Zoran

OFFICIAL DECLARATION FROM THE DESK OF QUEEN ATSILA ANI'-WAH' I The Kingdom of Zoran, through its intelligence and maritime enforcement agencies, has obtained irrefutable evidence that the United Republics of Fauthur is conducting these illegal dumping operations under the guise of commercial shipping activities. The findings include: Emergency Edict and Covert Authorization – Classified intelligence has revealed that the government of Fauthur, under an emergency decree, has secretly authorized state and private vessels to dispose of hazardous waste into the Viatic Ocean and into the waters of neighboring countries. False Flag Operations – Surveillance and intercepted communications confirm that Fauthurian ships have been disguising their true origin by flying false Aftokratorian flags and using falsified registration documents to evade accountability. Coordinated Nighttime Dumping – Satellite imagery, naval reconnaissance, and drone surveillance have tracked multiple Fauthurian vessels operating at night, dumping vast quantities of industrial and chemical waste under cover of darkness to avoid detection. Harm to Neighboring Waters – Reports from multiple nations have confirmed a surge in contaminated waters, poisoned marine life, and coastal damage, directly linked to the waste originating from Fauthurian sources. Given this overwhelming proof of deliberate environmental sabotage, and in light of the United Republics of Fauthur’s attempt to conceal its actions and mislead the international community, the Kingdom of Zoran hereby declares the full imposition of economic sanctions against the United Republics of Fauthur, effective immediately. ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST THE UNITED REPUBLICS OF FAUTHUR Issued on this day of 01/03/1425 (DD/MM/YYYY), by Order of Her Majesty Queen Atsila Ani'-Wah' I and the Government of the Kingdom of Zoran Whereas the United Republics of Fauthur has willfully engaged in reckless and unlawful environmental practices by permitting the unregulated dumping of pollution and waste into international waters, as well as into the territorial waters of neighboring states; Whereas such actions constitute an egregious threat to the health and safety of marine ecosystems and pose severe economic and humanitarian consequences for coastal nations and global maritime commerce; Whereas diplomatic efforts to encourage the United Republics of Fauthur to cease its environmental negligence and adopt responsible waste management policies have been met with disregard and noncompliance; Therefore, the Kingdom of Zoran, in unwavering commitment to the protection of global environmental security, international maritime integrity, and the economic well-being of affected nations, hereby declares the full imposition of economic sanctions against the United Republics of Fauthur, effective immediately. Terms of Sanctions: Total Trade Embargo – All imports, exports, and financial transactions between entities within the Kingdom of Zoran and the United Republics of Fauthur are immediately and indefinitely suspended. Asset Freezing – Any financial assets, reserves, or holdings owned by Fauthurian government institutions, corporations, or individuals within the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Zoran shall be frozen. Prohibition on Business Relations – Zoranian companies, financial institutions, and investors are forbidden from engaging in any commercial or financial dealings with Fauthurian entities. Ban on Maritime and Air Transport – All Fauthurian-flagged vessels and aircraft are denied entry into Zoranian ports, territorial waters, and airspace. Diplomatic Measures – The Kingdom of Zoran shall seek international cooperation to impose additional measures against the United Republics of Fauthur. These sanctions shall remain in full effect until such a time as the United Republics of Fauthur ceases all polluting activities, enacts verifiable environmental reforms, and provides reparations for the damage inflicted upon the affected regions. The Kingdom of Zoran stands resolute in its commitment to environmental responsibility and will not waver in holding accountable those who endanger the shared natural resources of the world. Signed and Sealed, Queen Atsila Ani'-Wah' I Kingdom of Zoran

Please know that expansions are not granted "just because". Expansions are not granted easily without major service to the region or without a large and well thought-out storyline that justifies one. If you have a good storyline that is well thought out and goes above and beyond in quality for RP, please explain it to one of the loremasters and then start working on it. Otherwise, an expansion will not be granted because of "why not lol"

(OOC Note: Thank you to @Varanius for helping me with this post) 20 November 1424 — The Darkesian Sea has been a hotbed of tension for the past four months since Varanian ships were seen in Galetian (D5) waters a little over four months ago. A lot has happened since this first sighting with the Zoranian navy getting involved. Here are some of the major events that have happened over the past four months. Cat and Mouse Chase in Kahuweian Waters Soon after the Varanian vessels were spotted outside Geletian waters they were spotted in both Kahuwe’s (D3) and Onego’s (D4) waters. The Kahuweian, Onegonese, and Galetian governments all called upon the Zoranian government to uphold their promise of protecting their nations, to which the Zoranian government responded by dispatching the fleet to the area to drive out the Varanian vessels. A cat and mouse chase began with the Zoranian navy being humiliated as the Varanian vessels seemingly kept evading their grasps. Every time there was a reported sighting in one location, the Zoranian ships would not find anything even when following the anticipated course of the Varanian ships. For a whole week, the Zoranian ships could not catch the Varanian fleet until the 22nd of July when the Zoranian ships managed to encounter the Varanian fleet. A tense stand-off was held between the fleets with the captains of the respective fleets engaging in tense discussion over radio according to those who were familiar with the situation. The Varanian fleet refused to exit Kahuweian waters so the Zoranian ships approached and began spraying the crew on the ships with water cannons, hoping to force them to move. The Varanians returned fire with their own water cannons. There were moments when the Varanian vessels attempted to force the Zoranian ships to back off by getting dangerously close to the Varanian ships, close enough to potentially walk onto the deck of another ship, but this did not succeed. The Zoranians then began firing warning shots with their 100 mm turrets, which was enough to force the Varanians to back down and retreat and were escorted out of Kahuweian waters. But despite this, the Varanian fleet would continuously be seen in the waters of Kahuwe, Onego, and Galete over the past few months and the same standoffs continue to happen with a few close calls of tensions being ignited. Drone Shot Down Over Galetian Territory Three weeks after the cat and mouse chase in Kahuweian waters on August 12th, a drone was detected flying over Galetian airspace by the Galetian Air Wing at 14:00. A reconnaissance aircraft was sent to investigate and found it to be of Varanian origin. When this was confirmed, the drone was shot down by Galetian anti-air defenses on the territory. Inspection of the wreckage by Galetian military personnel found it to be a reconnaissance drone conducting surveillance over Galetian defenses. The Galetian government condemned the Varanian government for this blatantly hostile act, demanding an explanation for their actions. The Varanian government responded by simply stating that the drones were “necessary security measures” with rising tensions in the region. The governments of Kahuwe, Onego, Awerista (D2), and Zoran echoed Galetian sentiment and condemned the Varanian government as well. Zoranian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rayetayah Agaluysdi, assured the Aniwvwiyai states that Zoran would continue to uphold its commitment to their defense in face of recent Varanian aggression. Three days later, a second Varanian reconnaissance drone was spotted over Galetian airspace. It was reported to be flying over Galetian coasts attempting to gain intel on the state of Galete’s coastal defenses. This drone was shot down too and invoked even further condemnation by the Aniwvwiyai states with the President of Galete, Donwanenshaa Taweeratt, stating in a press conference that Galete will bolster its security and work closely with Zoran and the other Aniwvwiyai states to ensure peace in the Darkesian. Zoran Stations Aircraft in Galete and Kahuwe A little over a week after the initial drone incident, Zoranian ZF-2 jets were announced by Zoranian officials to be stationed in Kahuwe and Galete on August 21st. Whether other aircraft are currently stationed in these nations is unclear but this move was a clear response by what the media has been calling the “Aniwvwiyai Coalition” against Varanian aggression. This action was met with outrage by the Varanian government with Sarah Finn denouncing Zoran's actions as “unnecessarily escalating” the situation. Furthermore, Sarah Finn stated that Zoran was manipulating the “unfounded fears” of Darkesian states to expand their influence as a form of imperialism. Since the reveal of these aircraft’s presence in these two nations, the ZF-2s have been seen flying over the country. C-Tech Devices Banned in Zoran The tensions have even been seen in Zoran’s economic scene with the Zoranian Competition and Consumer Authority (CCA) having concluded their investigation into C-Tech on August 30th. The CCA found that C-Tech devices are in violation of Zoranian privacy law with evidence of backdoors in C-Tech products for surveillance and data collection and has ordered a ban on all C-Tech products from mobile devices to even semiconductors for national security purposes and “in the interest of protecting the privacy of Zoranian citizens.” C-Tech made an official announcement denying the accusations levied against them and expressing “heavy offense” to the implications of the exploitability of their products; further adding that as an international corporation there is no reason to draw them into “petty nationalist disputes.” What’s Next? There is heavy speculation as to the direction this dispute between the Aniwvwiyai Coalition and Varanius will go. Many fear the break out of a war between the two while others speculate that this will just be a long ongoing power struggle with a series of one upping. However, certain groups in Zoran have seen this as an opportunity to increase their power and further their agenda. One group in particular, the Pan-Aniwvwiyai Party, has been using this flaring tension to push for a pan-national unification of the Aniwvwiyai nations stating that they would be stronger together in the face of “belligerent Varanian imperialism.” This message seems to have grown in popularity since the start of these tensions and rumors have it that a meeting is being planned between Queen Atsila I and the leaders of the Aniwvwiyai nations to address Varanian actions. However, no evidence has surfaced that points to these rumors being true. Regardless, many closely monitor the situation in the Darkesian as tensions seem to only grow each passing day.

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7 October 1424 - Today the controversial Pharmaceutical Copyright Act has been granted royal assent and has been signed into law. This law has effectively changed copyright law in Zoran in regards to medications and pharmaceutical products in that the Zoranian government will no longer recognize nor provide patents on drugs, effectively forcing pharmaceutical companies to sell their medications as generics in Zoran. This law, championed by the Red Throne Party, was created on the grounds that drugs that can save lives or improve the health of the citizenry should be viewed as a common good whose price should not be inflated by patents and copyright. The party argues that it is the goal of the Zoranian government to ensure that there are little to no barriers to healthcare and that patents on drugs can prevent people from accessing lifesaving treatments and thus go against this ethos. Critics of this law have stated that this would endanger Zoran's economy by making it harder for pharmaceutical companies in Zoran to fund their R&D departments. Furthermore, critics argue that the law could risk the imposition of trade barriers on the country from foreign powers who would see this as undermining their economy and copyright laws. These critiques are not without merit as the law could very well isolate Zoran economically and could have massive impacts on supply chains. However, supporters of the law cite that the lowered prices due to the removal of patents and vital medications can reduce the financial burden on the state's healthcare system. Supporters further argue that it could lead to Zoran becoming a hub for generic drug production and could open doors to trade with developing economies to allow them access to vital life saving drugs at lower costs. Those from the Junaluskanist party praise Queen Atsila for her decision to pass the bill saying that it may inspire changes abroad and incite the proletariate to demand the removal of such "monopolistic bourgeoise practices" elsewhere in the world. How this law will impact the daily lives of Zoranians and the country's international relations is just speculation at the moment, but in the next few days we are likely to see the consequences this law will bring.

1422 Act of Succession of the Kingdom of Zoran Preamble: In recognition of the need to provide clarity and stability to the succession of the Crown of Zoran, and to preserve the dignity, peace, and unity of the realm, this Act establishes the rules of succession to the Throne of Zoran. The provisions herein shall govern the lawful and orderly succession of the Crown, ensuring both continuity and the upholding of the rights and traditions of the Kingdom. Title I: Direct Descent from Queen Atsila Ani'-Wah' I Article 1 - The Crown of Zoran shall be inherited only by individuals who are part of the royal bloodline, which is defined as those who are of direct descent from Her Majesty, Queen Atsila Ani'-Wah' I, the founding monarch of the Kingdom of Zoran, as stated in Article 2 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Zoran. Article 2 - No individual outside of the direct lineage of Queen Atsila Ani'-Wah' I shall be eligible for succession to the throne. Article 3 - In cases of doubt or dispute regarding direct descent, the Chancellor and Council of State shall be empowered to conduct a formal inquiry, the results of which shall be binding. Title II: Order of Succession Article 4 - The Crown of Zoran shall pass in accordance with the principles of Absolute Cognatic Ultimogeniture. As such, succession to the throne shall be granted to the youngest child of the reigning monarch, regardless of gender. Article 5 - In the event that the reigning monarch has no children, succession shall pass to the youngest living sibling of the reigning monarch. Should the reigning monarch have no siblings, the youngest living descendant of the monarch’s closest ancestor shall inherit. Article 6.1 - Should no eligible heir exist within the royal bloodline, after confirmation by the Chancellor and Council of State, then procedure established in Article 8 of the Constitution of Zoran must be followed. Article 6.2 - For the purposes of this Act, the terms "royal bloodline" and “royal line” shall refer exclusively to the direct blood-related descendants of Queen Atsila Ani'-Wah' I, as stipulated in Title I, who are born in lawful wedlock as defined in Article 12.4. Title III: Prerogative of the Monarch to Designate an Heir Article 7 - Notwithstanding the provisions of Title II, the reigning monarch retains the sovereign prerogative to designate a specific heir to the Throne. Article 8 - The selection of a designated heir may be made at any time during the monarch’s reign, regardless of the order of birth of potential successors, provided the designated heir belongs to the royal bloodline and is eligible for succession to the throne of Zoran. Article 9 - The designation of an heir must be enacted by official decree and must be communicated to the Kingdom of Zoran through a formal and public announcement, known as the "Royal Proclamation of Succession." This proclamation must be witnessed by the Chancellor and Council of State and recorded in the official archives. Article 10 - The designated heir shall assume priority over all other potential successors named in Title II. Article 11 - If no heir is designated by the reigning monarch at the time of their death, the rules of Absolute Cognatic Ultimogeniture shall apply without deviation. Title IV: Concerning Children Article 12.1 - Only children born within the bounds of lawful wedlock shall be eligible for succession to the Throne of Zoran. Article 12.2 - Children born outside of lawful wedlock, whether acknowledged by the reigning monarch or not, shall have no claim to the Crown, regardless of their position in the royal bloodline. Article 12.3 - Lawful wedlock shall be defined in accordance with the laws and customs of the Kingdom of Zoran, as recognized by both the Council of State and the Dikahnawadvsdi Aninotlvsgi Iyunadai. Article 13 - All children born of marriages approved by the Crown must be raised within the Kingdom of Zoran from infancy until they reach the age of majority. Article 14 - In the event of divorce between the parents, the children shall continue to belong to the royal family and shall remain under the protection and guardianship of the Crown. Yet visitation rights by the parent that is no longer a member of the family is guaranteed. Article 15 - Members of the royal family shall be strictly forbidden from adopting children. Only biological children born within lawful wedlock, as defined in this Act, shall be recognized as royal offspring and eligible for succession. Article 16 - Members of the royal family are prohibited from engaging in surrogacy, whether by hiring a surrogate or acting as a surrogate. Any violation of this prohibition shall result in the forfeiture of all royal titles, privileges, and claims to the line of succession. Title V: Concerning Members of the Royal Family Article 17 - For the sake of this Act, a member of the royal family is defined as consisting of the reigning monarch and their spouse along with any living former monarchs who abdicated the throne and their spouses. It shall also consist of the siblings of the reigning monarch and their spouses. Aunts, uncles, and cousins of the monarch along with their spouses shall also be considered part of the royal family. Children born of lawful wedlock, as defined in Article 12.3, from the monarch, their siblings, and aunts and uncles of the monarch, are all considered part of the royal family. The grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren of the monarch that are born in lawful wedlock are considered part of the royal family as well. Article 18 - Any member of the royal family wishing to marry must first seek and obtain the approval of the reigning monarch. Article 19 - Marriages conducted without the explicit approval of the reigning monarch shall result in the immediate forfeiture of all royal titles, privileges, and rights for the member of the royal family entering into such a marriage. Article 20 - Any individual of the royal family who marries without the monarch's approval shall become ineligible to remain in the line of succession, and their descendants shall likewise be excluded from the royal line unless the monarch grants a formal reinstatement through a formal proclamation. Article 21 - Individuals who wish to marry into the royal family must, upon marriage, take the name of the royal family of Zoran, thereby affirming their integration into the royal house and their allegiance to the Crown and the Kingdom. Article 22 - The reigning monarch shall have the power to define and approve the terms and conditions under which marriages are deemed suitable for members of the royal family, including considerations of noble status, citizenship, and loyalty to the Kingdom of Zoran. Article 23 - No member of the royal family of Ani’-Wah’ shall become the monarch of another country, either by election or through marriage, without the explicit consent of the reigning monarch of Zoran. Consent to assume a foreign throne may be granted by the reigning monarch, provided it is determined that such an arrangement does not conflict with the best interests of the Kingdom of Zoran. The Council of State may be consulted to provide advice on such matters. The monarch will grant her consent through royal proclamation to the public with the proclamation later stored in the public archive. Article 24 - Should a member become the monarch of another country without receiving the required approval, they shall forfeit their claim to the Crown of Zoran and lose all royal titles, privileges, and rights associated with their status in the Kingdom of Zoran. The forfeiture of royal status shall extend to their descendants, who shall also be excluded from the line of succession. Title VI: Conditions of Succession Article 25 - To be eligible for succession, the heir must be a citizen of Zoran and must profess allegiance to the laws, customs, and constitution of the Kingdom. Article 26 - In the event that an heir is unable or unwilling to assume the Throne, the line of succession shall proceed to the next eligible individual as determined by the rules of ultimogeniture or as provided by the Royal Proclamation of Succession. Title VII: Regency in the Event of Minority Article 27 - Should the rightful heir to the throne, the rightful heir being the first person in the order of succession according to Title II of this Act or the one designated as the heir by a Royal Proclamation of Succession, be under the age of eighteen at the time of the monarch’s death or abdication, a regency shall be established to govern the Kingdom of Zoran in the heir's name until they reach the age of majority. Article 28 - During the minority of the heir, the regent shall be determined via instruction given in the Royal Proclamation of Succession. Article 29 - Should the Royal Proclamation of Succession not designate a regent or should the designated regent be incapable of assuming the position be it a result of death or infirmity, then the regency shall pass to the king or queen dowager should one exist. Article 30 - Should a king or queen dowager not exist or should they die as regent before the heir becomes of age, then the regency shall pass to the oldest child of the monarch if they are twenty-one years of age or older, following the order of Absolute Cognatic Primogeniture. Article 31 - Should there be no other children besides the heir or should none of the other children meet the age requirement, then the regency shall belong to three of the members of the Council of State–with the exception of the Chancellor and the Minister of Defense–who shall elect the three members of the regency amongst themselves. These three elected members of the regency shall govern the Kingdom until either one of the children, besides the heir, meets the age requirement in Article 30 or until the heir reaches majority. Article 32 - If the monarch falls ill or suffers from an injury in which they will be unable to govern the Kingdom, then the rightful heir, should they be of at least eighteen years of age, shall serve as regent and govern on their behalf until they have recovered and are able to return to duty. Article 33 - The regent(s), members of the Council of State, and members of the Dikahnawadvsdi Aninotlvsgi Iyunadai must make an oath to the monarch with the promise to return the government to them as soon as they reach majority or until the monarch is able to return to duty. The oath is as followed: (TBD) Article 34 - The regency, regardless of whether it be due to the minority of the heir or the impediment of the monarch, is unable to grant Royal Assent to a Bill which alters the line of succession or the Constitution nor are they able to dissolve the Dikahnawadvsdi Aninotlvsgi Iyunadai. Title VIII: Amendment and Interpretation Article 35 - This Act of Succession shall be binding and may only be amended through the will of the reigning monarch and with the approval of a two-thirds majority in the Dikahnawadvsdi Aninotlvsgi Iyunadai. Article 36 - In all matters of interpretation, the monarch’s decree shall be considered final, unless otherwise stated in the Constitution of the Kingdom of Zoran.

Dusts off thread once more and salutes in Mia's honor as he pulls a lever and slimes @Dilber again.

13 August, 1424 - Today the Internet Rights Amendment failed to pass in the Iyunadai with the Red Throne Party voting against the amendment along with the Talon League coalition. Chancellor Yenuha Aditsi had this to say on this matter, "It is a shame that the Internet Rights Amendment was rejected by the Iyunadai, it would have brought great change to the people of Zoran in providing them basic access to information in an age of globalization." When asked about if he had any insight as to why the Red Throne Party might have voted against the amendment, he had this to say, "I do not believe that the lawmakers of the Red Throne party are against the idea of the Internet Rights Amendment, on the contrary I was under the impression that a majority of them are very much in favor of enshrining internet rights into the Zoranian constitution. But from what I have heard among the lawmakers of the party, they want to collaborate with the Pirate Party to re-write the proposed amendment and make it more defined and robust in its protections. What they mean by this I cannot say, but it would be safe to assume that the Internet Rights Amendment is far from dead." Agasga Florius of the Pirate Party and Degotoga Atawodi of the Red Throne Party refused to comment on the situation at this time. The public reaction to this ruling has been mixed with some saying that this was an disappointing decision by the lawmakers while others praise it believing that the proposed amendment was not properly thought out. Others praise the decision believing that access to the internet is not a human right and that the lawmakers acted wisely in rejecting the amendment.

11 August 1424 - Today it was announced that the proposed Internet Right Amendment to the constitution will be brought to vote in the Iyunadai in the coming days. This bill was proposed by Lawmaker Agasga Florius of the Pirate Party and would make internet access a human right for Zoranian citizens and would have dramatic far reaching changes that could send ripples through the internet service industry. The expanse of these changes are to be speculated but it is already being met by much resistance from the Talon League coalition, with leaders of the coalition stating that internet access is not a human right "as humanity has existed for centuries without it and the implementation of such an addition to the constitution would mean that people have been deprived of a right for centuries." This is just simply one of their objections to the proposed amendment with the various leaders of the political parties of the Talon League each coming up with their own reasons for opposing the law. The Prosperity Coalition, on the other hand, has been silent on the matter so far. Those close to Junaluska of the Junalusaknist Party has stated that they are likely to support the amendment stating that "the internet is necessary for the revolution to spread abroad in the modern world and for the citizens of Zoran to learn about the injustices of the global capitalism and to be part of the international struggle for a better world." Other parties have not given insight into their opinions on the amendment yet and no hints have been found with regards to the other parties. In the coming days more details will likely be released by the other political parties as to how they attend to vote on this amendment.

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Geography

(This is a collaborative post made by me and @Varanius) 14 July 1424 10:00 Auran Standard Time Zygotia, Varanius Sarah Finn grumbles as she reads the latest updates on the C-Tech investigation in Zoran. This is clearly a covert attack against her, the zoranian government didn’t seem to have any interest in C-Tech before she secured her leadership of the country; but, they won’t be so confident soon enough. The door opens and several military advisors enter the room with various files in hand. “Good morning, Madam Prime Minister, may the Most Ocular One’s glory brighten your day.” said advisor Eugene Vincent, “Yes yes, and to you as well. Now, do you have the plans for our liberation of the Darkesian?” asked Sarah, “Yes, madam, all the plans have been kept off of electronic devices too as you instructed.” said Eugene, “Excellent, now let’s go over the plans before we put them into action.” said Sarah excitedly, “First phase of the plan is to begin by moving our naval forces into the center of the Darkesian, establishing control over the waters around Galete (D5), Onego (D4), and Kahuwe (D3) using force against whatever pathetic excuse those three nations call a navy.” said advisor Shannon Lee, “There is no doubt that we will be able to steamroll any opposition posed by those three tiny nations but I bet by the time we reach Kahuweian waters we would draw the attention of Zoran.” said Sarah, “Yes, madam, we know that the current zoranian government has reaffirmed the continuation of the Ani-whatever doctrine and will come to the aid of those nations in the central of the Darkesian if they ask. But, we expect that they won’t resort to attacking our ships immediately as they would likely try to avoid war after just getting out of one. To us we can use this as an advantage to force them to back off if we keep using brinkmanship tactics.” said advisor Jonas March, “Good, I like the sound of this. Now what about the possibility of interference by those colonizers?” asks Finn, “From our estimates, the Giovannilandians will not likely intervene unless we directly threaten Andoliavilla, which won’t be until we move to phase two of the plan and invade Galete. In terms of the Markans, we will be far enough away from them in the initial stages that we are not likely to see them involve themselves militarily unless the Giovannilandians do. Both will likely try to work with the Zoranians at some point but considering the current tense relations between them and the Zoranians the outcome of a joint strike involving the three of them is unlikely. We predict that the Zoranians would tell both the Markans and the Giovannilandians to stay out of this due to their tendency of being very protective over the central Darkesian nations.” said Eugene. Sarah begins to chuckle with glee, this couldn’t possibly get any better, “Perfect, then let’s start phase one and get our ships out there.” ordered Finn, to which her advisors obliged. 15 July 1424 05:00 AST Darkesian Sea, off the coast of Galete A small fishing vessel has cast its lines and has started its long work day. The fishermen are working hard keeping an eye on the machinery and the lines. As the captain mops some sweat off his brow he looks out across the vast expanse of the Darkesian before seeing something in the distance. Ships, many of them but not just any normal ships, these were military vessels. He squinted as he looked closer at the flag of the ships and saw they were flying the yellow and white Varanian flag. He ran over to the helm and used his radio to contact the coast guard, “Hello sir, what is your emergency.” said the coast guard operator, “H-hello? Yes, I-I would like to report the sighting of Varanian military vessels in our waters.” answered the captain nervously, “Varanian ships? Are you certain about this?” “Y-yes! I saw their flag on the military ships with my own eyes!” “Very well, sir, we will send a plane out to confirm. What are your coordinates?” “They are-” But as he was about to give the coordinates the boat began to rock violently and a crashing noise could be heard from outside the cabin. “Sir, is everything all right?” asked the operator, “I-I’m sorry, something happened outside, I have to check it out!” answered the captain, “No no no, wa-” but the operator was cut off as the captain put down the radio and ran outside only to find that his boat had been crashed into by a Varanian destroyer, the ship right next to his, “HEY!” he yelled in galetian, “YOU HIT MY BOAT! WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING OUT HERE!?” A varanian soldier came to the side of the boat and looked down at him with a confused expression on his face, “WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? I DON’T UNDERSTAND YOUR GIBBERISH!” exclaimed the soldier in Varanian, “ARE THOSE EVEN WORDS? I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING!” he yells back, The varanian soldier just walks off to find someone on the ship who speaks common and the sea boat captain does the same, when the two return they both have someone who speaks common. The captain relays what he wants to say to the sailor who spoke common and he says, “MY CAPTAIN SAYS YOU HIT HIS BOAT AND ASKS WHAT YOU GUYS ARE EVEN DOING HERE?” the Varanian soldiers then converse with each other a bit before the other soldier that spoke common answers, “YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED OUT OF OUR WAY! THESE ARE VARANIAN WATERS, THEY ALWAYS HAVE BEEN!” The sailor and the captain converse with each other with concern before the sailor yells back, “ARE YOU CRAZY! THESE ARE GALETIAN WATERS! GET OUT OF HERE!” The two soldiers converse before responding, “CLEAR OUT BEFORE WE USE FORCE!” The captain and the sailor began to panic and instead of fighting they decided to pull in the nets and return to shore. The captain then went and made a report to the coast guard and it didn’t take long before this reached the ears of the Galetian government. They sent out a patrol boat out to scout for the varanian ships and after a few hours of searching the ship managed to locate them. But as the ship approached, two of the varanian ships began firing their water cannons at the ship. The crew tried to continue onwards but the pressure just became too much and they were forced to retreat. When the ship returned, the Galetian government made a public statement officially denouncing the varanian government for their actions. 15 July 1424 21:00 Over Time New Zoradia, Zoran Atsila was about to finish up her work for the day when Minister Agaluysdi rushed into the office along with General Adahihi and Chancellor Yenuha Aditsi. Atsila looked at the three of them with concern, “Oh no, what’s the problem?” she asked, “The varanians!” exclaimed General Adahihi, “The Gawetehó:nǫʼ (Galetian) government has denounced the Varanian government for sending their fleet into their waters. When they sent the coast guard to investigate they were blasted with water cannons. Supposedly, they are also stopping fishermen from fishing as well, claiming that they are fishing ‘varanian waters’.” said Minister Agaluysdi, “Oh for the love of-I am guessing that Gawetego:ke (Galete) wants us to uphold our commitment towards their defense?” asked Atsila, “Yes, they are asking us to send ships over to intimidate them into leaving.” said Minister Agaluysdi, “Adahihi, what is your take on the situation?” asked Atsila, “I am going to be honest, I think we should hold off on taking action. If their ships start harassing O:negowa:gwa' (Onego) and Kahuwe:yóke (Kahuwe) as well then we need to spring into action. I recommend that we tell them that we will start mustering our forces and say that there are some logistical delays on our end when they inquire.” “I agree,” said Chancellor Aditsi, “this will also buy me some time to try and prepare a strategy for uniting the iyunadai should conflict become a possibility. There are definitely going to be certain parties calling for more immediate action such as the Pan-Aniwvwiyai Party and the Darkesian Liberation Front. You can also probably expect some criticism from the Junaluskanist party for allowing ‘imperialists to start to harass our Darkesian brothers and sisters.’” “That is to be expected…all right, let’s do that. Keep an eye on the situation, inform the Gawetego:ke of our decision, and try to come up with a way to unify the iyunadai.” Atsila said to the three of them. They bowed and left the office, but Atsila began to think of what to do in the case of a war in the Darkesian, the thought haunted her in her dreams. 16 July 1424 08:00 Over Time New Zoradia, Zoran Atsila was in her office, as usual, when General Adahihi and Minister Agaluysdi barged into her office, “The situation has gotten worse. The Varanians have been spotted off the coasts of O:negowa:gwa' (Onego) and Kahuwe:yóke (Kahuwe) last night!” exclaimed General Adahihi, “What!” Atsila exclaimed in surprise, “How many ships do they even have!? Surely not enough to cover that much area all at once!” “No, we suspect that this is the same fleet making patrols around the region. But we have received reports that this fleet is claiming for the entire area to be Varanian waters. I think they are trying to establish control in the area to make a naval invasion easier in the future.” said Adahihi, “It is possible but I still say that it is rushing to conclusions. General, dispatch our fleet to the region.” ordered Atsila, “But, Your Majesty, the fleet still isn’t complete. We have most of the ships we ordered as part of the reconstruction program, but the two carriers won’t be complete until 1426 and the final batch of destroyers won’t be complete until next year!” exclaimed Adahihi, “I know, but our goal is to try and intimidate the Varanian navy into leaving the area without the use of lethal force. If there is to be a war with Varanius we are not starting it now.” “I see what you mean…very well. I will do that at once.” with that General Adahihi bowed and left the room leaving Atsila with Minister Agaluysdi, “What is the general sentiment among the Aniwvwiyai nations?” Atsila asked, “To be very honest, they are worried. It might just be those three nations now but they fear that the Varanians might grow ambitious and expand across the Darkesian.” answered Agaluysdi, “Do the Varanians even have a navy big enough to accomplish such a task?” “I don’t know but I think that once our fleet engages, we need to encourage unity between ourselves and the Aniwvwiyai nations. If we want to successfully deter the possibility of a Varanian invasion we need to find a way to tie ourselves to their nations. As it currently stands, our people are not likely to support a decision to go to war in the defense of the Aniwvwiyai as outside of the old declaration made by the GDC we have no real obligation to do so. To craft an alliance with them would take too long as it would be a series of negotiations and then having the iyunadai agree to all the terms.” “Then what do you suggest?” asked Atsila, “I see an opportunity to further deter Varanius and also ensure our control of the Darkesian while also having a potential war with Varanius have more support amongst the public.” said Agaluysdi, “Well, spit it out. What is this idea?” “We hold a summit with the other heads of the Aniwvwiyai nations and discuss the possibility of unification.” “What?” “You heard me.” “Are you crazy! That would possibly take longer than alliance negotiations! Not to mention it would likely be met with opposition from other nations!” “It is risky but if it works out we would be able to have significant sway over trade through the Darkesian and ensure the region’s security. Not to mention that it would deter any other military threats against the Aniwvwiyai nations in the future.” “But do you just expect the other Aniwvwiyai nations to just agree to this? They have smaller populations and would likely not be represented in the government properly.” “We can figure that out if we go forward with this idea and negotiate with the other states but my question to you is should I broach the topic with them?” Atsila thought about this for a minute, hesitant to make a decision on this so soon but she was also curious about what the other nations would say. “Go ahead and broach the idea with them. Keep an eye on the situation and report back any new developments.” ordered Atsila. Agaluysdi nodded and bowed as he left the room to fulfill his orders. Atsila took a shaky sip of water as she worried about the possibility of an all out war in the Darkesian.