting Program For* "Secure Shipping." *Aeldrum Promises Security Measures Will End When Terror Threat Is Contained: Dragoons Squads and Aeldman Intelligence Officers To Operate In-Country Jointly with LoSR Security Forces*
* "The Union Is Dead In All But Name" *With Capital Lost And Only Remaining Independent Territory Consisting of the Former Shantaran Free State, The Fialta Union Appears All But Destroyed As Its Government And People Become Synonymous With The Shantaran Church.*

**Military, Criminal and Disaster News:**

* "Delays Expected" *Terrorist Organization* "Free Cosmos" *Destroys Part of Southgate Train Station At Semal, Apparently In Bid To Encourage Colonialist Uprising In Aeldman Territories. Aeldman Security Agencies Link FC to League of Sovereign Republics.*
* "Mass uprisings" *Millions of Kirvans and Anti-Regime Protestors Rise Up In Alusian Empire Against Alleged Crimes of the State. Protests Are Concentrated in Ahlam and Lechtus Theaters. Planet of Ahlam Is Site of Militant Uprising, Evidently Aided By Knights of Adarnum, Shantine Regulars and Zanevuela Radicals.*
* "Gunned Down Before The Cosmos" *Patriarch Antim of Ahlam Shown Gunned Down, Apparently By Alusian Forces, While Knights of Adarnum Inbound To Patriarch's Sector.* *Millions Across Cosmos Mourn A Celebrated Force For Tolerant Kirvanism. Succession Unclear Without Vote of Bishops, But Bishop Mirtha of Kirvan Church Was Ahlam's Preferred Successor and Takes Hard Line On Death of Patriarch.*
* "Missing In Action" *Alusian Economic Minister and Prominent Kirvan Marina Nueva Named By Shantine As Leader For Uprising, Is Not Seen For Months. Presumption From Most Sources Is That Marina Was Slain By Alusian State Forces, as Recorded Speeches Go Out from the Alusian Minister First Decrying Arren Kane of KoA then Decrying Alusian State and Illyana Regime.*
* "Struck From Within" *Armed Shantine Officers Appear To Open Fire On Arren Kane and Bodyguard. Kane's Seraphim Dispatch Assailants, But Not Before Assassin's Bullet Strikes Kane.*
	+ "Rumors of the Unwholesome" *Grievously Wounded Kane Reportedly Kept Alive By Fell Biomancy of Knights of Adarnum, With Limited Time Before His Body Fails Entirely.*
* "Making An End" *Arren Kane Takes Command of KoA Warship* "Woe to Tyrants," *Leads Deep Strike Into Alusian Territory, Crashes Ship Into Ahlam Gate Facing Bishant. Thousands of KoA Zealots Perish, Apparently Summoning Angel of Kirva, Reported to be* "Lapheraz" *or* "She Who Remained." *Angel Uses Brief Moment In Reality To Trace Arc of Fire Across Sky, Obliterate Ahlam Palace of State And Surrounding Area.*
	+ "Robust Government" *Empress-Consort Peter and Key Alusian Commanders Slain in Strike, But Alusian Empress and Major Advisors, Most of Brass Remain Alive, Reportedly Offworld.*
* "Swept Up, Swept Aside" *Thalranese Translane Fleet Pounces on Alusian Blockade at Firhbank, Clearing Way for Vast Thalranese Conventional Fleet. Thalranese Break Alusian Forces At Firhbank, Seize Union Territory.*
	+ "Boundaries" *Thalranese Land and Conquer Union Worlds but Steer Clear of Imperium Patrols Around Worlds of Defector-Princes. Though Unprotected by Alusian or Other Forces, Thalranese Do Not Enter Etherspace of Shantaran Free-State's Former Worlds.*
	+ "For Thalran!" *Warlord Priestess Marinia Joins* "War of Fialta Liberation" *to Restore Fialta Culture in Union, Alusian Territories, Aligns Herself with Thalranese Marcher Lords*
	+ "Next On the Agenda" *Thalranese Destroy Alusian Fleet At Del'Mar, Impose Blockade. Some on Del'Mar, Formerly a Fialta World, Appear to Cheer Thalranese Move, While Others Sternly Man Understrength Gate.*
* "It Takes More Than That!" *Sevrar Orvhim, Campaigning for Dogeship of Neveth Spire, Survives Assassination Attempt, Apparently from FC in Retaliation for Aeldman Threats to LoSR.*
* "Bombs for Bombs" *Shantine, Alusian Fleets Meet In Ahlam Theater: Reports Indicate Both Sides Detonated Two Null Bombs Over Course Of Brutal Engagement. Alusians Staged Highly Effective Fighting Retreat In First Phase Of Battle, Destroying Bulk of Inexperienced Shantine Raiders, But Alusian Communications and Morale Failed In Critical Moment, Giving Shantine Elite Ships Opportunity To Sow Confusion And Precipitate Rout: Shantine Control Ahlam Etheric Space After Grievous Casualties On Both Sides*
	+ "Horrific Scale" *Over Seven Million Deaths Reported From Multiple-Null Bomb Engagement, as Fleets Crewed By Millions Annihilate Each Other. Experts Anticipate Tens of Millions May Be Raised for War Effort By End of Year, Many To Die In Their First Engagement.*
* "Shooting Fish In A Barrel" *Aeldman Navy Annihilates LoSR Elite Raider Fleet with Minimal Casualties, Captures Freshly Raised Fleet, Imposes Total Blockade On All Internal and International Trade. Economic Chaos Reported, Famine Expected. Aeldman Deaths From Engagement Hit 3,000: Estimated LoSR Deaths Exceed 50,000*

**Culture and General Interest:**

* "Two Visions" *Alusian-Shantine War Invites International Commentary on Two Models for Cosmic Stability. Ethnic and Religious Separatism Displayed by Shantine, Fialta in Recent Peaceful Transfers Given Violent Expression Against Alusian Model, Which Presents Right to Rule as Independent of Religion, Asserts Tolerance For Rule by Non-Coreligionists.*
* "A Very Special Episode" *Alusian Television Deals With Fear, Uncertainty of War Through Different Lenses. Flagship* "Welcome to the Family" *Focuses On Home Front of Conflict, Importance of Unity, Pitching In to Help, While Other Shows Have Main Characters Drafted To Heroically Defend Alusia.*
* "Political Struggle" *Aeldman Political Scene, Roiled By Fall of Guillarme Administration, May Face a Reckoning in Midterms, As Neoconservatives Appear Poised to Lead Parliamentary and Aristocratic Votes. Industrialists Put Forward Strong Campaigns Dominated by Guillarme Allies, Dark Horse Candidates From Religious Parties Galvanized By Secularist Violence Poll Strongly In Democratic Spires and Populist Districts. Colonialist Coalition Appears Threatened as Doge Luvelath Fights for Spire Dogeship.*
* "Birth Control Is Here" *Aeldman Government Announces Approved Birth Control Drug.*
* "Kirvanism Is Not a Cult of Adarnum" *Aeldman Patriarch Issues Statement of Solidarity with Alusian Kirvans, Decries Shantine Interventionism, Asserts Aeldman Religious Course Independent and* "Unique To Our Great Nation"
* "They. Are. Coming." *Silk Thread of the Church of Spires Al'Hazred Delivers Three Hour Lecture on* "The Long Apocalypse" *and Death of the Gods, Heralded by* "Thannasid God Kings"
* "Spiran Sacrifice or Sinister Scheming?" *Leaked correspondence from the Aeldman Department of Intelligence suggests that the supposed ritual sacrifices in the colonies may have actually been an attempt to slander the Church of the Spires. Ethernet cafes buzz with potential culprits - the late Baron Vanel being at the top of many lists.*
* "A Proud Tradition" *Thalranese Cartoons, Some Signed By Prince Armalos, Skewer Aeldman Nonintervention*
	+ "Behave Yourselves, Children" *Thalranese Political Cartoons Depict Champagne-Swilling Elf on Mountain of Guns Wagging Finger At Brawling Shantine and Alusian Caricatures*
	+ "We're Above It All" *Second Cartoon Series Shows Aeldman Dinner Party Conversation: Short, Tweed Jacketed Emiir Bemoans Needless War, While Tuxedoed Guillarme Hands Goodie Bags Marked* "Ammo" *Out the Window, and Orvhim Moves Toy Soldiers Around Map of LoSR From Wheelchair*
* "Wrangling Over Truth" *Competing Alusian, Shantine Propaganda Seeks to Dominate Narrative of Coup, Unfolding Uprising and War. Alusian Propaganda Focuses on Excesses of Arren Kane and Footage of Pacifist Statements From Theoboda, Shantine Propaganda Attacks Credibility of Alusian State. Excerpts Provided:*
	+ "Recognize Your True Savior! After railing against Marina and spouting increasingly wild conspiracy theories about the Alusian government, Kane continues to self aggrandize stating, "I have done way more for Kirvanism than any monarch!" (expletives omitted) and calls for all Kirvans to join the new Church of Adarnum."
	+ "Listen only to those you trust!" *Empress Theoboda returns to Shantine channels broadcasting into Alusia to warn Kirvans of the false nature of her likeness being shown on Alusian-controlled airwaves.* "You have seen my message before, echoed through the mouths of your faith and community leaders... listen to only those you trust!"
* "Welcoming Our New Brothers In Style" *Marcher Forces Celebrate Victory At Firhbank With Wild Parties. Celebratory Gunfire Rings Throughout Night At Firhbank Gate, Dozens Reported Dead In Drunken Duels. Thalranese Commander Gal'Tiel "Drinking's The Best Diplomacy There Is"*
	+ "Basking In Dres'Fialt's Glow?" *Thousands of Fialta Soldiers Come To Honor Sword of Dres'Fialt. Later Photographs Show Thalranese Infantry Carousing With Marinia's Followers. Recently Pardoned Warrior Priestess Reportedly Breaks Arms Of Multiple Challengers In Exhibition Arm Wrestling Match, To Approving Cheers.*

### Year 453.5 - 454

***Alusian-Shantine War Rages On***

*Military and Civilian Death Toll Exceeds 10 Million*

*Over 80 Million Troops Mobilized*

**Economic News:**

* "War Means Boom Times If You're Not Fighting" *Aeldman Arms Contracts Drive Up GDP By A Quarter.*
	+ "One Foot On The Brake" *Serene Doge's Office Limits Arm Production Contracts To Avoid Overheated Economy. Some Experts Say Too Little Is Done To Prevent Distortion.*
	+ "We Need An Off-Ramp" *Aeldman Markets Signal Worries About* "Arms Bubble" *As Other Businesses Struggle To Fill Positions, Supply Chains Strain At Capacity.*
	+ "Pay To Play" *As ISC Distortion of Aeldman Economy Reaches All-Time High, Thousands of Firms Rely on Aeldman Loan Program to Survive. Inflationary Fears Run High, As Do Concerns About Private Sector Debt Burden.*
* "The Bachelier Protocol" *Aeldmen Begin Economic Policy of Subsidized Foreign Investment, Providing Preferential Pricing on Capital Goods to Aeldman Firms That Install Them Abroad.*
	+ "Generating Demand" *Aeldman Economic Policy, Brainchild of Finance Minister Tissa Bachelier, Represents Substantial Departure From Half-Century of* "Mervodan Doctrine" *Emphasizing Sales To Foreign Powers and Domestic-First Economic Development. New Bachelier Program Claims to Stabilize Currency Demand By Offsetting Aeldman Exports With Productive Output From Foreign Countries, While Preserving Preferential Status For Aeldman Supply Chain.*
	+ "A Long Way To Go" *Bachelier Policy Has Thousands of EU Behind It, But It May Be Years Before Aeldman Investments Equal Any Sizable Fraction of Massive Export Industries.*
	+ "Early Adopters" *Leading Destinations for Factory Investments are Orcish Directorate, NCC, Druz.*
* "Covenant With Dwarves" *Bank of Valdos Breaks Ground On Investments in Kingdom of Druz, Receiving Investment Rights In Return For Significant Line of Credit for Capital Goods Imports from Aeldrum.*
* "Growth Amidst War" *Shantine Economy Posts Respectable Growth Amidst Pressures of War, Suspension of Mechanization Imports.*
	+ "Robust Economy" *Shantine Agricultural Mechanization Generated Disappointing Growth As It Competed With Foreign Trade, But Proves a Blessing Against Trade Sanctions from Alusia, Imperium. Shantine Economic Ministers Declare,* "In Her Divinely Inspired Wisdom, The Empress Has Gifted Us The Means To Prosper Even In War"
	+ "New Trade Partners" *Opening of Nipponese Trade in Former Adarnum Concessions Brings Supplemental Cash To Bishant.*
* "The Rug Pulled Out From Under Them" *Etheric Lanes Occupied By Shantine Warships See Economic Chaos As Interplanetary Commerce Evaporates. Alusian Economy Contracts On Lost Supply Chains and Other Ructions: Economy Accessible To Alusian State Estimated Down One Fifth*
	+ "Bank Holiday" *Alusia Seeks To Limit Capital Outflows By Declaring Bank Holiday, Then Encouraging Policies Limiting Withdrawals From Consumer and Industry Bank Accounts. While Largely Successful At Stemming Bank Runs, Alusian Policy Results In Soaring Interest Rates, On Course For 10%-12%. Speaking Off-Record, Alusian Economist Comments,* "Keeping Money In Banks Helps The State, But In Addition To Preventing Panic Withdrawals, It Stalls Consumer Spending And Dries Up Credit. Nobody Knows When They'll See Their Money Again, So They're Holding Tight To What They Have. I Expect Interest Rates To Keep Growing, And Probably Some Serious Deflation."
	+ "Domestic Sales Pick Up Slack" *Alusia Offsets Some Lost Foreign Demand For Factories With Heavy Sales of F1s and Specialty Infrastructure Foundries To Domestic Industry.*
		- "Demand Holdout" *Bank of Valdos Receives Order Of Modular Smaller Scale F2s to Support Crash Industrialization Program In New Conduit Colonies.*
* "Currency Boom" *Aeldman Ducat Buoyed By Unprecedented Foreign Materiel Sales, While Other Major Currencies Flag. Explosive Appreciation of Ducat Against Almost All Cosmic Currencies.*
	+ "Lost Export Demand" *Loss of Factory Sale Receipts Drops Alusian Drachma.*
	+ "Taking The Hit For Others?" *Fialta Imperial Crown Drops Mostly On Fiscal Policy of Bank, Church of Dalthad: Investment and Loans Abroad From Imperial Monetary Supply and Temporary Freeze on Remittances from Key Foreign Powers (Alusia, Sermaye). Remittance Freezes Driven By Protective Measures Toward Capital-Constrained Partners.*
	+ "Blip, Or Normalization?" *Istomiri Dinar Surges To Top Of Currency Boards On Low Imports, High Exports As Pent Up Union Production Comes Back Online.*
	+ "Keeping Up" *Saldanese Crecible Sustains High Relative Valuation On Strength of Foreign Investment in Executive Board Research Project.*
* "Lucrative Prize" *Thalranese Marches See Substantial Gains From Union Annexation: Integration of Highly Industrialized Union Worlds Drives Thalranese GDP Up One Third.*
	+ "A Higher Technological Base" *Relatively Developed Union Economy May Carry Thalranese Into Modern, Competitive Technological Stance To Match Other Leading Secondary Powers.*
* "They Can Be Made To Cooperate" *New Celestial Confederacy Sees Umbran Labor Entering Economy, As Once Marginal Populations Become* "Tamed" *and Productive. Experts Say Umbrans Are Latently Psionic Deep Ether Mutants With Limited Hive Consciousness, Individual Semi-Sentience, Descended Possibly from Distant Populations of Dwarven Exiles.*
* "Trade Partners" *Istomir, Thalranese Reach Agreement for Close Economic Integration. With Mass Population Shifts Expected, Both Nations Assume Freedom of Movement Posture, Minimal Customs Restrictions.*
	+ "Kicking Up" *To Ensure Free Trade With Marches, Istomir Pegs Tariff Policy to Thalranese Import Rules. Thalranese to Collect Half of Istomiri Import Tariff Revenues.*
* "Cash Burning A Hole In Their Pockets" *Thalranese Mercenaries, Some Having Served Three Years In Nipponese and Marcher Conflicts, Return Home Flush With Cash.*
	+ "We Had Nowhere To Spend It" *Highly Naval Character of Wars Meant Fewer Opportunities to Spend Cash on Entertainment Mid-War, Leading to Much Higher Wealth Accrual.*
	+ "Land Grab" *As Seized Lands of Union Grandees Auctioned Off, War Veterans Form Major Buying Group.*
		- "Old Habits Die Hard" *Reports Of Recently Relieved Crews, Veterans Associations Blocking Auction Halls, Intimidating Civilian Buyers To Keep Prices Low For Union Real Estate, Equipment.*
	+ "The Great Gun Selloff" *Thalranese Officers, Lords Sell Off Large Quantities of Surplus Materiel, Much of It Aeldman.*
		- "Self-Owned Business" *As Thalranese Navy Stands Down, Ambitious Veterans Pool Funds To Buy The Ships On Which They Served.*

**International Relations and Affairs:**

* "A Nation Reborn" *Shantaran Archpriestess Neverin Declares Birth of Nation of Istomir, Based on Former Territory of Shantaran Free State.*
	+ "Re-equilibration" *Thalranese Grant Two Former Union Hinterworlds, Promise Transit and Resettlement Rights in Istomir to Shantarans. Serene Duchy of Aeldrum Provides Financing for Arrangement, Expected to Affect Up To 25 Million People.*
	+ "Occult Principles" *Inaugural Speech of National Government Features Religious Appeals, Manifestations of Shantaran Power. Onlookers Report Looming, Impossible Shadows, Mental Discombobulation.*
* "Carving Up The Union" *International Community Recognizes Dissolution of Fialta Union and Territorial Partition To Thalranese Marches, Istomir, Fialta Imperium.*
	+ "The Split" *Firhbank and Surrounding Worlds Ceded to Thalranese; Istomiri Take Former Shantaran Free State; Fialta Imperium Confirms Suzerainty of Worlds Near Hybern.*
	+ "Guarantees" *Aeldmen Issue Public Declaration of Protection For Thalranese Marches In New Territories. Thalranese, Istomiri Enter Into Mutual Defense Pact.*
* "Putting Bounds on Conflict" *Fialta Imperium, Serene Duchy of Aeldrum Assume Responsibility for Security of Del'Mar Theater as Thalranese Lift Blockade, Withdraw. Joint Naval and Ground Occupation is at Invitation of Alusian Empire. Imperium, Serene Duchy Issue No-Fly Order For Combatant Vessels in Region, Cutting Off One Avenue of Conflict For Shantine, Alusians.*
* "High Level Talks Fail" *Reported Discussions Between Empress Theoboda, Empress Illyana Appear to End Inconclusively.*
* "An Agreement In Principle" *Group of Four (Sermaye, Bank of Valdos, Saldan, Aeldrum) Reach Framework for International Regulation of Intellectual Property. Agreement Undertakes Mutual Protection and Economic Enforcement of IP, Provides Charter for Formation of Large International Institution to Monitor and Regulate IP.*
	+ "Not Finalized" *Negotiations Expected to Continue Into Next Year Over Financing of Institution and Provisions for Right of First Refusal on Technology Licensing and Other IP Contracts for Constituents of IP Board.*
	+ "A New Kind of Regulatory Body?" *Present Framework of Board Is As Chartered Corporation, With Certain Rights Allocated According to Financial Stake.*
* "Territorial Transfer" *Shantine Empire Reaches Agreement with Nippon States to* "End Lease" *of Nipponese Territories Ceded At End of First Coalition War. Nipponese Ambassador,* "These Worlds Were Leased From Nippon by the Shantine, Who Have Duly Exited Their Contract."
	+ "Basing Rights" *Aeldmen Secure Naval Basing Rights In Restored* "Shantine Quarter" *of Nipponese Imperial Space Territory.*
	+ "Cash and Arms" *Nipponese Reportedly Provide Materiel Directly as Well as Credit Against Shantine Purchase of Materiel From Aeldrum.*
	+ "Stay Behind" *Knights of Adarnum Retain Some Fortification Rights In Nipponese Cession But Give Up Revenues.*
* "Call for Volunteers... But Few Takers" *Alusian State Messaging Emphasizes International Character of Defense of Country, but No Nations Authorize Citizens to Join Alusian Army.*
* "Outward Face of the Empire" *Alusian Empress Decrees New Heir, Crown Prince Melchior, Idolmarite Bishop of Reilla. Melchior, an Alusian Royal by Blood, Was Instrumental in Economic Development and Administrative Integration of Reilla.*
	+ "A Different Kind of Religious Establishment" *Melchior Ascends to Title With Warm Support of Former Patron, Idolmarite Cardinal of Ahlam.*
* "Uneasy Inclusion" *Preferred Successor of Patriarch Antim Acknowledged by Empress Illyana, Elevating Bishop Mirtha to Patriarchate.*
	+ "The Thick of It" *Mirtha Takes Seat at Ahlam In Midst of Unrest, Refusing Alusian State Protection.*
	+ "Willing to Talk" *Reports that Patriarch Met with Aeldman Patriarch, Alusian Idolmarite Cardinal, Others Seeking Consensus on Religious Policy. Mirtha Signals Openness to Discussion, Assents to International Religious Statement Against Partition Degradation, But Draws Distinct Line from Alusian State on Other Matters.*
* "An International Retort" *Alusian Religious Council, Aeldman Religious Protection Council and Imperial Pentacle Churches Rebuke* "Threat to Partition" *Posed by Divine Escalation.* "Millenia ago, at the end of the Pantheon War, the Gods agreed to co-exist and made commitments about how their power was to be made manifest in our mortal plane. Shantine exceptionalism has made a mockery of the promises made by Kirva as part of the Partition and has brought us to the brink of a second Pantheon War. The actions of Bishant and the Knights of Adarnum to flout these promises made by Kirva must immediately stop and the Shantine Kirvan establishment must promise never to repeat these mistakes."
	+ "Recognition" *International Character of Statement Against Shantine Kirvan Invocations of Divinity Represent Historic Interfaith Recognition, Including Of Aeldman Spiran Church.*

**Military, Criminal and Disaster News:**

* "Rallying the Troops" *Dalthadi Angel Manifests At Reillan Hinterworld, Hosts* "Evening of the Era" *In Support of Alusian Defense Against* "Shantine Crusade."
	+ "Religious Proxyism" *Observers Comment on Highly Pentacle-Oriented Emphasis of Event. Angel Decrees,* "Followers of Dalthad, Valdos, and the other Gods of the Pentacle. Your way of life is at threat from Shantine extremists, you must join together with the Idolmarites and moderate Kirvans in order to defend a society in which you may worship as you choose from this threat! These extremist Shantine heretics have gone too far, today you must say they go no further for you go with your gods behind you!"
* "A Death In the National Family" *Assassins Strike Alusian Chief of Department of State, L. Beriak. After Fending Off Assault From Seraphim at Reilla Office, Beriak Retreated Under Cover of State Department Security Forces,* "Chem-Trooper" *Bodyguard, But Did Not Return Safely to Any Government Facilities. The Much-Feared Architect of Alusian State Security and Internal Affairs Is Presumed Dead, Most Likely Slain by Affiliates of Kirvan Insurgency, Though Rumors Persist That Beriak May Have Been Killed By Shantaran Cultists.*
* "Ahead of Schedule" *As Both Powers Mobilize, Bishant Strikes First, Drawing on Substantial Fleets Already in Service to Push to Lechtus.*
	+ "Rapid Countermeasures" *Alusian Fleet Scrambles to Delay Shantine, Detonating Null Bomb to Buy Time to Take Position. Without Sufficient Time to Bring New Ships Online, Alusians Defend Lechtus with Fleet Based Around Surviving Ships of Battle of Ahlam.*
	+ "Overpowering" *Shantine Fleet Obliterates Alusian Amphibious Forces, Damages Almost All Alusian Warships at Lecthus. Alusian Fleet Withdraws In Off-Lane Stealth Posture.*
* "Two Different Strategies" *Alusian Arms Receipts Signal Heavy Emphasis on Warships, Ground Forces, Without Amphibious Support. Shantine Material Strategy Appears Split Between Heavy Investments in Elite Naval Core Raised by Ontario General Staff Program and Mass Production of Amphibious-Supported Warships Crewed by State and Church.*
* "A Hard Won Fight, But Won Hard" *Shantine Forces Absorb Heavy Losses But Storm Lechtus. Shantine Ships Now Control Line From Bishant to Ahlam to Lechtus, But Alusian Forces At Ahlam Remain In Control of Planet*
	+ "The Inner Gate Holds" *Emergency Alusian Ground Reinforcements Hold Interior Gate of Lechtus, Await Impact With Shantine.*
		- "Amidst Carnage of Industrial War, Individual Heroism Remains" *Alusian Color Sergeant Reportedly Holds Critical Mountain Pass For Two Hours To Buy Precious Time for Alusian Retreat, Brought Low Only By Squadron of Knights of Adarnum.*
* "Arms For The Faithful!" *Knights of Adarnum Lead Seizure of Arms Depots, Strikes on Isolated Garrison Positons At Ahlam, Exploiting Gate-Centric Defensive Posture of Alusians.*
	+ "A More Powerful Foe" *Estimates That Insurgent Forces On Ahlam Maintained Steady Net Numbers, Replacing Lost Fighters with New Recruits. With Better Equipment, Combat Experience, Some Insurgent Units Begin Forming Into Zanevuela-Style Divisions. Kirvan Militant Commander Tells Reporters,* "We Will Fight and Die Happily Until This Heathen Government Learns It Cannot Blow Out The Kirvan Flame. Praise Kirva and Her Living Prophet Theoboda!"
	+ "Cut The Lines" *Supply Lines from Ahlam Interior Gate to Capital District, Shantine-Facing Gate Threatened By Expanded Reach of Kirvan Insurgency.*

**Culture and General Interest:**

* "A Proper Liege" *Empress Theoboda Assumes Title of Grand-Master of the KoA, Receives Oaths of Fealty and Reconciliation From Rival Knightly Chapters. Hundreds of Seraphim Undertake Ritual Trial by Angel, Proclaim Loyalty to Empress. One Seraphim Captain, Balthazar, Insists On Being Tried Six Times: Burned and Scarred, Balthazar Declares,* "I Now Truly Know That My Heart Is Without Sin."
* "Uncommon Candor" *Patriarch Mirtha, Bishop Melchior Issue Joint Statement on Death of Patriarch Antim, Noting Late Patriarch's Contributions to Alusia and Admitting Failure of State in Killing Patriarch During Attempted Apprehension. Mirtha and Melchior Call For View of Antim's Legacy Based on Patriarch's Life's Work, Not Allegations.*
* "This Year's Best Wine Investments" *Elvish Enclave Files Formal Protest at Inclusion of Shantaran Red In* "Wine Speculator's" *List of Best-Appreciating Connoisseur Wines. Complaint Includes Claim That* "Shantaran Wines Are So Commonly Served With Poison That They Should Be Considered Cocktails."
* "The Films Will Be Unforgettable" *Rex Regis Roy Rez IV Announces Intent to Produce Nine-Part Live Documentary Series on Alusian-Shantine War.* "This May Be the Most Important War In a Thousand Years, And I've Retained Ten Thousand Journalists and Crew to Capture Every Angle We Can."
* "Get It Out of Their System" *Amidst Growing Social Tension Over Demilitarization of Orcish Civilian Life, Orcish Director General Signs Authorization for Orcish Veterans To Take Limited, State-Approved Tours of Duty Abroad Under Foreign Command.*
* "Failing Harvest" *Etheric Storms Blight Crops At Brumaire. Unusual Weather Patterns Reported Across Several Shantine Worlds*
* "The Long Apocalypse Is Just Out of Sight" *Spiran Theologian Al'Hazred Receives Inundation of Curiosity, Support and Criticism Over Claims About End of Cosmos. Attendance at Spiran Seminars Surges, In Aeldrum and Abroad as Spiran Church Groups Appear in Sermaye, Orcish Directorate.*
* "We Must Not Allow Uncontrolled Growth" *Doge Sevrar Orvhim of Neveth Leads Criticism of Aeldman Industrial-State Cooperative, Drawing On Economic and Politic Concerns.* "We're building a house of cards, and the people will be left holding the bag when it falls, not the industrialists whose fortunes are being minted."
* "A Center of Fialta Culture and Lore" *Fialta Emperor Neptos Announces Creation of Great Fialta Academy. Academy to Build on Engineering and Military Schools Developed Recently, Extending to Military Technology Innovation and Deep Studies of Lore, as Well as Liberal Arts in Fialta Fashion.*
	+ "A Long Tradition to Draw On" *Fialta Space Has Many Othali and Valdosian Academies and Schools Funded By Private Bequests and State Grants, but New Academy Envisions Scale to Rival Great Colleges of Saldan.*
	+ "A Pentacle and National Effort" *Bank of Valdos, Church of Dalthad, Church of Othal Expected to Have Heavy Role in Funding and Financing, But Project Is Distinctly Fialta in Character, Emphasizing Unique Cultural Values and National Virtues.*
		- "Competitive Advantage" *Lore and Military Technology, If Made Accessible to Wider Economy, Could Make Fialta Imperium a Leading Power in Intellectual Domains Long Dominated By Aeldrum, Saldan.*
	+ "A Repository For Our Superior Culture" *Fialta Academics, Nationalists Praise Academy As Symbolic of* "New Fialta Culture," *Distinct From Traditionalism of Marches While Still Uniquely Fialta. Fialta Poet-Philosopher Quintus Vesir,* "A Fialta Should Be Able To Write An Epic, Declaim It, And Duel His Critics With Pen and Sword. Not All These Virtues Can Be Learned From Brawling." *Rival Poet Claudius Lentus Retorts,* "Florid Like an Elf. Show Me This Virtue You Vaunt. You Choose, Ink or Blood."
	+ "Not All Are Impressed" *Thalranese Commentators Scoff At Great Academy.* "Hokey notions and moral weapons are no match for a good hydrogen pistol at your side."
* "The Great Victory More To Come?" *Thalranese Pubs, Veterans' Clubs, Noble Halls Filled With Clamor of Exploration and Future Conquest In Undiscovered Lanes and Untamed Worlds. Grand-Captain Videc In Address To Associates At Mir'Thalran,* "Cattrel and Armalos Brought Translane to the Marches, Let Us Use It!"
* "Heroes of the Alusian Idea" *Empress Illyana praises the Alusian army for its* "Discipline and Valor" *in the face of daunting odds, as* "the defenders of Lechtus fought a rearguard worthy of song and allowed their comrades to take position and hold the line." *While Religion Takes Center Stage In Much Alusian Messaging, Observers Report That Military Brass Receives Much of Public Credit for Defense of Nation.* "They're Dying Right There With The Sailors and Footsoldiers."
* "Heroes for God(s)" *Shantine Crown-Princess Irboda Receives Delegation of Marcher War Heroes at Patriarchal Palace on Tar'Thalran with Gifts, Praise.* "Those Who Would Stamp Out Faith Think They Can Hide Behind the Lie That We Hate Those Different From Us. What We Are Commanded to Hate is the Tyranny of Those Who Think They Can Put Themselves Before the Divine." *Irboda and Priestess Marinia Spend Two Hours In Closed-Door Meeting, Before Stepping Out to Award Honors to Kirvan and Thalranese Marcher Soldiers.*
* "Show Us An Angel, And We'll Call It Divine" *Protesters Across Cosmos Demand Alusian, Aeldman Churches Summon Evidence of Divine Support of Criticism Issued Against Shantine Kirvan Church, Citing Inherent Divine Approval Around Death-Strike of Arren Kane.*
	+ "A Day Of Light For the Blind" *Idolmarite Angel Summoned At Aeldman Charity Hospital In Symbolic Day of Healing To* "Open Aeldrum's Eyes To Perils of Political Blindness" *Thousands of Blind Aeldmen Have Sight Restored, Petitions and Demonstrations Across Country for More Active Role In Bringing Peaceful End to Alusian-Shantine War.*
	+ "No Sign of Kirvan Answer" *No Kirvan Angels Appear to Have Been Summoned to Give Answer to Critics of International Announcement.*
* "Driving to New Equilibrium?" *Aeldman Midterm Elections Grant Outright Majority to Neoconservative Party and a Dogeship to Party Chair Sevrar Orvhim.*
	+ "Broken Coalition" *Sinvas Luvelath Loses Dogeship of Neveth to Orvhim and With It, Base of Political Coalition That Counterweighted Bareth Conservatives for Forty-Five Years. Colonialists Survive Under Luvelath's Leadership, But Once Dominant Colonial Majority Reduced to One Quarter of Colonial MPs.*
	+ "A Politics of Nationhood" *Analysts Note Strong Capture of Secularist Talking Points, Politicians By Count Orvhim, Giving Neoconservatives Fresh Political Platform. Orvhim Campaigns on Need To Manage Distortive Effects of Industrial-State Cooperative Programs, Risks to Aeldman Prosperity, Accumulation of Wealth and Power by Key Industrialists.*
	+ "Surprises in Religious Parties" *Kirvan Party Wins Notoriously Fractious Galthad Spire, Swathe of Formerly Progressive MP Seats. Dalthadis Win Strategic Posts Such as Governorships, Growing Parliamentary Share, but Largely Lose Out In MP Contest with Kirvans.*
	+ "A New Kind of Industrialist?" *Baroness Chella Nebai Wins Estonne Spire By Plurality. Though Not Yet Tested Against a Leading Neoconservative Candidate, Nebai Showed Strong Popular Appeal Based on Long History of Technological Innovation and Socially Favored Programs Such as Healthcare. Doge Nebai is First Aristocrat Elected to Estonne Spire In Two Centuries.*
	+ "The Key to Supermajority" *Borne on Some High-Profile Wins and Unexpectedly Strong Success in Colonies, Industrialist Party Captures Necessary Votes to Guarantee or Deny Constitutional Supermajority to Neoconservatives.*
	+ "Failure to Launch" *Laena Aefendt, Widow of Late Serene Doge Bareth, Loses Orim Spire Election By Shocking Margin to Neoconservative Baron Liteth. Dowager-Countess Campaigned on Husband's Unpopular* "Alldmen" *Platform, Declaring in Answer to Skeptical Question from Orim Grandee,* "It Is Up to Aeldrum to Make Itself the Kind of Nation that is Ready to Hear the Serene Doge's Last Speech Properly." *Before Her Recent Political Career and Marriage to Bareth, Laena Was Co-Founder and President of the* "Society of Admirers of Bareth Aefendt," *Whose Core Membership Mobilized For Such Orim Dogeship Campaign Events As* "Crispin's Birthday Fundraiser" *and* "Good Words for Bareth Day."
		- "Our Man In Orim" *Media Coverage Remained Focused On Dowager-Countess After Election Day, Leading to Hot-Mic Complaint from Doge Liteth at Neoconservative Rally,* "You'd Think I Didn't Even Run." *Video Footage of Doge Orvhim Glaring At Liteth Goes Viral.*
	+ "Taking a Drubbing" *Progressive Party Reaches Lowest Parliamentary Vote Share Since Its Inception, At 3% of Votes. Party Chair Jill Fermal Narrowly Survives No-Confidence Vote of Party Members As Party Loses Dogeship of Estonne, Key Governorships, Majority of MPs.*

### Year 454 - 455

***Tripartite Peace Ends Alusian-Shantine War***

**Economic News:**

* "International Investment Position" *Under Treaty of Ahlam, Bank of Valdos Receives Limited New Investment Rights in Shantine Empire: Following Model of Saldanese Investment, BoV Agrees to Submit to Kirvan-Led, Valdosian-Advised Court of Appeals and To Withhold From Entering Into Soul Contracts With Kirvans.*
	+ "Guarantees At Ahlam" *Valdosian Investments in Conquered Territories to Be Converted to Sole BoV Proprietorship. Aeldrum, Shantine and Imperium Recognize Legal Right of BoV to Investments in Alusia Proper.*
	+ "Mirroring the Shantine" *Valdosian Enclaves in Shantine Economy to Follow Tradition of Shantine Merchant Neighborhoods Throughout Cosmos. Shantine Empress Gives Leave for Local Economic and Political Autonomy for Pentacle Communities Within Strict Boundaries, Answerable to Kirvan Rulers.*
* "Enshrining the Model" *Aeldman Parliament Passed Constitutional Amendment Formalizing ISC Board. Agreement Represents Major Political Compromise Between Serene Doge Emiir, Largely Industrialist Cabinet and Neoconservative Majority.*
	+ "Leadership Selection" *Serene Doges Will Choose ISC Board Chairs For 5-Year Terms with Option for One Renewal. ISC Board Chair Appointments and Renewals Must Be Confirmed by Majority of Parliament, Majority of ISC Board. If ISC Board Rejects Chair, Two Month Negotiating Period to Follow, With Increasingly High Share of ISC Board Required to Oppose Serene Doge's Chair Pick. ISC Board Will Consist of Presidents or Chosen Representatives of Boards of Constituent Companies.*
	+ "Defining the ISCs" *ISCs Receive Privileged Contracting Rights to Fulfill Aeldman Government Demand for Key Goods and Services, Protection of Vertical Integration Measures. ISC Board Will Determine Legal Standing of New ISCs. Current ISC List Includes General Etheric Corporation, Mossag Industries, Ursa Arms Consortium, Nebai Technnologies, Aeldrum Mechatronics Corporation, Aeldrum Pharmaceutical Consortium, Aeldrum Industrial Export Consortium, Aeldrum Colonial Development Corporation. Subsidiary Enterprises Such as Aeldrum Hotspot Corporation Will Also Retain ISC Protections and Obligations.*
	+ "Regulating the ISCs" *ISC Auditing Committee to Answer to Aeldman Finance Minister, Receive Extensive Funding and Occupy Administrative Structure Parallel to ISC Board. ISC Board Will No Longer Be Responsible for Auditing and Regulation, Freeing Administrative Capacity to Form One or More Additional Consortia.*
	+ "Taxes... Dueling Distortions?" *ISC Amendment Provides Maximum Tax Rate of 25% on ISCs, with Minimum Rate of 18% After Deductions and credits.* *ISCs Receive Enumeration of Tax-Creditable Activities, Including Providing Financing For Extending ISC Operations or Creating New ISCs. Effects of ISC Tax Are Expected to Shift Economic Balance Further Toward Conventional Firms Struggling to Compete with Preferential Contracting and High Scale Efficiencies of ISCs. Taxation to be Implemented Gradually, and ISCs to Receive Special Accommodations to Roll Earnings and Losses Year-to-Year Penalty Free.*
* "Too Big to Fail?" *International Posture of Tripartite Powers Focuses on Systemic Economic Risks from End of Military Demand for Products of Aeldman ISC Industries. Sermayean Director of Sermaye-Aeldrum Control Board,* "Aeldrum's Rising Tide Lifted Many Boats, and If They Crash There Will Be a Contagion to Smaller Economies."
* "Spoils of War" *Fialta Imperium, Shantine Empire Seize Estimated 40% of Alusian F2s. Relatively High Development of Alusian Territories Ceded Suggests They May Become Crown Jewels of Industrial Policy for Conquering Powers, Similar to Profitable Integration of Fialta Union by Thalranese Last Year.*
* "Critical Industrial Base Intact" *Alusian Territorial Preservation at Reilla Ensures Empire Keeps Vital F3s Within Borders, Keeping Alusian Productive Capacity for F2s at International Forefront.*
* "Chellanomics?" *Top Aeldman Think Tanks, Academic Societies Appear Split Over Differences in Economic Philosophy, as Economic Works of Chella Nebai Gain Significant Academic and Media Traction, Even More With Nebai's Public Disquiet on Emiir Administration Policies. Nebai's Values, Expressed in Campaign for Estonne Dogeship, Frequently Invoked in Criticism from Some Aeldman Think Tanks of Bachelier Doctrine as* "Diluting Aeldman Excellence." *Nebai's Emphasis on* "Technology-First" *Economic Policy with ISCs as Chief Drivers of Innovation Merges with Her Calls for Aeldrum's Public Talent to be Unlocked Through Improved Social Mobility.*
* "An Economy Fueled by the Church?" *New Nation of Istomir Enjoys Enviable Currency Position. Apparent Risks of Currency Volatility and Import Collapse Mitigated by Vast Inflows of Foreign Currency from Foreign Powers to Shantaran Church. Shantarans Join Thalranese In Vast Profiteering from Conflict, as Question Remains Whether Either or Both Nations Can Translate Windfalls to Stable Economies.*
* "Absorptive Capacity" *Istomir Poised to Accept Immigrants from Former Union Territories Equal to Half the Resident Population of Its Worlds, Putting Considerable Strain on Infrastructure but Promising Economic Base May Grow to Fill Large Space of Istomir's Enormous Import Volume.*
* "With Aeldman-Alusian Integration, Potential for Vast Economic Union" *Aeldman-Alusian Negotiations Over Customs Union, Investment Rights Entail Questions for Both Powers and their Secondary Partners, Sermaye and Deutschreich. Sermaye Signals Strong Interest in Investment and Capital Flow, Deutschreich Offers Some Reticence as Early-Stage Discussions Underway. If Economic Restrictions Lifted Among Four Nations (With Possible Addition of Druz to Aeldman Economic Plan After End of War), Resultant Bloc Could Represent Majority of Imperial Space Economy. All Four Nations Show Medium to High Development, But Varied Economies That Could Produce Profitable Synergies.*
* "Shantine Integration to Celestial Space?" *As Nipponese Move Into Restored Planetary Concessions, Aeldman Merchants Begin Taking Advantage of Basing and Residency Rights. Possibilities of Shantine Trade with Celestial Space Mediated Through Large Nipponese and Aeldman Holding Companies Suggest Significant Economic Growth May Be In Store For Historically Underdeveloped Imperial-Celestial Frontier.*
* "Debt Crisis?" *Alusian Interest Rates Soar to 12% Under War Pressure, Fiscal Restrictions, State Risk; Shantine, Drawing More Heavily on Church and State Treasuries to Finance War, See Interest Rates of 9% With Rates Expected to Decrease on Success of War Effort. While Extenuating Factors Explain Rates in Alusia, Prevailing Cosmic Rates of 7 to 8% Are Common, Up to Double the Interest Rate of a Decade Prior. Fears of Currency Instability Lead Lenders to Prioritize Debt Denominated in Ducats, Crecibles, Further Aggravating Credit Crunches in Some Nations as Debt Begins to Loom Against Historic Levels of Growth Throughout Cosmos.*
* "Intellectual Property Regime Underway" *Saldan, Valdosians, Aeldmen, Sermayans Announce Forward Movement on Budget Agreements, Expect First Hires of International Intellectual Property Corporation Imminent.*

**International Relations and Affairs:**

* "A Treaty Imposed" *Shantine Empire, Fialta Imperium, Serene Duchy of Aeldrum Issue Tripartite Resolution to End Alusian-Shantine War. Treaty Calls For Immediate End to War, Assignment of Alusian Territories to Fialta Imperium, Shantine: Bishant to Receive Lechtus, Ahlam and Hinterworlds, Fialta to Receive Del'Mar and Hinterworlds. Tripartite Decree Demands Abdication of Illyana, Aeldman Approval of Successor.*
	+ "Freedom of Movement" *Bishant, Fialta Agree to Freedom of Movement and Resettlement for Pentacle and Kirvan Faithful in Conquered Territories, on Zanevuela Model.*
	+ "Enforcement Measures" *Fialta Imperium, Aeldrum Pledge to Enforce Treaty With Trade Sanctions, End of Materiel and Credit Support to Alusia. Aeldman Serene Doge Promises to Pursue Act of Parliament for Military Intervention if Alusia Does Not Undertake Regime Change.*
	+ "Economic Terms" *Aeldrum, Alusia to Pursue Economic Integration; Bank of Valdos Investments to be Protected In-Country. Tripartite Agrees to Economic Controls for Managed Drawdown of Military Spending to Ensure Cosmic Economic Stability.*
* "By Right of Discovery" *Aeldrum Affirms Colonial Rights of Alusia in Recently Explored Territories, Rights to Claim and Secure New Territories with Priority to First Discovery.*
* "New Government, Bringing Back Old Ideas?" *Illyana of Alusia Abdicates, Not in Favor of Bishop of Reilla as Anticipated but for One of Alusia's Most Senior Surviving Generals, Alekai Chevik. Emperor Chevik Follows Accession with Appointment of Nikki Yevozh, Successor to Late Chief of State Department Lavrency Beriak, as Heir. Neither Emperor nor Crown Princess Related to Alusian Royal House by Blood or Marriage, Following Instead a Largely Untested Policy of Adult Adoption. Close Coordination Between State Department and Alusian Top Brass Signals Reemergence of Governance Norms of Alusia Immediately After CW1, With Key State Organs Leading.*
	+ "The Government Aeldrum Wanted?" *Criticism of Serene Doge of Aeldrum from Aeldman Politicians and Within His Own Party of Character of Aeldman-Alusian Agreements in Contrast With Direct Territorial Gains of Fialta, Shantine.*
* "The Greatest We Have Ever Been" *With Treaty of Ahlam, Bishant Is Restored to Maximum Extent of Shantine Imperial Power Since 2nd Century. Only Hybern and its Hinterworlds Are Among Territories Held by Shantine in Definite Recorded History Not Currently Under Theoboda's Rule.*
* "We Are Satisfied" *Empress Theoboda Expresses Publicly and in Diplomatic Venues Desire for Shantine Empire to Encompass Kirvans Who* "Want Our Rule," *Disinterest in Populations (Such as Hybern) That Would Reject and Resist Shantine*
* "Uneasy Reconciliation" *Shantine Empress, Aeldman Patriarch Give Curt Remarks of Mutual Acknowledgment, Embrace in Public Display of Reconciliation at End of Alusian-Shantine War. Empress Gives Public Address Emphasizing Multiple Paths to Kirvanism, Appreciation for Aeldrum's Protection of Kirvans. Patriarch of Aeldrum, Empress Give Joint Statements of Mutual Recognition. Observers Comment on Apparent Trade of Shantine Legitimation of Aeldman Kirvan Church for Right of Shantine Kirvanism to be Practiced in Aeldrum. Amidst Reconciliation, More Permanent Schism All but Confirmed in Careful Delineation of Rights and Powers.*
* "The Succession Secured" *Crown-Princess Irboda Celebrates Birth of Daughter, Leandra Irboda Theoboda Kataph. Princess Leandra Is Also Named Crown-Princess of Bec, Formalizing Union of Houses of Kataph and Bec.*
* "Lands Restored" *Fialta Imperium, Bishant Annex Alusian Territories According to Historic Precedent: Bishant from Ancient Crusader Territories, Historic Despotate of Alusia, Fialta From Historic Extent of Fialta States, Imperium to Border World of Gnoll.*
* "A New Era for Etheric Colonization?" *With Major Territorial Shifts in Imperial Space and Widespread Distribution of Translane Technology, Experts Hopeful that Deep Ether Exploration, Colonization May Provide Pressure-Release Valve. Alusia Appears Poised to Continue Leadership, With Experience from Prior Exploration Missions, Demonstrated Capability to Produce Modular Exploration and Colonial Facilities (Applied In Valdosian Territories in* "Conduit Space"*), But Thalranese Enthusiasm, Early Valdosian Conquests and Burgeoning Populations of Shantine Empire Suggest Deep Ether May Soon Become Crowded.*

**Military, Criminal and Disaster News:**

* "Total Industrial Mobilization: A Terrifying Glint of the Possible" *Alusian-Shantine War Showed Potential for Colossal Losses in Engagements Using Null-Bombs. Millions of Deaths Did Not End War, and Without Tripartite Intervention Shantine and Alusian Economies May Have Borne Several More Years of Conflict, Possibly Order of Magnitude More Deaths.*
* "After War, A Reckoning" *With Ceasefire and Leave, Military Memoirs Spill Onto Market. Officers on Both Sides of Alusian-Shantine War Attempt to Make Sense of Conflict, Some Through Poetry or Fiction, Many Through Lengthy Discourses on Strategy, Logistics.*
	+ "The Hagiography of Saint Arren Kane?" *Memoirists, Theologians Write Copiously About Knights of Adarnum Grandmaster Arren Kane, Seen by Many as Chief Architect of the War's Beginning. Calls for Kane to be Canonized by Empress Theoboda from Leading Voices Among Millions Who Served with KoA in Ahlam Insurgency, Citing Divine Intervention at Moment of His Death.*
	+ "The New Model Navy in Action" *Though Pushed into Action Well Ahead of Scheduled Absorption of Extant Naval Functions, Lord Ontario's New Naval Command, Training and Supply Structure Provided Decisive Edge in Shantine Naval Victories.*
	+ "The Church Armed" *Fully one Quarter of Shantine Forces Were Equipped and Trained at Church Expense and Initiative, Producing Vast Administrative and Industrial Apparatus for Kirvan Church to Raise Military Forces.*
	+ "A Generation of Veterans" *Writers Comment on Scarred but Also Galvanized Character of Returning Soldiers.* "Alusia Returns from Foundries of War with Millions of Fresh-Forged Soldiers, Their Inexperienced Scoured"
	+ "They Never Stopped Coming" *In* "The Demographics of Defeat" *Anonymous Alusian Officer Writes of Psychological Effect on Alusian Soldiers of Seeming Shantine Implacability.* "The Propaganda Image of the Shantine Hordes Running Right into Our Guns Was a Lie, And We All Knew It. The Shantine Took Greater Losses Than We Did, But They Did Not Spend Lives Frivolously. The Trade Was Calculated. I Learned at Lecthus That the Awful, Inevitable Fact Was That We Were Killing Two of Them for Every One of Us, But It Had to Be Three."
* "Victory at the End of the Cosmos" *Twin Monarchs of Veran Execute One Thousand Perfect Prince Renegades in Mass Sacrifice Celebrating Victory of Veran Over Naga Space Rivals. Trade, Navigation Expected to Remain Secure Via Pin Jump as Aeldman Ships Provide Vital Support to Kingdom*.
	+ "Not Quite Over" *Assassination Attempt on Twin Monarchs Fails in Dramatic Closing Episode of Veranian Uprising. Attempted Killer Remains at Large, Instigating Release of Dreaded Veranian Man-Hunters.* "Woe and Wail Will Bring to Us this Offender."
* "Where Are Our Dragoons?" *As International Armament Reaches Historic Highs, Aeldman Commentators Suggest Expansion of Aeldman Dragoons Recruitment, Urging Need for Elite Aeldman Forces to Keep Pace with Foreign Militaries Enjoying High Veterancy and Large-Scale Training Programs.*
* "We Have the Technology" *Alusian Chem-Troopers, Deployed Against KoA Seraphim in Coup and Alusian-Shantine War, Become Familiar Face in Alusian Military Propaganda as Military Brass Touts Program. Tens of Thousands of Augmented Soldiers Expected on Alusian Bases as Early as Next Year. Combat Observations of Chem-Troopers Suggest Increased Strength, Endurance and Psychological Resilience Are Key Effects of Unknown Cocktail of Drugs and Conditioning.*
	+ "Look At What They Need to Mimic a Fraction of Our Power" *Captain of Shantine Seraphim Guard Gives Disdainful Reply to Alusian Announcement While Bench-Pressing Shantine Staff Car.*
* "Making Some Changes" *Alusian Emperor Disbands Imperial Guard, Reforms Divisions Into Regular Alusian Military.*

**Culture and General Interest:**

* "Shantaran Auteur Film Polarizes Audiences" *Highly Publicized Debut of Church-Sponsored Istomir Film Industry,* "Doormen XLIV," *About Beings from Interstitial Spaces of the Partition, Offers Insight into Cultural Moments of Major Markets. Four-Hour Long Film Praised by Critics for Its Existential Themes, Nuanced Cinematography and Expert Dialogue:* "No Self-Respecting Cinema Should Ever Dub the Shantaran Elvish... to Ruin the Cadence of the Film Would be Unpardonable."
	+ *Though Marketed as a Tragicomedy in Istomir, the Film Plays Best in Aeldrum as a Quasi-Documentary Tapping into the Nation's Burgeoning Fascination with the Occult.*
	+ *Thalranese Criticize Film:* "Fine Overall, But Not Nearly Enough Blood During the Death Scenes." *Shantaran Lead Counters,* "I Know Precisely How Much Blood Is Produced by the Wounds My Character Makes."
	+ *In Bishant,* "Doormen" *Catches Niche Conventionally Filled by Moody Theater of Shantine Film, Left Absent by Recent Focus on War-Films and Triumphal Lives of Saints.*
	+ *Director Apparently Surprised at Poor Box Office in Alusia After Reading Day Prior That Alusian Audiences Dub Film "*Depressing and Pointless."
* "The Race 'Round the Cosmos" *Aeldman League of Solo Pilots Proposes Grand Cosmic Race Across Imperial and Celestial Space, To Celebrate End of Two Cosmic Wars.* "The Diplomatic Headwinds Might Be Considerable, But the Hope Is for a Competitor from Every Nation to Participate."
* "Mass Movements" *Millions of Members of Religious Minorities in Newly Conquered Territories Prepare for Arduous, Expensive Journeys to New Homes: Relatively More Citizens at Del'Mar Seek Repatriation to Alusia than to Bishant. Overall Population Flow Expected to Favor Alusia, But With Vast Majority of Kirvan Migration to Shantine. Migration to Del'Mar Expected to be Driven Largely from Within Fialta Imperium, as Ethnic Fialta Seek New Land, Enterprises.*
* "A Betrayal of Historic Proportions" *Alusian Teachers Instruct Students In* "Tripartite Treason," *Allege Conspiracy of Cosmic Powers to Dismember and Derail Alusian Progress. Furor Toward Foreign Powers Runs High. Burnings of Heads of State in Effigy Common, Especially Fialta Emperor; Effigies of Empress Theoboda Tend to be Drowned for Religious Symbolic Reasons.*
	+ "Reprisals, Rejections, Reimaginings" *Violence and Discrimination Toward* "Kirvan Traitors" *Condemned by Local Authorities but Common Across Alusian Empire. Many Moderate Alusian Kirvans Make Public Conversions to Idolmarism or Adopt Syncretic Practices to Signal Alusian Loyalty, Rebuff Shantine Kirvanism; Other Kirvans Remain Defiant, or Seek Passage Abroard, Most Often Shantine Territories. Many Alusians Renounce Faiths Altogether, Declaring No God Shall Have Love Owed Their Nation.*
* "A New and Stronger Alusia" *Alusian Nationalism Runs High, With Solidarity Marches Both State-Organized and Spontaneous. Emperor Chevik Lays Out Coordination with Syncretic Churches on Budget and Management Priorities, Signals Coordination of State, Military and Religious Institutions in Managing Economic Recovery.*
* "Schism On... Organized Labor?" *As Aeldman Kirvans Digest Reconciliation of Patriarch and Empress, Many Declare for Shantine Church or Non-Denominational Kirvanism. Some Use Move Away from Aeldman Kirvan Church as Platform to Criticize Church Elites for Preserving Economic and Social Status Quo. While Ethernet Rumors from Legion of K Circulate that Recent* "Moderate" *Kirvan Election Winners Had Much Closer Ties to Radical Kirvans than Disclosed, Some Users and Even Media Publications Answer*, "At Least They Might Bring Back Trade Unions. At Least They Support the Little Guy."
* "Jubilation at the Golden Age" *Hundreds of Millions of Kirvans Flock to Holy Sites across Shantine Empire in Celebration of* "Great Crusade." *In Some Churches, Empress Theoboda Assumes Semi-Divine Quality, With Offerings Made to Kirva* "Through the Spirit of Her Prophet in This Life." *Shantine Art and Fashion Emphasize Bold Kirvan Styles with Elements of Ancient Tradition: Wildly Popular* "Restoration Line" *Sells Out In Shantine Markets Overnight.*
* "To My Beloved People" *Prince of Yushan, Ailing, Announces His Will That Private Museum be Opened to Public Upon His Death. Death of Prince Reveals Shocking Debts, Conflict Over Museum Legacy As Private and Foreign Buyers Seek Assets. Claims That Prince Willed Museum To Ensure State Assumed Household Debts Punished in Yushan as Lèse-majesté.*
* "Superstructures" *Saldanese-Born Architect Unveils Design for Vast Structures Supported by Highly Efficient Self-Contained Etheric Fields, Proposes That* "Localized Gravity" *May Increase Load-Bearing Capacity of Buildings Sufficiently to Permit Unprecedent Construction Scale and Design, Defying Modern Engineering Principles*
* "A Grand Institution for the Good of All Spirans" *The Count Guillarme du Montreal announces the creation of an official administrative religious institution for the Church of the Spires funded solely by the Count himself. This institution will fully administrate all churches and non-profit organizations that work under the banner of Noloth, and vows to protect the rights of its members to worship freely in Aeldrum and beyond. For his contributions to the Church of Spires, Count du Montreal has been appointed the honorary and life-long title of High Shuttle Bearer of the Great Loom of Noloth.*
* "Remembering the Dead" *Former Empress Illyana Plants Memorial Garden Near Palace Ruins at Ahlam, In Memory of Consort Peter and other Alusian Losses. Garden May Sit In Shadow of Anticipated Cathedral,* "Church of the Manifestation of Lapheraz." *Ex-Empress of Alusia Announces Intention to Devote Remaining Career to Supporting Survivors of the War Dead.*
	+ "Heroes, Victims" *In Alusia, National Mood on War Dead is Sorrowful but Resolute, Vowing Deaths Not in Vain. Mass Funerals Give Way to More Individual Burials, Often with Themes of Valiant Defeat, Betrayal. Civilian Deaths Spark Great Emotion, Catalyzing Nationalist Sentiments.*
	+ "Martyrs" *In Bishant, Dead Treated as Martyrs. Civilian Deaths of Kirvans at Ahlam, Lechtus Entered onto Rolls of Shantine Military Memorials for* "Sacred Insurgency." *Parades Feature Celebrations of Sacrifice: Mothers Who Lost All Their Sons Fêted, Granted Pensions and Private Pews in Church. Patriarch of Korinth Proclaims:* "We Weep Now with Joy That Our Empress Has Won Peace and Security for the Faithful, and With Bitter Sorrow That No Death We Might Make in This Golden Age Will Be the Equal of the Honored End of the Sacred Millions Whose Lives Paid for the Salvation of Billions Now Living and Yet Unborn."

## Notes

1. ↑ For the treaty ending the war, see Third Treaty of Korinth
2. ↑ The simple principle of the null bomb is to produce a stable and transportable etheric “null space” which when destabilized produces an etheric “thunderclap” effect, distorting the ether like a rubber band, with catastrophic effects. Null bombs easily level cities and could potentially be planet killers at sufficient scale.
3. ↑ For the map corresponding to the Grand Strategy era, use the drop-down selector in the top right of the website and choose "443 A.U."