Díapaza Bréidle
| Díapaza Bréidle | |
|---|---|
| |
Díapaza Bréidle is the sixth person to assume the role of Crown of Passio-Corum, and the first since Queen Evahn I to ascend to the position without initially being recognized as the Oracle of the Host Spirit.
Early life
| Date | Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| TBD PSSC (TBD ASC) | Cult of Maskmakers | A High Priestess of the Maritime Guild of the Cult of Maskmakers - a cult of Bassaridian sorcerers based in Blore Heath, who practice face-changing, a dark and mysterious type of magic which allows practitioners to change their identities and the identities of others - Díapaza Bréidle first emerged and ascended to a position of political prominence during the Strait of Haifa Campaign, where her shadowy and often violent operations gained her the attention and ultimate favor of the Empress of Passio-Corum, Kan Zen. Prior to her emergence during the conflict, nothing is publicly known about the early life and childhood of Bréidle. Her identity prior to the outbreak of conflict is completely unknown. Who she was prior to becoming Bréidle - where she was from, when she was born, whether she was a man or a woman or some combination of both - is not known. For her part, Bréidle - who during the Strait of Haifa Campaign played a central role as the primary Bassarid rival and ultimate adversary of Oracle and heir-apparent to the Crown of Passio-Corum, Fï Ríoja del Háifa - claims no recollection of her life prior to adopting her current form, though she is recorded as acknowledging that she has not always existed in this form, and that she has previously lived as one, or perhaps three other people.
This uncertainty regarding Bréidle's background and "true" identity, and her ties to the Cult of Maskmakers were subjects of severe contention in the period leading up to and immediately following her ascension to the throne. Many worried that she may, in one of her earlier forms, have harbored ties to foreign governments. Others worried about the ties between the Maskmakers and the ruling class of the rising Alperkin religion, and about the possibility that Bréidle herself may suffer the effects of the Noctic Vampirism which then plagued the region surrounding Lake Morovia. As she ascended through the ranks of the Bassarid government, Bréidle cultivated this uncertainty and fear through her words and actions. Once appointed to the position of Bassarid Chief Intelligence Officer, she orchestrated a clandestine operation aimed at besmirching the good name of the Oracle Fï Ríoja del Háifa. This operation, which tied the heir to the Crown of Passio-Corum to the growing Noctic-Rabrev trade in Keltia, turned public opinion so fervently against the Oracle that she was ultimately driven to an apparent murder suicide, thus ending the dynasty of Oracle Rulers in Passio-Corum. Meanwhile, Bréidle - in her official capacity as Chief Intelligence Officer - continued overseeing a simultaneous, thinly-veiled covert operation aimed at establishing Alperkin control of the Noctic-Rabrev trade. Similarly, Bréidle oversaw the assassinations of many infamous Bassarid pirates operating across the east, meanwhile fostering the very alliances which would ultimately allow for the establishment of the Alliance of the Bassarid Oceans. These conflicting actions, which were carried out with little pretense of secrecy, contributed to the public uncertainty regarding Bréidle. Those who voiced their concerns or displeasure were rapidly silenced. Some were killed - sometimes violently and publicly - while others were quietly reprimanded. Some early dissenters were brought into the fold of Bréidle's rapidly expanding sphere of influence, becoming some of her most rabid supporters. By the time of her ascension to the Crown of Passio-Corum following the abdication of Kan Zen, which itself came as a shock given the recent untimely death of the Oracle, the nation was fully immersed in uncertainty regarding the nature of its newest ruler. For the first time, the nation was to be ruled not by the spawn of a prophet or prophetess, not by an enlightened individual chosen by the Host Spirit, but by a spy trained by the masters of shape-shifting magic and the art of deception. And so, upon her ascension, the nation fell into era of gloom, despair, and relative isolationism. |
Early rule
| Date | Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| TBD PSSC (TBD ASC) | Chaos and Conflict | Upon ascending to the position of Crown of Passio-Corum, Díapaza Bréidle immediately begins to implement a series of reforms aimed at repairing the nation's international reputation following the brutal Harpy War, while continuing to expand the nation's empire. She places restrictions on the growing Bassarid cannibal industry, prohibits funding for criminal operations in the Bassarid Kingdom of New Normark, and expressly rejects support for Bassarid-affiliated pirate organizations who prey upon vessels representing the newly established nation of Alduria. With that said, she also greatly expands Bassarid non-territorial claims around the world. To this end, she authorizes the establishment of organizations such as the Alliance of the Bassarid Oceans and the Dominion of the Corumian Green. The apparent contradictions in Bréidle's policies during the early part of her reign prompt outrage and confusion abroad, as an increasing number of nations attempt to distance themselves from the Bassarids. This trend accelerates in 38.90 PSSC, when the New Zimian War League - at the command of the new empress - launches an invasion and occupation of Haifa in the immediate aftermath of the dissolution of Caputia. This conflict, known as the Haifan Civil War, nearly results in world war as the Bassarids rapidly expand the scope of their operations to include a blockade upon Hoenn, an island nation located far away from the center of fighting in Haifa. Ultimately world war is averted, and the Bassarids are allowed to focus on fighting Jezeri insurgents who seek to claim Haifa for themselves.
The Haifan Civil War resolves in a stalemate between the Bassarid and Bassarid-backed forces, and Jezeraah. While the Bassarids manage to significantly expand their territorial claims around Lake Morovia, and to establish command of all major Haifan cities, the New Zimian War League is also unable to prevent Jezeraah from establishing itself as a recognized independent nation. Control of the city of Abeis itself is divided between the Bassarids and Jezeraah. The precedent established by what many regard as a Jezeri victory in the Civil War serves, in the period following, as a call to action for a number of rebel groups located around the Bassarid sphere of influence. Most notable of these rebellions is the Baru Kotani uprising in the northwestern reaches of the newly expanded Dependency of Tanah-Baru. The apparent Jezeri victory in the Haifan Civil War serves also to greatly encourage the Alperkin and the Noctic-Rabrev traders upon whom they rely, who seek to increase their operations in the Bassarid cities of Lewisburg and Vaeringheim. This period of rebellion and foreign danger is known as the Leaving of the Host, a term which reflects the general sentiment that the Host Spirit, angered by the ascension of Bréidle - a non-Oracle - to the Crown of Passio-Corum, has abandoned the Bassarid nation. For her part, Bréidle is not phased by public anger or despair. In 40.93 PSSC, she announces that she will eventually appoint as her heir, one of her own offspring. She announces furthermore, that she is pregnant with her first child. The widespread outrage caused by these announcements is greatly accelerated days later it is also confirmed that the newly Appointed Chief Justice of the Temple Court will be removed from office and exiled on the basis of charges that she has attempted to lead a conspiracy against Bréidle's life. In addition, it is also announced that the power of the Chief Justice of the Temple Court will now be divided among the six scarcely-recognized High Preistesses of the Council of Temple Priestesses. Over half of all members of the Houses of Pallisican Chelkra resign from their positions in protest of these announcements, as many in the lands controlled by the New Zimian Temple Authority begin to call for open revolt against the Crown. The dissolution of the Houses of Pallisican Chelkra comes as a blow to the people of the Bassarids, who now believe more than ever that their nation has been abandoned by the Host Spirit. The Empress, however, regards this as a real opportunity to seize power. To this end, she appoints members of the Council to begin circulating rumors that Bréidle - despite her earlier hesitancy - will now assume the Office of the Oracle. As the public receives word of these rumors, the people are divided into two major factions. One one hand, many are outraged by Bréidle's actions, arguing that she has endangered the viability of the age-old religious institutions which have long-supported the nation's social fabric. Others express extreme support for Bréidle, arguing that she is taking action to establish a more forward thinking, progressive and efficient society. Those who fall into the former camp quickly change their tune, as they collectively, quickly begin to face the threat of extermination at the hands of street thugs and criminals who face little opposition from established authorities. Facing such reprisal for their opposition, enemies of the Crown band together around the nation's various monasteries, including those found in the Kingdom of New Zimia and the Realm of Bayen, the Eastern Eura Trade Association, and even Chelkran Kesh itself. These monasteries become centers of revolutionary sentiment against Bréidle's administration. Once again, Bréidle is un-phased by the outbreak of open rebellion in the nation's monasteries, and within the Temple Court as a whole. Indeed, she seems to ignore the rebellions entirely, refusing to deploy forces despite desperate appeals by both the Commander of the New Zimian War League and the Chief Admiral of the Alliance of Bassarid Oceans. Rather than deploy forces, or taking any clear measures to combat these rebellions, Bréidle regards this as an opportunity to expand her base of power. With a Council of Courts which is fiercely loyal to her, and a legislature whose members remain hesitant to oppose her, Bréidle expands the Council of Courts to include several new offices which most members of the public regard as being frivolous. Among these are the Permanent Delegation to the Bassarid Periphery - whose responsibility it is to engage in relations with the Alperkin and the Bassarid puppet state in the Iron Cult of Leng, and the Chief Ambassador to the High King of the Caverns, which is responsible for engaging in relations with the Corumian Underground - an ardent ally of the Bassarid government. The creation of these offices serves to frustrate the Bassarid populace, who felt increasingly impotent in their opposition to to Bréidle's administration. In the late 40s PSSC this frustration boils over in the secular Eurani settlement of Vandia-Levi after Bréidle trades the entirety of the oil-rich Stars Archipelago for the Saint Andre Islands, in southeastern Apollonia. As rebellion breaks out in northwestern Eura, Bréidle remains aloof, leading many to question her motives, and indeed her very sanity. |
| 41.15 PSSC (TBD ASC) | Empress Ink | In 41.15 a rumor begins to circulate across Corum and most of Bassarid Eura alleging that Bréidle is a fictional character, imagined by an unnamed hermit living in a cavern in the remote hills surrounding Agripinilla, and conjured into fleshly existence through the dark, centaur rituals carried out by the crazed, feral Bassarid face-changers who inhabit the wastes of the western Strait of Haifa. Though such rumors are roundly dismissed by most level-headed citizens of the Bassarids, they nevertheless give rise to a new epithet for the nation's wildly unpopular ruler. In much as the same ways as her predecessor - during her lifetime - came to be known as the "Harpy Queen," Bréidle herself now comes to be known as "Empress Ink." Supporters and opponents of the Crown alike seize upon this title, both to support their own causes in what many regard as an increasing social and political divide within the nation. |
| 41.19 PSSC (TBD ASC) | Monastic Rebellions | In 41.19 PSSC, the nation witnesses a shift in the attitude of the Empress regarding the monastic rebellions which have now swept the Trade Association. For the first time, she grants permission for the War League to begin carrying out operations aimed at quelling rebellions in Corum and Eura. She also announces that she will personally assume direct command of forces seeking to drive rebels out of mainland New Zimia and the Realm of Bayen. This announcement causes most resistance forces in the Mina Monastery to dissolve and scatter almost immediately, as even the most radical opponent of the Empress flees the from the prospect of her retribution. Rebel forces operating out of the Pach monastery present slightly more resistance, but are roundly overcome by the Empress' forces with little affair.
In addition to assuming direct command of War League forces in operations aimed at quelling monastic uprisings in Corum, the Empress also approves changes to the nation's constitution which allow for the creation of new political subdivisions for the Trade Association. The Bassarids, to this end are divided into three broad regions known as Associate Domains. These three Associate Domains are Corumia, which combines all Bassarid territory in Corum and the North Antarctic, Euranidom which combines all Bassarid holdings in Eura, and Keltiania, which represents the broad region of Bassarid Keltia. To lead each of these domains, the Empress creates the Council of Kings, a new branch of the Council of Courts, designating as the kings of each Associate Domain her most trusted personal allies and partners. To the Council of Kings, the Empress the grants the full authority to address rebellions and uprisings in each Associate Domain. The newly appointed King of Euranidom seizes upon this authority granted to him by the Empress, immediately launching a full scale blockade and amphibious assault against the Krey'Akusu Monastery, in northeastern Eura. This operation results in the near complete destruction of the monastery, and in the deaths of nearly all monastery leaders, regardless of their support for or opposition to the Empress. This event comes to be known as the Sacking of Krey-Aken, and is regarded as one of the most violent campaigns ever perpetrated against native Bassaridians in their homelands. In contrast, the newly appointed King of Keltiania adopts a more reserved approach in efforts aimed at re-establishing control of Chelkran Kesh. Rather than deploy forces in a direct operation, the King, with the support of the Lord of Temples, successfully advises the Empress to move the capital of the New Zimian Temple Authority away from Chelkran Kesh. On the basis of this advice, the Empress authorizes the establishment of a handful of new Bassarid monasteries across Keltia, Eura, and Apollonia, governed only by those most fiercely loyal to her, and relocates the capital of the Temple Authority to the Saint Andre Islands. The decision bears a crippling impact upon Chelkran Kesh, which until now had been entirely supported by the presence of the Temple Authority, and upon all monasteries connected to Chelkran Kesh. Within a matter of weeks following the decision, the rebellion in Chelkran Kesh has all but dissolved, and the city is left a mere shell of its former self. In 41.35 PSSC, the Empress visits the city in order to personally accept the surrender of rebel leaders, who are subsequently exiled to the Iron Cult of Leng. These leaders soon find themselves caught up in the hysterical violence which would emerge as a result of the brutal War League campaign officially known as Operation Amok-Among. |
| 41.71 PSSC (TBD ASC) | Basssarid Periphery | In the 41.40s and 50s PSSC, Empress Bréidle established herself as a champion of the Bassarid Periphery, lobbying the Council of the Micronational Cartography Society on two separate occasions to formally recognize the existence of a loose union between ostensibly Bassarid nations not directly tied to the Imperial Trade Union. Despite the initial reluctance of the council to be swayed by her insistence, the Empress' efforts to support the establishment of the Bassarid Periphery would prove successful.
Bréidle's reasons for supporting the establishment of the Bassarid Periphery are not entirely clear. Her insistence upon its creation was heavily opposed even within the Council of Courts, as well to some extent by members of the international community who expressed a lack of clarity regarding the purpose of the union. For her part, Bréidle maintained that the establishment of the Periphery reflected a political reality that its constituent member states played a near identical role in global politics, and should therefore be regarded as a common political entity. She furthermore argued that the establishment of the Periphery would also streamline relations between constituents and foreign nations. Although both arguments were generally accepted as valid, even the least cynical observer would be inclined to note that the establishment of the Periphery would serve little purpose but to absolve the Bassarids, and specifically Bréidle herself, of any overt political ties to the privateer and pirate communities constituting the Alliance of the Bassarid Oceans, an organization which Bréidle had consistently and publicly regarded with severe scorn. Regardless of whether this desire was among her motivations for supporting the Periphery, it is the case that the Alliance of Bassarid Oceans significantly expanded its operations and range of operations in the aftermath of the Periphery's establishment. Owing to this correlation, the Bassarid Periphery was branded by theElwynnese Republic's Commission of Foreign Affairs as the "driving force behind international piracy." This label would represent an apparent shift in the disposition of foreign nations, who had formerly regarded the Bassarids themselves in this nefarious light. While on one hand, the establishment of the Bassarid Periphery would benefit Bassarid political and business leaders, insofar as it would allow them to distance themselves from growing concerns regarding Bassarid piracy in international waters, the existence of the Periphery would come to be regarded as a significant burden on everyday Bassarid society. To this end, the establishment and existence of the Periphery would result in a state of uncertainty among citizens regarding their status within the Trade Association - especially in regions located far from the capital in Luciusi. Whereas it was the case that even prior to the ascension of Bréidle to the position of Empress, citizens had already begun to question their place and overall role in the Imperial Trade Association, the establishment of the Periphery served to significantly worsen these concerns, as people began to grow unsure as to the political status of their various home lands, and that their countries and territories may also soon be relegated into the sphere of the Bassarid Periphery. This uncertainty was compounded by a rapid surge in cases of Noctic Vampirism across the Bassarids, especially in Keltiania and parts of Euranidom, where Noctic traders - enjoying a new sense of perceived legitimacy - ramped up their efforts to export their dark and deadly crop. For her part, Bréidle would largely rescind herself from the public eye during this period, only appearing before the public or issuing addresses on very rare and significant occasions, leading many to speculate that the Empress herself had begun to suffer the negative consequences of a prolonged Noctic-Rabrev addiction. The Council of Courts, too, would fall into a period of relative dormancy, leaving the various Associate Domains to tend to their own affairs, and to fend for themselves against growing foreign and domestic challenges such as the growth of new, unfriendly empires in Keltia and Eura. This period comes to be known as the Second Leaving of the Host, a term which refers to the general belief that Bassarid society had been temporarily or permanently abandoned by the Host Spirit. This growing concern that the Host Spirit has abandoned the Bassarid people is compounded by widespread, unconfirmed rumors that the Empress - riddled with the full effects of Noctic Vampirism - has formed an intimate relationship with a sasquatch captured near the border between Vaeringheim and the hellish depths of Alperkin. Such rumors lead a number of prominent opposition leaders across the Bassarids to call for Bréidle's removal from office. |
Mid rule
| Date | Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 42.56 PSSC (TBD AN) | Political Collapse | In 42.48 PSSC the Supreme Council of the MCS announces that it will suspend its recognition of Bassarid territorial claims around the world, citing concerns that the Bassarid government has failed to respond to international and domestic pressures in vast portions of its territories. As part of its decision, the Supreme Council invites the Bassarid government to offer its own proposal for a territorial reduction. When its initial proposal is rejected, the Bassarid government refuses to offer an alternative, and instead shifts its focus to rebuking the MCS over what it regards as a partisan conspiracy. The Empress, for her part, takes it upon herself to allege that the Supreme Council has been hijacked by anti-Bassarid, anti-USSO extremists, who seek to punish the Bassarids as a means of venting other frustrations. This rebuke by the Empress is not well received. In the Bassarids, many citizens regard the attack as embarrassing and unnecessary. Some regard the Empress' outburst as further evidence that she suffers from a crippling Noctic-Rabrev addiction which impairs her judgement. Internationally, the attacks by the Empress serve to further re-enforce the views already held by many, that the Bassarids are a nation of crude barbarians and criminals.
Despite her outburst, the Empress responds to the announcement by the Council by implementing a series of reforms aimed at revitalizing, and re-enforcing Bassarid political and economic interests around the globe. Most significantly, she finalizes plans to streamline investment in the Port of Vines by merging brokerages into new regional entities jointly controlled by the Council of Kings, and the Congress of Regional Investors. To this end, the Pallisican Central Stock Fund and the Markets of Outer Corum are combined to form the Port of Corumia. The Greater Eurani Trade Association and the Pallisican Port Felix Shipping Corporation combine to form the Port of Euranidom. The Southern Port of Keltiania is established by combining the West Keltian Trade Association and the Northern Sea of Storms Industrial Corporation, while the Port of Haifan Keltiania is created as a consequence of merging all of the various independent brokerages based along the Strait of Haifa. The brokerages affiliated with the USSO Common Market are also merged as part of these reforms, combining to become the New USSO Common Market. These reforms have an immediate impact on the Bassarid economy, and upon trade between the Bassarids and foreign allies. In most parts of the Imperial Trade Union, the changes cause a sudden, drastic increase in the price of goods, resulting in reduced stipends for Bassarid citizens, further alienating many across the Imperial Trade Union from the nation's central government, and driving a surge in political and economic unrest. In response to these reforms, the Supreme Council of the MCS, in 42.52 PSSC, finalizes plans to suspend its recognition of 20% of all Bassarid territorial claims. The Haifo-Pallisican Imperial Trade Association reels from this response, as many begin to express concerns regarding the apparent, impending demise of the once-great nation. For its part, the Bassarid government, under the leadership of the Empress, responds to the sudden loss of its recognized sphere of influence, initially with silent scorn and contempt for the Supreme Council of the MCS, and then with a quiet determination to preserve and continue expanding Bassarid interests in what many around the world now regard as the "Post-Bassarid" era. Following a brief period of utter indignation, the government begins issuing assurances that it will not suspend trade with regions no longer recognized as falling within the Bassarid sphere of influence. It furthermore finalizes efforts to reform the economy, resulting in an overall stabilization of the prices of goods across industries. In 42.66 PSSC. data from the Office of the President of the National Bank reveals an overall reduction in the price of goods across roughly 60% of the nation's industries, and an overall reduction in the prices of goods offered by all brokerages save for the Port of Corumia. With this normalization in the price of goods, citizens across the Bassarids enjoy the return of their normal stipends, which itself results in diminishing unrest across recognized and non-recognized Bassarid territories. This normalization also extends to trade with foreign nations - as prices begin to return to normal levels, trade between members of the USSO begins to accelerate once again, even as the Imperial Trade Union itself adopts an increasingly isolationist foreign policy. In addition to finalizing efforts to reform and stabilize the nation's economy, the government of the Haifo-Pallisican Imperial Trade Union also responds to its sudden decline in political influence in a number of other ways. First of all, the Council of Courts informally suspends support for the International Anti-Piracy League, a Bassarid organization ostensibly created at the directive of the Empress with the goal of combating piracy around the globe. This decision is seized upon by pirate and privateer organizations affiliated with the Alliance of the Bassarid Oceans, who launch offensives along the Strait of Haifa and the Saint Andre Islands, orchestrate coups, and support successful uprisings in the Bassarid Penal Colony of Drag'Os and the island of Rouge. Along the Strait of Haifa, Blore Heath and Mylecia are overrun by Alliance-affiliated forces with minimal opposition from Bassarid authorities. In Jogi, Noctic-Rabrev cartels take advantage of the sudden decline in Bassarid influence, rapidly expanding operations and seizing political control of the city. The expansion of these cartels in Jogi bears a considerable influence upon the cities of Minab-Azis and Tel-Amin, cities which until now had remained fairly untouched by the Noctic-Rabrev trade, but which now find themselves at the heart of growing trade route between Jogi and Lake Morovia. Meanwhile, the Empress - long perceived as an insidious ally of the Noctic-cartels operating around Lake Morovia - withdrawals Bassarid support for the governments of Vaeringheim and Lewisburg. The cities, as a consequence, succumb to the full effects of outbreaks of Noctic Vampirism, and ultimately fall under the influence of the Alpazkigz and rival Alperkin authorities. Across the globe, in the Saint Andre Islands, War League forces repel a series of raids by the Florian Coast Company, only to subsequently support a political uprising by the New Zimian Temple Authority in retaliation over its relocation from the island of Chelkran Kesh. This uprising results in semi-independence for the Saint Andre Islands, a region which now finds itself under the near-total control of the Temple Authority. A similar situation unfolds in the Bassarid Penal Colony of Drag'Os, where Bassarid authorities are forced to withdraw following a series of major uprisings and attacks involving the unlawful deployment of WM17, and in Rouge, where Bassarid authorities are forced to withdraw following a rebellion among the Centauri Rouge, with the support of privateers affiliated with the Fleet of the Rouge Divers. Despite the outbreak of chaos which results from the decision by the Supreme Council of the MCS to suspend its recognition of Bassarid territorial claims around the world, it is not the case that chaos is ubiquitous across the Imperial Trade Association. In many places, such as the Realm of Redwood-Brugge, the Domain of the North Antarctic, and the Eastern Eura Trade Association, life continues on mostly as normal in the aftermath of the Supreme Council's decision. In the Realm of Redwood-Brugge, Bassarid authorities retain their influence owing to long-standing, extensive trade relations with the region's Eeli-Illt-Eda ranchers. The people and the government of the North Antarctic - whose ancestors first moved here during the era of the Free State of Haifa- dismiss the Supreme Council of the MCS entirely on the basis that the history of the North Antarctic, as a Haifan state is inextricably linked to that of the Pallisican and Haifan nations. Similarly, the Supreme Council is openly mocked in everyday life and in pop culture in Bajiä-e Ebrahíama, the largest of all Bassarid cities in eastern Eura, and the center of Bassarid trade routes connecting Corum and Keltia. In Truva and Qoamvra, priests and priestesses of the Cult of the Peanut Butter Idol shave their heads in protest of the decision by the Supreme Council of the MCS, and vandalize MCS offices and property with peanut butter crunchy with the bodies of millions of daddy long-legs. In the Province of the River Erik, the faith of the people in Bassaridianism and the Bassarid state is utterly affirmed as the high priestess of the local cult is violently killed by a sacred bust of Dionysus spinning on its base at thousands of miles per hour. In Bassaridia Captivia - Bassarid territories in the Greater Skerry Islands and southern Captive Sea - the New Zimian War League imposes martial law on the basis of concerns regarding foreign interference or intervention. Concerns regarding uprising in Voorpost, or Ghriba and Aghir, are minimal, and indeed in these places residents renew their loyalties to the Imperial Trade Association and the Crown of Passio-Corum. In contrast, the War League eases restrictions on civil liberties in eastern Corum, and invites citizens in the region to engage with the region's tribal Gamesman. The War League, in addition, adopts a policy of arming and providing materiel support for anti-imperialist Gamesman tribes who subsist in eastern and southern Corum. Likewise, it also leads support for the establishment of an anti-poaching campaign in western Corum, ostensibly aimed at protecting endangered nests of Aiji-Hial-Nas. In all such cases, the Imperial Trade Association finds itself strengthened, even in regions no longer recognized as being within its sphere of influence. The Empress, for her part, openly assumes responsibility for all events transpiring across the Imperial Trade Association, disavowing foreign involvement entirely, and distancing the nation from allies and enemies alike. For the first time in her administration, the Empress spends the majority of her time in public, traveling between the nation's capitals in Corum, Eura, and Keltia, performing minor miracles for the general public and demonstrating goodwill towards the nation's expansive communities, all the while guiding the nation through what regard as the greatest crisis it has faced. At every stop it is observed that the Empress has altered her appearance, whether only slightly or in a manner significant, and rumors circulate that her tour across the nation is driven by a need to renew the Empress' stock of quality blood slaves, which serve to sustain a violent Noctic-Rabrev addiction. Nonetheless, support for the Empress soars to an all-time high, as many begin to view her in a favor light over her perceived handling of the present crisis caused by the incompetence and corruption of the Supreme Council of the MCS. The Empress, in turn, relishes in the public adoration which she now receives from the people. Nontheless, concerns continue to linger both domestically and internationally, regarding the state of affairs and ultimate fate of the Imperial Trade Union, especially as the Empress fails to address the actions and messages of a pretender to the Robes of the Priestess of Agripinilla, who following the capture of the city by the Port of Vines, exercises considerable covert influence across the Bassaridian sphere of influence. |
| 43.63 PSSC (TBD AN) | Post-Bassaridian Era | In 43.57 PSSC, the War League's Mylecian Army launches, at the personal insistence of the Empress, a brutal military campaign aimed at purging the cities of Mylecia and Agripinilla of elements loyal to and supportive of a pretender to the Robes of the Priestess Agripinilla. The action is swift and decisive. In only a matter of weeks, those closest to the pretender are captured and publicly executed, while those supportive are provided the opportunity to declare loyalty to the Empress. Those who refuse have their houses and businesses burned to the ground before being executed. The pretender herself is captured by pro-Bassarid forces while personally conducting diplomacy in the Alperkin, and is fed alive to tar-worms outside a village in the country's southern swamps. Within only a month, the pretender is dead, and her cult of followers has collapsed.
This campaign by the War League to purge society of anti-Bassarid elements, is not unique in the era following the decision by the Supreme Council of the MCS to suspend its recognition of Bassarid territorial claims. Between 43.14 and 43.57 PSSC, War League forces commanded by Corum Electric wage operations aimed at overthrowing the government of Al-Qatari and allied city-states, and the forced expulsion and elimination of supportive forces. These operations result in the complete annexation of the region by the Haifo-Pallisican Imperial Trade Association, and in the establishment of a new local government controlled entirely by the executive board of Corum Electric. In the same period of time, War League forces operating in central Eura engage in the systematic extermination of local and native communities suspected of harboring views opposed to Bassarid mining interests in the region. Likewise, in 43.57, War League forces operating out of Haifa and Vaerinheim launch an invasion of the Abeisan archipelago, with the goal of driving from the eastern reaches of Lake Morovia, all forces and organizations which harbor ties or support for remaining Jezeri insurgents. At the same time, the Hatch Ministry launches a campaign of complete terror in the Iron Cult of Leng, under the pretense of protecting Bassarid interests from corruption by agents travelling to the region from war-torn mainland Benacia. In all of these campaigns, the War League accomplishes its objectives. And the Empress, for her part, is happy to order grand military spectacles in each of the empire's various capital cities, several of which she attends in person. Following the death of the pretender to the Robes of the Priestess of Agripinilla, the Empress visits Agripinilla so as to bestow honors upon the military leaders whose forces purged the city of rival sympathizers and supporters. While in the city, she oversees the execution of five high ranking opposition leaders, who are killed at her feet in the city's most holy temple. The Empress relies upon such spectacles to help bolster an alliance, or at least the impression of an alliance, between herself and the nation's military. She seeks this alliance, or illusion of an alliance, for two main reasons. First, the nation's economy is weakened by rampant de-centralization as Associate and Member Domains, as well as brokerages and businesses begin to establish formal and informal trade agreements between themselves, rather than relying upon the bureaucracy of the Port of Vines, which was forced to once again re-structure following the decision by the Supreme Council of the MCS to suspend its recognition of Bassarid territorial claims. Secondly, the Empress finds herself - as a result of a near debilitating Noctic-Rabrev addiction - without the support of her own Council of Courts, and various national legislatures. Without the support of her own appointed Council, or the majority of the nation’s elected representatives, and facing a declining ability to regulate and influence the nation’s economy, the Empress increasingly regards the War League as her most important ally. But the War League is not loyal to the Empress. In the same way as the nation’s Associate Domains no longer rely on the Port of Vines as their primary vector of trade, War League forces – deployed across the east – now operate largely independently of the League’s central command structure. Rather than relying on the command or support of War League leadership, forces operate of their own volition, seeking opportunities and engaging in operations to their own benefit, regardless of its broader impact on the War League or upon the nation as a whole. Nor are War League forces successful in the majority of their campaigns. In Haifa, and along the Southern Strait of Haifa, War League Forces are overwhelmed by the growth of Noctic-Rabrev cartels. The War League’s victory in Mylecia, to this end, is rapidly overshadowed by mutinies in Tel-Amin, where League forces overthrow their commanders and swear allegiance to local crime leaders operating in the Valley of Diamonds. In the Leng, the Hatch Ministry operates without the approval or recognition of War League leadership Nevertheless, the Empress makes no small spectacle of the War League’s victories, even in cases in which she plays no part, and orders officials to distract from its failures and dysfunction. War League leaders are happy to benefit from the support of the Empress. In some cases, they capitalize on her support to seize political power in regions where they live and operate, thereby contributing to the problem of de-centralization which threatens the Empress’ authority. In every day life, citizens of the Imperial Trade Union harbor little loyalty to the Empress or to the nation’s government. While those who live in regions assaulted by the War League are quick to renew their oaths, and to begin re-investing in the Port of Vines, their oaths are rarely sincere, and their investments are rarely lasting. While they continue to regard themselves as citizens of the Imperial Trade Union, and refer to themselves as Bassaridian, their loyalties increasingly lie with their local communities, and their respective regional and Associate governments. Even those who remain loyal to the nation’s government harbor little faith in the Empress. Calls for her to dissolve the Council of Courts, and to abdicate from the throne, reach an all-time high. In the Congress of Regional Investors, there are calls to force the Empress from power, and to replace her with the likes of Tahaz de Amal -Supreme Commander of the New Zimian War League and King of Corumia - or the Chief Justice of the New Zimian Temple Authority. Both leaders prudently reject their nominations, and publicly re-affirm their personal loyalty to the Empress. In the Houses of Pallisican Chelkra, Pallisican representatives of the Valley Path come under suspicion of plotting to assassinate the Empress. But for all of this drama, few citizens find themselves bothered by national affairs. Rather, they concern themselves with affairs closer to home, such as the growth of locally operated markets, and the continued growth of unfriendly foreign nations – especially in Keltia and southern Corum. By the mid 43.70s, a general malaise has fallen across the Imperial Trade Union. With a population apathetic regarding the affairs of the state, and a government rendered inoperable by a range of factors, not least of them distrust and conflict within the highest ranks of powers, many around the world begin once again to predict the ultimate demise of the Bassarids. In 43.78, however, this perception begins to shift as the Empress launches a series of sweeping reforms to the nation's government and the Port of vines. With respect to the latter series of reforms, the Empress authorizes plans - without the consent of the Council of Courts - to consolidate Regional Investors into new, super-investors managed by the governments of the Associate Domains, rather than those of states or territories. In an event which mirrors the consolidation of 31 independent companies into nine brokerages, which occurred during the reign of Empress Kan Zen, the number of major Bassarid investors in the Port of Vines is reduced from 36 to 8. In addition to consolidating the number of investors in the Port of Vines, the Empress also informally authorizes harsh criminal penalties for vessels found to be carrying cargo without having obtained stamps provided by the tax offices of the Associate Domains. These reforms prompt outrage across the nation, especially among the nation's merchants, who by now have long-since adopted the use of markets separate from the Port of Vines, and beyond the regulatory power of the Associate Domains or the Council of Courts. These merchants, who soon find themselves imprisoned by the hundreds, and in some cases tortured, appeal to their elected leaders, and to the offices of the Council of Courts, demanding that officials take action to reverse the actions of the Empress. In many cases, these appeals are well received by officials who view the Empress' reforms as further evidence that she should be removed from office. For the first time, such officials take to the streets, and to the nation's media, to call en masse for the abdication or forced removal or the Empress from power. The Empress responds to these calls with contempt. Rather than abdicate from her position as supreme leader of the Bassarids, the Empress dissolves the Council of Courts, offering all officials the opportunity to resign or else be executed. Facing such pressure, all officials resign from their posts. The Empress then establishes a new Council, consisting of only her few, most trusted allies and partners. With the absolute backing of this new Council, the Empress authorizes the arrest of all members of the nation's government - including the governments of Associate, Major, and Minor Domains - who oppose her. In only days, dozens of government officials are arrested and sentenced in public mock trials, in which they are most commonly accused and convicted of subverting the state through their support of independent ports and marketplaces. Several such officials are executed, even despite renouncing their ties to independent traders and asserting their love for the Empress. As news of these trials and subsequent executions circulates across the Imperial Trade Union, support for independent trade rapidly collapses, as merchants, and the public officials who support them, commit to re-investing exclusively in the Port of Vines, and to recognizing the powers of the Associate Domain Port Authorities. The Port of Vines, to this end, is rapidly re-established as the undisputed marketplace of the Bassarid nation. And Empress establishes, once again, her brutal commitment to retaining her grip on absolute power. |
