The faded print of the newspaper tells you how old it is, and the old red stains, why there wasn't a second edition.
 The Tribune
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A multinational newspaper for a multinational continent
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Premier Edition
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| November 2006
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Major News
| War of Pandemonium - The Sides?
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Despite the overwhelming odds the Kalmar Island defenders continue to resist all invasion forces with a bravado that is often mistaken for courage. As the invaders become seemingly more desperate the war has escalated into a furious blood bath of unnecessary violence and death meaning that now both sides have engaged in whole cloth slaughter of the Island’s inhabitance. (See “One Rogala – the Tyrant” for a more in depth look at the atrocities of Avamar Selective)
But who are these three nations seemingly locked in a war of self-destruction, and more importantly how can we avoid becoming like them?
Kalmar Islands/The Selective:
Collectively teamed up against the forces from the continent the islanders have a rather confusing past. With the monarchy disposed of by a suspected member of The Servants, the democratic nation of Kalmar has had a rocky start, which has not been helped by the nostalgic views of the Avamarian refugees. Having come to the islands out of simple pragmatism the Avamarians quickly integrated themselves into the culture of KI and some attempted to rebuild their lost nation; the results were mixed. Increases in noble freedoms did lead to jumps in loyalty and dedication among all members of the islands, but the constant referencing of a nation long dead for many fractured the nation’s political spectrum leading to a great deal of infighting and underground movements. Experts in political analysis point out that the cultural takeover of KI by Avamar would not continue unopposed, citing the increase in political factions and general unrest to be the precursors of a cultural, and likely military revolution. However before these things could be set into motion Old Rancagua declared war. With their declaration to put all island nobles to the sword to “cleanse the taint of Avamar” the various revolutionary groups realized that they had a bigger problem and quickly stopped their operations to oust the Avamarians. (Read: “Shadow War in Kalmar Island” for what happened next) As it sits now despite the overwhelming cultural influence of the Avamarians KI has managed to maintain some of their ideals, however it is not much and the continual pressure of genocide is taking its toll.
Avamar:
With so much of the war focusing around this long dead nation it would be strange indeed for us not to cover them. Historically Avamar was a Republic, founded in the city that bears its name from the precursor nation of West Sirion by the political movement known as the Black Hand. The rise of a political group composed almost completely of young blood nobles caused a drastic shift in the balance of power on the continent, signalling the end of the age where old timers ruled without fear of their inexperienced underlings. Of course being composed almost completely of the inexperienced and the naive Avamar had its own series of problems. Lacking respect for people in positions of authority, internal unrest left the nation in a constant state of seeming anarchy with elected government officials were constantly questioned by the nobility. Combining this confrontational nature with a great deal of value placed on people who “prove themselves” lead to individuals of power and respect who did not hold any official positions, chief example would be Lalakis Rogala (47), I’m sorry, Lalakis Abandonas. Threatened with destruction by Sirion the nation had little choice but to side with the Southern Alliance leading to a long, bloody war against the Northern Alliance that ended in death. Landless, the refugees scattered and became of only nominal importance until the Islands called to them. No longer young bloods themselves, the Avamarians that remained tried to rebuild the Islands into what they had lost out of nostalgia and pride but the hollow shell that they managed to manufacture left them with a restless unease.
Old Rancagua:
The mighty nation of OR can trace its past back to a successful civil war against the theocratic state of Rancagua. An enlightened nation of warrior scholars OR managed to beat the odds and claim the western seaboard of the top half of the continent. Respectful and honourable Old Rancagua was a boon to its allies as they fought their way across the northlands bringing swift justice to their enemies. At home the nobles of OR enjoyed a freedom of expression and action that rivalled the nations that championed those very values. However that was then, and things have changed since those days.
The WCC, an initiate spearheaded by Hireshmont Vellos (Age) orchestrated a rather simplistic but brutally efficient rebellion within the nation that was invading them. The now infamous Operation Rubber Ducky ultimately failed in its goal to turn OR to the Southern Alliance but its secondary objective was a complete success; casting OR into the dark ages. Crippled by fear OR transformed itself over the next few months becoming a mere shadow of its former self. Efforts to increase security and put tighter control on potential rebels created an atmosphere of suspicion and terror that quickly galvanized the populous strangling many of the aspects that made OR and giving the Inquisition enough recruits to finally move out in the world. Faced with innumerable foes of nebulous nature that seemed impossible to stop the terrified populous attempted to find a more normal enemy, one who they could use steel and fire to kill. Unfortunately for the Islands it was in this time that the now famous series of events occurred and OR had its enemy. Wasting little time OR threw themselves into one of the bloodiest wars yet seen, in a continual effort to try and purge the daemons that haunt them by projecting their own terror of the unknown on the Avamarians and by extension the Islands, blaming them for all the world’s ills.
There is still some hope for the OR people however. Though much of their previous ways lie in ruin or shrouded in fear there have been numerous initiates by various political movements to revitalize the failing culture. Unfortunately such movements are also falling under suspicion for having more sinister motives, which has lead to numerous purges by the Inquisition and government.
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