Arise Arrenland!

[Jamzor the Jaxxor]

Alvan 21, 1584

“I will not stand idly by while a foreign state meddles in our internal affairs,” the new chancellor declares before a huge crowd. “In our new administration, we will not allow foreign money, arms, and propaganda to support terrorism within our own borders. Look at Carruth! Look at St. Guthbert! Look at Hwearftun! These radical separatists, these despicable terrorists murder innocent men, women, and children to serve their disgusting agenda.

“These are the kinds of people that Brymme supports! For this, we must draw a line in the sand.” Dunstan looks straight into the camera. “Republic of Brymme! You must cease and desist your illegal, inhumane aiding and abetting of separatist elements in the Kingdom of Arrenland. Failure will result in severe consequences. No more!” He swiped the air with his arm and the crowd broke out in a deafening applause.

Quartyr 12

St. Guthbert was the capital and largest city on the island of Carruth, the largest overseas domain of the Kingdom of Arrenland. A vestigial remain from Arrenland’s colonial empire, Carruth was the first island south of the Brymmish Principality to be settled by Arrenland. Over time it became a prosperous, valuable asset. Sugarcane, indigo, coffee, and rice were grown in abundance on the large plantations throughout the island. Carruth made many a landowner extremely wealthy. Their wealth was built upon the backs of hundreds of thousands of indentured servants and Ostaran slaves. It was heavily invested in, with hundreds of millions of modern shillings-worth of infrastructure, settlement building, and fortification.

Today it remains in Arrenlander hands, and still retains millions of Ostarans - descendants of slaves - and the descendants of Arrene and Brymmish indentured servants and settlers. One of those Ostaran descendants walks into the second-busiest mall in St. Guthbert. He wears a long, dull-colored coat. Concealed within was a short submachine gun with several loaded magazines. The police would later identify it as a Tieguan knockoff of an old Socialist Union model. It could be traced back to gun runners in the mountains of Nabatho, but no further. Also hidden in his pockets were three old Kolhari grenades.

Seeing that he was being eyed suspiciously by a pair of mall security guards, the man decided it was time. He threw aside the coat and leveled his weapon at the two guards. He released a long burst, hitting both of them several times in a diagonal pattern. Immediately, panic struck. People were running and shouting, all the while the terrorist opened fire indiscriminately. At one point he noticed several people hiding inside a store, so he tossed one of his grenades in. The whole thing went on for only a short while before mall security and local police ended the massacre in a hail of bullets going the opposite direction, but it wasn’t short enough. Initial reports showed over twenty dead and at least forty wounded. Witnesses reported that the terrorist was shouting “Free Carruth!” and other popular separatist slogans.

Within a week, it was revealed that the man had been placed under surveillance by the intelligence and counterterrorism services due to his communications with known members of a radical separatist group, the Ostaran Liberation Party. Inexplicably, however, the government had lost track of him. He had disappeared, only to reappear weeks later at the mall in St. Guthbert. Several arrests followed, mostly separatists, especially Ostaran racial nationalists.

By the end of the second week, the Carruth Constabulary and the Royal Counterterrorism Task Force announced that they would be holding a joint press conference, one which the chancellor himself would be attending.

[Jamzor the Jaxxor]

Quartyr 26

"According to the facts so far revealed in our investigation..." The chief of the Carruth Constabulary went on explaining what was allowed to be released publicly concerning the investigation into the deadly Quartyr 12 terror attack. The most relevant information, at least to Chancellor Dunstan, was the revelation that the shooter was connected to the Ostaran Liberation Party. This organization was known to use violent rhetoric and hold radical views. It was also taking Brymmish money, if the confidential intelligence briefings the chancellor received were to be believed. It was believed that Brymme supported groups such as these to cause instability within Arrenland's borders, thus keeping their energy and attention there.

If Chancellor Dunstan had anything to do with it, however, that would end. When the other two were finished, Dunstan stepped up to the podium. "My fellow citizens, it has been a sad couple of weeks for all of us. Not only because we lost friends and loved ones, not only because we are reminded of those dark subsets of our society that wish harm upon the innocent, but also because we have learned that one of our neighbors shares in the responsibility The radical group known as the Ostaran Liberation Party is a receiver of funds from the government of Brymme, our intelligence services have confirmed. This is a celar violation of our sovereignty and of the clearly-stated ultimatum that I have the Brymmish government months ago.

"Then I promised serious consequences if they did not cease their illegal and immoral activities. What kind of leader would I be to the people who elected me to represent them if I did not follow my words with actions? Therefore, within the next twenty four hours, all financial assets of the Brymmish government and organizations and persons being used by the Brymmish government to channel funds to separatist organizations will be frozen.

"Additionally, I will order a much more aggressive policy of policing of Arrenlander waters, to ensure that we keep our sovereign territory safe from incursions by the hostile Brymmish. I will recommend a significant increase in spending for counterterrorism and intelligence services, to help ensure that nothing like this happens again."

[Flo]

Zechyr 11
Drogheda, Brymme Republic

The Brymmish President, Neill Laudime furrowed his brow as he read the news clipping about the events from the morning. There was significant concern in the government that, after the shots were fired, war with their northern neighbors was an inevitability. There was even more concern given Brymme could hardly be expected to hold off the Arrenlanders for long. This was not to say they wouldn't fight, as they over half a century earlier, but it was not a fight they were likely to win alone.

Naturally, given the way the republic was founded, there were always voices in government focused on opposing Arrenland. There was always an air about the place that, someday, Arrenland might decide to come back. Defenses had been built and Brymme had something of a fortress quality about it, especially on the shoreline. The Brymmish navy had been built up with the express intention of defensive hostility against their northern aggressor. 

That being said, there was never any intention of causing the war. Things had certainly gotten out of hand in recent months. Brymme had nearly always supported some separatist movements and other ne'er-do-wells in Arrenland proper, but would never employ the use of terrorism in its efforts. The attacks had come to the shock of the government. All support was cut off to any group that was even remotely affiliated with the area, for fear of being found out. The military was put on minor alert, and defensive patrols began in earnest.

Then came the events of today. This would surely be trouble. The Arrenlander ambassador had already been summoned and would be soon to arrive. Laudime looked forward to his arrival, where hopefully some explanations could be made, and war could be avoided.

[Jamzor the Jaxxor]

Ambassador Willelm Cho knew immediately after hearing the news of the incident on the sea that he could expect a call from the president's office sooner rather than later. He stood in the anteroom to the president's office, waiting to be called in. He made sure that his appearance was impeccable, as was expected of an Arrenlander diplomat. Ambassador Cho was an Ostaran man, of average height for his race, and a veteran of many administrations. He had been ambassador to Brymme for almost a decade now, and he believed that he had built a cordial relationship with the Brymmish government, despite the high tensions that pervaded.

Unfortunately, recent events threatened all of his hard work. He was a diplomat by nature, one who liked to come to agreements and find compromise wherever possible for everyone's mutual benefit. This was the exact opposite position of the new Populist government headed by Eadmund Dunstan. They were rigid in their beliefs, and this applied as much to dealing with other nations as it did to dealing with other parties. Cho did not vote for the Popular Party, and did not agree with much of their foreign policy. It was a wonder that he remained in his position and had not been replaced by someone more aligned with the government's beliefs.

His personal feelings did not matter today, however. He was the ambassador from the Kingdom of Arrenland to the Brymmish Republic. His duty was to represent the position of his government to the best of his abilities. Fortunately, he had had enough time before being summoned by the president to communicate with the Arrenlander government and to be given its official position, at least for now.

Finally, the secretary opened the door slightly and beckoned the ambassador into the president's office. Clearing his threat and straightening his jacket, he stepped inside. "Mr. President," he said with a forced smile, "it's a pleasure to see you. I had hopes that our next meeting would be under more pleasant circumstances, however."

[Flo]

"You and I both, Ambassador." President Laudime said with a frown. He offered a seat to the ambassador, who promptly took it. Laudime then cleared his throat.

"Surely you are aware of the events of late. I have no doubt you have been briefed on them by your government, as you should be."

"I would first like to recognize the hard work that has been done to ensure that relations between our states remain at the very least neutral. Conflict, despite what some may say, does not have the benefits it used to. It is expensive, in more ways than one. I am, as I always have been, committed to peace between our states. That being said, I have become gravely concerned by what appears to be a concerted effort by your government to incite hostilities."

"I would first like to ask for an explanation for what I know are Arrenlander incursions into Brymmish waters and how, after no evidence had ever been revealed, your government has publically accused mine of funding terrorists, when no evidence for such has been found."

[Jamzor the Jaxxor]

"The position of my government is thus," Ambassador Cho began. "There have been no orders by higher leadership to violate Brymme's territorial waters, and any accusations to the contrary do not have truth behind them. All naval patrols have been conducted within the bounds of common international convention, and Arrenland is simply ensuring the security of its territory and waters. How aggressively a nation patrols its own territorial waters is not the business of any other, but the Royal Navy's operations are simply proportional to the threat faced from smuggling and other illegal activities."

Cho cleared his throat and took a drink of water from a nearby glass. A look of embarrassment passed over his veteran eyes, but it was gone in the blink of an eye. "As to the accusations regarding the supporting of terrorism, I believe you will agree, Mr. President, that evidence that is released publicly and evidence that is found are two totally separate categories. The government has not released any specifics regarding its findings because to do so would compromise national security, but the Arrenlander government assures you that it does indeed have evidence of Brymmish covert activities in this regard. The government of Brymme has been supporting seditious elements within Arrenland for some time now, and I will admit that most of that support has gone towards relatively peaceful groups and individuals. However, some of that aid has ended up in the hands of violent elements. Putting yourself in our shoes, I think you can see how you might react to such a thing.

"However, it is not the royal government's intention to incite any hostilities. That being said, the kingdom is prepared to respond proportionally and within reason to any Brymmish actions which it deems to be hostile to Arrenland or her interests."

[Flo]

"Brymmish actions? Arrenlander vessels attacked Brymmish vessels at open sea.

Furthermore, surely you understand it is most definitely in our interest when, by happenstance, ships patrolling 'territorial waters' happen to find themselves in conflict with our ships far outside the bounds of their jurisdiction."

He sat back, a dissatisfied look of disgust. "I'm disappointed ambassador. You say it was not your governments intention to incite hostilities, and that may have been true for a time, but recent events and posturing say otherwise."

~~~

if your ambassador has anything else to say, now would be the time to do it. we can probably move on from this portion I suppose.