Elijahn Restoration

Elijahn Restoration aka Operation Sacred Ground
Part of Aftermath of the East Keltian Collapse
Natopian territorial claim in southwestern former Normark, 1752 AN.
Date 20.IV.1752 AN – ongoing Location Southwestern former Normark, Keltia Status Ongoing
Belligerents
Raspur Pact  Natopia Dozan Bovic Church Natopian Defense Force  Nouvelle Alexandrie Arctic Base Thorgils (coordination)  Constancia Constancian Foreign Legion  Benacian Union  Moorland  ESB	Confederacy of the Dispossessed Various warlords and militia
Commanders and leaders
Natopia Marco Lungo III (Chancellor) Vadoma I (Empress) Marshal Theodric Lazuline (Natopian Airmobile Rapid Reaction Force) Sergius Hergones (Pentheros) Arsenios Kallistos (Metrobosarch of Keltia)  Constancia Brigadier Erasmus Korvel (6th "Nord" Brigade)	Various (fragmented command)
Units involved
Keltia Command 300th Air-Land Combined-Arms Army  Arctic Base Thorgils Natopian Airmobile Rapid Reaction Force 6th "Nord" Brigade Streïkrupp "Thorgils"  Special Operations Regiment  Bovic Church Militant OSSSS OAG Ayreon Tomb Guard	Confederacy militias (fragmented, no unified command)
Strength
Estimated division-level strength ~21,600 personnel Constancian brigade ESB logistics support	Estimated 3,300 fighters (varying quality; Konungsheim and Nordiskehjem areas)
Casualties and losses
0 killed 13 wounded 2 Dingo-class shuttles lost	~85 killed (est.) Unknown wounded ~400 captured/disarmed
Military operations coordinated with civilian "Stampede to Konungsheim" settlement initiative

The Elijahn Restoration, also known by its military designation Operation Sacred Ground, is a territorial claim and settlement initiative launched by the Bovic Empire of the Natopian Nation in 20.IV.1752 AN to reclaim portions of the former Kingdom of Normark abandoned during the East Keltian Collapse of 1737 AN. The claim encompasses eight former Norse bailiwicks, collectively termed Elieland, along the southwestern coast. These include the former capital of Konungsheim (known in Natopian tradition as Elijah's Rest) and the port settlement of Nordiskehjem, with a combined pre-collapse population of approximately 4.1 million.

The initiative draws from religious obligation, strategic opportunity, and domestic political need. The Dozan Bovic Church endorsed the restoration on theological grounds, arguing that 139 years of proximity to the remains of Saint Elijah Ayreon consecrated the ground of Konungsheim itself, and that the Prophecy of Athlon demands the faithful prepare for the Butter Bull's return. Strategically, the claim expands Raspur Pact presence in northern Keltia and complements Nouvelle Alexandrie's Arctic Base Thorgils on nearby Los Bananos. Politically, the Lungo III government sought to demonstrate renewed national purpose following the controversies of the Aristarchus years.

Military operations commenced in VIII.1752 AN, with Konungsheim and Nordiskehjem secured within two weeks. Pentheros Sergius Hergones announced that Father Arsenios Kallistos, a priest of the Phallic Cult, would serve as the new Metrobosarch of Keltia, the first holder of that office to actually reside in Keltia since the collapse. As of 12.X.1752 AN, the military phase has concluded, but the civilian reconstruction effort faces severe challenges. The region's polar climate, its extreme remoteness from Natopian supply centers, and fifteen years of infrastructure decay combine to make the restoration's long-term viability uncertain.

Background

Natopia's connection to the Normark region predates the Kingdom of Normark itself. In 1615 AN, the demigod Athlon took charge of the abandoned city of Konungsheim and renamed it Elijah's Rest, initiating Natopian settlement in northern Keltia. The region grew under Natopian administration. In 1649 AN it was formalized with the establishment of the Elian Union as a super-demesne encompassing Elijah's Rest, Normark, the Kingdom of Leng, the Viceroyalty of The Two Martyrs, and the Duchy of New Aquitane.

Normark was established as a distinct Natopian demesne in 1657 AN. The territory remained under Natopian sovereignty until 1678 AN, when a referendum approved transfer to Elwynn. Normark subsequently passed through Elwynnese administration, survived the Second Elwynnese Civil War, and achieved independence in 1703 AN under King Tarjei Thorgilsson. Throughout these transitions, the Natopian cultural and religious imprint remained significant, particularly in the veneration of Saint Elijah Ayreon.

The sacred sites of Konungsheim

Konungsheim became a center of Bovic pilgrimage following the interment of Elijah Ayreon in 1598 AN. Prince Elijah, husband of Nathan, had been martyred by Siseran cultists in Walstadt. His grieving widower Nathan arranged for the remains to be brought to Normark, where they rested in what became the Tomb of Elijah Ayreon.

Over the following century and a half, significant religious infrastructure developed around the tomb. The Cathedral-Basilica of Eternal Slumber served as the seat of the Metrobosarch of Keltia, one of the senior hierarchs of the Dozan Bovic Church. The Monastery of the Holy Order of the Cult of Elijah housed the monastic order dedicated to Saint Elijah's veneration. The Ayreon Tomb Guard, a military order, was charged with protecting the sacred remains.

The city also gave its name to the Elijahn Rite, a distinct tradition within Bovinism emphasizing the worship of Saint Elijah. The rite proved particularly popular in territories with Ayreonist heritage.

The Phallic Cult and Saint Elijah

The Phallic Cult, a mystery religion established in 1573 AN by Pentheros Nathan Waffel-Paine (as Theodores Athanatos), maintains a distinctive relationship with Saint Elijah's memory. Elijah appears in the Phallic pantheon alongside Bruno, Priapus, and the Winged Phallus, honored as patron of romantic love. The Apotheosis of Elijah, describing Nathan's deification of his martyred husband, constitutes the sole Tetrabiblical reference to the Phallic mysteries.

The Cult's emphasis on masculine virtues, assertive action, and sacred aspects of virility proved significant in the theological arguments advanced for the restoration.

East Keltian Collapse (1737)

The Kingdom of Normark collapsed during the East Keltian Collapse of 1737 AN, a cascade of political and military failures that also destroyed Anahuaco and destabilized Cerulea. The Confederacy of the Dispossessed, exploiting the chaos of the Second Cerulean Revolution, launched offensives that overwhelmed Norse defenses.

The Raspur Pact mounted emergency operations to extract personnel and assets. Operation Northern Light (I–VI.1737 AN), a multi-national evacuation coordinated from RASMOR JTF in Moorland, extracted 275,000 Norse refugees along with military personnel, scientific assets, and the AURORA intelligence network from the Citadele Alexandrin. Operation Dariolin, led by Hurmu, evacuated the Tomb of Elijah Ayreon, the Ayreon Tomb Guard, and members of the Holy Order of the Cult of Elijah to Huyenkula.

King Fredrik Michael Tarjeisson was extracted in a classified special operation and secured at the Imperial Constancian Embassy in Mercury City before transfer to safety.

The sacred sites of Konungsheim were abandoned. The Cathedral-Basilica of Eternal Slumber, the Monastery, and the consecrated grounds where Elijah's remains had rested for 139 years were left to whatever fate awaited them.

Arctic Base Thorgils and the Boreal Air Bridge

The Boreal Air Bridge, a strategic air corridor connecting Nouvelle Alexandrie to the Benacian Union via northern Keltia, had relied on Normark's infrastructure prior to 1737 AN. The collapse terminated the main route, severely impacting the Benacian Union's ability to withstand the ongoing Shirerithian maritime blockade during the Shiro-Benacian War.

In response, Nouvelle Alexandrie conducted Operation Polar Crown (VI–VIII.1738 AN), establishing Arctic Base Thorgils on Los Bananos, an island formerly administered by Normark. The operation created a permanent military installation featuring a 3,000-meter all-weather runway, advanced radar systems, and air defense capabilities. AB Thorgils restored a northern air corridor, allowing transport aircraft to circumvent the Shirerithian blockade.

AB Thorgils has operated successfully as an isolated island installation. Raspur Pact planners recognize that additional mainland presence could enhance operational flexibility and overall regional capacity, though skeptics note that the logistics of sustaining such a presence would be formidable.

Fifteen years in the Green (1737–1752)

For fifteen years following the collapse, the former territory of Normark remained in the Green, outside organized state control. The Confederacy of the Dispossessed expanded its presence across portions of the abandoned territory, though the extent of their actual control varied considerably by region. Some areas fell under direct Confederacy administration. Others experienced only periodic raiding. Still others were simply abandoned, their populations fled or dead.

The southwestern coastal bailiwicks, adjacent to New Alexandrian-held Los Bananos and accessible by sea, experienced diverse fates. Intelligence regarding conditions on the ground remained fragmentary. Estimates of remaining population ranged widely. The status of infrastructure, including the sacred sites of Konungsheim, was unknown. Occasional reports from traders and refugees painted contradictory pictures of abandoned cities, remnant communities clinging to survival, opportunistic warlords, and environmental degradation.

The outbreak of Northern Keltia respiratory syndrome in 1738 AN had contributed to Normark's collapse and continues to pose health risks throughout the region. Industrial and military sites abandoned during the evacuation present unknown hazards.

The Lower Jangsong Campaign (1751–1752)

The regional situation shifted dramatically with Bassaridia Vaeringheim's Lower Jangsong Campaign. Beginning in late 1751 AN, the Bassaridian War League launched a major offensive against Normarkian resistance forces in western Jangsong, culminating in the sieges of Riddersborg and Ardclach. The campaign concluded in early 1752 AN with total Bassaridian victory, the destruction of organized Normarkian insurgent forces in that theater, and the formal annexation of "Bassaridian Normark" encompassing the eastern and central portions of former Normark. The Bassaridian conquest secured their control over the Trans-Keltian Express railway corridor and the northern mouth of the Strait of Haifa.

The Bassaridian campaign did not extend to the southwestern coastal bailiwicks adjacent to Los Bananos. This region, including Konungsheim, remains in the Green. The Natopian claim thus targets territory distinct from Bassaridian-held areas, though the Confederacy of the Dispossessed remains active throughout former Normark.

The Prophecy of Athlon

The theological case for the Elijahn Restoration drew heavily upon the Prophecy of Athlon, a series of divine revelations experienced by Empress Vadoma I in 1737 AN. For fifteen years, the prophecy's meaning remained contested among Bovic theologians. By 1752 AN, a consensus emerged within influential Church circles that the time for action had arrived.

The vision (1737)

On VII.7.1737 AN, as the East Keltian Collapse unfolded and Normark fell to the Confederacy of the Dispossessed, Empress Vadoma I entered the Inner Sanctum of the Great Temple of Bous in Doza, Athlon for evening prayers. Witnesses reported that after two hours of silence, an otherworldly golden glow emanated from beneath the sanctum's doors, accompanied by a low rumbling sound. When the doors opened, attendants found the Empress in a trance-like state, her robes drenched in clarified butter.

Pentheros Sergius Hergones, present during the latter portion of the vision, documented the Empress's words. At the heart of her vision was a six-line verse, repeated three times:

Golden tides wash o'er the land,

Churning earth with bovine hand.
Foundations melt, borders blur,
In butter's wake, new worlds stir.
Natopia, once firm, now flows,
Remolded by the Bull who knows.

The Empress described vivid images of Natopia's landscape transforming, with rivers of golden butter reshaping the empire's geography. Most significantly, she claimed to have seen the Butter Bull itself, describing it as "a colossus of churned divinity, striding across Tapfer with purpose... not as it was in the time of Konrad, wrathful and terrible, but purposeful and measured, as one who comes to rebuild rather than destroy."

The Council of Metrobosarchs issued the Doza Clarification in 1738 AN, acknowledging the prophecy's divine origin while counseling caution against hasty interpretation. A Prophecy Monitoring Network was established in 1740 AN to watch for signs of fulfillment.

Interpretive debates

For fifteen years, three major schools of interpretation debated the prophecy's meaning. The Literal Interpretationists, led by Professor Eremias Lactucus of the University of Doza, believed the prophecy foretold actual physical changes to Natopia's landscape and political structure. The Symbolic School, represented by Klaasiyan philosopher Amara Greenwell, interpreted the prophecy as metaphor for social and cultural transformation. The Eschatological Perspective, championed by conservative theologian Bartholomew Johnson of the Bovic Seminary of Lindstrom, viewed the prophecy as spiritual warning about the end times.

None of these interpretations offered clear guidance on what the faithful should do to prepare for the Butter Bull's return. The prophecy spoke of transformation but not of human agency in bringing it about.

The Phallic interpretation

By the late 1740s, theologians associated with the Phallic Cult developed a distinctive fourth interpretation. Grand Phallicus Bruno Virilis had issued a rare public statement in 1739 AN suggesting the prophecy heralded "a new era of divine virility and creative potency." Building on this foundation, younger Phallic theologians argued that the prophecy demanded active preparation, not passive waiting.

The Butter Bull, they noted, embodied assertiveness, action, and transformation. These qualities contrasted sharply with the Butter Cow's passive nurturing. Years of retreat and accommodation, the Natopian Withdrawal from Whales, the Universal Compact's concessions, the reluctance to engage during the Fourth Euran War, all represented passivity when boldness was required. Natopia had been living under the Cow's aspect when the Bull's return demanded preparation through action.

The abandonment of Elijah's Rest, they argued, represented a wound in the spiritual fabric of the Bovic world. Saint Elijah appeared in the Phallic pantheon as patron of romantic love. His sacred ground had been surrendered to wilderness. Reclaiming it would demonstrate the assertiveness the Bull demanded and prepare Natopia for transformation.

In 1752 AN, the prophecy was entered into the Tetrabiblios as the eleventh book in the Book of Revelations, formalizing its canonical status as the Elijahn Restoration was launched.

Political context

The Elijahn Restoration emerged not only from theological argument but from the specific political circumstances of 1752 AN. The preceding decade had witnessed dramatic shifts in Natopian governance, leaving the incoming Lungo III administration seeking to demonstrate renewed national purpose.

The Aristarchus years (1742–1745)

Chancellor Emmanuel Aristarchus governed Natopia from 1742 AN to 1745 AN, a period marked by retrenchment and controversy. Running on a controversial populist "Natopia First" platform, Aristarchus pursued policies that prioritized domestic concerns over alliance commitments.

The Natopian Withdrawal from Whales (1743 AN–1744 AN), formalized in the Treaty of Sankt Rosa, ended centuries of Natopian presence in southern Cibola. The withdrawal was presented as "decolonization" and relief from an "expensive colonial burden," but images of hasty departure damaged Natopian prestige. "Who lost Whales?" became a recurring question in political discourse.

The Universal Compact (1744 AN) resolved a constitutional ambiguity dating to Nathan's era regarding Universalis's autonomous status and territorial extent. Aristarchus personally intervened to include Sororiya within Universalis's jurisdiction, citing Nathan's original oral promise. The ratification process proved brutal. Aristarchus conducted aggressive whipping operations within his own FJBP caucus, threatening committee assignments and deploying his considerable talent for cutting remarks against dissenters. The Compact passed along party lines, but internal wounds contributed to FJBP losses in the 1744 Natopian Frenzy elections.

Most damagingly, Aristarchus's reluctance to commit Natopian forces during the early phases of the Fourth Euran War drew criticism from Raspur Pact allies and domestic hawks alike. Empress Vadoma I herself was in open conflict with the elected government over foreign policy. By the time the 1745 elections swept the UDM into power in coalition with the N&H, Aristarchus's legacy had become synonymous with retreat and isolation.

The 1752 elections and Lungo III

The 1752 Natopian Frenzy elections returned the FJBP to power in coalition with the Parti Alexandrin. The party had spent years rebuilding after the Aristarchus debacle. Kurt Drakhelm, elected leader in 1748 AN after Aristarchus lost his own seat and was removed by party vote, had promised "responsible governance" and begun internal reforms. His sudden death from a heart attack in 1750 AN opened a leadership contest won by Marco Lungo III, a young reformer representing the party's more assertive wing.

Lungo campaigned on a platform of "Hope and Change," presenting himself as a new generation of FJBP leadership untainted by the Aristarchus controversies. His coalition with the Parti Alexandrin signaled recommitment to New Alexandrian partnership and Raspur Pact engagement. Foreign Affairs Secretary Michelle Christophis, a career diplomat and internationalist, embodied the administration's break from isolationism.

Yet Lungo faced a strategic landscape offering few easy options. The Fourth Euran War continued. Relations within the Raspur Pact remained complex. Major military adventures carried significant risks. The administration needed to demonstrate renewed national purpose without overextending Natopian capabilities.

The Elijahn Restoration offered something different: a religious cause that could unify the faithful across party lines, a strategic enhancement that complemented allied interests, and a symbolic reversal of the retreat narrative, all without directly challenging any major power or expanding the Fourth Euran War's scope. Whether Natopia could actually sustain such an enterprise in the polar wastes of northern Keltia remained to be seen.

The ailing Empress

Empress Vadoma I's health had declined throughout 1752 AN. Born in 1671 AN, she was 81 years old and had reigned for 35 years since the Natopian reintegration following Nathan III's death in 1716 AN. By mid-year, her public schedule was reduced to essential functions. Regent Adelaide, already Queen of Nouvelle Alexandrie through marriage, assumed increasing responsibilities for day-to-day governance.

The Empress's decline lent urgency to initiatives claiming prophetic significance. Vadoma had experienced the Prophecy of Athlon personally. Pentheros Sergius Hergones had witnessed and documented it. Any restoration claiming to fulfill the prophecy carried particular weight if it received her blessing before death claimed her.

When Chancellor Lungo III and Pentheros Hergones traveled to Lindstrom in early IV.1752 AN to present the case for restoration, they found an Empress weakened in body but clear in mind. According to accounts later provided by participants, Vadoma listened to the theological arguments, the strategic opportunity, the political moment. She spoke of the vision she had seen in the Great Temple of Bous, of the Butter Bull's promise of transformation.

She gave her blessing.

Theological justification

The Dozan Bovic Church's endorsement of the Elijahn Restoration rested on four interconnected theological arguments, developed over the preceding years and synthesized into a coherent case by Pentheros Sergius Hergones and the theologians advising the Lungo III administration.

The Doctrine of Sanctified Ground

The Elijahn Rite holds that sanctity radiates outward from holy relics, consecrating the ground on which they rest. Saint Elijah Ayreon's remains lay in Konungsheim for 139 years, from his interment in 1598 AN until Operation Dariolin evacuated the tomb to Hurmu in 1737 AN. The earth itself, Elijahn theologians argued, had absorbed his holiness over nearly a century and a half of sacred presence.

The Cathedral-Basilica of Eternal Slumber, even empty of the tomb, stands on consecrated earth. The Monastery of the Holy Order of the Cult of Elijah, even abandoned by its monks, occupies holy ground. The streets of Konungsheim, walked by pilgrims for over a century, carry the imprint of sacred presence.

Operation Dariolin had saved the physical remains, but it could not relocate the sanctified ground. Leaving this ground to wilderness, the argument held, constituted ongoing desecration. Every day the Cathedral-Basilica stood abandoned was an affront to Saint Elijah's memory. The faithful had an obligation to reclaim and restore it.

The Prophetic Imperative

The Prophecy of Athlon demanded preparation for the Butter Bull's return. The Doza Clarification of 1738 AN had acknowledged the prophecy's divine origin while counseling patience. The Prophecy Monitoring Network had watched for signs. Fifteen years had passed without any measurable or observable fulfillment of the prophecy.

But the prophecy spoke of transformation, of Natopia "remolded by the Bull who knows." Perhaps, theologians argued, the transformation required human action to initiate. Perhaps the faithful were meant not merely to wait but to prepare the ground, both spiritually and literally.

The restoration of Elijah's Rest could be understood as such preparation. By reclaiming sacred ground, by demonstrating the assertiveness the Butter Bull embodied, Natopia would ready itself for divine transformation. The prophecy's entry into the Tetrabiblios in 1752 AN, coinciding with the Restoration's launch, formalized this interpretation as canonical.

The Phallic Mandate

The Phallic Cult's interpretation emphasized the Butter Bull's nature: assertive, active, transformative. The Bull's domain contrasted with the Butter Cow's passive nurturing. Saint Elijah himself embodied qualities the Phallics venerated. As husband of Nathan, he represented sacred masculine love. As martyr, he demonstrated courage unto death. As patron of romantic love in the Phallic pantheon, he blessed assertive pursuit of the beloved.

The years since the East Keltian Collapse had seen Natopia retreat. Whales abandoned. Universalis concessions. Reluctance during the Fourth Euran War. Allies questioned Natopian resolve. This passivity, the Phallic argument held, dishonored the Bull's nature and Saint Elijah's memory alike.

Reclaiming Elijah's Rest would demonstrate that Natopia remained capable of bold action. The Bovic Church Militant, with the OAG and Ayreon Tomb Guard in the vanguard, would embody sacred masculine virtue in action. Father Arsenios Kallistos, a Phallic priest known for his theological writings on assertive faith, would lead the restored Eparchy of Keltia as Metrobosarch.

The Unfinished Duty

Operation Dariolin had been an emergency evacuation, not a planned withdrawal. The Hurmu-led operation saved the Tomb of Elijah Ayreon, extracted the Ayreon Tomb Guard, and evacuated members of the Holy Order of the Cult of Elijah to Huyenkula. These were salvage operations conducted as Normark collapsed around them.

The Dozan Bovic Church owed its displaced faithful more than indefinite exile. The Ayreon Tomb Guard, removed to Hurmu, guarded a tomb in a foreign land. The Holy Order of the Cult of Elijah, dispersed across Raspur Pact nations, lacked a homeland. The Metrobosarch of Keltia governed her eparchy from abroad, her cathedral abandoned to the elements.

Fifteen years was long enough. The emergency that had necessitated evacuation had passed. The Confederacy of the Dispossessed held no legitimate claim to sacred Bovic ground. The empire that had once governed Normark, that had first settled Konungsheim under the name Elijah's Rest in 1615 AN, owed its displaced religious communities a homecoming.

The tomb itself would remain in Hurmu under Hurmu's custody. No Natopian claim was made to the physical relics. But the ground those relics had sanctified for 139 years could and would be reclaimed.

The claim

Territory claimed

The Elijahn Restoration encompasses eight former bailiwicks of the Kingdom of Normark, collectively designated as Elieland for administrative purposes. The claimed territory occupies the southwestern coastal region of former Normark, bounded by the Gulf of Jangsong to the north, the Green to the east, and open ocean to the south and west.

Bailiwick	Pre-collapse population (1721)	Principal settlement	Notes
Konungsheim	1,850,000	Konungsheim (Elijah's Rest)	Former capital; seat of Metrobosarch of Keltia
Nordiskehjem	680,000	Nordiskehjem	Primary deep-water port
Johansstrand	420,000	Johansstrand	Coastal fishing and maritime industries
Eriksfjord	340,000	Eriksborg	Agricultural hinterland
Sigurdheim	290,000	Sigurdheim	Mining and forestry
Thorvaldsby	210,000	Thorvaldsby	Transportation hub
Haraldvik	180,000	Haraldvik	Coastal settlement
Leifsdal	130,000	Leifsdal	Mountain communities
Total	~4.1 million		1721 census; current population unknown

The claimed territory represents approximately one-third of Normark's 1721 population of 12,471,328. Actual population in 1752 AN remains unknown. Mass evacuations in 1737 AN, subsequent emigration, mortality from disease and disorder, and fifteen years of uncertain conditions have certainly reduced the number. Estimates range from several hundred thousand to possibly over two million, though the lower figures are considered more likely given the region's brutal climate and the collapse of organized society.

Geographic character and climate

The claimed bailiwicks occupy the southwestern coastal region of former Normark. The ports at Nordiskehjem and Johansstrand provide maritime connections to Raspur Pact shipping lanes and the Boreal Air Bridge network. The claim area's position directly south of New Alexandrian-held Los Bananos facilitates coordination with Arctic Base Thorgils.

The region experiences harsh arctic and subarctic conditions. Winter temperatures frequently drop below -30°C and can reach -50°C in the interior during the coldest months. The summer growing season is limited to approximately four months, during which average temperatures hover between 5°C and 15°C. Pack ice affects northern coastal waters from late autumn through early spring, restricting maritime access during the coldest months. These conditions impose significant constraints on military operations, construction timelines, and agricultural development. The polar environment also provides natural defensive advantages against potential adversaries lacking arctic warfare capabilities, though it imposes equal hardship on the defenders.

Pre-collapse Normark possessed substantial infrastructure in the claimed bailiwicks, including the international airport at Konungsheim, the deep-water port facilities at Nordiskehjem, a network of paved roads connecting major settlements, and a railway line linking Konungsheim to the interior. The condition of this infrastructure after fifteen years of abandonment and Confederacy occupation was unknown prior to operations but expected to have deteriorated significantly. Industrial sites, power generation facilities, and telecommunications infrastructure were similarly expected to require substantial rehabilitation or replacement.

The claim excludes the eastern bailiwicks, including Revby, Dragevik, and regions bordering Mercury, as well as the southern interior where Confederacy presence was believed more substantial. The claimed region is geographically distinct from the eastern and central portions of former Normark annexed by Bassaridia Vaeringheim following the Lower Jangsong Campaign, though the two territories share a land border.

Strategic considerations

The claimed territory offers several strategic advantages for the Raspur Pact. Most significantly, it restores a mainland presence in northern Keltia after fifteen years of absence, providing depth to the isolated position of Arctic Base Thorgils on Los Bananos. Mainland facilities could enhance overall regional capacity through additional airfields, fuel storage depots, radar installations, and logistics infrastructure, reducing dependence on the single runway at AB Thorgils for all operations in the theater.

The coastal position of the claimed bailiwicks allows resupply by both sea and air, providing redundancy in supply routes that the interior territories of former Normark would lack. The mountainous terrain of the Leifsdal and Sigurdheim bailiwicks provides natural defensive advantages against ground attack from the Green, channeling potential Confederacy incursions through predictable avenues of approach.

The claim also establishes a buffer preventing potential Confederacy of the Dispossessed consolidation adjacent to Los Bananos. While the Confederacy lacks the capability to threaten AB Thorgils directly, a Confederacy-controlled mainland opposite the island could complicate air and sea operations in the region.

Coordination with Nouvelle Alexandrie

Chancellor Lungo III consulted with Nouvelle Alexandrie prior to the public announcement. The Natopian claim complemented rather than competed with the New Alexandrian position on Los Bananos. Arctic Base Thorgils had operated successfully as an isolated island installation since 1738 AN; Natopian mainland presence would create opportunities for enhanced cooperation without requiring New Alexandrian resources or territorial expansion.

The governments agreed to share intelligence regarding conditions in the claimed territory and to coordinate military operations during the initial security phase through Keltia Command. They further committed to explore joint logistics arrangements if mainland facilities could be restored, and to present the initiative to other Raspur Pact allies as coordinated action rather than unilateral Natopian expansion.

Announcement and Imperial blessing

Private consultations

In early IV.1752 AN, Chancellor Marco Lungo III and Pentheros Sergius Hergones traveled to Lindstrom for a private audience with Empress Vadoma I. The Empress, confined by failing health, received them in her chambers at the Palace of Lindstrom.

The delegation presented the case for restoration: the theological arguments developed by Church scholars, the strategic opportunity created by the Lower Jangsong Campaign, the political moment following the 1752 elections. Vadoma listened attentively, reportedly asking pointed questions about logistics, sustainability, and the potential for Confederacy resistance.

According to accounts later provided by participants, the Empress spoke at length about the Prophecy of Athlon, the vision she had experienced fifteen years prior in the Great Temple of Bous. She spoke of the Butter Bull's promise of transformation, of her conviction that Natopia's destiny remained unfulfilled. When she gave her blessing, witnesses reported that she did so with unusual firmness for one in declining health.

The formal proclamation

On 20.IV.1752 AN, Chancellor Lungo III addressed the Frenzy of the Natopian Nation to announce the Elijahn Restoration. The proclamation declared Natopia's intention to "restore the sacred ground of Elijah's Rest to the protection of the Bovic faithful" and established the legal framework for the territorial claim.

The proclamation emphasized the religious and humanitarian character of the initiative, characterizing it as "a sacred duty owed to our displaced brethren and the memory of Saint Elijah." It explicitly distinguished the claimed territory from areas under Bassaridian administration, noting that Natopia sought no conflict with recognized states.

Church endorsement

The Council of Metrobosarchs issued a formal endorsement on 25.IV.1752 AN, declaring the Elijahn Restoration "consonant with Bovic doctrine and the duties incumbent upon the faithful." Pentheros Hergones announced the appointment of Father Arsenios Kallistos as Metrobosarch of Keltia, the first holder of that office who would actually reside in Keltia since the East Keltian Collapse.

The Ayreon Tomb Guard, which had remained in Hurmu guarding the evacuated Tomb of Elijah Ayreon, received orders to prepare for redeployment. Members of the Holy Order of the Cult of Elijah dispersed across the Raspur Pact were invited to return to their ancestral monastery once it was secured.

Implementation

Operation Sacred Ground

A warrior of the Bovic Church Militant in his war panoply, 1752 AN.

Following complex diplomatic manoeuvres in Aerla, Mercury, Moorland, and Bassaridia Vaeringheim, combined with an extensive logistical operation that rapidly assumed global dimensions, the deployment of the allied 300th Air-Land Combined-Arms Army to its starting position of Arctic Base Thorgils and Los Bananos would be declared to have been completed by 1 Natopuary (VIII) 1752 AN.

The transit agreement with Mercury proved particularly significant. Foreign Affairs Secretary Michelle Christophis negotiated unlimited peaceful passage rights through Mercurian airspace and territorial waters for the duration of the operation, securing emergency landing rights at Mercurian airfields and port access for logistical vessels. The agreement required a substantial financial consideration of ₦2.4 billion, paid from the defense allocations that Finance Secretary Prashant Chakravati had assured the Frenzy were sufficient for the operation.

With deployment complete, the active phase, codenamed Operation Sacred Ground, commenced. New Alexandrian and Benacian air strikes against positions held by the Dispossessed around Konungsheim began on 2.VIII.1752 AN and continued for six days. Air Wing Polaris from Arctic Base Thorgils conducted the majority of strike sorties, targeting identified Confederacy encampments, storage facilities, and defensive positions. The 24th Aviation (Strike) Regiment of the Benacian Union Defence Force conducted two full air raids against Konungsheim itself, striking a fortified compound in the ruins of the Monastery of the Holy Order of the Cult of Elijah that intelligence had identified as a Confederacy headquarters.

Air assault operations

The air assault phase commenced at dawn on 8.VIII.1752 AN, employing Dingo-class shuttles of the Natopian Spacefleet's 60th Troop Carrier Group in a tactical role traditionally assigned to helicopters. The Dingo-class, designed for orbital-to-surface transport and logistics operations, possessed significantly greater speed, range, and payload capacity than conventional rotary-wing aircraft, though it had never been employed in contested air assault operations. Eighteen shuttles carried elements of the 11th Air Assault Brigade to simultaneous objectives at Konungsheim and Nordiskehjem.

The assault plan assigned twelve shuttles to the primary objective at Konungsheim's abandoned international airport, with the remaining six targeting the port district of Nordiskehjem approximately 85 kilometres to the northwest. The Konungsheim assault force encountered only sporadic ground fire from Confederacy positions that had survived the preparatory bombardment. The initial landings proceeded without significant incident. Within two hours of touchdown, advance elements of the 11th Air Assault Brigade had secured the airport perimeter and established a defensive cordon.

The Nordiskehjem assault encountered heavier than anticipated resistance. Confederacy forces in the area had dispersed into the surrounding terrain during the air campaign and were not as degraded as intelligence had assessed. As the six-shuttle formation approached the designated landing zone near the port, ground fire from concealed positions struck two of the descending craft. The shuttle Stampede Three suffered damage to its starboard thruster assembly and was forced to conduct an emergency landing approximately four kilometres short of the objective, coming down in rough terrain within the Green. The shuttle Stampede Five took multiple hits during its final approach and ditched in the harbour waters approximately 200 metres from the quayside. The remaining four shuttles completed their landings under fire and immediately established a perimeter, though the assault force was now significantly understrength.

Search and rescue

The loss of two shuttles triggered immediate activation of search and rescue protocols. The Stampede Five crew, having ditched in the harbour, were recovered within hours by troops from the landed assault force who commandeered a small watercraft to reach the crash site. All eight crew members survived the water landing with minor injuries.

The situation for Stampede Three was more precarious. The shuttle had come down in territory still contested by Confederacy forces. The fourteen personnel aboard, comprising six flight crew and eight assault troops, found themselves isolated in hostile terrain with functioning emergency beacons but limited defensive capability. The 17th Arctic Warfare Battalion at Arctic Base Thorgils, part of Task Force "Thorgils," launched a rescue mission within three hours of the crash.

A rescue force comprising two platoons of arctic warfare specialists, supported by medical personnel and a dedicated extraction team, departed AB Thorgils aboard four Raven-class shuttles escorted by fighters from Air Wing Polaris. The rescue force inserted approximately two kilometres from the crash site at dusk, then proceeded overland through the night to reach the downed shuttle. Contact with Confederacy fighters occurred twice during the approach march, with both engagements brief. The arctic warfare troops' superior training and night-fighting equipment proved decisive.

The rescue force reached Stampede Three at approximately 0430 hours on 9.VIII.1752 AN, finding the crew and passengers alive and in defensive positions around the damaged shuttle. One assault trooper had sustained a serious leg wound from debris during the crash landing, but all personnel were ambulatory with assistance. Extraction proved challenging due to the rough terrain and the need to suppress a Confederacy patrol that had been tracking the rescue force. Air Wing Polaris provided close air support during the extraction, with precision strikes forcing the Confederacy fighters to disperse. By 0900 hours on 9.VIII.1752 AN, all personnel from Stampede Three had been evacuated to Arctic Base Thorgils.

Consolidation

Following the search and rescue operation, attention returned to securing the primary objectives. Reinforcements from the 16 Air Assault Brigade arrived at Konungsheim airport on 9.VIII.1752 AN, substantially increasing the force available for security operations. The 6th "Nord" Brigade of the Constancian Foreign Legion, having arrived via the maritime corridor, landed at Nordiskehjem the same day, bringing the assault force there up to strength and providing troops with particular expertise in arctic operations.

Over the following days, combined Natopian and Constancian forces conducted methodical clearing operations through both Konungsheim and Nordiskehjem. Confederacy resistance proved less determined than the initial Nordiskehjem fighting had suggested. Many warbands, faced with the evident weight of force being deployed against them, chose to withdraw into the Green rather than engage in sustained combat. By 12.VIII.1752 AN, organised resistance in Konungsheim had effectively ceased, with remaining Confederacy fighters either fleeing northward or surrendering to advancing forces.

The last significant engagement occurred on 14.VIII.1752 AN when a Confederacy rearguard was intercepted attempting to sabotage the main bridge connecting Konungsheim to its southern suburbs. The fighters were disarmed after a brief firefight that resulted in three Confederacy fatalities and no allied casualties. Nordiskehjem was declared secure on 15.VIII.1752 AN, though patrols in the surrounding area continued to encounter small groups of Confederacy stragglers for several weeks thereafter.

The Bovic Church Militant began its ceremonial entry into Konungsheim on 16.VIII.1752 AN, with the Order of the Armored Goats and Ayreon Tomb Guard forming the vanguard of the procession, followed by warriors of the Order of the Super Secret Stripper Seekers and accompanying clergy. Metrobosarch Arsenios Kallistos entered the city on 18.VIII.1752 AN and conducted the first Bovic service in the ruins of the Cathedral-Basilica of Eternal Slumber since its abandonment in 1737 AN. The ceremony, broadcast via satellite link throughout Natopia and other Raspur Pact nations, marked the symbolic culmination of Operation Sacred Ground's initial phase.

The Stampede to Konungsheim

The "Stampede to Konungsheim" refers to the civilian resettlement phase of the Elijahn Restoration, named for the popular enthusiasm generated by Church and government announcements encouraging settlement of the reclaimed territory. The Dozan Bovic Church framed participation as a religious duty, an opportunity for the faithful to help prepare for the Butter Bull's prophesied return by rebuilding the sacred sites of Elijah's Rest. The Lungo III administration offered substantial material incentives, including land grants in the claimed bailiwicks, a five-year tax holiday for settlers, relocation assistance covering transportation and initial housing, and priority access to reconstruction contracts.

Registration for the Stampede opened in VI.1752 AN, with initial settlement convoys scheduled to depart following military certification of secure conditions. By the end of VIII.1752 AN, approximately 12,000 Natopians had registered for resettlement. By 12.X.1752 AN, actual civilian arrivals totaled approximately 3,200 persons, well below initial projections. The discrepancy between registration and actual settlement reflects growing awareness of conditions in the reclaimed territory.

The Stampede attracted diverse participants. Elijahn Rite faithful sought to return their community to its spiritual homeland, many of them descended from the 275,000 Norse refugees evacuated during Operation Northern Light in 1737 AN. Economic migrants, attracted by land grants and development opportunities, saw frontier conditions as a chance to acquire property and establish businesses that would be unattainable in the settled demesnes of Tapfer and Arboria. Members of the Norse diaspora hoped to reconnect with ancestral territory, including some whose families had lived in Normark for generations before independence. Adventurers and speculators, drawn by the promise of a new frontier, rounded out the settler population.

Church authorities established a vetting process to ensure settlers possessed either skills useful for reconstruction, such as engineering, construction, medicine, agriculture, and education, or demonstrated genuine religious commitment through membership in Elijahn Rite congregations. The process was intended to prevent the new territory from becoming a haven for criminals, fortune-hunters, and others who might undermine the restoration's religious character. Critics argued the screening was too restrictive and would slow resettlement. Supporters countered that without qualified personnel, the restoration would fail regardless of raw numbers.

Ecclesiastical restoration

Metrobosarch Arsenios Kallistos assumed residence in temporary quarters in Konungsheim in late VIII.1752 AN, establishing the first permanent Bovic ecclesiastical presence in Keltia since 1737 AN. His immediate priorities included assessment of damage to sacred sites and development of a restoration plan for the Cathedral-Basilica of Eternal Slumber and Monastery of the Holy Order of the Cult of Elijah.

Archaeological and preservation teams from the Dozan Bovic Church conducted initial surveys of the sacred sites in IX.1752 AN. The Cathedral-Basilica had suffered significant structural damage from fifteen years of neglect, with portions of the roof collapsed, the great rose window shattered, and water damage throughout the interior. Evidence of deliberate vandalism during the Confederacy occupation was also apparent, including the destruction of statuary and the defacement of religious imagery, though whether this represented anti-Bovic ideology or simple opportunism remained unclear.

The Monastery was in marginally better condition, having been used by Confederacy forces as a headquarters. This occupation had motivated some minimal maintenance of the structure, though the interior had been stripped of religious furnishings and converted to military use. The monastery's famous library, containing centuries of theological manuscripts and the most complete collection of Elijahn Rite liturgical texts in existence, had been partially destroyed. Some volumes had apparently been used for fuel. Others were missing, their fate unknown.

The Ayreon Tomb Guard, having maintained vigil over the Tomb of Elijah Ayreon in Hurmu for fifteen years, received authorization to return to Konungsheim. A ceremonial detachment arrived in IX.1752 AN, though the Tomb itself remains in Huyenkula under Hurmu's custody by mutual agreement. The Guard's return represented symbolic continuity with the pre-collapse religious establishment, and their presence at the Cathedral-Basilica served to consecrate the site anew even in the absence of the physical relics.

Norse diaspora advisors

A significant but often overlooked element of the restoration has been the contribution of advisors and consultants from the Norse diaspora settled in Moorland and Nouvelle Alexandrie. Many of these individuals, or their parents, had been among the 275,000 refugees extracted during Operation Northern Light in 1737 AN. They possessed institutional memory of Normarkian systems, personal knowledge of the territory, and linguistic capabilities that native Natopians lacked.

The Lungo III administration engaged diaspora specialists beginning in V.1752 AN, during the planning phase. Moorland served as a particularly valuable source of expertise because of the substantial Normarker community that had settled there after the collapse. The Moorland government facilitated secondments of Normarker-background civil servants, engineers, and linguists to the Elijahn Development Authority.

Nouvelle Alexandrie similarly provided specialists from its own Norse refugee population, many of whom had settled in the northern regions adjacent to the Boreal Air Bridge corridor. New Alexandrian Norse experts proved especially useful in interpreting pre-collapse documentation, many records being written in the Istvanistani-derived Norse administrative language that few mainland Natopians could read.

As of X.1752 AN, approximately 180 diaspora advisors were working within the claimed territory or in support roles elsewhere. Their contributions included translation services for discovered documents, advice on local customs and expectations of the remnant population, identification of pre-collapse infrastructure that might be salvageable, and consultation on arctic construction techniques familiar from the old Kingdom. Several diaspora engineers had worked on the original infrastructure now being assessed, and their knowledge of system layouts and maintenance requirements has saved considerable reconnaissance effort.

The diaspora advisors also served an important diplomatic function with the remnant population. While the Natopians arrived as liberators in their own view, the Norse remnant population had survived fifteen years without Natopian assistance. Diaspora intermediaries, who could speak to common heritage and shared loss, proved more effective at building trust than Natopian officials relying solely on religious authority.

Civilian reconstruction support

The Lungo III administration established the Elijahn Development Authority under the Court of Commerce and Guilds to coordinate civilian reconstruction efforts. The EDA was given broad authority over infrastructure rehabilitation, economic development, and coordination with military authorities regarding security requirements for civilian activities.

The first civilian specialists arrived at Konungsheim on 20.VIII.1752 AN, comprising engineers, infrastructure specialists, surveyors, and urban planners tasked with assessing the condition of pre-collapse facilities. Initial surveys revealed severe infrastructure degradation across all sectors. The findings were worse than anticipated.

The Konungsheim international airport, while structurally sound, required complete restoration of its navigation systems, runway lighting, instrument landing equipment, and terminal facilities before it could support regular civilian traffic. The runway surface had cracked extensively from freeze-thaw cycles during the years without maintenance. The control tower had been stripped of all electronics. Snow removal equipment was rusted beyond repair.

The port facilities at Nordiskehjem were in marginally better condition, having been used intermittently by Confederacy forces for smuggling operations. But the cargo handling equipment had been stripped for salvage. The fuel storage tanks were contaminated with water and biological growth. The quayside cranes had seized from corrosion. Ice damage to the harbor breakwaters would require repairs before the port could handle heavy cargo vessels.

Municipal infrastructure had fared worst. The water treatment plant serving Konungsheim had failed entirely, with the remnant population that survived under Confederacy control relying on untreated well water and snowmelt. Electrical generation capacity was limited to a handful of diesel generators that the Confederacy had maintained for their own use. The city's electrical grid had suffered extensive damage from weather and neglect, with most distribution infrastructure requiring replacement rather than repair. Transportation networks, including the main highway connecting Konungsheim to Nordiskehjem and the railway line to the interior, had deteriorated without maintenance, with multiple bridge collapses and road washouts blocking major routes.

The University of Doza dispatched scientific teams to assess environmental and health hazards, with particular attention to potential Northern Keltia respiratory syndrome persistence. NKRS had devastated Normark during 1737 AN–1738 AN, contributing to the collapse by killing or incapacitating much of the population. Initial sampling found no evidence of active NKRS circulation, suggesting the pathogen had burned through the susceptible population and died out. The team recommended continued surveillance and mandatory health screening for all personnel entering the territory.

Dingo Enterprises, SATCo, Neridia Defense Industries, and the ESB Group, expressed interest in reconstruction contracts, with preliminary discussions commencing in IX.1752 AN. The EDA estimated initial stabilisation costs at approximately ₦8.5 billion over the first two years, covering restoration of potable water supply, emergency repairs to the electrical grid, rehabilitation of port facilities at Nordiskehjem, establishment of a field hospital, and repairs to priority transportation routes. Longer-term reconstruction costs, including full restoration of the airport, railway rehabilitation, and reconstruction of the sacred sites, were estimated at ₦25–30 billion over the following decade. These figures remain subject to revision as assessment teams gather more detailed information. Several analysts have suggested the estimates are optimistic given the scope of damage documented.

Challenges

The Elijahn Restoration faces severe and compounding challenges that will test the Lungo III administration's commitment and the Raspur Pact's capacity for sustained support. As of 12.X.1752 AN, with the military phase concluded but the reconstruction barely begun, the scale of these challenges has become increasingly apparent.

The polar environment

The single greatest obstacle to the restoration is the climate itself. The claimed territory lies in the polar and subpolar zones of northern Keltia, with winter conditions comparable to the harshest regions on Micras. The construction season lasts approximately four months, from late spring to early autumn, during which major infrastructure work must be completed. Outside this window, temperatures drop so severely that concrete cannot cure, metal becomes brittle, and exposed workers risk frostbite within minutes of leaving heated shelters.

The first winter in the reclaimed territory, from approximately XI.1752 AN through III.1753 AN, will be a critical test. The garrison and the civilian population, estimated at approximately 25,000 combined as of early X.1752 AN, must survive on supplies stockpiled during the brief construction season plus whatever can be airlifted in during winter months. Heating fuel alone represents an enormous logistical burden. Every building requires continuous heating to prevent pipes from freezing and structural damage from thermal stress. Pre-collapse Normark had an integrated heating infrastructure fed by a regional power grid. That system is non-functional. The replacement, diesel generators and fuel oil furnaces, requires continuous resupply.

Pack ice closes the maritime approaches to Nordiskehjem from approximately XII through IV. During these months, all resupply must come by air, either through Arctic Base Thorgils or via the Boreal Air Bridge corridor. AB Thorgils has a single runway that handles heavy transport aircraft. The runway capacity was designed for AB Thorgils' own needs, not for supplying a substantial mainland population. The EDA estimates that maintaining minimum supplies for 25,000 people through a six-month ice season requires average daily airlift capacity equivalent to twelve heavy transport sorties. This is achievable, but it leaves no margin for error. A prolonged storm closing AB Thorgils for even a week could create critical shortages.

The cold also degrades equipment at alarming rates. Vehicles not equipped for arctic conditions suffer engine failures, hydraulic line ruptures, and fuel gelling. The Natopian Defense Force's standard equipment was designed for the temperate climates of Tapfer and Arboria. Arctic-rated equipment exists, but in limited quantities, primarily in the units stationed at AB Thorgils and the Constancian Foreign Legion's 6th "Nord" Brigade. The regular Natopian units rotating through the territory face a steep learning curve.

Logistical remoteness

The claimed territory is among the most isolated positions the Raspur Pact has ever attempted to sustain. Konungsheim lies enormously far from Natopia's population centers and industrial base. The sea routes cross some of the most treacherous waters on Micras, subject to fierce storms, icebergs during the warmer months, and complete ice blockage during winter. Even in favorable conditions, supply convoys face weeks of transit through hostile seas.

The logistics corridors established for Operation Sacred Ground rely on transit agreements with Mercury and Moorland. These agreements required substantial financial inducements and carry diplomatic implications. The ₦2.4 billion paid to Mercury for transit rights covered the operation's duration. Long-term sustainment will require either ongoing payments or renegotiated terms. Moorland has been cooperative, but its own resources are limited, and it cannot serve as a major staging area indefinitely.

The Boreal Air Bridge alternative route, through New Blackstone and Arctic Base Thorgils, is longer and more expensive per ton of cargo delivered. It also depends on continued access to New Blackstone facilities, which involves another set of diplomatic considerations.

Supply chain vulnerability is inherent in any position this remote. A single point of failure, closure of AB Thorgils due to weather, diplomatic difficulties with transit nations, mechanical failure in a critical cargo aircraft, can cascade into supply shortages. The Einhorn Society's criticism that the territory would be "even more reliant upon the overextended Boreal Air Bridge than the old Kingdom had been" reflects this fundamental geographic reality.

The Government of Northern Arboria of the Principality of Arboria was particularly helpful, costs for this operation having been guaranteed by their Princess, even through her personal funds, as needed. Merchant shipping was procured and marshaled at Tirlar.

Infrastructure degradation

Fifteen years of abandonment in an arctic climate have left the pre-collapse infrastructure in worse condition than even pessimistic assessments had predicted. The EDA's surveys through IX and X.1752 AN documented systematic failure across all sectors.

Roads and bridges deteriorated fastest. The freeze-thaw cycle, which causes water infiltration into cracks that then expands as ice, destroys pavement within a few years without maintenance. The main highway connecting Konungsheim to Nordiskehjem had seventeen bridge collapses or partial failures along its 85-kilometre length. The railway line to the interior, which once connected Konungsheim to the broader Normarkian network, suffered at least twenty-three track washouts where streams had undermined the roadbed.

Buildings fared variably depending on construction quality and whether they had been occupied during the Confederacy period. Structures with intact roofs generally survived, though interior finishes were often destroyed by moisture and temperature cycling. Structures with roof damage, even minor damage, suffered catastrophic interior destruction as water and ice invaded. The Cathedral-Basilica of Eternal Slumber, with multiple roof collapses, has extensive structural damage that some engineers believe may make full restoration impractical. They have suggested that preserving certain elements within a new structure might be more feasible than attempting authentic reconstruction.

Utilities present the most urgent challenges. The water treatment plant's failure means the entire urban population depends on improvised supplies. Bottled water airlifted from AB Thorgils, supplemented by boiled snowmelt when transport capacity is constrained, currently serves the population. This is unsustainable long-term. A new water treatment facility must be operational before the population can grow significantly, but construction in arctic conditions takes years.

Security concerns

The military victory over the Confederacy of the Dispossessed warbands in VIII.1752 AN did not eliminate the Confederacy as a security threat. The warbands withdrew into the Green rather than being destroyed. Their fighters, estimated at 2,500–3,000 after casualties from Operation Sacred Ground, remain somewhere in the wilderness beyond the secured perimeter.

These forces lack the strength to challenge Natopian military positions directly. But they retain capability for guerrilla operations, raids on supply convoys, and attacks on isolated settlements. The harsh climate cuts both ways in this regard. Winter weather constrains Confederacy operations as it does Natopian ones. But local fighters possess experience with arctic conditions that many Natopian troops lack. They know the terrain, have caches of supplies established over fifteen years of occupation, and can survive in conditions that would kill unprepared outsiders.

Patrols throughout IX and X.1752 AN encountered small groups of Confederacy stragglers, some of whom surrendered peacefully and others who fled. The EDA designated certain reconstruction projects as requiring military escort due to their exposure to potential attack. Survey teams working more than five kilometres from secured areas travel with armed guards.

The long-term security situation depends on whether the Confederacy warbands coalesce into a renewed threat or fragment further. Intelligence assessments as of X.1752 AN suggest the latter is more likely. The warbands had no unified command before Operation Sacred Ground and are unlikely to develop one now, especially with their largest formations destroyed or scattered. But even dispersed raiders can make life dangerous for isolated settlers and construction crews.

Sustainability questions

The fundamental question hanging over the Elijahn Restoration is whether Natopia can sustain the effort long enough for it to succeed. The immediate military operation was achievable. The short-term humanitarian response, providing emergency support to the remnant population and the initial wave of settlers, is manageable. But the long-term reconstruction, the work of years and decades required to make the territory self-sustaining, represents a commitment of resources far exceeding anything in the operation's first year.

The ₦25–30 billion reconstruction estimate, even if accurate, represents a substantial portion of Natopia's discretionary spending capacity over a decade. This spending must compete with other priorities: military modernization, infrastructure maintenance in the existing demesnes, social programs, debt service. The FJBP-Parti Alexandrin coalition has a working majority in the Frenzy, but electoral dynamics could change. A future government less committed to the restoration could reduce funding, slow timelines, or abandon the project entirely.

Former Chancellor Emmanuel Aristarchus's derisive nickname for the initiative, "Lungo's Icebox," reflects a line of criticism that may grow if costs escalate or progress stalls. The withdrawal from Whales, which Aristarchus himself orchestrated, was justified partly on grounds of eliminating an expensive territorial commitment. Critics argue the restoration creates a new and more expensive one.

Supporters counter that the religious significance of Elijah's Rest justifies exceptional commitment, that strategic value in northern Keltia outweighs financial costs, and that demonstrating Natopia's resolve after years of perceived retreat serves broader national interests. Whether these arguments will sustain political support through years of difficult and expensive reconstruction remains to be seen.

The Imperial Constancian Government pledged ₦1 billion outright to aid in the reconstruction costs, with an additional ₦1 billion provided personally by the Imperial family.

The remnant population

Between several hundred thousand and possibly one million people survived fifteen years of Confederacy rule or stateless chaos in the claimed bailiwicks. Initial contact with this population has been mixed.

Some remnants welcomed the Natopians as liberators, particularly those who had suffered under Confederacy exploitation. Others adapted to survival strategies that may not align with the restoration's goals. Informal power structures emerged during the years of abandonment. Local strongmen, community leaders, and various intermediaries established ways of getting by that the incoming administration may disrupt.

Some collaborated actively with Confederacy forces. Identifying collaborators and determining appropriate responses, justice versus reconciliation, presents political and practical challenges. Former collaborators often possess useful local knowledge but may face hostility from their neighbors.

The relationship between the remnant Norse population and the predominantly non-Norse Natopian settlers remains undefined. The settlers arrive with religious motivation, state backing, and access to resources. The remnants survived fifteen years without help, developed their own ways, and may resent newcomers claiming authority over territory the remnants never really left. The Norse diaspora advisors serve as intermediaries, but their primary loyalty is to the Natopian project, not to the remnants who chose, or were forced, to stay behind.

Border with Bassaridia Vaeringheim

The Natopian Clarification on Operation Sacred Ground addressed immediate concerns about transit routes and territorial recognition with Bassaridia Vaeringheim, but the two powers now share a land frontier in a region where borders have historically been fluid.

The claimed territory abuts Bassaridian Normark along an undefined boundary in the eastern bailiwicks. Pre-collapse internal administrative borders do not necessarily correspond to defensible terrain features. Neither government has stationed significant forces along this border, but incidents involving civilian movement, economic activity, or patrol encounters could generate friction. The relationship between Natopia and Bassaridia Vaeringheim is not hostile, but neither is it particularly warm. Both powers may find their interests diverging as the region develops.

The Confederacy question

The Confederacy of the Dispossessed had established varying degrees of control over the claimed bailiwicks during the fifteen years following the East Keltian Collapse. Unlike the eastern and central portions of former Normark, where organised Normarkian resistance forces had continued fighting until their destruction in the Lower Jangsong Campaign, the southwestern bailiwicks experienced a more fragmented occupation. Multiple warbands, owing nominal allegiance to the Confederacy but operating largely independently, had carved out territories of varying size and stability.

Intelligence assessments prior to Operation Sacred Ground estimated total Confederacy strength in the Konungsheim and Nordiskehjem areas at approximately 3,300 fighters of varying quality, organised into at least seven distinct warbands without unified command. Some of these warbands had established relatively stable control over specific areas, extracting tribute from remnant populations and maintaining basic order. Others operated as pure raiders, moving through the territory opportunistically. The largest warband, estimated at approximately 800 fighters, had established its headquarters in the Monastery of the Holy Order of the Cult of Elijah, using the fortified structure as a base for operations throughout the Konungsheim bailiwick.

The six-day air campaign and subsequent ground operations inflicted approximately 85 fatalities on Confederacy forces, with approximately 400 additional fighters captured or disarmed during clearing operations. The warband headquartered at the Monastery suffered disproportionate casualties during the air campaign, with its leadership apparently killed in the strikes that preceded the ground assault. The majority of Confederacy personnel, however, withdrew into the Green ahead of advancing forces rather than engaging in sustained combat. This withdrawal preserved their strength but ceded the urban areas to Natopian control without a prolonged fight.

The defeated warbands present an ongoing security concern. While they lack the strength to challenge the Natopian military presence directly, they retain capability for guerrilla operations, raids on supply convoys, and attacks on isolated settlements. Security forces continue patrol and reconnaissance operations in the countryside beyond the secured urban areas.

Reactions

The announcement of the Elijahn Restoration prompted varied responses across Natopia's political spectrum, revealing persistent fault lines from the turbulent politics of the preceding decade.

Domestic

A pro-Aristarchus publication in Klaasiya, the Natopian Jester took Aristarchus' nickname of Lungo's Icebox and plastered it in all the political cartoons it could, doubling its circulation overnight; 1752 AN.

Free Juice and Bagels Party

The governing Free Juice and Bagels Party rallied behind Chancellor Marco Lungo III's initiative. FJBP Whip Theodora Simonides described the Restoration as "a defining moment for this administration and for our party's renewal," emphasizing that the FJBP had returned to its traditional role as the party of Natopian confidence and purpose. Finance Secretary Prashant Chakravati assured the Frenzy that the Treasury had accounted for the operation's costs within existing defense allocations. Foreign Affairs Secretary Michelle Christophis highlighted the coordination with Nouvelle Alexandrie as evidence of the administration's recommitment to Raspur Pact partnership.

Former Chancellor Emmanuel Aristarchus, however, broke ranks with his former party. Speaking to reporters outside his Klaasiya residence, the architect of the Natopian Withdrawal from Whales and Universal Compact offered characteristically sharp criticism: "When I suggested Natopia focus on its own affairs, I was called an isolationist and a disgrace. Now young Lungo wants to plant flags on sacred ground fifteen years abandoned to the Green, and suddenly imperial adventure is patriotic duty. The only difference I can see is that this time the Church is blessing the overreach." Aristarchus dismissed the initiative as "Lungo's Icebox," predicting it would become a frozen money pit that would drain the Treasury for generations. The former Chancellor, who lost his Frenzy seat in the 1748 elections and was subsequently removed as party leader, has remained a vocal critic of FJBP leadership since his political exile.

Union Democratic Movement

The Union Democratic Movement expressed qualified support tempered by logistical concerns. Leader of the Opposition Henry Demetrios acknowledged the "genuine religious and cultural significance" of reclaiming the sacred sites of Konungsheim, but questioned whether the administration had adequately planned for long-term sustainability. "We learned hard lessons during the Fourth Euran War about the costs of overextension," Demetrios told the Frenzy. "The UDM will support any sincere effort to honor our Bovic heritage, but we will hold this government accountable for realistic timelines and honest budgeting."

Former Chancellor Isabella Betancourt, who led Natopia through the Fourth Euran War and its aftermath before losing her seat in the 1752 elections, declined to comment publicly. UDM sources indicated she remained skeptical of the operation's viability but was unwilling to criticize a mission blessed by the ailing Empress.

Several UDM representatives from coastal demesnes with strong maritime traditions voiced stronger support, noting the cultural ties between their constituents and the Elijahn Rite communities historically centered in Normark.

Nationalist and Humanist Party

The Nationalist and Humanist Party adopted a stance of cautious opposition, echoing concerns raised by the Einhorn Society internationally. Former Vice-Chancellor Frederik Hartmann, who served in the wartime UDM–N&H coalition government from 1745 AN to 1752 AN, warned that "sentiment cannot substitute for strategy." In a statement to party faithful, Hartmann argued that the proposed territory would be "even more dependent on the overextended Boreal Air Bridge than the old Kingdom of Normark," and that Natopia risked "repeating the very errors that led to the East Keltian Collapse in the first place."

International

The Einhorn Society declined to support the incursion into the former territory of Normark, citing the fundamentally unsustainable position of the envisioned territory, which would be even more reliant upon the overextended Boreal Air Bridge than the old Kingdom had been before the East Keltian Collapse.

Initial proposals in Constancia to deploy Normarker exiles from the 510th (Shahzamin) Army in support of the Natopian invasion had been countered by remonstrations concerning the fundamental unsuitability of the Home Guard for expeditionary warfare. Counterproposals involving the Constancian Foreign Legion were hurriedly worked up by the Imperial General Staff of the Armed Forces. Plans eventually consolidated around the deployment of the 6th "Nord" Brigade with key logistical enablers contracted to the Security Directorate of the Honourable Company.

For the Normarker diaspora more generally, opinion was sharply split between those nostalgic for a return to the ancestral homeland, and those so traumatised by the circumstances of the downfall as to be convinced that such a homecoming would be doomed in the long run to bring misery and death to all concerned.

The Benacian Union offered the deployment of four logistical support regiments and an area defence regiment to Los Bananos once the scale of the Natopian operation became apparent.

Bassaridia Vaeringheim

Bassaridia Vaeringheim, having recently consolidated control over eastern and central former Normark following the Lower Jangsong Campaign, issued formal concerns regarding the operational planning documents that had mentioned potential transit routes through Bassaridian-administered corridors. The Natopian Clarification on Operation Sacred Ground addressed these concerns, explicitly distinguishing the Natopian claim from Bassaridian-held territory and confirming that all logistics corridors would avoid Bassaridian airspace and waters.

Current status (12.X.1752)

As of 12.X.1752 AN, the Elijahn Restoration has completed its military phase and entered the more challenging reconstruction period.

The security situation in the claimed bailiwicks is stable but not resolved. Natopian and allied forces control Konungsheim, Nordiskehjem, and the main transportation corridors between them. Confederacy remnants have withdrawn beyond effective patrol range. No major security incidents have occurred since late VIII, though minor encounters with small groups of stragglers continue.

The civilian population in the claimed territory consists of approximately 25,000 persons: roughly 8,000 military and security personnel, 3,200 settlers from the Stampede to Konungsheim, several thousand reconstruction workers and contractors, and an estimated remnant population of 12,000–15,000 in and around the secured urban areas. The remnant population figure is provisional; accurate census data will take months to compile.

Infrastructure rehabilitation has begun on priority projects. Emergency water purification systems are operational, providing treated water to approximately 60% of the Konungsheim population. Portable generators supply electricity to essential facilities. Road repairs have opened the main Konungsheim-Nordiskehjem highway to light traffic, though load limits restrict heavy vehicles. The port at Nordiskehjem has received emergency repairs to two berths and can now handle medium-sized cargo vessels, weather permitting.

The reconstruction timeline remains uncertain. The first full winter has not yet arrived. How the territory fares from XI.1752 through III.1753 will determine whether the reconstruction schedule is realistic or requires substantial revision. The EDA is stockpiling supplies in anticipation of the ice season, but capacity constraints mean the margin for error is thin.

Religious ceremonies continue at the Cathedral-Basilica of Eternal Slumber despite its damaged state. Metrobosarch Arsenios Kallistos has announced plans for a major reconstruction appeal to Bovic faithful across the Raspur Pact, seeking donations to fund restoration of the sacred sites. The appeal has generated modest initial response; whether sustained giving materializes depends partly on whether the restoration demonstrates long-term viability.

The Elijahn Restoration remains in its early stages. The initial military victory was the easy part. The reconstruction will take decades. Whether Natopia possesses the political will and material resources to see it through is the question that will determine the restoration's ultimate success or failure.

See also

• East Keltian Collapse
• Operation Dariolin
• Operation Northern Light
• Operation Polar Crown
• Arctic Base Thorgils
• Boreal Air Bridge
• Prophecy of Athlon
• Tomb of Elijah Ayreon
• Elijahn Rite
• Phallic Cult
• Lower Jangsong Campaign
• Confederacy of the Dispossessed
• Natopian Withdrawal from Whales
• Universal Compact
• Marco Lungo III
• Vadoma I
• Arsenios Kallistos
• Operation Sacred Ground
• Dingo-class shuttle