Gameworld News from 1000

1000 A.I.
Jan 12, 1000
Mar 9, 1000
May 10, 1000
August 3, 1000

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999

August 3, 1000:

Allondell:
   The so-called "citizens" of Imperium Novum, under march to Tolbury,
were met by the forces of King Harold under the command of Henry, Baron of
Easthampton, on July 12th in the fields of Renhamshire.  Movement leader
Miles Uxbridge has been advancing on the Allondine capital since early
June, calling for King Harold to "make preparations" for the
coronation of Lord Marco de Floren as "Emperor Marcus of the New Sturian Empire".
   Since beginning his march, Uxbridge's demands had become less vague,
calling for King Harold (and all the rest of Hesket's sovereigns) to yield
their power to that of the restored Empire.
   Royal officials met with Uxbridge in an attempt to persuade him to
stand down and disperse his ragtag army.  However, these negotiations
proved futile; Allondine diplomat Nigel Beaumont reported leaving the
meeting "frustrated with Uxbridge's zealous stubbornness, and dismayed at
his now-outspoken treason".
   The Baron of Easthampton, a veteran leader in the Ennitarian war,
arrayed his knights and footmen against the Imperium citizens, sending a
final ultimatum to Uxbridge and Lord de Floren (refusing to recognize him
as "Emperor") to "immediately disband and disperse [his]
traitorous uprising, or face the judgement of Nen."  Uxbridge resonded that "our
mission was commanded by the divine, and the divine will guide us." 
   The Allondine forces, largely veterans from Ennitaria and/or Napermo,
quickly overwhelmed the Imperium Novum's front line irregulars.  Despite
the fervor that drove them in their cause, the occasional trained soldier
or knight in Uxbridge's ranks could not make up for the green nature of
most of the "Imperial army".  In fact, reports from Allondine knights
indicate that many of the front liners were poorly-armed children or
elderly persons.  With few horses and fewer mages against a fully
magically-supported Allondine cavalry, Imperium Novum's lines collapsed
rapidly.
   Imperium Novum's leadership refused to surrender as the odds turned
against them.  Uxbridge himself, once a respected scholar, reportedly took
up a mace and attempted to lead a final charge against the Allondines
himself.  The Imperium's footsoldiers were easily scattered as
Easthampton's cavalry advanced on the leaders' tent.  Uxbridge himself was
felled by an Allondine knight during the charge.
   Some of the survivors surrendered when would-be Emperor Marcus
threw down his arms and attempted to flee.  A great many, however, refused
to surrender and fought on until they were killed.  Of the survivors, the
common ranks were disarmed and sent away.  The movement's leadership,
including Lord Marco de Floren, were taken into custody and have been
taken to Tolbury to await trial on charges of high treason.  Easthampton
reported that, "as could be expected from an army of irregulars, large
numbers of 'citizens' abandoned ranks and had escaped before the battle
was over".  There has, as of yet, been little sign of these deserters.
Without Uxbridge or Lord de Floren to rally behind, it is believed that
they will be unable to reorganize themselves into any sort of threat.


Inarra:
   Queen Isabella has announced Inarra's intent to staff up its naval
forces, building and arming a number of merchant-class vessels.  With
Isabella sitting on a somewhat quaky throne, the move is believed to be a
way of shoring up support: either from those ministers and advisors who
would profit from the construction of the ships, or from those nobles
eager to see the other kingdoms have to contend with Inarra as a strong
sea power.


Lorraux:
   Princess Eva, fourth daughter and seventh child of King Gustav of
Kjolnir, and her retainers arrived in the Chardrois capital on July 10 on
an ostensibly diplomatic mission.  Chardrois courtiers continue to
question the true reasons behind her Highness' visit, since diplomacy is
rarely left in the hands of sixteen-year-old girls.  Most suspect that the
Kjolns are actually visiting in order to arrange a marriage with King
Robert's fifth child, Prince Guillaume, in hopes of warming relations
between the two kingdoms.

May 10, 1000:

Kincaid's Point, Allondell:
   With Imperium Novum now increasingly militarizing, and causing
disruptions to the northeastern Allondine countryside, King Harold of
Allondell formally called  upon the movement's so-called "citizens" to
stand down and disband.  
   For weeks, travelers' reports from near the new Marnaid Pennisula had
held that the movement's followers were increasingly armed.   Imperium
Novum leaders appeared to be encouraging members to gather up spades and
pitchforks, if not swords and shields, for "self-defense".  Added to the
impromptu militia were the growing numbers of soldiers and armed
professionals who have been attracted to the movement.  
   When locals began to complain of belligerence among the "citizens", and
how the presence of so many bodies was exhausting the area's food supply,
local officials asked Uxbridge to move his followers elsewhere.  The
former archaeologist rebuffed the request -- and with so many of his
movement's members now armed, apparently the locals felt that they lacked
the strength to enforce their request.  No move was made to expel the
"citizens", although the local constabulary strove to keep Imperium Novum
out of the town itself.
   Two weeks later, movement founder Miles Uxbridge announced that the
band would leave -- to march on Tolbury itself.  "King Harold and the
other current rulers of the Empire's lands must now make audience with his
Imperial Majesty, Emperor Marcus, so that when the 1000th anniversary of
the first imperial coronation arrives, and the Emperor is himself formally
crowned, we will have made preparations for an orderly transfer of
authority."  Observers note that Uxbridge himself, not "Emperor Marcus
Florenius" (Lord Marco de Floren) made the proclamation.


Lorraux:
   Rumors spread that Prince Guillaume, third son of King Robert and fifth
in line to the Chardrois throne, will soon be betrothed to Princess Eva,
fourth daughter and seventh child of King Gustav of Kjolnir.  Relations
were not warm between the two monarchs' predecessors, and it is well-known
among the Kjoln jarls that King Gustav has hoped to improve relations for
some time.  The rumor has been further fueled by the announcement of plans
for the 16-year old princess to visit Lorraux in July.


Ragnorack:
   Sir Donald Siegenjaar, knight commander of Ragnorack's troops in its
northern marches, has announced that his troops have secured the plains
and grasslands to the west of Lake Hrungar, and his summer campaign will
be to push eastward into the Brenlands.  While many expect Sir Donald and
his knights to face a tougher time in the country's far northeast, as many
of the orcish bands who once served the vorskyr war have been scavenging
in that region, it is expected that Queen Marilyn of Cadfaigh will send
some of her troops northward across Innisfree Pass to assist the
Ragnorackans.  If the campaign is successful, this would represent the
king's holdings reaching record size, exceeding even that of founding King
Hrungar at his zenith.

March 9, 1000:

Brooks Hollow, Allondell:
    The barony of Brooks Hollow has been devastated several times during
February by severe earthquakes.
    Since then, clergy of Majenir, Tiranon, Perinnia, Kyta and Ubrialla
throughout Allondell have reported visions, possibly related.  Strangely,
they all report the same vision: a young man, tall of stature, red of hair
and blue of eye.  Imploringly, he whispers, "Help me," and is gone.


Lorraux:
   The Chardrois Chancery announced plans to reopen the Chardrois embassy
in the Zdunarovan capital of Zdunarosk and to reestablish normal
diplomatic ties with "the newly-restored just and rightful government of
Zdunarova".  Ambassadors and other Chancery officials are expected to
begin travel to the court of Czarina Alexandra once the snows begin to
clear in March.
   The Chardrois closed their embassy in 992 after the usurper Czar
Nikolai executed the Chardrois ambassador and ordered the execution of the
entire Chardrois diplomatic mission to Zdunarova.


Cadfaigh:
   The Imperium Novum movement took on a new tone when its leader, Miles
Uxbridge, declared the discovery of the new Emperor who will lead Hesket
into a renewed Sturian Empire.
   After the movement's was ejected from Wye, Cadfaigh, in late December,
its "citizens" took to the Cadfainn hills.  Amidst reports of looting and
general disruption to the serfs in the area, Queen Marilyn called out her
troops and sent them to restore order.  Amidst scattered squabbles and
greater stubbornness, the Cadfainn knights ejected Imperium Novum from
Cadfaigh's borders, shoving them southward into northeastern Allondell.
   The movement settled in and around Kincaid's Point and the nearby
Marnaid Penninsula.  After several weeks of relative tranquility, with
many "citizens" growing nervous about the movement's prospects, leader
Miles Uxbridge gave a speech to the gathered crowds on February 16 that he
had located the new Emperor.  Marco de Floren, a minor noble from Veneza
who had joined the movement last year, was brought before cheering crowds
and draped in the purple mantle of Emperor.  Uxbridge announced that he
has petitioned the Presider to formally crown de Floren as "Imperator
Marcus Florenius".  Little more is known about de Floren himself.
    "Emperor Marcus", Imperium Novum leaders and Uxbridge himself have put
out a general call for the faithful in all kingdoms to prepare for the new
Empire.  Travelers in Allondell report a growing number of armed travelers
heading to Kincaid's Point -- though whether these people go to support or
oppose Uxbridge is unclear.

January 12, 1000:


Zdunarova:
   Czarina Aleksandra issued a proclamation declaring December 20 a
national holiday to celebrate the safe return of six nobles of the House
of Katavasov.  These brave men and women were arrested in the first days
of Czar Nicholai's coup ten years ago, and flung into the underground
caverns of the north to die. By the grace of the gods, however, they
survived, and when their survival came to be known in dreams to one of the
Czarina's advisors, a rescue team was commissioned.  It was headed by
Pavel Ivanovich Vronsky, the Baron Kosnessky, and his sister Natalia
Ivanovna, and manned by mercenaries from all over Hesket.  The rescue team
returned from the north in triumph on December 16, escorting with them six
of the seven nobles, rescued safely from the tunnels. Of the seventh, Lord
Fyodor Dmitrovich Katavasov, nothing was discovered.  He is presumed dead,
and the Czarina has already commissioned a memorial to be built in his
name.
   Also accompanying the rescue team was a lady, rumored to be half-fae,
and giving her name only as "Tamara."  To the great surprise of the
Czarina's court, Baron Kosnessky declared his intention to wed her, and
none of the elder nobles could dissuade him from it.  Her Imperial
Majesty, citing the great service he had just performed for her, ordered
all objections to be set aside, and the wedding to be performed at the
earliest possible occasion.  Rumor has it that may take place as early as
Brinmas, though others think it will be delayed until Aliane or perhaps
even the spring equinox, as many members of the Zdunarovan nobility will
wish to attend, and snow makes Zdunarovan roads almost impassable in
winter.
   Rumor also holds that a female spirit of some kind -- what the
Zdunarovans call a rusalka -- followed the adventurers as they made their
way south to Zdunarova, but it vanished before Zdunarosk was sighted. 


Wye, Cadfaigh:
   Imperium Novum "citizens" were ejected from Wye, Cadfaigh, on December
14, after leader Miles Uxbridge's demands for a meeting with royal
authorities went unmet, leading to rising unrest in the town.
   The members of the movement, who espouse a return of the Sturian Empire
in the year 1000, were deported from Linneraigh in November after their
demands for an audience with Queen Fiona turned to riots in the streets of
Mwlyn.  Linneralian troops moved the movement's "citizens" to the port
town of Wye, Cadfaigh, much to the dismay of the Cadfainn port
authorities.
   With a Linneralian audience now seemingly out of reach, leader Miles
Uxbridge instead turned to the ruler of his new host kingdom, Queen
Marilyn, asking for an audience with her "or a designated royal
authority".  As the weeks progressed, with no formal reply from Her
Majesty, Imperium Novum gave increasing signs that it would not be moving
until its demands were met - Uxbridge having apparently learned the value
of urban disruption from the events in Mwlyn.
   When a standoff between Uxbridge and the mayor of Wye led to
altercations on the city's streets, the mayor's soldiers moved to eject
the movement from Wye's town squares.  Unlike in Mwyln, Imperium Novum
this time responded with more than just paving stones, with many
"citizens" taking up makeshift weapons and fighting back.  Amidst several
fires and a very panicked populace, Wye's soldiers routed Uxbridge and his
followers, who scattered to the Cadfainn countryside.  They were last seen
regrouping in the nearby hills and heading southwest.