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Happy Independence Day! 1 September 1011
Today Westmoor is alive and well celebrating its third year of independence. It was on this day in the year 1008 that Queen Evangeline ceded the duchy of Westmoor to become a new realm with the same name as that of Westmoor City. Three is a number that’s particularly special as it’s also the third month that this publication has been going for (beating the previous Westmoor newspaper record of 5 days.) Westmoor undoubtedly has become a realm in its own right with its own identity especially if you consider that the world as we know it has only existed for ten years.
The Crest you see to the right was designed by the late Queen Evangeline. Of course nobody back then had any idea that Westmoor would last so long as the continent was in a situation of extreme instability that saw the creation and destruction of a number of new realms. Corwin D'Saferate, Duke of Westmoor city, is one of the few people left alive who was at the very beginning of the realm, he had this to say:
Indeed I was here during the founding of Westmoor. The rose upon our crest is actually one that I gave to Queen Evangeline long ago when I was but a traveling author. I was a younger man then and my heart was filled with ambitions to do good and protect the people of this continent from war. I met with Evangeline first while researching Perdan for my book, she was Queen of Perdan at the time but was very helpful.
When I was visiting Perdan years later, she asked if I would accompany her in founding Westmoor based upon the ideals of Honour and Loyalty. I agreed and was given the Lordship of Poitiers and was our realm's Banker, though I made an oath never to lead troops into war (I broke that oath once when the Usurper and his rebels stole our capital, but that's another story). The early years were hard and with Perdan's support and a lot of luck we managed to secure our nation from Fontan, who rebuked our status as a sovereign nation. Eventually they surrendered and formally acknowledged Westmoor as a nation.
Corwin D'Saferate duke of Westmoor
Perdan and Westmoor have always had a close relationship in the same way that Perdan used to have a good relationship with the long dead realm of Oligarch. The two nations stand back to back at the centre of the continent with an unspoken agreement to guarantee each other’s north and south borders.
However it’s not just our histories of war that are linked but also our history of faith in the church of humanity a religion born in Perdan City. The church of humanity has since become a very strong force in Westmoor enabling an easy and continual communication with Perdan in both the material and the spiritual. Jor Tanos former ruler of Westmoor and head of the church wrote this:
I am blessed to be able to write as not only a Prince of Westmoor, but also as the mortal head of Holy Church, the Church of Humanity. Westmoor is and always will be my home, albeit a kingdom that has seen much turmoil in its seemingly brief existence in this ancient land. We fought Fontan for survival even on the day of our birth, as we do now.
Yet Westmoor has always been closely tied to the Church. My friend and mentor, Evangeline Uceek, was a past Queen of Mother Perdan in addition to our own first Queen. She was long an elder of the Church, as well as our fiercest defender. King Nightmare of Perdan, whose first idea was the very spark of Westmoor's birth, has long been a senior follower of Holy Church. As have been many Kings and Queens of Westmoor.
Through Westmoor, the Church of Humanity has gained new life. Four of the five members of the current Ecclesiarchy are Westmoorian. The majority of our senior priesthood, our Clerics, are Westmoorian. As the Church has weakened, so too has Westmoor. As the Church in Westmoor has grown stronger, so too has our Kingdom.
Westmoorians are a proud, devout, and chivalrous people. May the Holy Light guide our path towards those ideals and towards prosperity, towards victory over our enemies.
Divine bless Westmoor. Divine bless the King. Divine bless us all.
Jor Tanos, Ambassador of Westmoor and head of the church of humanity
Indeed over the course of a few months the situation in Westmoor has changed rather rapidly, from the prospect of certain destruction (when the armies of Caligus, Sirion and Fontan were all in our lands) to peace with Caligus and Sirion. We’ve gained two new regions Oberndorf and Commonyr a new king, a new newspaper and a better diplomatic situation throughout the continent. Our king addressed and congratulated the realm to this affect of which a copy is printed below.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today marks the third anniversary of Westmoor's independence! On this day, Duchess Evangeline Uceek seceded from the Kingdom of Perdan and was crowned Queen of Westmoor. The formation of our Kingdom was the climax of a long campaign by Perdan, under the leadership of King Nightmare and King Sangue. Of the founding nobles of Westmoor though, only Duke Corwin remains with us today. Sadly our founding Queen and long serving Duchess of Westmoor, Evangeline, died little more than a month ago.
But while our genesis is in Perdan, nobles from numerous other realms answered the call in those first days and made their home here; including Lady Merewyn, who would become our third monarch and of course Duke Gregor. Westmoor found itself immediately at war, aptly enough against Fontan.
Since those days our fortunes have risen and fallen. I recall ocassions when we were the weakest military power on the continent; at the beginning of last month our strength was second only to Ibladesh (although its since fallen due to the lowered risk of war with Sirion). A mere three months ago, Westmoor was still reeling from our defeat in Evora, facing an unwinnable two front war. Today we find our Kingdom larger than ever and our most stubborn enemy, Basilius Decimus, has disappeared.
The reasons for our present good fortune are not mere chance. General Arica, Lord Chancellor Antonious and Lord Treasurer Maliki have all done their part to ensured that the administration of the Kingdom runs smoothly. Ambassador Jor's triumph in securing peace with Caligus needs no introduction. Marshal Thomas' achievements are all the more impressive when you consider he is not yet even in his twenty-second year. But this could not be achieved without the exertions of the ordinary knights, be they the warriors of the Westmoor Column or courtiers ensuring the maintainence of good governance in our home territories. For Westmoor to succeed, every noble must be zealous in completing their duties.
I do not wish to encourage complacency, because we still have a long, long way to go. Although our efforts to achieve a ceasefire with the Kingdom of Caligus have been successful, other issues have proven more difficult to resolve. Under Chancellor Basilius, Fontan refused to make peace, believing they could persaude Sirion to fight their battles for them. Thankfully Prime Ministers Meristenzio and Ilias have refused to be used in such a manner. But to ensure the security of Westmoor, a permenant solution will need to be found by us and our neighbouring realms.
Today though, we shall celebrate three years of the Kingdom of Westmoor and remember those who cannot be with us today. For the cause of memories and friendship!
Maedros Iltaren king of Westmoor.
Lastly, you may wonder what happened to Queen Evangeline of Westmoor our first and most historically revered queen. Sadly she was assassinated by the infiltrator Guy Revan on 21st of Sept 1010 who received the largest bounty ever issued in east continent (and probably the world) 7000 gold coins. Guy Revan was a noble of Sirion at the time and Sirion wanted a large portion of that money for various reasons. To avoid paying this money Guy changed allegiance to Ibladesh. Now you expect me to say that “and now he lives there still in the luxury of wealth”. Well in truth he forgot to cash his bonds from the bank so he left all the money behind, a final revenge from the mischievous queen?
As they say
Causarum Amicitia et Memoria.
Edit: Apparently Queen Evangeline survived this attack and passed away much later on.
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