Christian Soloman
Roles	Deputy Prince of Alua 2012- present
Year of Birth	1978, Aluhampton
Positions Held	1999-2012 Officer in the Imperial Marines
Education	Higher Certificate in Education - Average Grade B- BEng(Hons) in Mechanical Engineering
Family	Married:- Sylvia (m.2008) Children:- Lucas (b 2010) and Sally-Anne (b.2013)
Links to Important events?	WHat have they done
Biography	As the second son in the family he always knew that he would not inherit the Empire and so followed the traditional role of being a soldier. He elected to choose the Marines and served as an officer first in the main Marines force before eventually earning his green beret as a Commando. In 2012 he left the military in order to oversee the Principality of Alua.

	Marcus Soloman
Roles	Prince of Paracambi Duke of Alua
Year of Birth	1999, Aluhampton
Positions Held	2015- present - Duke of Alua
Education	Higher Certificate in Education- Average Grade B+
Family	Parents:- Emperor Benson & Empress Madeline (deceased) Siblings:- Princess Sophia (b.2002).
Links to Important events?	WHat have they done
Biography	Heir to the throne of Paracambi. He is currently undertaking a year of "work experience" for his father before heading off to University to study Economics. He is rather a fashion conscious young man who is trying desperately to come to terms with the expectation of his father to follow the Vodou faith while his mother had pressured him to practice Rastafarianism

To:- Grand Preacher Brassicus III

While your nation and mine have very little connecting us I believe we do have several things in common that could act as a bridge between us. First we are both men recently widowed, second we are both rulers of nations that have yet to reach our full potential. It is vital therefore that we seek to support each other. It was with this in mind that earlier this year I formed TUNA, the Treaty of Unity for Nations of the Alucard. It's aim was to ensure the security of that region and give a voice to the island nations of the North. It is my hope however that TUNA can also support the non-island nations such as your own.

With this in mind and understanding that your nation has a limited naval ability I would like to offer in the spirit of friendship support in ensuring your waters are secure and that Cabbagelandiet does not become a backdoor to Albion for smuggling or piracy. Now your nation is opening up to the world there are many new threats to your people beyond any use of force. I therefore propose  that a small Paracambian fleet 2 submarines ( Akan and Shi Maria),The Frigate Duppy, The Corvette Ghede and 2 Fast Patrol Ships be sent to support your territorial integrity. I would also like to offer you the chance for five observers to be placed on each ship to witness the work we carry out, help ensure the vessels act within the laws of your nation and make friends with our own people.

I have already gained permission from TUNA to make this offer and hope you will find it useful.

May The Loa Bless You

Emperor Benson of Paracambi
Grand Hougon of the Vodou Faith

We have seen the previously isolated nation of Cabbagelandiet emerge from isolation and this is something to be welcomed. There is however one concern that I have, as a nation that boasts a navy mainly made up of fishing boats and with a rather large coast line it effectively makes this nation a back door into Albion for smugglers. While TUNA is primarily concerned with supporting the island nations of the Alucard I believe in this situation Cabbagelandiet deserve special consideration due to their nations unique position in terms of naval presence. I am therefore willing to place the following fleet on patrol in the Southern Alucard should Cabbagelandiet support it.

2 submarines ( Akan and Shi Maria)
The Frigate Duppy
The Corvette Ghede
2 Fast Patrol Ships.

We wish to gain the approval of the fellow TUNA nations before making this offer to Cabbagelandiet.

Signed

Emperor Benson of the Paracambian Empire
Head Houngan of the Vodou Faith

Benson listened carefully to what Andrew had to say, " Allow me to be clear and frank. We have no intention of trying to muscle in on the Illumic. Its a waterway far away from our home and the only reason we would have to get involved normally would be a threat to say our global shipping, but thankfully you and the Morelanders have that in hand, just as we do in the Alucard thanks to the TUNA Agreement. However you have to remember that Zimalia is an Illumic nation too and while non-Illumic forces sit welcome in your waters it is hard to deny Zimalia the right to invite them to sit in the skies. Now Rokkenjima may have complied with your requests this time, but we all know they have a vast array of weaponry they like to wave in people's faces that could threaten Zimalia without even setting one foot in the Illumic so to speak. So while you may hold one set of reigns it is clear the Rokkenjimans aren't yours to control fully. Hence why Zimalia needs protecting. It's aircraft fleet is ancient and poorly maintained, I think if I am honest, that it couldn't even hold back the East Moreland boy scouts if they elected to invade. My understanding is that the Rokkenjiman prescence in the Illumic is a long standing agreement that I suspect you would even like rid of. Your nation is militarily capable, is friends with the Morelanders, one of the more capable militaries on Mundus, I suspect if push came to shove you'd probably have Zimalia under your control in what....a week? Then add into it the fact that the Rokkenjiman behemoth is also on your side and you must understand that Zimalia will naturally feel threatened and is well entitled to look for help defending its airspace, especially because the Morelanders have violated it not once but twice with no international outcry. At least with our aircraft there, and those of the Alanders and Tamora their airspace was secure. Now from our point of view our move is purely defensive and I would invite you to visit our squadron and confirm for yourself what I tell you. We only issued our aircraft with air to air missiles and accompanying pods and the like, our squadron clearly is on a defensive posture.

Now this brings me to the first problem. You say you are happy to assist Zimalia with security, well why would they trust you? You're best buddies are the Ironsides, I believe your even some kind of guardian figure to their Princess Rhiannon? Now that being the case we've a Morelander monarch who has twice issued orders to his military to invade Zimalian airspace, and Lords know how many other violations those special forces of theirs have made. Forgive the turn of phrase but that in their eyes likely puts you on the side of the devils. I think one reality you should also look at recognising is this whole crisis dragged Zimalia to world attention like little else has, suddenly you've the Tamorans all over it for their cultural imperialism and economic gain. They too have a decent military and are likely to look to defend their investment. Add to that the Alanders have many people in what I would perceive as the dangerzone should an attack come, they are going to want to know their humanitarian workers are as protected as one could be in that situation. I think therefore you are going to have to expect some foreign forces in Zimalia as a counterweight to your Rokkenjiman guests."

Benson turned his thoughts to the four point plan.  "I am pleased you will help us fund the hospital. At present I know the Tamorans are doing a lot there and the Alanders have some good public health education. What I want is to ensure that the Zimalians though don't become reliant on the foreign involvement for good, which brings me onto point two of your plan. I disagree that Zimalia is unable to provide the engineering and construction for the project, I know Zimalia looks a shit hole from the outside but it does have many luxury hotels which were built by Zimalians, the problem is the corruption that can take place on their projects, as such I propose an alternative point two. We appoint a pair of project managers, one each, who will oversee the project but the Zimalians will provide all the labour. Then as to point three, I agree with you they may at the start lack the health care professionsals. We therefore agree with your measures but also believe we should use organisations such as the Mundus Health Organisation and the Global Childbirth Initiative.

Now point four refers to what I was saying earlier. Before I issue orders for my birds to come home I need to know that Zimalia will not be attacked without them giving just cause. As such I would like to see that you would not permit Rokkenjima to use facilities in Seaforth to undertake any military operations against Zimalia, be that information gathering, be that surveillance or actual attacks. I do not want to see a single Rokkenjiman ship from the base you host in Zimalian territorial waters, nor do I wish to see one aircraft undertaking any activity in their airspace either by directly flying into it or gathering data from within it. If I have that reassurance I would feel confident to bring the aircraft home."

"Thank you" the Emperor said shaking hands with each of the Seaforthians, "Now I hope you too will accept this" It was about the size of a wine bottle, carved in dark wood but then painted brightly, a woman with gold chains around her neck a snake draped across her two outstretched hands as though offering the serpent to the viewer. "This is an idol of Anaisa Pye, she is one the Loa, our spirit guides if you will. It is believed she brings love, happiness and money into any household that has her." He then handed the warhammer to one of his aides who carefully carried it back to the waiting plane. "Now King Andrew I hope that we can reach some agreement regarding Zimalia, their a nation we take an interest in and now we see the Tamorains there almost manipulating the locals towards their own faith and traditions. For us this isn't just about helping make the future of Zimalia better its about helping them remain Zimalian, many of our cultural beliefs have roots in that land, the idol I gave you, once upon a time it would have had some other perhaps and a Zimalian tribe would have followed it. What we need to achieve is helping the Zimalians stand on their feet not rely on others. That requires two things, first the creation of strong infrastructure that they can control, the second security. I would like to leave here knowing we've managed to at least start to achieve both these. You're rather uniquely placed, you and the Morelanders control the Illumic but then we see the influence of Rokkenjima. I was pleased that you managed to apparently reign in the Rokkenjimans but who knows how long that will last? I would like to know that the chances of our squadron returning  once they depart are minimal and you're the man I think can do that."

Benson started his day off outside his home in Aluhampton, it was to be the beginning of a rather important meeting and so he had gathered the press and various Ministers. "Ladies and Gentleman, today I will travel to Seaforth to discuss helping our cousins in Zimalia. I hope we can reach a deal with King Andrew that will allow them to access better health-care and bring long term safety to their nation. With that in mind I ask for the Loa's to give their blessings to my work" On cue an aide brought out a goat, its bleets bringing a few laughs, Benson took hold of its lead, knelt, spoke to it in a soothing voice while with his free hand he sliced its neck open. The blood rushed onto the floor turning the white stone dark. The crowd watched until the twitching goat had stopped moving and then two men lifted the body onto a cart and wheeled it away. "The Loa's have had their offerings" he added as he walked away wiping his hands on a towel provided. The press rushed off to immediately make their reports as the Emperor was whisked away to the airport. "Harris" Benson addressed his personal secretary as they boarded the aircraft, "Can you find me some new shoes or at least get these cleaned" he slipped off his leather shoes, splashes of the goat blood still on them. He then settled down to read through various government documents as he flew to Seaforth.

As he arrived in Seaforth the newly found shoes were presented, Benson did laugh slightly when he spotted a young Air Force corporal who was onboard the flight stood in just socking feet. "I'm sorry young man" Benson shook the man's hand, "But I fear my need today is greater than yours. I'll bring them back" he patted the man on the arm playfully before heading out to meet the welcoming party.

Dear King Andrew

Some time ago our nations were looking to be on opposite sides of a sticky situation in Zimalia. Our nation has ancient ties to that nation as a good many of our people can trace their ancestory to slaves kidnapped by the Seleucid from those lands. As such we see them as kind of long lost brothers, or perhaps a cousin, either way we feel obliged to support them as best we can. As a result there is currently a squadron of F-22 Loggerheads based in Zimalia on a defensive posture. I feel with that situation now de-escalated that I would like to bring those aircraft home, however I still have concerns over the safety of Zimalia. You are though a man that I have no reason to doubt the credibility of and so I therefore make this offer to you. I shall bring the squadron home should Seaforth make two promises. The first promise is that they will agree to never take any military action against Zimalia unless first attacked by Zimalia. The second promise is to join with me and donate half the cost of building a 500 bed hospital in Mogebbe, the other half will come from Paracambi. It is estimated that the cost will be in the region of $300million each. I believe this second venture will show that we are committed to support the people of Zimalia while showing the world there is no lasting issues between our nations. I hope you find these proposals acceptable and would if they are not be willing to either meet in person or via representatives to find a mutually agreeable compromise that allows Seaforth to have its much loved Illumic less cluttered with foreign forces while giving us piece of mind about our kin in Zimalia.

Blessings of the Loa be upon you

Emperor Benson II of Paracambi, Grand Hougon of the Vodou Faith.

Emperor Benson shifted uneasily in the Palace only 24 hours earlier he'd claimed the title of Lead Houngon on the Vodou faith, making himself effectively the head of all those who professed the religion across the globe. It had of course been done before and the faithful wished for order, for one person to unite them but it had to be the right person. So far he'd had no major voice speak out against him and with only some Brigadier of Bakkermaya speaking out against his speech it couldn't have gone much better. He just had one problem, how was he to create a Vodou Empire if his own nation wasn't even controlled by the faith. He'd thought long and hard on this and knew something had to change and he would use the upcoming conference of the Principalities to see it through.

As the leaders of the six principalities, his own included sat before him in his role as Emperor he watched as his wife entered the room to take the seat next to him. Empress Madeline stunk of marijuana, she'd been smoking it more and more since she'd got friendly with the most influential member of the Rastafarian faith in the Empire. Benson hated it, the smell, the way his wife wasn't the same woman he married and her spiritual adviser was now trying to get his claws into their children. Only last week he'd caught the adviser speaking with his 19 year old son, Marcus, and had seen him offering the young man the drug. He'd proudly watched the boy turn it down but knew the adviser was very persuasive.

As the Emperor began addressing his Princce's and Princesses he knew that at the opposite end of the Palace his former Naval buddies would be carrying out his dirty work. A Special Boat Unit (SBU) commando group had arrived at sunset and made their way into the Palace, primarily on the point of discussing the Emperors increased security, now while people began to unwind for the evening one of them picked the advisers bedroom lock made his way inside and with a silenced pistol emptied the pistols magazine into him. He then reached under the bed and planted the explosive device he'd brought with him. Three more members of the SBU did the same.

"So, that is my plan. My I see a show of hands as to those willing to support my position as the Head of Vodou faith. The Duke of Alua, the Emperors own province, immediately raised his hand showing support, followed immediately by the Princess of Amalie and the Prince of Castres. That hadn't been a surprise the majority of people living there were Vodouists and the two royals where close friends of the Emperor. The 21 year old Princess of Amalie was even someone Benson hoped he could persuade his son Marcus to get romantically involved with but that had fallen on deaf ears so far. The other three, the Prince of Alemba, his brother in law kept his hand down, he was a Rasta just like his sister the Empress. The Princes of Gustava and Roseu also kept their hands down. "That's your decision?" Benson asked and the hands remained in position. "Very well, then I have no choice other than to resign" their were puzzled looks as suddenly a small explosion rocked the Council room sending glass and shrapnel everywhere, Benson fell to the floor his face cut from glass and his ears ringing. Almost at the same time he heard the tell tale crack of gunfire and lay there until the SBU came and extracted him from the room and then the Palace.

He was whisked away the SBU taking him to the safety of the Palace bunker. The six man team and the Emperor were alone as one of the medics began tidying him up. "So how did it go?" Benson asked, his hearing not quiet right.

"Excellent Ben" Major Tomas Benedict replied, "Adviser is dead, the traitors dead, sadly your a  widow." the man said grimly at the end.

"Junkie bitch had to go." Benson said as he opened and closed his mouth as though trying to get his ears to work properly. "What are you going to tell the media?"

"We got hit by a group of Rastafarians unhappy that you are going to create a Vodou Empire, they set off bombs and indiscriminatly fired machine guns at the Palace, hit several people, sadly killed some. The group had been workers at the Palace, rather unfortunate as we've just shot your Palace cook and I rather liked his lamb. They were all Rastas and repelled by the SBU." Benedict explained, his men had rounded up several of the well known Rasta's in the Palace and executed them. "The weapons they had just happened to be very similar to those used by the Lodjains, maybe they were part of all that underhand nonsense the Lodjain military got into, you know supplying our terrorist groups and the like."

The group laughed, the first steps where in place.

Every week between 6pm and 7pm on Paracambian Public Broadcasting (PPB) well respected Vodou Houngan (Male Priest) speaks about the issues of the day and then opens his phone lines for questions, comments or ideas from the community, or even further afield.

---

"Hone ak Respe[1] and welcome to tonight show. It's finally happened we're leaving the islands, we're heading for Albion and the warmth of the Loa is coming to the people. It may have started with a group of chancers from Bakkermaya, a nation living outside the influence of the Loa and misguided by my man Legba, he can certainly be a trickster drawing you down the wrong arm of the crossroads. Now though we have a signpost, a man, a wise and honest man to stand there in the crossroads saying "Nah Legba, let these kids go the right arm", we've had such people in the past who have thrown themselves forward but their voice has fallen on the ears of the deaf, now though we have a lion roaring for the world to hear. The man Benson, he's a regular at my sermons and my rituals and I know, I know very well, he is a true brother in the faith, yeah he may be married to that Rasta Queen but he knows the way of the Loa trust me. Now he's taking the reigns, he's spotted the love-bus of Vodou was minus a driver and now he's in the driving seat, the SatNav is set for Albion and that brother is just adjusting the rear view before we get things going. A leader of the Vodou faith can unite us all behind the Loa and an Emperor is just the man to do it. This ain't no wannabe prophet from the woods of an Alucard island, this is an Emperor, a man with a country behind him, a man with a people and a history behind him, and a man with a plan. The same day this happens is the same day the Catholic buses wheels have come off, we've the front wheels bouncing on down the road leaving their passengers and luggage scrapping in the dusty road. The Pope can shout at those wheels all he likes, but they off, they merrily on their way abouncing down the road, who knows maybe to something better. Yeah the Pointy Hatted dude has spoken out against slavery, but what has he done. Did not their preacher dude John 3:18 say "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." I been hearing lots of words, but I ain't seen any deeds or truth. Vodou teaches us each human needs to be free, a man in chains is not a real man, he is kept apart from the Loa and that ain't good. Our ancestors broke them chains for many but they remain. This week we seen the people of Freestone in East Moreland do something, they say to the world, "Hey man these sweet goods.....they are made without Slaves." and then Lodja, and now Slava hear them and say, "Yes that's good, in they come", while those evil goods, those made with the blood of their fellow people, kept right outside. Now we stand at them crossroads again, Legba waiting for us, will you walk that path down towards the lovely cheap goods coated in blood, or will you take the path towards the righteous, Popes I guess its over to you. As always that's the week in Vodou, what you need, what you want, or what you gotta tell me. Lets open the phone lines.

---

OOC- Whether this becomes weekly or not I don't know, just imagine a guy now chatting with people across the country, some asking for spiritual advice, some questioning his attitudes, some wanting to learn more about the faith. You can ask him whatever.

1.	traditional vodou greeting, meaning Honour and Respect

Over the last 48 hours the native religion of Paracambi has found international recogniition following the Papa Legba's Army (PLA) claiming to have started a conquest of Albion in the name of their faith. The Vodou faith is native to Paracambi and has spread little beyond the borders of the mainland and island provinces meaning that the PLA's declaration has taken many by surprise. The faith is one that many Paracambians find to be rather misunderstood as Vodou Priestess (known as a Mambos) Nava Waters explained, "In films and on TV you see Vodou as sacrificing people, using dolls to commit evil and believing in Zombies. Nothing could be further from the truth. Yes we believe in magic and the ability to commune with the spirits but we do not believe we can use them for evil." The faith broadly speaking believes that an unreachable great creator is in control of the universe and everything in it, however he is served by a series of spirits known as Loa, Papa Legba being one of these. The faithful believe that each person spiritually belongs to one of 24 families of Loa and direct their practices towards them. Papa Legba acts as a spirt of the crossroads, helping people make vital decisions about where to go in life and actions to take, he is also seen as a warrior and thus seems to be the reason he has been adopted by these religious extremists.

The faith believes that during rituals spirits of ancestors or the Loa can speak through the faithful as directed by the Priests (Houngans) and Priestesses (Mambos) and that once given offerings they can convey blessings and protection upon those asking. It is not uncommon for rituals to take place in the open air and involve singing, often competative as the faithful of different Loa disagree on the manner of which songs should be sung. For example those who follow the Loa called  Ogou Feray (known as the God of Iron) choose to sing songs at a fast tempo, while those of Damballa Webo (known as the Sky Father) prefer to song slowly with their heads lifted up towards the skies.  I was invited to attend one such gathering and it was strange to see a Houngan begin a song and then various parts of the room begin their own interpretation. To the untrained ear it sounds nothing more than a cacophany of noise, but infact it is almost like a friendly competition between the parts. Following the ritual singing and dancing those of all Loa's eat and drink together and await the moments when the spirit world meet with their own. It was strange to see at one point a young teenage girl suddenly go white eyed and speak in a deep voice, much deeper than her own, she recited a family history of someone else in the room before passing a blessing, apparently brought from some distant aunt of the family. Whether this was true channelling of the a spirit, a communal religious trance or just the rum it is hard to say but as one after another channelled spirits it was clear the faith was one of love and respect for the family.

I asked Mambos Navas Waters about the reason the faith has been caught up in the misconception of human sacrifice having seen the warmth they showed their fellow human beings during worship. "It comes from the fact that we do sacrifice animals occasionally, a select few of the Loa need to have their spiritual power refreshed by the consumption of animals spirits, as such we three or four times a year sacrifice goats, sheep or cows, the death of the animal is not the important part but the community coming together to sing and dance to help the creatures spirit leave in peace and join with the Loa refreshing their power and keeping the world safe. The animal is not wasted, after the ceremony its meat is harvested and we give it to the poor by way of providing free meals for the homeless, or in some cases the community comes together to share a meal. This is the key to our faith, a community doing its best to share with each other the best we can." We then asked the Mambos about the connection with "Black Magic" that was alleged by some faiths, noticeably Christianity to be Devil Worship. Navas stated, "This is like with any faith, you get bad eggs, there are those Mambos and Houngans that try and channel spirits that they shouldn't, those of the evil in order to try and do there bidding. There are also those out their who believe it is possible to use their powers to connect with the spirit world to weaken the souls of others for their ill gains. This is obviously an unwanted stain on our faith and has shaped the media perception of us over the last few decades I believe. Show me a faith without a black mark against its name and I'll be amazed."

We then turned our converation to the PLA, "The PLA do not speak for the Vodou faith, we have no central religious figure, yes some Houngans and Mambos gain great reputations by their deeds, and the Emperor of Paracambi can trace his family line back to great practioners which means he is seen as an important voice in the faith but his words carry no more authority than mine. The fact he is possibly the most powerful Vodou practioner in the world will obviously make him a figure these idiots feel they can muster behind and hope he will protect the faith, just as he has tried to do so by ensuring the faith remains the centre of life in Paracambi, alongside our other native faith Rastafarianism. Yes it has made our homeland more conservative than I would like but it has held us in good shape. I think the PLA are simply a force of bad magic, trying to turn us away from the true Loa. They should be stopped at every turn and I am sure that Papa Legba will punish them very soon."

It was a sentiment shared by many at the religious meeting I witnessed, most very keen to point out the true nature of Vodou was about connecting with the spirit world to help act as a guide in this. They emphassised community and tha only through ensuring your community is strong will you please the Loa and thus gain their blessings, however in the younger members of the Vodou faith I sensed a difference to their parents. One Vodou worshipper, a 19 year old girl who didn't want us to use her name told us. "Our faith tells us to look after our community but we need it to be strong, as a nation the voice of Vodou is strong, internationally though its weak. I don't know of one non-Paracambian who worships Vodou, we're today a global community. How can we get the blessings of the Loa if we can't get the world to embrace them." There was a sense that this needs to be done urgently and as she later explained, "the soldier Loa's would stop at nothing to protect their community, if only someone would create it. Perhaps a global Vodou community would bring the Loa back to walking among us."

While the Emperor of Paracambi is yet to speak on the mattter of the PLA, some of those at the meeting I attended suggesting that by even mentioning them he would be connecting them with Papa Legba, something that in the eyes of hardline Vodouists would bring shame to the Loa, it is clear that the PLA are not a mainstream Vodou voice. We did however manage to track down one person online who claimed to be a voice for the PLA. They claimed to be a student at a university in Paracambi and suggested the movement was growing. "Papa Legba tells us that the world is at a constant cross roads, we stand ever presented with two choices and the route we take influences everything and everyone. For centuries our people have taken the same path, the one that tells us to be thankful for our community, and of course we are, but the modern world is eroding that. The draw of majuaina and reggae tempt many my age to claim to be Rasta's, and in many they actually go on embrace the true way of Rasta life rather than just pay it cultural lip service. Others of my age give up on faith all together and as such embrace atheism. As a result of both these factors the number of real Vodouists shrinks each day. War and the media have over hundreds of years helped faiths grow and remove their threats, Vodou never did that on Mundus, we sat in Paracambi just being grateful for what we have, ever taking the same paths. Our generation feel it is time to take the other path, to fight for our faith, to preserve it here where it belongs in Albion and in Paracambi. Once we have a community for Albion the Loa are sure to come back and then Mundus will embrace the real path." I asked him if the use of violence was justified in the aim to which he answered, "Papa Legba is no stranger to violence, he is a warrior and stands ready to fight to protect what he needs to for the good of all. We try and honour him by doing just that. Those brave martyrs on Bakkermaya, soil taken from the true faith by the wicked Cult of Helus, they are the first to fall and while I hope they would be the last it can not be ruled out. We must carry our fight to wherever those who oppose the return of the Loa dwell."

At present it is estimated that no more than 500 members of the PLA exist but as Chief of Police for Aluhampton, the capital of Paracambi, explained "We've discovered this group purposely at present limit their social media activity something that usually allows us to monitor their actions. Instead we've found them using traditional letters, handwritten pen and paper which makes them devilishly difficult to track down. It is however also a bonus as the group will find it harder to attract new members and spread their message. Its our hope that now they have shown themselves to the world they can be picked off easier."

With the faith of Vodou now essentially gaining its first global recognition in a long time it remains to be seen just how the world will react to what is an often very misunderstood faith.

The small village of Billingthorpe sat on one of Paracambi's idealic islands. It looked just like a scene from some sort of romantic movie, clean crisp white sandy beaches stretching far up the coast being lapped gently by the crystal clear waters. At the back of the beach was a small woodland that separated the village from the beach itself, the sounds of children playing hide and seek only just audible over the swooshing of the waves and the cries of the sea birds that dive bombed for fish. It was into this dream of a world that the Germaine, a smaller sized cargo ship, crashed. The sound of metal scrapping the ocean floor before coming to a stop around 10 meters off the coast filled the air. The children intrigued by the new arrival rushed out from their hiding spots to come and see what had happened. The ship just sat, no one yelled down, no one moved along the deck instead the giant metal beast just sat. One of the kids darted back to the village to tell people what had happened and soon the whole of the village was out looking.

One man had a ladder and used it to clamber up on deck, cautiously he called out and approached what he assumed was the wheel house, it was empty. He was joined onboard by three other men and an hour later twenty members of the Coastguard, but even then they couldn't find a single sole. The ship was abandoned but undamaged for all intents and purposes it was as though the crew had just vanished into thin air. The Bakkermayan flag fluttered at the rear and so a call was dispatched to their government. It was a mystery that needed to be solved, the only problem is over the next 48 hours three more ships arrived, all with no crew.

To:- Fellow Members of TUNA

With Bakkermaya applying to join the organisation I fully support their membership and so with their application received  we therefore open a period of 48 hours for other nations to either support or deny their admission with the majority verdict ruling.

Regards

Emperor Benson II

The Empire of Paracambi supports the admission of Dartford as an observer to the organisation and looks forward to working alongside them. We therefore open a period of 48 hours for other nations to either support or deny their admission with the majority verdict ruling. We would however strongly recommend our colleagues in Lodja and Muneski back this bid as it is our belief that there is strength in numbers and Dartford could be an excellent addition to our fledgling organisation.

Signed

Emperor Benson II

Emperor Bensen today announced that Paracambi would be sending aid to what he has described as "Stateless people living within Zimalia". After listening to the announcement from Alander Minister of Defence the Emperor said that he had "weighed up the pros and cons of this action and determined things must be done." As such he has ordered that up to 3,000 empty metal shipping containers, items that are used in what is the self proclaimed "Principality of Northern Borland" to construct housing and other facilities. The Empress Madeline, a devout member of the Rastafarian faith said, "Zimalia is a place we have many ancestoral ties, as such we must embrace that if a Zimalian is in need then humanity is in need, nationality does not mean anything when suffering is taking place."

It is also expected that the Emperor will support the action of Nya Aland by helping support Zimalia in defence against foreign attacks after the Emperor said, "Zimalia is a sovereign state, regardless of what people think of the Principality. They have a right to defend themselves" The Emperor was then quick to explain his reasons for wishing to help. "Over centuries our nation grew out of the spectre of our people having a way of life imposed upon them. Zimalians and Paracambians were kidnapped by people like Seleucid and taken in misery half way around the world to be used as slaves. Zimalia is no perfect state, it still clings to its old tribal lines rather than embracing its factors that tie it together. What we see in the "Principality" is what I see in our own nations history. A group of people tired of the injustice they face realising that nobody is going to end it for them and so are ending it themselves. This tiny scrap of dirt is unarmed, full of people carving a decent life for themselves. Rokkenjima talk of military action, there is an old phrase, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, what Rokkenjima is doing is offering vinegar Paracambi and Aland are offering honey. Imagine what will happen, Rokkenjima's military machine unleashes on the Principality and hundreds of innocent men, women and children die. Those images will be relayed around the world creating sympathy for the victims. This in turn creates more potential members for the Borlanders. The families of those killed will sympathise with the Borlanders and we create a new generation of terrorist when at the moment according to Martja Larsson most people there do not care about their cause. If we go in, help build, help teach, help care for the sick then the Borland propaganda of it being them against the world and only Borland caring for them is destroyed, their narrative dies.  I prefer honey to vinegar."

The Emperor has also issued a decree that his eldest child, Prince Marcus who turns 19 in a few days time will be joining the Joint Emergency Team (JET) over the summer break from University where he is studying Biomedical Sciences. "It is important a future monarch sees the world more than I did. That he see what the reality out there is. JET is a fine organisation and I think some of his skills could be of use. I will suggest that if possible he be sent to Zimalia to support any initiatives or operations there." Meanwhile Princess Sophie who is 16 will be spending the summer on a wildlife conservation programme with links to the Wild Mundus Organisation. The Emperor said, "Our island ecosystems are home to many wondrous and beautiful creatures. Sometimes nature needs a little helping hand and Sophie will be providing that. She likes animals, is considering training as a vet and if she does I would be thrilled."