World Progression For Mid-may 2016

War once more!
With the Chrysant Celebration Festival coming to an end, the talk of the street was the impending war with the Arloran Kingdom. After a string of military defeats in recent history, the Empire was looking forward to a couple of victories once more, to boost morale and also to re-assert Regalia's hegemony after the embarrassment of the Qadir occupation a year before. Many noble families were already gearing up their banner armies, posting posters across the Tavern Announcement board as well as opening up recruitment offices all across Regalia. Anyone willing to sign up for a specific banner could report to the leaders of said banner armies to fight with them in the coming battled north in Arlora, a war declared by the Emperor in name of unifying Arlora with Torse as part of vassal states of the Empire. The King of Arlora meanwhile was eerily quiet, the occasional scout and reconnaissance mission to the coastline revealing nothing out of the ordinary aside from some odd troop movements from island to island.

The civil war in the homeland of the Songaskia Qadir was meanwhile gearing up into its early stages. With the news that the previous young ruler was safely in Regalian hands, various Generals pledged their support to the restoration of the crown, now no longer fearing the young boy's uncle would have him killed if they declared an open revolt. It remained to be seen how the troops would divide themselves between the pro-restoration and pro-coup forces. The Emperor of Regalia was meanwhile entertaining the young ruler at court, a whole host of Regalian courtiers surrounding him to impress him with Regalian splendor. It was obvious that the Emperor tried to woo the young ruler into respecting the Regalian Empire so that should he be placed back on the throne, the two nations would continue to have amicable diplomatic standing towards one another instead of the enduring cold war between the Empires that had lasted for decades.

With one war for certain, and a potential military conflict with the Songaskia on the horizon, the battlefleets were pulled out of the docks and shipyards and all assembled around the crown isle, ready to ferry large troops to any direction their banner army leaders so wished. The leaders were given full disclosure and freedom to invade whenever they pleased, the large troop movements now visible in Regalia when all the levies were armed and transported for further relocation. A certain sense of impending victory swept over the masses, but of course, there were also those Jacobins who advocated for a peaceful rule and a lessening of the military force. They would come to face the knights in the near future however, all those eager for war making sure no one was going to spoil their assured victory.

Ithanian Austerity!
Ever since the Daendroque rebellion, the incessant Elven and Orc raids, as well as the newly increased threat from Elladorian and Tigran piracy, the political situation in Ithania was becoming unstable. While the de Brixeste family had been re-elected as the new Grand-Prince since the death of the former, their support was wavering on the issue of military expenditure. Traditionally Ithania had never fielded any military forces, relying on a minuscule police force of local militia and large Regalian armies and navies for its protection. As centuries passed however, the riches of Ithania grew, as did the population, and the burden of securing such a large land with little to no support from the locals. The Regalian Empire, while some would argue benefiting greatly from Ithanian taxes, was proverbially paying trough the nose for the logistics and upkeep of the soldiers and fleets used to protect Ithania. And even with all this military movement, especially in times of war, Ithania's protection would remain insufficient and risky.

Following a stage play by famous playwright, fashion icon, architect, artist, connoisseur, poet and all-round ponce queen Stéfan de Stéfan named "L'Obseste du Necessiteé" depicting the end of the Ithanian Tranquility, a cultural movement to end Ithanian non-involvement in military matters started gaining ground. In an unprecedented display of favor, a three thousand large crowd made a silent march down the Rue de Vert Ciècle towards the Principal palace to petition the Grand Prince to solve the lasting problem of civil protection. Even more surprisingly so, during a convention of the Princes, seven out of the nine Ithanian Princes voiced their opinions in favor of doing at least "something" to solve the issues before them, be it spending more money or actually funding their own army.

The host issue of "L'Armee du Citeé" became a hot topic in the haute couture, haute arte and haute cuisine of Ithania. Painters started producing more austere paintings with apocalyptic depictions of the capital or various once idyllic Ithanian countrysides to paint a picture of how the land could be like if the people would not support the new movement. Culture icon Stéfan de Stéfan, instrumental in beginning the whole movement, created a new fashionable and "austere" dress style for Ithanian women at court called "Lightness in Worldly matters". The fashion swap from the old Ithanian Pouffe de Obscure was shocking to some, but breath taking to others. Never before did Ithanian women see such fashionable freedom in exposing their shoulders, some even going as far as calling it a "new age of female liberation from Calemberg opinionated oppression". In cuisine, new chefs started swapping out the usual haute Ithanian stylized food with something as simple as an "Austere Burgre", a slab of cooked meat between two halves of a wheat bun. As one would come to expect of Ithania, the public opinion of military slowly started changing by the way of these cultural segments, though the exact outcome of these new revelations were not entirely clear.

After all, the Emperor was the one in charge of re-canvassing the diplomatic ties with the Ithanian Realm, a nominal self governing sub-state of the Regalian commonwealth. Over the coming weeks, many Ithanian princes and dignitaries would move into the Regalian Palace to lobby for their favored re-envisioning of Ithanian relevance in the Empire. Some would argue for increased taxes. Others would argue for raising a male-only army, while others yet would raise the idea of a female only army while relegating the men to logistical support. Some yet would argue for uniting the Nordskag and Ithanian realm into the Grand Yttra-Skag realm, though opinions would remain divided. If anything the Regalian Palace was overflowing in "Ithanian ponce" for the coming months, every hallway was filled with Ithanian banners and the melodic sounds of the Ithanian language, accompanied by harp plays and laughing at Ithanian tea parties.

Shuffle the Privy!
The enduring existence of the Noble Assembly and its inability to do anything noteworthy beyond a few amendments which seemed to appease the Councillors more than the actual city of Regalia, gave the Emperor no amount of hidden headache. In an attempt to ruffle some feathers, the Emperor came from the Imperial Palace to the Assembly hall himself to announce a shuffle of the Privy Council. The Privy Council had long been an enigmatic council of Emperor Alexander and Justinian I's favorites who had always acted as the Emperor's direct advisers, not elected by office or wealth but simply by the Emperor's favor and merit. Even before the Noble Assembly, the State Council members had complained about the hidden hand of the Privy Council in the Emperor's matters as it was clear he took their advice much more into account than any other political body.

With the impending shuffle, the Emperor also announced that he would elect his own favorite list of individuals to be seated at the Privy Council. While the exact power of the Privy Council was non-existent, there was always some sort of unwritten understanding that the Privy Consuls had elevated rights in the Empire as a whole, instead of just the Imperial City, and enjoyed greater protection than any other political office held by anyone. Better yet, the Privy council was blind to political standing, race, gender or social standing, allowing anyone to be part of it as long as the Emperor sought their advice on certain matters.

How the Privy council would continue to influence Regalia, the Empire and the Noble Assembly remained yet to be seen, and the exact make-up of the Privy Council was also not certain, after all the Emperor did not yet announce who he would make regular meetings with. A whole betting game formed around the shuffle, many throwing their bets at high ranking military officials or Grand Lords of the realm. Others support Palace officials and family members. Whoever was going to be chosen to be on this prestigious council was certain to make some coins, eyes and maybe even heads roll. Many non-noble and non-Ailor would gawk at the announcements and think "Aw, I have no shot at becoming a Privy Consul ever!" Then another citizen would whip around at yell at them "Sure you can, all you need to do is impress the Emperor greatly! You can even meet him if you arrange a meeting together with one of the Dukes or Lords! They can literally take you to have a talk with the big Chief!"... etc.

 

I ALMOST FORGOT ; FASHION​

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