-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://www.thewrap.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Rush-News.jpg)
QUEEN SENDS CONGRATULATIONS TO ELENA OF HERRENBUCHT
Queen Viktoriya today sent her congratulations to Princess Elena of Herrenbucht upon her nation of Herrenbucht changing its constitution to legalizes female succession. As such she now is eligible in the line of succession, however Her cousin Markus von Wateringas, who was hoping to become Crown Prince, criticised the move saying "A woman as the leader of our country and our army is not acceptable " before adding "Women aren't made for this job". The Queen wrote an open letter to Elena offering her congratulations and support.
Dear Elena
Let us start by congratulating you and your people, today they have taken a great step forward in allowing women to inherit, and should a time come when you assume the leadership of your nation we hope to be able to support you however we can. Around a year ago we were plucked from being an ordinary 18 year old girl who was preparing for University, we found ourselves prepared in a short time to take on the huge responsibility of running a nation. In that time we hope that we have shown what we are capable of, first establishing the Network of Crowns, hosting the amendment conference for the Uppsala Convention and then forming the CNN, all things that have helped our nation take its fledgeling steps onto the international stage. In short we are confident that by the time you are called to serve your people you will be strong, confident and magnificent.
While you seemingly already have your critics we can tell you first hand that these are things you must take with a pinch of salt. To say women aren't made to lead is ridiculous, by looking around Mundus one can see that for yourself. A history lesson gives the warrior Queen of East Moreland, Rhiannon The Fierce who was voted the 2nd Greatest Mundusian ever, furthermore we have had more female General Secretaries of the CTO than we have men, showing that they can achieve greatness. With talk of not being able to run an army we have personally overseen reforms of our nations militaries taking it from a shabby piece of work into something our nation can be proud of, meanwhile the East Moreland military, one of the most respected on Mundus is commanded by a woman. Women are capable of great things, in our youth we recall stand offs between the Warsaw Pact and CSTO, mainly lead by Rokkenjima, that tension was defused after many attempts failed, the person who lead that was Willa Sunbrek, a woman bringing one of the biggest steps towards global peace. The times for women to be seen as inferior are gone and anybody denying that has no historical understanding of Mundus.
We would therefore like to invite you to our capital Gaia for your first official state visit. It is our hope that this will be the first of many between our nations.
May Sessifet Bless You
Queen Viktoriya Tar of Lodja, Guardian of Sessifet.
The Queen has been underfire at home recently with the first anniversary of her marriage just two months away, traditionally the Queen has conceived a child in the first year of marriage and failure to do so is seen as a bad omen for the future of her reign. This was however down played by Lord of the Conclave, Besarian Ivanov who said. "Look at Her Divine Majesties track record, it's excellent, she's created thousands of jobs, given Plebs more oppurtunities, improved our defensive capabilities and opened a world full of oppurtunities to our nation. She is doing a wonderful job and will continue to do so whether she has a child or not. I look forward to continuing our successful work."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://i.pinimg.com/736x/b9/2a/8f/b92a8fb2d767e26f73b06ec56803895c--interview-men.jpg)
QUEEN AIRLIFTED TO GAIA MILITARY HOSPITAL
It was announced moments ago that Queen Viktoriya has been airlifted to Gaia Military Hospital following an attack within the Palace of the Goddess. The exact nature of the attack is not known however a spokesman for the Conclave has stated, "The Queen is in a serious condition. She is surrounded by the very best medical experts and it is our hope, that with the Goddesses protection she will recover and be with us soon." The Queen was taken by military helicopter and will be treated by the Army Medical Corps who are experts at trauma treatment.
One member of the palace staff, who did not see the attack said, "I was working on repairing one of the old corridors near a garden within the Palace, suddenly I heard shouting and six or seven members of the Security Agency came pounding past me, some carried weapons while others carried what looked like first aid kits but much bigger. I tried to follow them and see what was happening but at the edge of the garden they had men with guns keeping the Palace staff back. I saw several agents working on helping the Queen and one of the Ladies in Waiting was covered in blood, it looked terrible." The Palace was put under immediate lock down however it is suspected that the attacker, thought to be a young apprentice gardener acted alone. The same witness said, "We heard shouting and four agents had hold of a young man by each limb literally carrying him away, he was yelling, I can't remember his exact words but it was about the Goddess being released." There has been in recent months a growing belief amongst some that the Queen's failure to get pregnant is a sign that she does not truly have the Goddess Sessifets blessing and a handful going so far as to believe the Queen is cursed.
These superstitious notions had been addressed only a few days ago by High Priestess Raisa Chownyk spoke about this saying, "Nowhere in the texts of Sessifet does this notion of the Queen needing to conceive in a set time exist, anyone saying this is the case is either provoking nonsense or uneducated in the teachings of the blessed Goddess. The Goddess knows all and when the time is right for her to become a mother then she will become a mother, it is that simple." The High Priestess is the aunt of the Queen's husband Baron Roman Chownyk who was in Luebin at the time of the attack. It has been confirmed that he too has been airlifted and taken to Gaia Military Hospital to be with his wife.
Already large crowds have gathered at the causeway of the Island of the Goddess lighting candles for the Queen. While the Queen is incapacitated it is the duty of Lord Besarian Ivanov to make the final decision after meetings of the Conclave.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://imagesvc.timeincapp.com/v3/fan/image?&c=sc&w=850&h=623&url=https://fansided.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2016/02/500412420-french-prime-minister-manuel-valls-receives-arnold-schwarzenegger-in-paris.jpg)
"PRIORY NOT ON OUR RADAR" SAY GENERAL KUBIK
Following a claim made by the so called Priory of Sion, a terrorist group from the Ecclesiastical State, that they were behind the assassination attempt of Queen Viktoriya the nations Minister of Defence, General Lubos Kubik, Duke of Helaov has spoken of the claims. In a statement made as he entered Gaia Military Barracks the military man said, "The group known as the Priory of Sion is not on our Radar, the claim that they are responsible would be laughable and also actually more appealing than the truth. To have had a foreign organisation be the ones trying to kill our Queen would be bad, however the fact that it was actually one of our own makes things worse, for a Lodjain to betray his Goddess is appalling and as soon as we have ruled out co-conspirators he will face justice openly and publically, that appearence and the story about what happened yesterday on the Island of the Goddess will show just how desperate and grabbing the Priory are for international acclaim. If I'm honest I had to google who they are and what they stand for so I'm not surprised they would try and take what they probably assume is the glory of our Queen's blood." Duke Lubos added, "The Security of the Isle of the Goddess and around all the people there will be increased and no stone will be left unturned ensuring anyone with connections to the assailant is dealt with.
The Security Agency have yet to release the name of the would be killer and have only confirmed that he was a male who was unknown to the Intelligence Agencies. A special team has been put together in order to investigate the incident and track down any co-conspirators.
The Queen yesterday went into surgury upon reaching the Gaia Military Barracks and doctors confirmed that she recieved "a significant amount of trauma to the neck which required life saving procedures and a major transfusion of blood." They also announced that the Queen had been put into a medically induced coma in order to give her a better chance of reducing any injuries suffered because of loss of blood flow. Her Royal Physician confirmed that the Queen is still "Critical". Prayers have been said across the nation and many well wishers have been gathering at the Isle of the Goddess.
Legal experts have confirmed that while the Queen is incapacitated her powers will be held in a regents capacity by Lord Besarian Ivanov, however it is also known that a precautionary series of meetings have been taking place in order to identify a potential successor should the Queen not recover. One of the names considered was Lady in Waiting Jasmina Danailov, who was considered for Queen when Viktoriya Tar was named. The 18 year old Lady in Waiting turns 19 in three weeks and many believe that should the Queen die in that time her coronation would be rushed through. Darya Natalka, a 17 year old friend of Princess Alana is also being placed in Royal Security as she turns 18 in two weeks and is considered a good candidate should Queen Viktoriya not recover.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/view-of-the-entrance-of-the-matamoros-military-barracks-where-former-picture-id485613716)
QUEEN NOT RESPONDING TO TREATMENT
A spokesman for Lord Besarian has today announced that having visited Gaia Military Barracks that the Queen is still unconcious. A week after the Queen was rushed to the barracks she is still unconcious. The spokesman made the announcement from the barracks gates saying, "It is sad to say that the Queen is so far not responding to treatment. Doctors here have provided superb treatment and done everything possible to help the Queen. We continue to pray for her and urge others to do the same." So far several thousand people have gone to the barracks gate and left flowers or other tokens as tokens of their hopes for the Queen's recovery. One medic at the base confirmed that the Queen had now been taken off her medication which had been keeping her in a medical coma.
The Conclave have been in control of the nation since the Queen was stabbed, with Lord Besarian Ivanov at its head. One of the actions that he has taken is to put the Priestesses to task searching for a potential new Queen. Furthermore it was confirmed today that he has also asked the nations High Court Judges to begin considering several points of law regarding the position. One former judge said, "We face a situation where we could potentially have a Queen who can't communicate her commands to the nation. This would be very difficult for the country to continue to operate as we would clearly not have guidance from the Goddess. We must also consider whether we can pre-choose a new Queen, I think it would be a difficult decision to make."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FgNm79pg3TU/VzgUbDpyF9I/AAAAAAAASVU/q619oargElA/s640/Odeya-Rush-Dp-profile-pics-337.jpg)
QUEEN "UNLIKELY TO RECOVER" AND DISCOVERED TO BE PREGNANT
It was sadly confirmed today by the Royal Physician that Queen Viktoriya is "unlikely to recover" from her injuries. An announcement was made just before sunrise at the gates of the Gaia Military Baracks in which the Physician stated, "It is regretable that the Queen's loss of blood was significant enough to have caused severe damage to the Queen. It is now the case that the Queen is unlikely to recover and is being kept alive by artificial means. We have also determined that the Queen is currently pregnant, a fact that will neccesitate a different approach to that normally used in such situations. We ask the nation to pray for the child and it's father Baron Roman as we seek to find a way through these difficult times." The news was meet with tears and sadness by those assembled at the gates, some of whom had been laying good luck tokens and flowers.
High Priestess Raisa Chowynk spoke an hour later saying, "The Goddess is clearly testing our nations determination to follow her ways, she has deemed that Viktoriya has left us in a position of strength and we do not require a day to day level of input from Sessifet. This is a testimont to the wise rule of the Queen. While the medical profession are greatly skilled and highly respected they do not posses the power of Sessifet and I hope the Goddess will return in her partnership with Viktoriya to guide us once more. It is now our duty to continue Viktoriya's work in her abscence and we shall not let her down."
Lawyers have already begun examining what this announcement means for the nations government, with no provision set up to declare an emergency without the Queen's authority it is uncertain what will happen in the mean time. Currently Lord of the Conclave Lord Besarian Ivanov is running the government on the Queen's behalf supported by his fellow ministers, however it is believed that some lawyers believe that laws permit the Queen's husband Baron Roman to take the title of King following the Queen being confirmed as pregnant, alternatively some lawyers believe that Princess Alana may also be able to act on her sisters behalf until such a time as her recovery. It is likely that courts and the Priesthood will make a ruling on this in the coming days.
One leading nobleman who wished to not be named suggested that "the Queen needs to be permitted to die, the group of cells within her is not yet a child, and it is sad to say it must be sacrificed to permit our nation, and the Goddess, to have a strong ruler once more. The child will not have any say in our government and is an irrelevence in this situation. It is my understanding if even carried to term, something I understand is unlikely, that it will be disabled in some form, making it impossible to take any position within a government if even given a role. Nature must be permitted to take its course."
Another however has said, "The Goddess will take Viktoriya when she chooses, regardless of what we must do. If this is a test then surely it is a test of our love for the Queen, how hard will we work to keep her with us. As long as there is a way we must follow her path and continue her work, only when Queen Viktoriya's path diverts from the Goddesses will we need a new Queen."
It was also confirmed that the Conclave and Priesthood have pre-determined that should the Queen die within the next seven days Lady Jasmina Danailov will inherit the throne with the High Preistess stating, "It was clear Sessifet had a hard time choosing between Viktoriya and Jasmina, as such I believe should Jasmina still be 18 it is clear that the Goddess has choosen her, so strong was the connection between the Lady in Waiting and the Goddess. We have determined should the seven days pass and Viktoriya remain with us we shall conduct testing to determine a new Queen should the need arise, therefore allowing a smooth transitition of the Goddess."
Lady Jasmina is currently kept under guard on the Island of the Goddess, however her father Lord James Danailov stated, "To have my daughter considered as the role of Queen is a great moment in my life, for it to happen twice even more humbling. I have mixed feelings at the moment, I don't know any nobleman who wouldn't wish his daughter on the throne, but for it to happen in such a circumstance would be heartbreaking."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12650782_1057923800941733_7285063416713880563_n.png?oh=9954d6aed821389c4f91e455941f0058&oe=5A861755)
KING OF EAST MORELAND HONOURS VISIT DESPITE QUEEN'S CONDITION
At the foundation of the Network of Crowns it was agreed that King David III of East Moreland would visit Lodja for a week at this time in order to observe the training progress of the soldiers being trained by his nations elite Red Legion. So far some 2000 Lodjain soldiers have been retrained following an inspection of the state of Lodjain forces some 8 months ago. The new training programme seeks to stop people gaining positions in the military based on wealth and family connections but rather by ability. The scheme will see some 3,000 soldiers turned into instructors who will return to their units and pass on the skills they have been taught. One of the first units to be part of the scheme were the Lodjian Royal Marines who underwent an intensive 14 week programme, one recruit who went through this said, "It made our basic training training look like childrens football practice, there was much less focus on drill and uniform and a lot more of weapons handling, once we stopped running it was actually enjoyable."
The first of the instructors graduate this weekend and the King is the guest of honour at their passing out parade, an honour he was expected to share with Queen Viktoriya. The parade has been cancelled however the King apparently insisted on coming anyway. As he landed in Gaia he was taken first to the Island of the Goddess where it is said he joined Palace staff in morning prayers in the shrine of Sessifet. One palace insider said, "The King stood alongside us solemnly and while he may not share our faith he took part respectfully, clearly out of care for our Queen." Following that the King had a brief meeting with the Conclave, which Lord Besarian Ivanov said was "Useful, supportive and productive."
The King made his way to Gaia Military Barracks where the Queen is being kept alive on life support. As he left he stopped to talk with well wishers and make a statement to the press.
Today was a moment I wish had never come along. To see a youthful monarch lying surrounded by machines and tubes is one of the saddest sights I have ever seen. Earlier today I meet with the Queen's Ladies in Waiting and her Conclave, I was honoured when one of them told me Queen Viktoriya viewed me as a mentor, if she does in deed consider me that then I am proud of her. I remember meeting her at her coronation, and if I am honest she came across almost as a young girl playing dress up. I meet her a few months later at another global celebration and she was still that nervous little girl, it was there we became not mentor and pupil, but friends, at least I like to think so. I watched after that how she grew, not physically but in stature. Someone who wanted the best for her people and for the world. She showed determination to do the right thing, making hard choices such as asking for East Moreland's help in improving her armed forces, not only there but making Lodja a diplomatic power. Under her guidance not only has Lodja took steps forward but the Uppsala Convention was improved under her guidance, the Network of Crowns establised, and for the first time in living memory Lodjain soldiers set foot beyond their borders, not as conquerers or warmongers but as rescuers, medics, carers and heroes. There are a great many people in Uppsala alive thanks to her decision, the dedication of the men and women under her control and for the support and friendship they gave my nation I am forever thankful.
I understand having meet with Doctors the chances of this amazing Queen coming back to us is practically impossible and if that is the case then I shall greive with your nation. What we must remember however is that what she has achieved in just short of a year is more than many dream of in their lifetime. She would leave a legacy of a Lodja that is no longer a quiet nation satisfied with sitting in its corner of Albion, she will have left a Lodja that is a force for good and the world will be a darker place for her passing.
The King is going to spend four more days in Lodja examining the training programme as well as meeting with some of the Conclave in private meetings.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://www.brittanytourism.com/var/crtbre/storage/images/media/images/decouvrir/emblematiques/baie-du-mont-saint-michel/baie-du-mt-st-michel/575658-1-fre-FR/baie-du-mt-st-michel_large_rwd.jpg)
ISLE OF THE GODDESS TO HOST "POTENTIAL QUEENS"
High Priestess Raisa today announced that the Conclave has given special permission to begin examinations for a new host for the goddess Sessifet. With the Queen's medical staff saying that she will never regain conciousness it is likely that a new Queen will be required sooner rather than later. Over the course of the next few days a search of nobles daughters will take place during which those deemed likely to have the potential to be Queen will be housed on the island. The High Priestess explained the process. "We shall examine the heritage of all noble daughters who will be eligible, normally this is for those aged 18, however this situation is different and as such we shall be including those soon to turn 18 while excluding those over 18 years and 6 months. The exception to this is Lady Jasmina Danailov who for the next week shall be our immediate recepient. Those girls whom we believe are born under the protection of the Goddess, due to omens on their day of birth, or incidents during their lives so far, will be invited to the Island of the Goddess, there we shall observe their bearing and conduct as well as their knowledge of the Goddess. The Conclave and the Priesthood will then confirm who is most favoured and they shall remain on the Island."
It is expected that around 10 girls are eligible however not all are likely to be invited to the Island. It is also thought likely that King David of East Moreland, who is currently a guest on the island, will be witnessing part of the process, the first time a foreigner will have done so. The High Priestess explained, "The potential Queens live on the Island so we can see how they interact with the nobility they will govern, however thanks to Her Divine Majesty Queen Viktoriya things have changed and we are now part of the international community, we must therefore see how they interact with other monarchs, we normally would not have the ability to do this, yet King David's stay presents a unique oppurtunity and he has kindly agreed to meet any candidates we deem suitable."
It was also today confirmed by the Courts that while the Queen is unable to make decisions her powers will pass to Lord Besarian Ivanov, this is until such a time as the Queen gives birth which would see Baron Roman become King and therefore he would inherit the Queen's powers until her death.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://cdn.opendemocracy.net/files/imagecache/wysiwyg_imageupload_lightbox_preset/wysiwyg_imageupload/553429/RIAN_02926371.LR_.ru_.jpg)
DUKE ANDRONIKASHVILI CONFIRMS DAUGHTER TAKEN TO ISLAND FOR TESTING
The Duke Robert Andronikashvili today confirmed his daughter, Katyusha, has been taken to the Island of the Goddess for testing, making her the first to be confirmed to the media. The 58 year old Duke, who resides at Qudaghlo Palace near Iskar, said "I am very proud of Katy anyway now that the Priestesses think their is something about her pleasing to the Goddess makes me excited, its the biggest honour a Lodjain noble can have. Obviously I wish it was an oppurtunity that never came up but Sessifet will guide us in all things." The 17 year old Katyusha turns 18 in three days time and has recently enrolled on a course at university studying Literature and Music.
The Andronikashivili family were enobled in 1642 and have been prominent in the Priesthood ever since, Katyusha's 22 year old sister Albina became a Priestess just six months ago having graduated Gaia Theologiocal University. The most prominent historical member of the family was General Ivan Andronikashvili who like most of te family was born in Qudaghlo in the North Eas. His mother, Mariam Bagrationi, was the daughter of the then 3rd King Solomon and therefore he had royal blood. He himself was married to Princess Nino Imeretinsky further cementing the families links to royalty. He served later in the Heavy Horse during a brief rebellion in the late 1820's. He was promoted Major General in 1841 and appointed Governor General of Tilifs in 1849, this was a small city in the South of Lodja that he helped transform into a major railway hub by 1865. Since then his descendents have held the title of being Dukes and also Governor General of Tilifs.
The 17 year old however caused controversey moments after her fathers announcement with what some are calling a ill considered Tweet
(http://galau.me/images/21-10-2017/yAwWx1.png)
Some have said it shows a lack of respect and sympathy to Queen Viktoriya who is still on life support at Gaia Military Barracks. One former member of the Conclave said, "This should and will count against her as it is not becoming of a Queen toshow such a lack of common sense. Today every word written on the internet is avaliable and teenagers are becoming more liberal in what they post. This will make finding a suitable Queen even harder, especially when the first candidate is so unthinking." Others meanwhile have suggested that Katyusha's use of social media is exactly what is needed with one youngster posting in a debate online saying, "The Queen is going to need to be someone who can communicate with the whole of Lodja, Queen Viktoriya tried but never did this as she wasn't really social media savvy, Katyusha already has some 200,000 followers on Instagram thanks to some of her music posts playing harp to modern covers. She knows how social media works, she'd make a great Queen probably."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://img1.nickiswift.com/img/gallery/the-double-life-of-nigella-lawson/-1482332962.jpg)
HIGH PRIESTESS NAMES FINAL THREE CANDIDATES FOR THRONE
In an unexpected announcement High Priestess Raisia has confirmed the identity of the three girls who will join Katyusha Andronikashivili on the Isle of the Goddess to be tested for their potential to be the new Queen should the critically injured Queen Viktoriya die. The 17 year old Katyusha was yesterday announced to be on the island by her father the Duke of Andronikashivili, it was apparently this that lead to the High Priestess confirming the identity of the others. "Having a daughter in the contention for being Queen gives a family certain advantages and while we would have prefered to keep their identity secret to avoid the distractions that is now not possible if we are to be fair to each of these families." The High Priestess went on to explain the problems with selecting the new Queen. "When we selected Queen Viktoriya we were a nation hidden from the world in many way, now our teens are globally connected, this means suddenly people are taking note of this process beyond our borders. I have already seen instagram and Twitter polls asking teenagers to rate or vote on people who the media have mentioned. This is a thing we can not stop but we can perhaps save some other girls from going through the problems of having social media criticise everything about them. The social media element is one that clearly when this process began thousands of years ago was never an issue, today many Lodjian girls have embraced things like YouTube and Twitter with fashion and style blogs, some getting millions of hits, this makes it hard to ignore."
(http://wholecelebwiki.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Thylane-Blondeau-Biography-Wiki-Birthday-HeightWeight-Age-.jpg)
The first of the final three candidates is Nataliya Kozel, she is 17 in two weeks time and is the eldest of three daughters and one son that Viktor Kozel, the nations current ambassador to the Commonwealth of the Unified Iwi has. She was a student at Gaia Grammar School, however when her father was posted to the Iwi around a year ago she moved there as her father thought it was important for her to be with her family. She has spent the last year studying at Hunter's Bay Girls School and is considered an "average" student by many of her peers. She has applied to go to University in The Iwi and was likely to start a course soon in Geography. It is thought her father will remain in The Iwi during the process however her Mother has travelled back with her. High Priestess Raisia explained the selection saying, "Nataliya was born on a full moon meaning if selected her reign is likely to a bright one, it was also a favouable set of omens that day showing that even if not blessed to be a Guardian of Sessifet she still has some role to play in Lodja."
(http://media.popculture.com/2017/06/kaia-gerber-20005144.jpg)
The second of the three is Arina Pasternak, the just 18 year old daughter of Major Erik Pasternak, a Marine Commander and Lord of Heratok. The Major currently serves as a junior minister to the Conclave's General Lubik, and is therefore no stranger to the Island of the Goddess where he and his family have been frequent visitors. Major Pasternak has an older daughter called Mirabelle and a 7 year old son, his wife also has a 2nd husband, a minor nobleman who runs a small magaizne company. Arina is currently at Gaia University studying Journalism. The High Priestess said, "I have meet Arina a number of times, she is a bright and articulate young lady and carries herself with grace at all times."
(https://typeset-beta.imgix.net/rehost%2F2016%2F9%2F13%2F5913e439-8510-4351-a831-6dcedfdfe14f.jpg?w=740&h=437&fit=crop&crop=faces&auto=format&q=70)
The final of the three is 18 year old Tatiana Kohut who was actually removed from Initial Officer Training for the process. The Kohut family have a proud military history and two Regiments, the Kohut Lancers and Kohut Hussars bear the family name following being established in the 1800's by twin brothers Peter and Alexander Kohut. Tatiana's father is a fomer Air Force Squadron Leader who is currently one of the Headquarters staff for the Armed Forces who has overseen the modernisation of the military. Tatiana was in the process of training to become a medical officer with the Army when the High Priestess selected her saying, "Tatiana is a very intelligent young woman, her families heritage and dedication to the country is beyond doubt and breeding such as that is worthy of a Queen. Furthermore we have a priority of improving our armed forces and even though she has not passed out from training we have never had a Queen who has even attempted to do military service in her life."
It is unlikely a decision will be made public while Queen Viktoriya remains on life support.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://pds.exblog.jp/pds/1/201511/12/43/d0067943_904136.jpg)
A-XX TO ENTER SERVICE IN THE NEW YEAR
Following a series of successful test flights the nations first domestically produced combat aircraft, the Lodjawings A-XX has begun production. The light ground attack aircraft will begin being delivered to squadrons in the new year with an initial order of some 50 aircraft placed. The aircraft can also double up as a reconnessance aircraft and will be used as a basic trainer for pilots joining the air-force. A member of the Air Force stated, "The new aircraft is going to be one of the most modern in our nation and will thankfully be the first step towards a more modern and more capable air-force. There are a lot of pilots within squadrons who are hoping to get selected to fly the aircraft."
So far no official name has been granted to the new aircraft which is still being refered to by its test designation of the A-XX. It is also hoped that the aircraft may get some overseas sales as Lodjawings have bid for a contract from Cascadia.
(http://scontent.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/s480x480/e35/c0.134.1080.1080/14032818_226416367759796_110364584_n.jpg?ig_cache_key=MTMxOTIyNDk1NjMzMjE3ODc1NA%3D%3D.2.c)
POTENTIAL QUEEN CANDIDATES BANNED FROM SOCIAL MEDIA
The four candidates to become Queen should Queen Viktoriya die have been banned from social media. The move comes after High Priestess Raisia meet with members of Palace security who raised concerns about the number of selifes and other photos the girls were posting to their various social media accounts and became worried that it could help people plan attacks within the Palace of the Goddess. The layout and design of the Palace has always been kept from public knowledge and has helped create a sense of mystique about the Palace, meanwhile the Island of the Goddess is more well known with many visitors having attended events on it. The four girls had posted a combined total of 72 images within 48 hours of being on the island however since the ban was imposed nothing has come from any of their accounts.
The High Priestess announced that the move meant "The four girls can now focus on getting to know the island, the palace and the people based here, all of it a vital part of being the Queen. As such it is important they focus on the matter in hand rather than digital media and the like." Many people however believe if the monarchy is to remain relevent to modern Lodja it needs to have a monarch who is in touch with the new technology. Out of the four Katyusha Andronikashvili has the most social media followers with some 300,000 who follow her on instagram and YouTube where she performs musical covers. Arina Pasternak has some 200,000 mainly thanks to appearences in her father's magazines giving teen make up advice meanwhile Tatiana Kohut has some 180,000 followers and is considered rather quirky. The least followed of the four is Nataliya Kozel who has only 1,800 followers on social media, largely because she has not been active within Lodjain social circles having moved to The Iwi.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://www.hellomagazine.com/imagenes/celebrities/2017072841047/prince-harry-grenfell-tower-donations-visit/0-213-987/prince-harry-1-t.jpg)
FINANCE MINISTER REFUSES TO RELEASE QUEENS FUNDS
It was today announced that the nations finance minister, Dragan Knežević, has essentially frozen the Queen's funds. As part of his role managing the nations finances he is also responsible for the oversight of the Queen's bank account, thought to contain some $200million. The Minister made the decision in order to "protect the integrity of that account going forward." Minister Knežević, the former CEO of Knežević Enterprises, didn't explain what was meant by that however experts have come up with several suggestions.
The Queen's funds are passed on between monarch and include rents from private estates and investments made over the last 200 years. It was estimated that when Queen Sonya died in 2016 that some $230million sat in the account. In the final few days of her reign family members were able to get around $30million out of the account which were used to pad the families finances. One train of thought suggests that with the Queen on life support the Tar family may attempt to remove money from the account depleating the funds further. Other people believe that the Finance Minister may have made this move to resist calls on him to hand the account over to Lord Besarian Ivanov who is currently acting on behalf of the Queen in managing the nation.
Over the last six months since becoming Finance Minister Knežević has made several investments overseas from the Queen's accounts and it is thought likely that by April, when the financial year ends, that the balance could be closeto $215million.
(https://www.wavefm.com.au/images/Natalie_Bassingthwaighte_Eva_Rinaldi_CC_BY-SA_2.0__via_Wikimedia_Commons.jpg)
QUEEN VIKTORIYA'S MOTHER GIVES BIRTH TO HEALTHY SON
It was announced by the Palace today that the mother of Queen Viktoriya, Lady Helene Tar, has given birth to a son. The 41 year old mother of two went into labour while sat at her daughter's bedside, the family have announced that the child will be called Viktor. The child's father and Lady Helene's 2nd husband is 30 year old former Army Officer Lt-Col Vitya Nikolaev who spoke briefly with journalists as he made his way into the Gaia Military Barracks where the Queen is being kept on life support and his son was born. The Lt-Col said, "I am obviously delighted to become a father but these are times of mixed emotions for our family, my daughter-in-law is lying confined to a hospital bed and my wife and Brother-Husband are destrought, I will be doing all I can to support them and of course spend time with baby Viktor."
As he left several hours later Vikta confirmed that Lady Helene, "is doing well and thrilled to be a mother again. I'll be taking Viktor home after the weekend to Tar Island and eagerly awaiting news on my daughter-in-law."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://www.hellomagazine.com/imagenes/cuisine/2017101943324/nigella-lawson-returns-new-show/0-220-937/nigella-lawson-t.jpg)
HIGH PRIESTESS IN ROYAL MURDER AND SUICIDE
It has emerged in the last few hours that High Priestess Raisia Chowynk, the Aunt of Queen Viktoriya's husband Baron Roman Chowynk has shot and killed the Queen before killing herself. Queen Viktoriya had been attacked and seriously injured by a servent on the Island of the Goddess and was being cared for at Gaia Military Hospital, where it was expected that she would never regain conciousness. Eye witnesses have reported that the High Priestess, who has been a regular visitor to the Queen since she was admitted to hospital, arrived for her scheduled prayers with the Queen, which happened in private each day, when she locked the door secretly. While alone with the Queen the 51 year old High Priestess produced a 9mm handgun and shot the Queen in the head before then shooting her in the stomach. The sound of gunfire alerted security staff who raced to the room just in time to witness Raisia shoot herself.
A spokesman for he military said, "Today we have witnessed a crime beyond our imagination, a High Priestess dedicated to the betterment of Sessifet destroying the Guardian that the Goddess had selected and loved. Nobody would have guessed this would have happened and of all the potential threats to the Queen the High Priestess is the last person you would suspect."
The Queen's husband Baron Roman Chowynk, the nephew of the Queen's assassin, has yet to speak to the media and his spokesman has asked that he be given time to come to terms with what has happened. The situation now means that Baron Roman has no official connection to the government and will effectively make Lord Besarian Ivanov the leader of the country until a new Queen is selected. This situation however is now complicated. There has traditionally been a two week period between the death of the Queen and the coronation of her successor, who is named on the day, however this decision is made by a council headed by the High Priestess. With no High Priestess a Congress of the Priesthood must conveen to select a new High Priestess from among their number before beginning the process of selecting a new Queen, therefore the process is likely to take closer to a month.
Lord Besarian spoke on the causeway of the Island of the Goddess saying, "We are all greiving, Queen Viktoriya was like a shooting star of a monarch, she graced us for a short time but created much brilliance. Her legacy will be one of a willing reformer, of a woman who had started Lodja on a great adventure of being an active partner to all of Mundus. It is my sincere hope that the Goddess Sessifet graces us with a new Guardian who shared Viktoriya's ambition and drive. I ask all of the people of our great nation to give thanks to the Goddess for sending us Viktoriya and know the Guardian will be blessed with a place in the heavens where she will no doubt continue to watch over us. We now prepare ourselves for a difficult few weeks and while the Goddess may not be directly with us we ask that she continue to bless us and hopefully grant me the wisdom to do what is right for the nation."
There have already been calls for the Chowynk family to be punished for "treason" which could potentially mean Baron Roman would lose his land and titles, this is however unlikely however a more likely impact would be that the family be banned from holding political or religious office for five generations. Queen Viktoriya was also pregnant and the child, which was only a few months developed, died with the Queen. It had been hoped the Queen would survive on life support to a point where a healthy child could have been born before a decision being made about the Queens life support.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://www.jamesgrant.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Julia-Bradbury-Cropped-600x404.jpg)
ALLA KOHAN NAMED AS NEW HIGH PRIESTESS IN WAITING
It was announced today that 46 year old Alla Kohan, Priestess for Iskar, is in line to become the new High Priestess. As of late there has been a constitutional crisis following the murder of Queen Viktoriya by former High Preistess Raisai Chowyk. Under Lodjain law the Queen is the only person capable of picking a new High Priestess, however conversely the High Priestess is responsible for running the process to name the new Queen. Lord Besarian Ivanov, the nations current leadership, has used his power as Lord of the Conclave to ask the nations Supreme Court to come to a decision on how to proceed and they have determined that as the Priestess at the 2nd most Holy Shrine in the nation it is fitting Kohut be named to the position of High Priestess pending confirmation.
This now means that the process for selecting a new Queen can begin and the four candidates selected by the Priesthood can be examined by Kohan who will eventually present the combined Conclave and Priesthood with a choice of two candidates whom they will vote on, Lord Besarian as serving Lord of the Conclave will have the casting vote in the event of a tie. This should mean that the identity of the new Queen will be known in around two weeks. Following the new Queen's coronation, Kohut would step down as High Priestess allowing the new Queen to select her own High Priestess or confirm Kohut into the position.
In the meantime Queen Viktoriya's body has now been moved to a special morgue on the Island of the Goddess where it is resting before the ceremony to crown the new Queen. So far the four candidates to be Queen have been living upon the island of the Goddess and undergoing various observations to help the Conclave determine who they will vote for. While none of the Conclave will say who they favour at this point Minister of Defence, General Lubos Kubik, stated, "Each of the four seem lovely young ladies, I am sure the one selected will do a fantastic job for our nation and as guardian of Sessifet. We are blessed to have such beautiful, intelligent women in our nation."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article10414780.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/PROD-Lorraine-TV-show-London-Britain-18-Feb-2016.jpg)
STATEMENT FROM ALLA KOHAN EXCITES NATION
The interim High Priestess today made a statement from the causeway leading to the Island of the Goddess about the selection of the new Queen.
Over the last few days we have tested the four candidates, they have been observed, their actions watched and even interviewed publically. We are blessed that we have had four beautiful and intelligent young ladies to choose from but the process can not continue forever, it is vital that Lodja get a new Queen and that shall come by Saturday. I will in the coming days give my opinion to the Conclave and they, along with myself shall discuss and vote on the matter until the Goddess helps us come to the most logical conclusion about where her future lies. It is important that the Conclave takes account of the viewes of the priesthood, we are the ones whom consult with our Goddess on a daily basis and in the past I am aware of behind the scenes scandals that have been a part of this decision making process. We must ensure the right girl is selected for the right reasons. We have already included elements of the diplomatic circle that reside on the Island as part of the process, they have meet and spoken with the candidates and while their opinions mean nothing to me, it has given me a chance to see how the girls will interact internationally. It is my hope that by the beginning of next month we have a new Queen.
The news was greeted with joy by the people of Lodja, many of whom came out onto the streets celebrating at the news, one store owner in Gaia said, "I think this process has been far too long, we should just allow the High Priestess to choose and have done with it. We must trust the Priesthood know the will of our Goddess." meanwhile the hotels in Gaia have reported an upsurge in bookings for rooms over the next two weeks as people prepare for a coronation that is likely to be one of the largest ever seen in the nation as people come out to say farewell to the earthly body of Queen Viktoriya while welcoming the new partnership of Queen and Goddess.
So far little information has come out of the Palace about the fortunes of the four girls, however social media polls seem to place Arina Pasternak and Katyusha Andronikashivili as favourites.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://p0.ipstatp.com/large/005a61db26c8409327dc)
NEW QUEEN ELECTED
It was announced today that Tatiana Kohut will be crowned the new Queen of Lodja in a few days time. The 18 year old was elected ahead of Katyusha Andronikashivili, Nataliya Kozel and Arina Pasternak in a process that was, for the first time in history, observed by ambassadors holding noble rank. It is understood that ambassadors from monarchist nations such as Achkaerin, Arda Tuluva, Neu Uburzis and Ui Cenneslaig were among those present when the new Queen was named by High Priestess Alla Kohan. The candidates are also believed to have interacted with the ambassadors of nations such as the Ecclestical State and even King of East Moreland, David Ironside, prior to their appointment.
As news reached the city of Gaia people began to prepare for the long awaited coronation and funeral that will take place on the Island of the Goddess, garlands were being hung from lamposts, businesses decorating their storefronts and streets on the procession route being adorned with good luck slogans. The parents of the newly elected Queen, Squadron Leader Varlaam Kohut who is a highly respected military man and brother of the Duke of Negalavik was seen being escorted in by members of his squadron. The new Mother of the Guardian will be Ruslana Kohut, a very distant cousin of the Science and Education Minister Brayan Coxovich, she herself was a member of the Science Institute where she lead studies into antibiotics. There shall also potentially be a new Prince of Lodja if the Queen's elder brother Genadi, a trainee plastic surgeon, is deemed worthy by the Priesthood.
One of the Queen's first official duties will be to appoint a new Head Priestess, largely expected to be Alla Kohan who has held the position on a temporary basis. The 18 year old Tatiana will also be leaving her position as an Army Officer Cadet where she was training to be a medic, her Commanding Officer confirming she had been discharged with honourable service while adding, "I am proud to have helped in the education and development of our new Queen, she is a great loss to our military but a massive gain to our nation. I will gladly and proudly salute her." the new Queen is also a talented dancer having studied ballet and various other forms of dance from the age of 4 until her 17th birthday, her former dance teacher said, "Tatiana was an enigma, without music she could be awkward and ungraceful, once music began though a switch was thrown and she became the most elegant, most beautiful of dancers as though floating on air. It was clear that within music she found her connection to the Goddess and I know that once Sessifet saw that she would have selected her."
The coronation will also likely follow Viktoria's in allowing foreign visitors to witness it. The new Queen however has announced that she will not use her own name, instead she is taking the title Queen Klara, naming herself after Queen Klara Zima, the monarch regarded by many to be the first real Queen of Lodja and one who brought a period of unprecidented stability.
(https://phototass3.cdnvideo.ru/width/744_b12f2926/tass/m2/en/uploads/i/20170713/1172845.jpg)
"CNN DERBY" AT WORLD CUP
Lodja have been drawn against East Moreland in the Quarter Final of the World Cup. The Lodjain national team face the part timers of our CNN allies in what on paper should be an easy victory for the Lodjain team made up of professional's from the Lodjian Premier League. The Morelanders however have a habit of upsetting the odds with their club sides having done well in recent Champions League games. Lodja team manager, Vitali Ratsov spoke to the press saying, "Our nation should be confident of victory, on paper we have the best team, we're more skillful, faster, stronger and fitter, but sadly football is not played on paper. The big game atmopshere can do strange things and we know the Morelanders will not go down without a fight. It is my hope that we can get a few early goals and then take advantage of their panic."
It is expected as well that kit makers will add the name Klara to the left arm of the shirt in a show of respect for the new Queen. Ratsov spoke of the news from home saying, "It's an exciting time for Lodjain's to welcome a new Guardian, I know Queen Viktoria was a supporter of our national team and often sent messages of support before the games. I have no idea if Queen Klara is a football fan but I hope she will be proud of our efforts."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://www.ngw.nl/heraldrywiki/images/9/94/Haademeeste.jpg)
QUEEN ANNOUNCES NEW COAT OF ARMS
As is tradition the soon to be crowned Queen of Lodja, Tatiana Kohut, who will be titled Queen Klara II, has released the coat of arms she will use during her reign. The shield will feature a yellow castleated wall with blue above and a blue sailing boat impossed upon the wall. A white eight pointed star sits in the upper field of blue. The accompanying press release explained the symbolisation saying, "The boat represents the nations nautical heritage thanks to our outlying islands which are a key part of our nation. The yellow represents the rich wealth of the land of Lodja and the castelation shows the strength of its people's will to defend their home. The white star symbolises Sessifet who guides our nation like the stars guide the sailors who carved out our nations island homes. The colours of blue and yellow are reminisant of the Queen's dress which is always blue and gold."
The new Queen has however broke with tradition by not using the Kohut coat of arms used by the rest of her family. This too was explained by saying, "The future Queen wishes it to be known that she is not intending to rule on behalf of her family, she intends to rule on behalf of all Lodjains who she cares for deeply. It is therefore neccessary for her to posses her own, unique Coat of Arms."
(http://storage.thewhig.com/v1/dynamic_resize/sws_path/suns-prod-images/1297942560009_ORIGINAL.jpg?quality=80&size=650x&stmp=1491420977482)
GENERAL KUBIK BANS FITNESS TRACKERS
Following the revelation that a popular brand of fitness tracker has inadvertidly released heat maps of all its users running and training routes, Minister of Defence General Kubik has announced today that until further notice members of the armed forces will not be permitted to wear the devices and they will be banned from all military establishments incluing the Isle of the Goddess. Heat maps have shown highly accurate street plans for the Island of the Goddess, inlcuding the large internal corridors of the Palace itself. This was highlighted by Kubik as a security risk and he branded the manufacturers as "Highly incompetant, they are risking national seucrity of every nation on Mundus" This makes Lodja the 2nd nation to ban such devices for their military after East Moreland did the same within a few hours of the heat maps being published. While the company responsible are considering removing them it is believed any damage could already have been done.
One of the other establishments shown on the maps is the Gaia Royal Barracks where Queen Viktoriya died, the base has long been kept from public gaze because of the amount of time the royals spend there.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://heroichollywood.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Gotham-WonderCon-2017-Camren-Bicondova-e1491593702488.jpg?x42694)
NEW QUEEN GIVES FIRST TV INTERVIEW, REVEALS PLANS FOR FIRST WEEK
The future Queen of Lodja, Tatiana Kohul, yesterday gave her first TV interview to the state run Lodjain Broadcasting Agency, the interview will be aired in full on Saturday but parts have been pre-released. The soon to be Queen Klara II spoke about her hopes for the Queendom and her plans for her first week in charge of the Kingdom.
The first week will be important, it will set the foundations for the rest of my reign and show the people what our priorities are. Queen Viktoriya has given me much to work with internationally but there is still much to do at home. My first week will be spent touring the cities of Lodja, there are many I have never set foot in and if I am to be the Queen of this land I should know it. I intend to invite ambassadors to join me on this tour and show them the beauty of my homeland. Once upon a time the Queen would make a progress from time to time, travelling her lands, meeting the people and being seen in her glory, I can certainly make sure I fulfil the first two of those. I also will hopefully have chance to welcome home some World Champions, it would be a fantastic start to my reign to see Lodja crowned the best in the world at football, I'm even learning the offside rule so I can understand it.
Following that first week I intend to get out and see some more of Mundus, I have already instructed Nataliya Kozel to return to the Iwi with a request for a visit, I shall of course seek to visit our CNN allies in East Moreland and Ui Cenneslaig too, I hope the later enjoyed their Imbolc festival, but I want to make new friends too and so that shall be a focus of my early reign.
The Royal Press Office also confirmed that a Royal Reception will be held on the Island of the Goddess for the national football team on their return with a spokesman saying, "The nation are very proud of the team and their efforts will be recognised, the future Queen will be rooting for them and looks forward to welcoming them home, that will be squeezed into her schedule no matter what."
The future Queen Klara II has also confirmed that the three unselected candidates will also be given roles of responsibility with Natalya Kozul being made an honorary ambassador to the Iwi. Arina Pasternak will become a trustee of an arts charity run by the Crown, while Katyusha Andronikashivili will become part of the Royal Literature Circle, a group of sons and daughters of nobles who are responsible for creating new works of literature and poetry on behalf of the Crown. This marks the first time all four candidates for the Queen remained in royal service, two of the candidates for Queen when Viktoria were selected also entered royal service, Lady Jasmina became a Lady in Waiting while, Zoya Tatyana became a member of the Royal Ballet. Inya Eraskia who was also a candidate is currently studying economics at Gaia University.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://russiatrek.org/images/photo/sochi-russia-city-scenery.jpg)
ISKOR TO HOST 2nd MCUR CONFERENCE
As her first official foreign policy attempt Queen Klara has invited the world to the city of Iskor to review the Mundus Convention of Universal Rights. The MCUR is a document that was signed by Queen Viktoriya in the first few days of her reign, however it is the belief of Queen Klara that the document presents many issues to Lodjain society. The 18 year old Queen has used the clause that calls for an annual conference to review, amend and reaffirm the treaty in order to bring forward Lodjain concerns. The annual conference has never taken place and therefore the Queen is using this as an oppurtunity to take the lead on the matter. Speaking to the media Home Affairs Minister Maxim Schnoor said, "The treaty is a reflection of the world as it was when it was signed, however the world is not a static object, it is ever changing and today the charter no longer fits in with what we find compatable for Lodjain life. We are committed to providing all our citizens with a great future, but it must be a Lodjain future, I therefore understand completely the Queen's stance. Had I been a member of the Conclave I would have advised against signing it at all, but now we must give it a fair hearing before Her Majesty determines what role it will play within our society."
It is believed the Queen will raise issues of it taking away the right of governments to make their own laws, is hypocritical and that there are issues surrounding the articles of marriage. Many suspect that should no agreement not be reached Queen Klara is likely to bring into law a new Lodjain Bill of Rights. The meeting will also mark the first time that Iskor has hosted an international event, the main city on the island of Grand Alucard is actually closer to Nya Aland than the capital of Gaia and has lead many to believe the Queen is likely to be ensuring more investment for the island.
(https://static.miraheze.org/teriawiki/thumb/d/de/Dormach_Class_Submarine.png/800px-Dormach_Class_Submarine.png)
NAVY TO GET NEW SUBMARINE
The Lodjain Navy is set to receieve ten new submarines to replace the aging Orca Class Submarines. The new design of sub, yet to be given a classification, is set to be much smaller and is likely to fulfil the role of patrolling home waters. Initial reports and briefings given by Defence Minister General Lubos Kubik have stated that the new procurement is likely to incorporate a large amount of stealth elements and is thought to be entirely electric in propulsion. The subs are each expected to cost around $250million each, compared with the inflation adjusted cost of around $750million each for the outgoing Orca class.
General Kubik stated, "The ten new subs will be quick to build compared to the Orca Class, this is due to the reduced size, being only around 10% of the size of the old giant. We suspect the first vessels can even be in service before the end of the year and the rest phased in over the coming years. It will also be able to be transported by cargo ships allowing us to deploy them quickly anywhere in the world. The sub will be among the most technologically advanced on Mundus and will be a pocket dynamo in terms of its capabilities. It is the first major naval procurement in eight years, and that was a royal yacht, before that it was the early 1990's, much of our equipment is much older and will slowly need replacing."
(https://s3.postimg.org/vh0su83k3/Beatrice.jpg)
NO ROKKENJIMAN MAGIC WAND
Following announcements from Rokkenjima that Empress Beatrice is reassuming control of the nation it was left to Lord Besarian Ivanov to spell out the nations stance. "Rokkenjiman law courts are free to interpret their nations law the way that they see fit. In the eyes of many in the international community there will remain concerns about her actions and lack of actions as the case may be. We have built a strong and supportive relationship with East Moreland and I know that they are likely to be very concerned, that therefore means we are concerned. The Empress will of course be given an oppurtunity to show that she is not what the media and various sources around Mundus alledge, but it would be wrong for them to believe a magic wand has been waved and international relations can return to a pre crisis level."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://pmctvline2.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/patrick-j-adams.jpg)
BARON ROMAN WILL NOT FACE CHARGES
Following several weeks of investigations into the assassination of Queen Viktoria it has today been announced that her husband Baron Roman Chowynk will not face charges of any kind. The assassination was carried out by the then High Priestess Raisia Chowynk, the Barons aunt, leading some to believe that potentially the Baron may have been involved in some way. The Warriors of Gaia, the Queen's personal security service carried out the investigation and determined that the Baron did not know of the assassination plan, nor did he have any oppurtunity to prevent it. The Baron had been kept under house arrest on his private countryside estate however he will now be permitted to return to his everyday life. It is expected however that the Baron will no longer be permitted to be part of Conclave meetings and will not be granted any royal title despite having been expecting a child with Queen Viktoria at the time of her death.
There had been some discussion about Baron Roman marrying the new Queen however that was ruled out by Lord Besarian today who explained that the matter of the Queen's marriage was yet to be discussed. "We are aware that there were issues at times between Queen Viktoria and Baron Roman, maybe we didn't queit consider the marriage well enough, or perhaps the High Priestess had too much influence. It was clear the pair where not perfectly suited but their marriage was a brief and happy one. I think when we select a husband for Queen Klara we will not have a 17 year age gap."
It was also announced that Princess Alana, the younger sister of Queen Viktoria will no longer marry Tikhon Savva. The 17 year old Princess was due to marry the Duke on her 18th birthday in two weeks time however Queen Klara has withdrawn permission for the marriage and instead arranged for the Princess, who is being permitted to keep her royal title, to marry Sergey Ivanov, the 25 year old brother of the Lord of the Conclave, Besarian Ivanov. Duke Tikhon has refused to comment, however a spokesman for Princess Alana has announced that the Princess is "heart broken but will do her duty to the Goddess."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://1j5l9t1pvncaond9222jb6wl.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/ccc-image-1.jpg)
ALLA KOHAN CONFIRMED AS HIGH PRIESTESS
Queen Klara II has today confirmed that the stand in High Priestess Alla Kohan will retain the position on a permanent basis. The 47 year old took over the position following the sucide of Raisa Chowynk after she murder Queen Viktoria, this was neccessary to allow the nation to break the constitutional deadlock of the Queen needing to select the High Priestess. The new High Priestess was also responsible for the coronation of the current Queen.
The news was recieved warmly by many in the nation who believe that Kohan is likely to be less involvedin politics than her predecessor who had several issues working with the Conclave and was largely responsible for arranging Queen Viktoria's marriage to her own nephew. It is likely that Kohan will likely limit her input to religious matters having previously had minimal input into local politics in and around Gaia where she was a local Priestess before being elevated to the position. It is however likely that the issue of finding the Queen a husband is likely to be her first priority. Kohan will take up residency on the Isle of the Goddess tomorrow after formally accepting the Queen's offer of the position. Following that she is likely to be given the oppurtunity to name new religious members of the Conclave in order to bring the nations version of a cabinet up to strength. Several members were replaced for their close connections to Raisa Chowynk.
(https://pmctvline2.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/heather-graham-law-order-true-crime-cast.jpg?w=620)
STASIUK FAMILY BUY POTAKI DYNAMO F.C
The influential real estate and resort owning Stasiuk family, headed by Duchess Ekaterina Stasiuk, have today paid $50million to purchase Potaki Dynamo F.C. The club finished 3rd in the Lodjain Premier League while also finishing as runners up in the National Cup and were put on the market by long term owner Gunnar Ratislav only due to ill health. The Stasiuk family made their fortune through real estate development and establishing a series of high end holiday resorts. In more recent weeks it was announced that the Duchesses daughter Oksana is set to marry the King of Royal Seleucid meaning the family are now linked to royalty.
The clubs new CEO is named as the families youngest daughter Isidora who is set to take over the day to day running of the club from Monday. The teams supporters club embraced the purchase with fan club spkesman saying, "The club have for a long time sat behind Dynamo Gaia and Spartak Gaia, its time for us to get out from their shadows and get the title out of the capital. Its our hope that the Stasiuk family put their hands in their pocket and help us make some quality signings that mean the Mundus Champions League can be something we can really compete in."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/439911639404380190/unknown.png)
QUEEN APPEARS ON TV FOR REVEALING INTERVIEW
Queen Klara yesterday appeared at a national TV station to give an interview that was unannounced to the nation. The 18 year old monarch appeared on Lodjain Breakfast News, dressed rather casually, to take part in an interview with the nations most popular news programme. During the interview Queen Klara spoke on issues ranging from policy, to traditions and to her future plans. A summary of the interview can be found below.
Q - What can we expect to see from your government in the first year?
A- I intend to build on the ideas in many arenas of Queen Viktoria. She had the idea of focusing development on our Plebleian citizens, I think this has to continue, as such I will be investigating such things as creating easier access to higher education. We are toying with the idea of a quota system for Universities receiving public funding, after all if the Plebs are paying taxes to fund a University they should be able to access it.
In terms of the environment we are going to aim to make Lodja plastic free within the next 25 years, its an ambitious target but one I feel we must do. We have an Island aspect to our nation, I grew up on Grand Alucard and the amount of plastic washing up on those beautiful beaches is heart breaking. I think we can also do more to make use of the ocean as an energy source. Its ironic that as a nation with so many islands we don't really embrace our connection with the sea. A naval protection area will be made to ensure fishing stocks remain high.
In terms of our military the reforms we started under the Morelander review have stagnated. There is a stubbon streak in our established officer class and I will sort that out, there can be no more excuses that compromise our national defence and response to internationl incidents.
Q - What changes can we expect to see with the Conclave?
A- There will be few if any change of faces. I will be creating a few more positions and expanding the Conclave, look at other nations cabinets and they have many many specialist ministers, we have six. There is no way in a modern nation six people can run a whole government. I know that the Priesthood supports the Conclave but they are experts in faith not government and I don't mean that disrespectfully. I intend for example to move the Ministry of Health to a full time Minister and away from a Priestess, I furthermore intend to create positions such as a Minister for Sport, a Minister for Culture and a Minister for the Environment. Those serving at present will remain, Lord Besarian has done a good job as Lord of the Conclave and Dragan Knežević has managed our finances superbly, you do not fix what is not broken.
Q- Have talks begun on your marriage and if so which nobleman is in the frame?
Unlike Viktoria I will not be a slave to tradition. I respect them but a tradition only becomes one after it is repeatedly done, and not all traditions are good. I fully intend to follow the tradition of the Conclave determining a marriage for me, it may not be the first one however. My first marriage may not even be to a man, but when the Conclave select someone who I think is agreeable then yes I'll marry and have children, there is no hurray as we are, unlike other monarchies, not tied to a single dynasty so I have no pressure to produce an heir.
Q- So you believe you could marry a woman?
A- I don't see why not. Other Queen's in the past have had female lovers, there is nothing in scripture stating a Queen can not marry a woman. I have never publically said I am bi-sexual, my family know, my friends know but now as I serve as a mother for our nation I must be honest about who I am. I will not deny my true self and who I marry and love will have no impact on how well I can rule Lodja.
What do you see as Foreign Policy goals?
A- We're members of the CNN which means we've a close knit group of good friends. We need to do more with nations like Paracambi and Nya Aland whom we need to be more active with. Beyond that I think its more a case of an issue based foreign policy, we need agreements internationally that support our nations development, be that economically or in terms of oppurtunities. We will have to wait and see where that takes us.
The Queen was seen heading to the airport shortly after but her destination was not revealed leading to speculation of a foreign visit. However later in the day Lady Anna Immich and Lady Roksana Pajari, the two most senior Ladies in Waiting where spotted at Gaia's Temple to Sessifet leading others to believe the Queen may be spending time on Grand Alucard where she was born.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://beta.ems.ladbiblegroup.com/s3/content/808x455/e67d72515a45230f5958d894d8856cf3.png)
DUKE OF PELAGIYA NAMED ENVOY TO ALBA KARINYA
Queen Klara announced today that she will be creating four special envoys, one for each continent, as part of her diplomatic service changes. The Queen had already spoken of appointing specialist contacts for various nations, with Nataliya Kozel who was one of the failed candidates for Queen, already being named as a special ambassador for The Commonwealth of the Iwi where she has spent the last two years studying. These new special envoys will be given partial powers to speak on behalf of the Queen and able to make decisions for the nation in discussions with the areas they represent.
Duke Tobias Pelagiya is the father of Lady in Waiting Stasya Pelagiya and has served in various different government positions since inheriting the position of Duke of Pelagiya. The Duke will now split his time between the nations of Alba Karinya, where he is likely to make East Moreland his residency. The Duke is also likely to hand over day to day running of the families businesses to his wife Duchess Anuoshka Pelagiya. The Duke spoke of his excitement saying, "I'm honoured to be trusted with this, I suspected that one day Lodja would branch out across the world and we prepared our family for this. My daughter speaks fluent Morelandish, I know more than a passing few phrases and my son Henrik speaks Latin and Nordic. As a family we're keen to experience the world and if I can help my Queen in doing so then I'll be proud to do so."
It is expected that the Duke will move out to East Moreland rather quickly with the Morelanders preparing for their Festival of Greenflowers which co-incides with King David's birthday.
(https://ep01.epimg.net/elpais/imagenes/2018/03/22/gente/1521715933_438675_1521720926_noticia_normal_recorte1.jpg)
DUKE TIKHON SAVVA TO CAPTAIN QUEEN'S POLO TEAM
With the approaching Queen's Championship for Polo only two weeks away it was announced today that Duke Tikhon Savva, who until recently was engaged to the eldest sister of Queen Viktoria , will captain the side representing the Queen. The 23 year old had his engagement cancelled despite being expected to marry next month, it is believed that Queen Klara has planned to arrange a new marriage for the Duke, some rumours believing the Queen may infact marry him herself. The Duke is also a well respected Polo player who has in the past represented the Queen's team on three occasions.
The Duke will now select a squad from across the nations best players and hasn't ruled out selecting foreign players. "The four day tournament is one of the highlights of our social calender, its a chance for each of the nobles to select their best players and us all celebrate the sport we love. To get a chance to captain the Queen's side is the pinnacle of a Lodjain's Polo players career and to reach it at such a young age is quiet thrilling." The Polo Championship takes place each year in Gaia and features 16 teams made up of players representing several noble families.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://cdn2.newsok.biz/cache/r960-2e457a020bfade6756efc394418a2b18.jpg)
CANTABRIAN PRINCESS FOUND DEAD
The wife of Prince Lennox, Princess Mary of Cantabria, has been found dead. Her body was discovered this morning on a beach some 5km away from the Isle of the Goddess. Early reports suggest she had injuries consistent with a fall from height and was dead before being in the water, it is estimated that she was in the Sea of Alucard for around 48 hours before being discovered washed up on the beach. Lord of the Conclave Besarian Ivanov made a statement on behalf of the Queen saying, "Our condolensces go out to Prince Lennox at this difficult time. He and his wife Mary had become a key part of our Isle family and Princess Mary will be deeply missed. We send our thoughts and prayers to all of the couples families as well as the people of Cantabria who today have lost their Princess. We will extend every aid and respect to Prince Lennox who has served as Ambassador to Albion honourably."
The flags of the Isle of the Goddess are to be flown at half mast for the next three days as a mark of respect.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://pds.exblog.jp/pds/1/201511/12/43/d0067943_904136.jpg)
A-XX TO BE NAMED A-18 AS FIRST ROLL OFF PRODUCTION LINE AMID DEFENCE REVIEW
The nations first fully domestic built combat aircraft today rolled off the Gaia based production line. The A-XX has been developed to be a twin seat ground attack aircraft capable of a long loiter time while capable of carrying a wide range of ordenance. The Air Force have ordered a total of 50 of the aircraft and it is set to be offered on the export market once those have been delivered. The aircraft will be given the designation A-18 Spearfish and is likely to be the first of a range of changes within the military.
Minister of Defence, Lubos Kubik, has completed his Defence Review and is due to make a report to the Conclave in the next few days. There have however been unconfirmed leaks that are highly critical of the armed forces. According to one source the report will speak favourably of the increase in training quality among enlisted members of the armed forces and new junior officers. However the report is also likely to still speak unfavourably of the way senior officers spend little time with their unit and lack knowledge of modern military tactics. While Queen Viktoriya outlawed the practice of purchashing promotion it appears that this has not ended and instead has gone less formally done. One of our reporters found that officers invited to a promotion board for one regiment were asked to make a donation to the Regiments Veterans fund and the promotion went to the one making the largest donation. This has lead to spectualtion that the Veterans fund is being mismanaged.
A further scandal likely to be unearthed in the report is to do with the Navy. The Navy still operates a system where a vessel is given to an officer who is then responsible for a budget to operate, equip and maintain the vessel. The report is said to have found that 4 out of the nations 7 Native Class Destroyers are currently "unfit for combat duties". Additionally it has been leaked that the three Beluga Class Submarines each only had two of the eight cruise missiles they are supposed to carry. An unnamed source at the Ministry of Defence said, "The lack of equipment onboard some ships clearly shows a level of corruption among senior officers in the military. While the reforms put in place by Queen Viktoria have begun to address issues of the standard of training it is clear that the older heads in the military have not changed."
For the last 18 months or so Lodjian armed forces have been following a basic training package put together by East Moreland's elite Red Legion. This agreement has seen members of the famous Legion running courses for new officers in the hope that the skills taught would be cascaded down through the military. These recruits however are still under the command of senior officers, many of whom command regiments that have been inherited through family lines over hundreds of years in some cases.
One unnamed Red Legionnaire who has worked with Lodjain forces said, "The Lodjian military under the rank of Captain are coming along nicely. The standard of soldiering still needs to improve but the progress we've seen has been good. The body is in improving health, sadly the head still appears to be critical." The arrangement for Red Legion to support military training is scheduled to last another 6 months however there is talk that Queen Klara may approach King David of East Moreland to investigate continuing this practice. In the past General (Retired) Kubik has said, "I wish in my day we'd had such good quality training. Those not willing to engage with it are fools and we need to remove the fools from positions of command."
The full report, including details of which squadrons are getting the new A-18 is likely to be released over the weekend.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/455801180715614228/unknown.png)
DEFENCE REVIEW RUBBISHES LODJAIN ARMED FORCES
The nations annual defence review, carried out by senior officers from the East Moreland Armed Forces, has today given scathing criticism of the Lodjain Armed forces. The 100 page dossier went into great detail about the capabilities and condition of the nations military which was already highlighted as being neglected in the review from 2017. Minister of Defence, Lubos Kubik, said "We were aware of some of the shortcomings and realise that we now need to move forward at a much faster pace than we have been doing. This is a national security issue and as such we can not be found wanting anymore."
The highlights of the review are highlighted below.
HER DIVINE MAJESTIES NAVAL FORCES (DMNF)
* Several large structural issues were discovered in the nations aircraft carrier Alohura. The officer inspecting the flight deck has suggested no air operations until an extensive overhaul has been completed.
* Two of the three Amphibious Warfare ships had only half the number of helicopters servicable for immediate deployment.
* The Navy had only 68% of the missiles that were needed to ensure a full load for all vessels.
* The Pavov Class Destroyer Vometia was found to have only 75% of the crew needed
* 28% of the guns aboard patrol ships were found to be "far below the standard of cleanliness required."
HER DIVINE MAJESTIES DEFENCE FORCE (HDMDF)
* 42% of the promotions within officer ranks had still been purchased rather than gained through Promotions Boards
* 72% of junior ranks believe birthrite is a more determining factor in regards to promotion than merit
* Only 18% of Regiments had required stocks of ammunition for a rapid deployment.
* 69% of Regiments had issued only one set of combat clothing per soldier
* A total of 752 rifles were found to be "Missing"
* 38% of Regiments were still placing orders for the aging SIR -2 rifle rather than the SIR-5
* Despite instructions from high command for tank units to begin switching to common types this has not happened and the nation still operates five incompatable Main Battle Tanks.
* The Artillary units posses only enough rounds for 7 days of combat operations.
HER DIVINE MAJESTIES AIR FORCE (HDMAF)
* 100 Tornaado multi-role fighters were unservicable due to a lack of spare parts.
* Pilots on 7 Squadrons were permitted only 30 minutes per week of flying time beyond assigned patrols.
* 2 Unmanned Air Vehicles were missing
* Aircraft maintainence logs were found to be routinely falsified or were missing all together.
* Pilots were found to be sharing helmets on more than half of squadrons.
* Three of the nations eight military airfields had runways in need of repair.
* Standards of basic flight training were deemed to be "inadequte"
RECOMMENDATIONS
* All military training for all branches of service to mirror the East Moreland model.
* All Regiments to be taken back under the control of central government rather than being Sponsered by the nobility.
* Senior Officers having been found to be continuing the practice of selling promotions to be arrested and court martialed.
* Random spot checks of combat readiness to begin.
* Removal of the bar to Plebleians from serving as Officers
* Scrapping of 4 types of Main Battle Tank.
* Major overhaul of the nations carrier.
* Replace the agining Jaaguar ground attack aircraft with A-18's.
* Standardisation of supply chain practices.
It is thought that the Conclave will discuss this review tomorrow and make announcements later in the week on what action will be taken.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/456191283619168256/unknown.png)
QUEEN ORDERS ARRESTS OF COMMANDERS OF ARMY, NAVY AND AIR FORCE
Queen Klara today responded the nations abysmal military review by issuing orders for Field Marshall Givi Sokolov, Air Commodore Yuri Lagunov and Admiral Rafail Vasilev to be arrested. The charges include fraud, embezzlement, deraliction of duty and treason, charges that if proven could result in life sentences. The move comes after the East Moreland militay found all three branches of the Lodjain military were not up to standard. In the case of the navy this resulted in several ships to be found to be seriously under maintained and leading to air operations off our nations aircraft carrier being banned for the time being. Minister Lubos Kubik spoke to the media following the announcement saying, "At one time I was proud to serve under Field Marshall Sokolov and even then I knew our forces were not up to the standard required. I was denied several promotions for being one of the few officers willing to speak out against practices undertaken in the military and now I feel vindicated. There was an attitude when I left five years ago that these bad practices are a tradition and therefore should be fully accepted. I love traditions but these are harming our nation and thus they must be halted."
The Queen has yet to appoint replacements but a statement made on her behalf by Lord of the Conclave Besarian Ivanov said, "For the time being command of our armed forces shall go to Minister of Defence Kubik. He is a man our nation can trust and I am confident he will hold the reigns steadily until a suitable replacement has been found." It was later leaked from an unnamed source that an offer had been made to East Moreland's Brigadier Kelly of Red Legion to take command of the Army. The report, which the Ministry of Defence refused to comment of, would have made him a Duke and a Lodjain citizen, the source stated however that the offer was turned down.
The three men have yet to be arrested having been sent to their private estates as soon as the report was released to avoid the media spotlight. It is therefore likely that within the next 12 hours members of the Military Police will effect the arrests with a court date to be set soon after. The military review highlighted cases where each branch of the armed forces was carrying on practices banned by Queen Viktoria and that this was known to the three commanders. Lord Besarian also confirmed, "We will be complying with the majority of the East Moreland recommendations, many of them are not quick fixes and we must keep this in mind. Our military will need to go through a period of transition and this may mean some large changes of attitude. Our military needs to keep up with the times and while I am proud of our nation being one that maintains our traditions some of them must change to ensure we can protect our people."
(http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50134000/jpg/_50134378_p1020048.jpg)
QUEEN INTRODUCES EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PAYMENTS TEST
With Plebleian youth groups calling for better support for young people to continue in education the Queen has personally stepped in to issue a new initiative. 2,000 Plebleian students aged 16-18, an age at which generally many leave education to seek employment to support their families income, will be given funding to stay in school. The students were selected at random and will recieve a total of $30 a week if they attend all classes and meet all academic deadlines, extra funds will be paid based on results of school tests. The hope is that the payments will mean there is no extra financial demand on families to send children to school post 16 and therefore will see more Plebs remain in education. The move was announced by Education Minister Bryan Coxovich who said, "The Queen wants every Lodjain to be able to be successful and contribute to the growing prosperity of the nation. For that to happen we need as many educated and skilled people as possible, therefore we need more Plebleians accessing further education and if this scheme works we will achieve that."
The pilot programme will last a year and if considered a success will be rolled out to all Plebleian students. Currently only 42% of Plebleians remain in academic education following the age of 16, while 36% go straight into employment. In recent years however employers have said their is a growing "skills gap" between what workers can do and what companies need. The latest scheme is welcomed by many business leaders who said, "If we can get a 18 year old with a wider range of skills we can help them get into roles that pay more, that in turn generally means our business can run more effectively or expand and that makes us more money. This could be win win for everyone involved."
The scheme is the first of several reforms the Queen has said are coming that will support closing what she has said is the nations "embarassing wealth gap"
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://www2.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Mercedes+Benz+Fashion+Week+Berlin+Press+Conference+GNbc-evXrjll.jpg)
ROYAL ENVOY SPEAKS ABOUT TAMORA SITUATION
The nations envoy to the CNN, Royal Envoy Princess Anfisa Naumov, Great Grand-daughter of Queen Sonja, has today spoken out about the situation in Slava Lavosk. The 34 year old was appointed as a special envoy of Queen Viktoria and kept on by Queen Klara who gave her the responsibility of representing the nation at the CNN and promoting the nations image overseas. The Princess' words came after the announcment in the Lavosk media of there potentially being "detention camps" for Tamoran people. "The Slava Lavosk government are concerned about maintaining their culture and traditions. This is something we have in common with them, our nation has old and established cultural traditions that define Lodja as what we are. What makes us different however is that we will never lock someone up for practicing their religious beliefs or following their own nations traditions, so long as they follow Lodjian law then we are happy to let them have freedom. I commend President Kravec for taking action to stop slavers in his nation. Slavery is something we have long disestablished in Lodja and I believe it has no place in the 21st century. What I fail to believe though is that a sizeable portion of Tamorian's in Slava Lavosk are engaged in the slave trade and therefore have no place being put in any alleged detention camps. I echo the calls of the Tamoran government to allow anyone detained to be checked on and publically offer my services as part of this process as a neutral observer. I would however urge the Tamoran media to stop reporting fake news, in recent days they have labelled us "Guardians" of human rights for processing asylum claims from Tamoran slaves, I must correct here that this is not the case. Our nation while being against slavery has not put in place any special status for those claiming asylum from Tamora. Should a citizen of any nation present themselves with a claim for asylum the process shall be the same regardless of where they come from. They must provide evidence of their human rights being in jepodey and be able to confirmed as being no threat to our nation security. While I am not in Lodja and don't have the figures to hand I believe to date we have not granted asylum to anyone from Tamora on these grounds, although we would not rule it out should they meet all criteria. It is flattering to be considered a nation that guards human rights and we look forward to working with the government of Tamora to ensure their citizens living in Slava Lavosk are not denied theirs."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://nerdist.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Monster-Fatberg-Feature-Image-09132017.jpg)
SEWERS OF LEUBIN "A DISGRACE" SAYS MAYOR
The city of Leubin yesterday discovered what the mayor, Ariadna Shwetz, has described as a "Monster Fatberg" in the cities sewers. Fatbergs are conjealed masses of fat, usually from discarded cooking oils, which has mixed with non-biodegradable products such as nappies, used condoms and wet wipes. This particular one is thought to be one of the largest ever recorded and according to the mayor's office is likely to have been forming for the best part of a decade. Sewer inspectors believe it is 820-foot-long and weighs as much as a Blue Whale. Mayor Shwetz said, "This is a disgrace, our city is home to 1.6million people and one of the computer development capitals of Albion. Yet our sewer system dates back to the 18th Century and isn't fit for purpose anymore. We're still living in the 1700's regarding some of our infastructure."
One Plebleian resident, who wished to not be named, spoke about the discovery. "Our street has complained of strange smells and backlogs for months, nothings been done, meanwhile just a mile down the road we have a Patrician's gated community that has had local council workers there everyday for the last two months doing who knows what. Its not on, we pay our taxes, work hard and follow our Patricians leadership and they haven't taken care of us."
The Mayor said the problem lies with the way funds are allocated for local services. "The central government allocates funding for the upkeep of each city to our office and we then allocate this out to Patricians who are responsible for each area, they must then ensure all neccessary services are provided. Clearly in the case of the sewers in this area that hasn't happened and now we face a giant bill to ensure that the sewer is cleaned." The Mayor however was also critical of the Plebs of Leubin saying, "It is well known that things like nappies, condoms and wet wipes should not be flushed down the toilet, it even says so on their packaging. Those who live in that area have clearly not followed these instructions and now are paying for it. Down the road the Patrician community have no such issues, we need to consider being more self responsible. While the Plebs seem incapable of even managing to keep their sewers properly functioning then what chance do they have of being granted more say in the government?"
The Lord of the Conclave, Lord Besarian Ivanov is from Leubin and even spoke entering the Isle of the Goddess about the discovery. "I'm disgusted that the people of Leubin have allowed this to happen, like a parent I am not angry just disappointed. I will be speaking to the Mayor and instructing her to take steps to better educate the people of our home city."
It is likely to take sevral weeks to clear the fatberg and will involve workers actively digging out much of the blockage with spades. It is expected that once removed the fatberg will be processed and turned into biofuel. By the sound of the size it is likely to be able to fuel 40 buses for a week.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://thumbs.mic.com/ZWRhNzNjMmUyOCMva1MyVlFYWi11N0dRM0Q5eGJnU0xEWm9mRktrPS8weDUwOjEyNzV4NzY3LzgwMHg0NTAvZmlsdGVyczpmb3JtYXQoanBlZyk6cXVhbGl0eSg4MCkvaHR0cHM6Ly9zMy5hbWF6b25hd3MuY29tL3BvbGljeW1pYy1pbWFnZXMvaGhteGw3aWV6emZkN21vaDU1aXpscWZiaTF4Y3l5c216ZWJieDJ4N3pza2hha2ppc3VqOGhod2pqYnQxMXlpci5qcGc.jpg)
QUEEN CREATES NEW MINISTERIAL POST
Today Queen Klara announced the creation of a new post in the Conclave, the first in 80 years since the creation of the post of Minister for Social Affairs. The new ministerial post will be entitled "Minister for Modernisation" and will be taken up by businessman and philanthropist Yuliy Shvets. The 56 year old is the founder of a company called Shvetacom which manufatcure affordable laptops and Smart phone that are extremely popular among the Plebleians of Lodja. His company however began by making cheap home electronics in the 1990's and has made Shvets a multi-millionaire thought to be worth in the region of $180million. The Gaian native is also Lord of Gzhel, a small town around 20km east of Gaia a title that has been in his family for over 200 years. The announcement was made by Head of the Conclave Besarian Ivanov who said, "Her Divine Majesty believes that if Lodja is to become a stronger nation we have relics of the past we need to improve. Be that infastructure, industrial legislation and various other matters. As such Lord Yuliy's appointment is designed to take advantage of his extensive entrapernarial spirt to ensure we become the envy of Albion in the next 30 years. Its an ambitious target but I feel we can do it."
The Minister will attend his first meeting early next week and said in a phone interview, "Its exciting, the ultimate job and I look forward to working with a wide range of skilled individuals committed to making our nation a better place. I thank Queen Klara for this oppurtunity to serve the Goddess." The news was greeted with praise by one Plebleian pressure group who said, "Shvets has a track record of putting in place chances for poorer Lodjains and I think his appointment means someone uniquely placed can help our people."
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/470364166557925386/unknown.png)
PELAGIYA POWER FOR FORMULA MUNDUS?
Lady Stasya Pelagiya, one of the Queen's Ladies in Waiting and the rumoured love interest of King David of East Moreland was photographed in the EMAC-Rytol pit during Royal Vafleon Grand Prix. The 22 year old daughter of Lord Tobias Pelagiya, the Royal Envoy to Alba Karinya, was photographed in EMAC-Rytol racing attire and looked stylish posing next to the teams car belonging to driver Matt Cooke who finished 5th in the race. The King of East Moreland was also in attendance visiting the team leading to more discussion about the monarch and Lady Stasya being partners. It however appears there were other motives for Lady Stasya being in attendance.
"I love watching the motor sports, its exciting and has something of real glamour about it. Me and my father have plans for a race team from Lodja, Pelagiya racing and todays been a bit of a fact-finding mission. The boys at EMAC have been really helpful and we've been introduced some really interesting young engineers that EMAC want to get experience of top class engineering. Its my hope, well I hope it doesn't happen so perhaps it would be better to say intention, is that if a team drop out financially during the season our family will step in and buy them. If that does happen I'd hope we could see a partnership similar to what Rytol have with them, we have a lot less experience so perhaps we could act like a junior team for them, Pelagiya-EMAC does sound good. Should, as I hope is the case, all the teams make it through the season we'll put an application in for a team for next year." The Pelagiya family is one of the wealthiest in Lodja where Lord Tobias runs a hotel, restaurant, fitness spa and holiday resort company as well as having shares in several oil and gas companies. Lady Stasya was asked about her relationship with King David and simply said, "I'm honoured to be invited along as his guest. He was a mentor figure to Queen Viktoria and as such is a friend of Lodja"
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://marriedwiki.com/uploads/bio/alex-brooker.jpg)
2nd NEW MINISTER ANNOUNCED
Queen Klara has today announced the 2nd new ministerial post in as many days with the appointment of Alexei Smedenov as Minister for Minorities. The 36 year old is the 2nd son of the Duke of Rostovia and a former Lieutenant in the Rostovia Grenadiers. Despite being born with hand and arm deformities and a twisted right leg which had to be amputated when he was a baby he was given a military commission because his father operated the unit. This commission was however revoked following Queen Viktoria's reforms as military control was tightened up. Since leaving the military, where he acted as a quartermaster for his fathers unit Smedenov has run a company for his father which manufactures and sells many different forms of salt. He has also been a keen supporter of disability sport. Queen Klara made the announcement at a gala dinner held by the Royal Ballet to mark the beginning of their season of performances. "Lodja has long sadly been focused too much on creating prosperity only for those at the top end of our society and we have failed to realise the middle and lower ends have begun to change. We see a nation that has always embraced the LGBT+ community whom are seen as minorities across Mundus, but others such as the disabled, whom some see as being cursed by Sessifet, have found life harder. Alexei Smedenov is a great example of someone who can change those things and as such I am proud he accepted my offer to sit on the Conclave.
The new look Conclave will meet on Thursday to put together a legislative agenda for the year which is likely to be published soon after following the path Queen Viktoria took of making the Queendom aware of the path the nation would be taking. Some prominent experts believe it will focus on improving foreign relations as well as trade opportunities with the wider world. There is still likely to be a heavy focus on the military especially with Field Marshall Givi Sokolov still being searched for on charges of fraud and embezzlement among others.
(https://celebmafia.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/emily-ratajkowski-airport-style-lax-august-2015_15.jpg)
LADY STASYA DATING KING DAVID
It was confirmed today that Lady Stasya Pelagiya, Lady in Waiting to Queen Klara and eldest child of Duke Tobias Pelagiya the envoy to Alba Karinya is in a relationship with King David III of East Moreland. The two have been rumoured to have been in a relationship for many months now however neither have spoken of the romance. Lady Stasya, who is a popular fashion icon in the nation as well as being a member of the Queen's staff, meet King David at a function on the Isle of the Goddess and the two have become close friends since. In the last few weeks Stasya has been seen in East Moreland, on the pretence of visiting her father in his new role however it is likely now to have been to spend time with the King. The pair where photographed and filmed by a Seaforthian journalist at the King's estate in Hearthstone before he was arrested by security. The images showed an intimate moment between the two.
Upon her return to Lodja to recommence her duties Lady Stasya was meet at the airport, as is usual when she travels, by the media. The 22 year old noble lady said, "Our relationship is still in the early days. We wish to keep it between ourselves." Some social media followers of Lady Stasya have however taken to the web to call for her to be Queen of East Moreland with one follower saying "East Moreland would not get a more beautiful or elegant Queen in a million years. She will take the grace of Sessifet to the Morelanders."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://imgs.aftonbladet-cdn.se/v2/images/d2f6f4ba-0c8f-44f1-af13-16751e6dede5?fit=crop&h=550&w=893&s=823255d5103e4ed074b0c01910fe18fae022a9d9)
LORD BESARIAN CONCERNED OVER BARNACLE
Following the arrival of Lodjain forces upon the disputed island of Barnacle it has been announced that around 180 Lodjains Marines may be in a difficult situation. The Marines landed at a damaged naval facility belonginning to the Himeyaman military but thought to have been abandoned following the Mhorish Tsunami that hit both Barnacle and the Himeyaman mainland. Upon landing the Marines were greeted by a group of Himeyaman soldiers who believing the Lodjains were working for Heyra were openly hostile. Once the situation where the Lodjains were part of a multi-national aid effort was explained the two nations began working together. This however changed once Rokkenjima, also a partner in the multi-national effort , announced that the islands were, in their view, property of Heyra. From this point on the Marines were placed under "Close Guard" meaning they are not permitted to leave the base.
Speaking following a briefing of the Conclave, the Lord of the Conclave Besarian Ivanov spoke to the media saying, "We are in constant touch with our Marines and no one has been injured. They had been working alongside the Himeyamans at the naval base, however once Rokkenjima make the announcement things change. To all intents and purposes Rokkenjima have made an announcement that will impact a multi-national operation without consulting anyone. There is not a single Rokkenjiman on the islands at present and the situation there is extremely confusing. To then come out and make such a sweeping statement Rokkenjima have now endangered our Marines. We had established a working relationship with them and things were going well, suddenly because the Himeyamans know we are part of the international effort alongside Rokkenjima we are a potential threat. I do not blame the Himeyamans for taking the actions they have and I am confident that they will not do anything rash, still it is a worrying time for our service men and women who went off to help those in need to now have been made a pawn in international politics."
The Marines have been permitted to contact the carrier Alohura and are in good health. Their commander, Captain Silimov has apparently also issued orders for those on the ground to continue helping the aid effort. Lord Besarian saying, "Captain Silimov has shown to be a calm and capable commander. While politically we may be dealing with a mess he is continuing in his mission. We must now do all we can to convince the Himeyamans that Rokkenjima does not speak for us. We have made it well known that we support the East Moreland plan to first complete the aid operation and then allow the people of the islands, some of whom clearly see themselves as Himeyaman to determine which nation they belong to, not having it forced upon them by foreign powers. We are pleased our Albion friends of Dartfordia have also adopted this approach and not recklessly followed their close friends on a path that has put our soldiers in harms way."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://www.trbimg.com/img-524c1a06/turbine/la-greenpeace-20130926/600/600x428)
FIRST MILITARY TRIAL BEGINS
Disgraced Air Commodore Yuri Lagunov today went on trial charged with treason, fraud, embezzlement and theft. The former commander of the Air Force was found highly inadequete by a recent East Moreland review of the Lodjain military which found that the Air Force was missing significant pieces of equipment including two unmanned air vehicles known as drones, each costing around $5million. Lagunov is the first of the heads of the military to be placed on trial, Admiral Rafail Vasilev will go on trial in a weeks time while Field Marshall Givi Sokolov is still on the run.
The officer is on trial in front of three nobles as is custom for treason trials and will face a life sentence should he be found guilty. It is the first treason trial in the country for 20 years, the previous one being for a Air Force NCO who was found with Communist propaganda and had been taking bribes from Kaitaine in order to sew disharmony in the military. He was found guilty and sentenced to life however died in prison six years into a life sentence after committing suicide. The Queen is able to pardon or reduce life sentences however it is unlikely Queen Klara will having in the past saying, "Our military must improve if we are to be able to look after ourselves on the world stage. Nothing must stand in the way of that."
(https://southfront.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/US-Navy-destroyer-damaged-during-missile-test-off-Virginia-coast.jpg)
DESTROYER CATCHES FIRE
The Lodjain Navies destroyer "The Lady" today caught fire during a routine patrol in the Sea of Alucard. According to yet to be confirmed reports the ships electrical system suffered a malfunction and a fire followed. The ship had to be towed to harbour by a naval tug after receving emergency help from a nearby Bakkermayan naval vessel. Six of the crew were taken ashore for medical treatment believed to be caused by inhaling smoke.
A former able seaman onboard The Lady spoke to us saying, "When I was onboard six months ago the vessel was a mess, cleaning was not carried out the way it should and often maintainence that should have been carried out at set intervals was ignored or late. We often had issues with equipment not working. We had a potential chemical spill at one point and we had one set of protective gear between four of us. The state of the ship was a disgrace, we even had to buy our own sleeping bags instead of using the bedding given which was threadbare and I was sure it had fleas on it."
The revelations from the Able Seaman, who wished us not to reveal his name, is just the latest in a long list of issues highlighting problems within the military that Queen Klara has determined "must be made fit for purpose". It is expected that she will extend, if permitted, the agreement for East Moreland's Red Legion to establish new training protocols for the military.
(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article12300970.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/THP_CHP_030418SLUG_4021JPG.jpg)
FATBERG REMOVED
The giant fatberg (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=108.msg7351#msg7351) that was discovered in Leubin has today been removed. The giant mass of cooking oils and other congelled waste was found blocking the cities sewers. The object was 820-foot-long and weighed as much as a Blue Whale. It took a team of ten workers using a mixture of spadework, high pressure hoses and chemicals to break the fatberg down. The last block was kept and is to be treated and placed on display in Leubin museum.
The rest of the fatberg was processed and has been used to create a large amount of biofuel which will be able to fuel 40 buses for a week. Speaking to the media the The Lord of the Conclave, Lord Besarian Ivanov who hails from the city said, "The fact the cities mayor allowed this to happen to the beautiful city is beyond belief. We have had discussions in the Conclave about replacing him and holding fresh elections and it was only the Queen that stopped this happening. She believes in her wisdom that as this problem has been building up over the last 100 years and the Mayor has only been in place for 18 months it would be unfair to place the blame soley on his shoulders. The Queen has however given him a formal written command to take better care of the city or face the consequences. With it being my home city you can rest assured that I will be keeping a watchful eye on the state of the city."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/I8fOTBD.png?1)
HEYRAN'S LOSE ACCESS TO ISLE OF THE GODDESS
Following a breach of standard diplomatic protocol by Heyra when they released transcripts of various diplomatic talks with Rokkenjima the Lord of the Conclave announced that the Heyran's had lost access to the Isle of the Goddess. This is the first time a nation has been singled out for such treatment but Lord Besarian Ivanov said it was a "data secruity issue."
The Isle of the Goddess is home to the Queen of Lodja as well as the Conclave and other key positions. It has an atmosphere very unlike other government HQ's on Mundus as foreign nations are permitted to come and go as they please once they have been given security clearence. This free access means that foreign ambassadors can make contact almost any time of day or night with the Queen or relevant members of her staff leading to some outsiders to say the Isle has more of an atmosphere akin to a medieval royal court than a government HQ. This goes even further as nations with nobility are even given a room on the Isle for their ambassador. Sir James Gallacher the former East Moreland ambassador to Lodja was resident on the Isle for a year and explained, "The easiest way to get things done was just to go knock on someones door or catch them in the Grand Hall at meals or other social events. It was like never being off duty and meant you had access like I've never had in other nations."
The move therefore to suspend the Heyran access was explained by Lord Besarian who said, "People need to be able to speak freely on the Isle, almost everywhere you go you will find people chatting or exchanging ideas about the affairs of state in Lodja or wider afield. Having someone who comes from a nation that sees no issue with recording their conversations to play for a global audience means we can not be sure whether a Heyran official would be recording us for publication or not and therefore to maintain the positive atmosphere of our Isle they will not be permitted automatic access."
It was confirmed that should a Heyran wish to speak with the Queen they will now need to contact Lady in Waiting Anna Immich at least 72 hours before the requested meeting and should they wish to see a member of the Conclave they must contact that persons secretary 48 hours in advance. Lord Besarian explained, "This is a major blow to the way international diplomacy is done. I would be interested to see whether the Rokkenjimans knew they were being recorded. Business can not be conducted in such a manner."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://img2.thejournal.ie/inline/3449590/original?width=630&version=3449590)
DAMAGED DESTORYER TO BE DECOMMISSIONED
Following a fire onboard the Destroyer "The Lady" it has been determined that the ship is beyond repair. The vessel caught fire following an electrical malfunction and then their was a failure in the automatic fire fighting systems. The incident which is the latest in a string of military mishapds saw a total of 72 sailors recieve medical treatment for conditions ranging from burns, smoke inhalation and falls during the evacuation. Luckily the fire took place close to homewaters, however it was a Bakkermayan ship that towed the vessel to dock. The ship was later inspected by several experts all of whom believe the ship is not economical to fix. The ship will now be towed to Gaia where it will be scrapped.
Minister of Defence Lubos Kubik spoke about the incident saying, "We need to get things sorted, we have obligations to both TUNA and the CNN which we shall struggle to be able to do if we don't get things quiet literally ship shape." The Ministry are thought to be considering purchasing non-domestically constructed vessels from either Ui Cenneslaig or Nya Aland although Minister Kubik doesn't think this is the overall solution. "Even if we purchase the most state of the art vessels the issue is that we need to make sure we continue to maintain them. The Lady should have had at least another decade of use but now lies as a twisted metal wreck reminding us of the flaws in our military system."
(http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Johannes+Huebl+IWC+Schaffhausen+SIHH+2018+p7oOB6AX31el.jpg)
MORELAND MONARCH RECEIVES "FORMAL WARNING" FROM QUEEN OVER ROMANCE
Sources at the Isle of the Goddess today revealed that Queen Klara has issued the King of East Moreland a Notification of Undignified Conduct, what is considered by many on the Isle as a "Formal Warning" traditionally the Notifications are issued to those residing or regular visitors to the island in order to highlight where they are not acting in a manner "expected of those who are privledged to be in the Queen's magnificence on a regular basis" It was revealed by the source who wished to remain nameless that the Notification was issued after the relationship between King David and Lady in Waiting Stasya Pelagiya was revealed.
Business woman and former Lady in Waiting, Duchess Ekaterina Stasiuk explains why the King would have recieved such a thing, "The Ladies in Waiting are the closest companions of the Queen, between the four of them they spend 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with the Queen. They carry out duties designed to allow her to focus totally on affairs of state without the worry of such things as managing correspondence. As such the Queen needs to be able to trust that the Ladies mind is fully on the task and her time is not taken by such things as a relationship. That is not to say a Lady in Waiting can not have a relationship, the position carries great prestige and those holding the role are usually picked at least in part for their beauty, obviously they therefore have many admirers and romance is not uncommon. What is uncommon however is for a relationship to become public knowledge without the Queen's formal consent. I remember my first husband Mykola was a Major in the Guards when we meet. We'd been seeing each other a month before he wanted to be serious about us and he had to ask Queen Sonya's permission. She grilled him for a good hour before consenting meaning we could officially become a couple. The Queen must know who her Ladies are being courted by as they reflect her and a bad decision by a Lady in Waiting reflects on her."
It is expected that should the King, who is currently entertaining Lady Stasya at the Festival of Sail, is to ask the Queen's permission it would be given as Duchess Ekatarina explains, "King David is a man who has helped Lodja greatly over the years, having a Lodjain on his arm helps the Queen's prestige. I understand King David is a man who enjoys ancient traditions and rituals so I suspect he will not take offence at this move by Queen Klara. Many people at court are seeing it actually as Queen Klara gently teasing a fellow monarch."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.1473040.1380252123!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_960/image.jpg)
AIR COMMODORE FOUND GUILTY
Former Air Commodore Yuri Lagunov has today been found guilty of crimes relating to treason and has been sentenced to three life sentences. The former commander of the Air Force was found guilty of failing to fulfil his oath as an officer, illegally selling military equipment and illegally trading arms. Lagunov was also given a dishonourable discharge, his title of Duke of Mariban removed and his ancestoral land's seized, additionally his daughter who is currently training to be a Priestess of Sessifet has been removed from her position. It was proved in court that Lagunov had purposely ignored orders presented by the late Queen Viktoria surrounding the organisation and acquisition of equipment for the military, and had therefore left the Air Force ill prepared to carry out an adequete defence of the nation. The prosecution also proved that Lagunov has sold two military class drones to a company in Bakkermaya, a company which has since collapsed and its management disappeared, the whereabouts of the drones are still unknown. It was discovered Lagunov had been paid some $8million per drone, some funds shared among junior officers and NCO's who will now face seperate charges. Finally the prosecution where able to prove that Lagunov had sold some 45,000 rounds of ammunition, 200 rifles and a series of radio communications equipment to various sources, including units in the army expecting soon to be inspected and lacking resources.
The trial marks the first of three expected trials, with Admiral Rafail Vasilev to go on trial in a weeks time while Field Marshall Givi Sokolov is still on the run his whereabouts unknown.
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/377195690587324418/490557688325996544/unknown.png)
QUEEN GIVES KING AND LADY STASYA APPROVAL
Following an official request from King David III of East Moreland the Queen has granted permission for him to continue his relationship with one of the Ladies in Waiting, Stasya Pelagiya. The 22 year old Lady in Waiting is the daughter of Duke Tobias Pelagiya who owns Pelagiya Industries which run a multi-billion dollar oil and gas enterprise, as well as several health clubs and spas. She is also heiress to the titles of Duke of Pelagiya as well as Sheriff of Iskor. Her father currently acts as the Lodjain envoy to Alba Karinya. The pair have been apparently dating, without the Queen's permission, for the last two months although rumours persist that the romance has been going on longer.
The news had other unexpected impacts as the Lodjain market saw Pelagiya Industries share prices take a slight climb, something one leading economist said shows a rather narrow world view by some investors. "In Lodja business is done not by what you know but who you know. Yes the Pelagiya family may now be tied to a strong nations monarchy but not every country works the way Lodja does, beside who is to say this romance will last." It was believed that many investors believe that the relationship will see the company gain a foothold in the East Moreland markets.
(https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/landscape_928x523/2017/01/tom_hardy.jpg)
DUKE LEOPOLD HAMRIK REVEALS "ANCIENT" CONTRACT
Today it was revealed that during the time of the Queen's public audiences the 40 year old Duke of Noverak, Leopold Hamrik, has presented a contract signed in 1530 which he claims means he should be Queen Klara's husband. The current Queen of Lodja whose name by birth is Tatiana Kohut, is a descendent through the maternal line to Queen Milka Kovac whom in 1530 made an agreement with the Hamrik family that when Rustav Hamrik, who was two years old at the time, reached the age of 18 he would marry the Queen becoming her third husband. Queen Milka died however in 1540, there was however a clause in the contract which stated that should a Queen ever be elected from the Kovac family line then an unmarried Hamrik of Ducal rank would be permitted to marry her. Duke Leopold has been married before, his wife Theresa dying four years ago in a car accident, he has no children.
The Duke presented his papers and according to witnesses as the public audience the Queen looked "shocked and concerned" however it has been said that the Queen will "consider carefully this ancient contract and once assured of its status make an appropriate and informed decision."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://i2-prod.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/article490047.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/zambellas1.jpg)
ADMIRAL RAFIAL VASILEV FOUND DEAD. MAJOR MILITARY CHANGE
Former Naval Commander Rafial Vasilev, who was scheduled to stand trial for several crimes relating to mismanagement of the Navy, was yesterday found dead in his cell. A spokesman for the courts said, "At just after 6pm during a routine cell check it was discovered that Mr.Vasilev had somehow managed to use a concealed piece of metal to slit his own wrist. Despite the best efforts of the prison officers the former Admiral was pronounced dead on the scene." He had been scheduled to appear in court at 10am today in what was, following the conviction of Air Commodore Yuri Lagunov was likely to be an open and shut case. During that hearing it was proven that the commanders of the military had established a network to sell equipment and weapons to other nations forces or private military contractors. It is estimated that in total around $20million was made by each of them over the course of five years. The commander of the Army is still currently at large having run from Police, meanwhile Lagunov has been sentenced to three life sentences.
The Queen has in the past spoken of her dismay at the state of the armed forces saying, "Once the Lodjain military was a noble vocation for those wishing to serve the Goddess or improve their families fortunes. It is through service in the ranks that many families have raised themselves from being Plebs to Patricians and more than a few familes have gone on to do exceptionally well form themselves. Now though it appears our military is becoming nothing more than a rich person's play thing. With immediate effect all officers with more than 25 years service are to begin their retirement. A panel of representatives choosen by the Conclave will meet to select new commanders of each branch of the service and their general staff. In the meantime Minister of Defence Lubos Kubik will take personal oversight of the Air Force, the husband of Ekatarina Stasiuk, Mykola Bogdanov will take oversight of the army while Leopold Hamrik, a man who recently attempted to use an ancient contract to marry the Queen, will take oversight of the Navy. Minister Kubik served in the Army reaching the rank of Lt-Col in the Parachute Regiment and was one of those who brought military corruption to light. Mykola Bogdanov served in the Armoured Corps for 10 years before resigning his commission when he married his wife in order to help run the Stasiuk hotel chain. Finally Hamrik served with both the Royal Watchman Guard and as a Marine, most recently he caught public attention when presenting at court a contract from the 1500's which stated that should a Queen ever be elected from the Kovac family line then an unmarried Hamrik of Ducal rank would be permitted to marry her. At present it is being examined by experts.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://digitalspyuk.cdnds.net/16/17/980x490/landscape-1461836088-tv-graham-norton-show-paul-rudd.jpg)
PELAGIYA INDUSTRIES TO MANUFACTURE POWER KITE ENERGY
Pelagiya Industries have today announced that they have acquired permission from East Moreland based OsmanTech to manufacture the Power Kite (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UauZ9XEra98). The kite based wind turbine was developed by a young Morelander in 2014 and a grant from OsmanTech allowed it to be developed further however it has never gone into major production. As a commitment by the mainly Oil and Gas producing company of Pelagiya Industries their CEO, Duke Tobias Pelagiya has promised to reinvest 10% of the companies profits into greener industries. This new kite is expected to be put out on the companies oil and gas platforms where possible as well as out on some of the islands that make up Lodja. The kites can produce up tp 50% more wind power annually than traditional turbines and use 90% less material in construction.
The basic premise is that rather than long blades and large scale components a simple cable and propeller driven kite can be used, the kite being winched up to an altitude where winds are blowing, the constant circular motion of the kites flight help drive propellers mounted on the kite that ensure that even in calm weather the kite can maintain its flight. The base can swing through 360degrees meaning it can always catch the wind. Pelagiya Industries hope to have 3000 of the systems installed by the end of the year and have sales throughout Mundus.
Duke Tobias said, "I'm aware my family have made a great deal of money from oil and gas, polluting our planet, but now we have to give back. This is our first major step. Its been brilliant being able to work with the Morelanders who made this product and my position as envoy to Alba Karinya has certain been beneficial. Its an excellent relationship between Power Kite and ourselves which I think will go from strength to strength." Many believe the families connection to the East Moreland royal family may well have played a role in the deal being done however the Duke played that down, "Stasya may be well connected with the Royals of East Moreland but she is not the kind of girl who has shown an interest in electricty beyond it powering her straighteners."
The Duke has also said that he hopes to make another major investment before the month ends.
(https://www.thoughtco.com/thmb/8lMh0PWd36FDNkA4bxZgsz1VoBE=/768x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/GettyImages-755658891-5ae9cf3c8023b900369b5553.jpg)
VODOU TO BE BANNED FROM SACRIFICE
High Priestess Alla Kohut today has announced that following scrutiny of the Vodou faith she will not permit ritual sacrifice. The High Priestess is responsible for passing all laws governing the practice of religion in Lodja and may only be overruled by the Queen herself as she communes directly with the Goddess Sessifet. The news comes after the faith made headlines with a failed uprising in Bakkermaya. The faith is practiced by the majority of those in nearby Paracambi and it is known small pockets of Paracambians exist on Grand Alucard, thought to number just under 2,000 people. No reliable statistics exist about the exact numbers who worship Vodou.
The High Priestess explained, "Ritual Sacrifices I have seen involve some brutal scenes, seldom is the animal killed swiftly or cleanly as the job is not carried out by a professional. We do not wish to see one of Sessiftes beloved creatures put through the horrors I have seen needlessly. I believe that those in Lodja should be permitted to follow whatever faith they wish, so long as it does not bring them into conflict with the fact our Goddess rules our nation directly. If they can accept that and comply with the Goddesses will then I have no problem with Cultists , Christians or whatever. Sessifet though requires no sacrifices and wishes us to be as humane to animals as we can be. I therefore will not allow ritual sacrifice. Should those such as Muslims at Eid al-Adha or any other faith feel the need to sacrifice an animal it must be done in compliance with our nations animal rights laws, to now ask that those following Vodou do likewise is not discrimination."
The new ruling is the first regarding "non native faiths" given by the new High Priestess in her six months in charge of the faith. The High Priestess has also indicated that within the next week she will have secured the first overseas site for a Temple to Sessifet, many believing that it will be in Bakkermaya following an agreement reached between Queen Klara and the Bakkermayan Grand Duke Hugo Lascelles over a special agreement between the two nations regarding the various islands in the Alucard. Many Lodjian lived on Wellow in the Alucard until the 1400's however that number today has dwindled massively leaving a handful who follow Sessifet on the island. It is one of the few Sessifet enclaves anywhere outside the nation.
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/481190148013424650/unknown.png)
IMPORTS FROM TAMORA MAY BEGIN "LIMITED" SALES
Finance Minister Dragan Knežević has today announced that the nation will begin permitting imports from Tamora. The Minister spoke as he attended a meeting of business CEO's on Tyr Island where he said, "We wish to support our continental friends of Paracambi and share their view that slavery is evil. As such we will not permit profit from it. What is now clear however is that not all Tamorans support or use this practice and it is therefore not fair to tar them all with the same brush. I have therefore today gained permission from the Queen to begin allowing Tamoran products into the nation on a limited basis. We will use the Freestone Mark as a benchmark. Any product baring such a mark will be permitted to be sold in Lodja. I have further more been granted permission from the Queen to have Freestone Mark products treated in the same manner as Fair Trade Products." it has long been the case that any imported good baring a recognised Fair Trade mark receives a lower rate of applicable import duty for "ethical considerations", the Freestone Mark is to share this standing meaning those Tamoran products coming into the nation will enjoy lower import duties than they did before the boycott began.
The Finance Minister explained "The Freestone Mark gives Tamorans who wish to trade without slavery that chance and may hopefully encourage others to do likewise. We do not have any ill will against Tamorans even though their press often wish to make it appear otherwise, what we don't like is the idea of people being effectively made the property of others."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://d26horl2n8pviu.cloudfront.net/pictures/images/000/040/990/for_gallery_v2/APFT.jpg?1431793359)
NEW ARMY ENTRANCE TEST TO BEGIN
Lt.Col(Rt) Mykola Bogdanov has today announced a new army fitness test that will be used for all future recruits. The former Parachute Commando was named temporary commander of the Army following the arrest of all three heads of the military following the discovery of massive corruption. Previously military units were able to set their own entrance requirements and as such there was massive variance. The 2nd Valazov Rifles had for their fitness test a simple 1.5mile run while the Gruzan Howtizer Regiment had a 2mile run followed by a variety of gym based tests. It was noted by the East Moreland military report that fitness standards among the military were poor and Bogdanov hopes the new test would be able to set this straight. The new Combat Fitness Entrance Test will require recruits to complete six tests within 50 minutes. First a recruit will have to complete three 60kg deadlifts in order to simulate icking up and carrying a streatcher. Next they will be required to complete a standing power throw, which will see a weighted medicine ball thrown backwards over their head to simulate helping a colleague over an obstacle. Once having reached a set distance the recruits will be expected to do 30 press ups, a 250 meter sprint dragging a weighted sledge, 15 chin ups and then complete a 2mile run. The whole test must be completed in that order in 50minutes. Both males and females will have to pass the same standards.
It is hoped that the new test will see an improvement in the fighting fitness of the military and help ensure the future training methods of the army, which will be formed with advice from East Moreland, will be more beneficial. The first 30 recruits to try the new test will do so this coming Monday.
(https://naqyr37xcg93tizq734pqsx1-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/TH-2.jpg)
COURT APPROVE MARRIAGE CONTRACT
The Supreme Court today ruled that the contract held by the Duke of Noverak, Leopold Hamrik regarding a marriage to Queen Klara is valid. In 1530 Queen Milka Kovac an ancestor of Queen Klara signed an agreement to marry a member of the Hamrik family however she died before the young Duke reached the age of maturity. A sub-clause in the contract then said any future member of the Kovac family who became Queen would have to marry an unmarried member of the Hamrik family. Duke Leopold, who is currently overseeing the Navy, has been widowed for four years and has no children and according to the Court is perfectly able to ask for the contract to be fulfilled.
The Queen can of course overrule any decision of the Supreme Court however this has not been done in 40 years. It is also likely that the Queen would not make a decision without the approval of the Conclave who are due to meet in three days. Duke Leopold was present at court and said, "I am delighted the court is standing by tradition and I hope the Queen will stand by the decision of them. The Hamrik family are an old and distinguished one and I believe I would be able to lend great support to the Queen in her role. I was blessed once with a wonderful wife and would be doubly blessed by Sessifet if I was able to marry Queen Klara."
The Royal Court have yet to make an announcement.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/501017956327882754/unknown.png)
QUEEN'S MARRIAGE APPROVED BY CONCLAVE
The Conclave this morning voted unanoumously to accept the ruling of the Supreme Court that Duke Leopold Hamrik should marry Queen Klara. The announcement was made by Lord Besarian Ivanov who said, "The Duke is a very respectable man from a highly distinguished family. While there were a fair few other candidates put forward in our meeting the existance of this contract menas that there could be little debate." The first husband of the Queen is traditionally selected by the Conclave and Lord Besarian believes this is no different."We would have had the ability to challenge the ruling if we felt that Leopold was not a suitable individual. We are happy to put him forward and hope that the Queen will honour tradition and accept our advice.
The Queen is yet to meet the Duke in an official capacity however Duke Leopold is due to attend a military meeting in te next few days and rumour at the Palace indicate that the Queen may have lunch with the Duke. There have however been some concerns raised by some nobles who believe the large age gap may make it an unsuitable marriage, one noble who wished to remain nameless stated, "The Queen is soon to turn 19 while Leopold is the wrong side of 40. He is old enough to be her father." However this was put aside by the High Priestess who said, "Technically the Queen is at least 6billion years old as she carried Sessifet within her. I think therefore the fact the Duke is over 40 is not a real concern. I think this will be a wonderful match and produce many future Princes and Princesses to support the work of the Goddess for years to come.
(https://defense-update.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/russia-leader-class.jpg)
GOVERNMENT AGREE TO PURCHASE ALANDER SHIPS
The Navy is set to acquire three new Destroyers to replace the retiring "The Lady" class destroyers. The new purchase will be of the Alanders Dragonboat (https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/independent_order_ns/the-odinist-republic-of-nya-land-t1671.html#p81567) Destroyers at a cost of $900million per ship. The Minister of Defence, Lubos Kubik, explained, "We clearly are in need of greater reliability and a better standard of ship than what we have currently. As such we have determined the Dragonboat is an ideal platform and it also involves us working with an Albion neighbour. The new vessels will help keep our nation safe and show that we are committed to maintaining a better standard of our armed forces moving forward."
The purchase is likely to see the first of the new ships being names the Klara II after the new Queen while should her marriage go through one would likely be named after her husband.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f6/ad/b5/f6adb57dfd8cdda65a00dd3deb02db99.jpg)
ROYAL WEDDING SHOCK
The Queen's Press Office today released details of the Queen's meeting with the Conclave regarding her marriage and the news brought a few surprises. Queen Klara has agreed to not contest the marriage contract presented by Duke Leopold Hamrik meaning that he will become the Queen's first husband, a position of great influence in Lodjain culture. However in the same proclaimation it was announced that the Queen would have two weddings in two days, the first to Duke Leopold as the contract stipulates then the next day she will marry Lady In Waiting Roksana Pajari. Women in Lodja are permitted to take multiple spouses and Queen Klara II is to be the first Queen to take a husband and wife, many other Queen's are thought to have had female lovers however. The news has raised a few eyebrows but has been warmly accepted by the nations LGBT+ community.
The father of Lady Roksana, who has been a Lady in Waiting for 11 years, is Lord Silvan Pajari the Sheriff of Genzy. The 29 year old Roksana will once married be granted the title Princess while the 40 year old Duke Leopold will be granted the title of King only when Queen Klara has a child. Lord Silvan said of his daughters upcoming marriage, "Like any father I had hoped Roksana found someone who would be able to give her a great future, nothing can be better than marrying into the royal family and I am honoured Queen Klara thinks this highly of my daughter. I look forward to her wedding day." Friends of Lady Roksana have commented that they knew she was bisexual since her teenage years however were unaware she was in any relationship with the Queen. Meanwhile Duke Leopold is said to be "looking forward to marrying the greatest woman on Mundus and hoping to become a father soon."
The details of the wedding are still to be confirmed however it was announced that the Queen is to once again ask King David of East Moreland to act as one of the escorts to the Queen on the day. The Morelander monarch, and current partner of Lady in Waiting Stasya Pelagiya, acted as an escort to Queen Viktoriya on her wedding day. The Conclaves announcement said, "The King of East Moreland is a close friend of Lodja and has shown great support for our people and our Queens. It is therefore fitting as he helped guide Viktoria and Klara that he help guide Sessifet into her next marriage.". The other escort to Queen Viktoria was Prince Lennox of Ui Cenneslaig however he is not to be asked this time, instead Duke Tikhon Savva will be the second escort. "It is important a Lodjain whom the Queen trusts is included in the escort. Duke Thikon has become a good friend of Queen Klara and is honoured to be considered for the role." The only thing confirmed about the wedding that has been released is that it will take place in the new year and be on the Isle of the Goddess.
(https://biographytree.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/thylane-blondeau.jpg)
ENVOY TO THE ARDIANS URGES CAUTION
Former candidate to be Queen, Nataliya Kozel, has today urged the world caution in dealing with the Commonwealth of the Iwi's recent executions. The 19 year old was considered for the role of monarch when Queen Klara was selected and is the daughter of Sir Viktor Kozel, the nations ambassador to The Commonwealth. After Queen Klara's election Nataliya was named as Envoy to the Ardians, a largely symbolic role, mainly because she had spent many years in The Iwi with her father. She is currently studying Disaster Management at University in Hunter's Bay in the Iwi.
"The executions are brutal yes, they go too far in my view but I think those criticising are in a way blinkered. The Maori see the brutality as neccessary to restore order to their faith. If we say they may not do what they are doing we telling them that their loved ones can not be restored to their spiritual power. Do I believe this? No, I believe in Sessifet, but I too would be angry if someone told me that my Queen was not the Guardian of the Goddess. We must respect the religious belief of the Iwi and there are many faiths globally that do some things I disapprove of. The Vodou practice of animal sacrifice for example. I am however aware enough that people need this to keep their faith alive and that should we deny a faith its practices we set a soceity up for potential collapse. Its a delicate situation and then tie to this the global politics situation, we 've seen the Iwi willing to go to extreme measures to bring those responsible for their genocide to justice even going so far as attacking the Seleucid, which then resulted in a strike by the Seleucid on the Maori. Should nations deny the Iwi justice we risk all out war in the region, should the Iwi break international law in their pursuit of justice then we risk all out war in the region. Nations should not be picking sides, nations should be urging a way forward that provides the Seleucid with piece of mind for their innocent citizens while also showing the Iwi justice will be done. I therefore today propose that the international community start taking an active role in finding those Seleucid who committed genocide, a process the Seleucid need to take an active part in too. We need to find those murderers and ensure their crimes are brought to light. What we must also do is ensure this justice is fair and as humane as possible, I therefore suggest that the Iwi permit the nation of East Moreland to have oversight of court cases regarding the genocide. They are friends of the Iwi, they have a similar court system and know the horrors of genocide too. They would also be responsible for the executions of anyone found guilty, this would see a just sentance carried out in a swift and uniform manner. I believe this compromise would see the international community more likely to hand over the Seleucid under investigation as and when they are found."
The Envoy went on to say that she is making a personal donation of $100,000 to the The Otikoro Muhali Foundation which investigates crimes carried out under the Seleucid occupation of the Commonwealth and attempts to get those responsible arrested. "It is important to the world that those who believe they can escape justice of mass murder are proven wrong and the OMF do excellent investigative work that needs more global support."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://media.foxla.com/media.foxla.com/photo/2016/05/09/Camren_Bicondova__FOX___s____Gotham____0_1285451_ver1.0_640_360.jpg)
QUEEN SPEAKS WEDDING ON TV INTERVIEW
Last night the Queen appeared on a late night talk show which drew some 10million viewers. She spoke about a variety of issues including her upcoming double wedding.
If we may first thank Your Divine Majesty for coming on, we know you must be busy. If we may start by asking why the double marriage, it seems a little bizarre if you'll excuse the wording?
Not a problem, you see as Queen I'm torn between two things, duty and myself, between Tatiana and Klara, the human and Sessifet. If I'm going to be an effective Queen for the nation I need to balance the two it is only by doing that can I have a clear mind and clear conscience. I love Lodja and therefore the people wish their Queen to have a husband and produce children, while children may be a few years off yet we, me and the Conclave, determined the marriage should come quickly after all a competant husband like Duke Leopold will be an asset to the government and he does seem a genuinely nice guy. However I have grown close to Roksana since becoming Queen and I'm not going to deny my feelings for her and I am just happy she accepted my proposal. I then just figured if we're going to do this why not just get things done quickly.
When will the happy day....days be?
That's something we're putting the finishing touches to. It is hoped that it will be early in the new year and the High Priestess is currently planning a few different dates as there are a number of things I wish to have in place so we may need to give a few options. As soon as I know I will of course let the people know.
What exactly are these things you want in place if we can ask?[/i]
First there are certain people I want involved in the ceremony, for example family friends who are committed to projects that may mean they struggle to get things to fit together so they can attend without it impacting their longer term plans. Then we have the fact that I see, just as Viktoria did, the need for this to be an international affair. We now have friends across the globe and I hope to share this day with them. I would like King David of East Moreland to act as an escort on the day. The relationship that Viktoria began to foster between our nations is a special one as he has helped guide us towards improving our standing internationally and I welcome his advice. Furthermore I know that we hope the rest of the CNN in particular can attend.
Speaking of the CNN what about the recent executions in The Iwi?
I think we have to deal with this on two fronts. First did Imran Gamal deserve to die for his crimes, I would say yes. The crimes he committed are some of the worst imaginable. Did he deserve to die that way, I'm less sure. I understand the Maori concept, we're lucky to have an Envoy to the Ardians who has grown up the last four years in The Iwi so we get a good insight, but essentially you are showing yourself to be no better than the mass murderer by seeking to replicate their methods.
Does that mean if a suspect of the war crimes was discovered in Lodja you'd extradite them?
I don't honestly know. I think that has to be a bridge we cross if and when it happens, I understand the Iwi are looking for thousands of potential criminals globally. Are their any in Lodja? Possibly. Will we arrest them if we find them? Of course, but then would we extradite them, that is tough. I think at the moment I would be inclined to only do so if I knew the method of execution prior to extraditing them, however we could be talking about something that is potentially years, maybe decades away from happening and by then the Iwi's stance may have changed considerably.
Speaking on a human rights issue what is the future of things regarding the Tamoran slave situation?
Slavery has no place in the 21st Century. To say a person is property is just not true. I know we have strict social structures here in Lodja but at the end of the day each person is free to enjoy his or her liberty. Yes in the past Lodja did have slavery but it was always something the Priesthood spoke against and I am glad that today it is just a horrible moment in our past. I believe as a young consumer myself that the choices I make are important. Before becoming Queen I always did things like refuse to wear fur, buy organic foods whenever possible and I always drank fairtrade coffee, yet my friends didn't see these as big issues. I think the Freestone Mark is an excellent way forward, it rewards those Tamorans willing to work within its framework and its existance allows informed choice. Government will look at polices that reward these ethical decisions and hopefully other nations will follow suit.
We understand you recently meet with the leadership of Cabbagelandiet, how did that go?
They are our continental neighbours therefore we believe we need and should have good relationships with them. Talks were productive, saw some trade deals concluded and some talks about joint naval issues something both nations could probably do with improving if we're honest. We also saw them join the Council of Albion. I'm pleased with the blossoming friendship and hope that we can build a strong partnership with them.
Finally our Mundus Games squad sit first in the medal table, have you any words for the team watching over in Kaitaine?
I'm exceptionally proud of what they've accomplished, so is the whole nation. I've been sat watching as much as I can but sadly I've not seen every medalist, and there have been quiet a lot I'm glad to say. I think sport is an excellent way of bringing our nation together. You see the team made up of Patricians and Plebleians all working hard towards their dream of representing the nation. Its a perfect metaphor for what I want to see in the Queendom and I can't wait to welcome them all back. There will be, regardless of where they finish in the medal table, a celebration of their success on the Isle of the Goddess and I am very excited to meet them all, fingers crossed the success continues for just a few more days and we can be even prouder of their magnificent achievements.
LADY STASYA LAUNCHES BUSINESS AT NIAMECK FASHION SHOW
(https://static.standard.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2016/05/19/13/emilyratajkowski9.jpg?w968)
One of the Queens Ladies in Waiting, Stasya Pelagiya, has today confirmed that she will be launching her own fashion range at Niameck Fashion Show in Neu Uburzis. The 22 year old who is currently romantically linked with the King of East Moreland will debut her Stagiya range of outfits. Lady Stasya has a following of around 10million on instagram which is mainly comprised of young Lodjain women keen to get insight on fashion and make up. It is expected that she will attend the fashion week in person and is taking with her friends Milana Vasylyshyn who runs Milana Fashion House, and Vasilisa Vasilev who owns the Double V brand.
Lady Stasya spoke briefly to the press saying, "I've been lucky enough the meet Princess Adelheid on several occasions and we've always got on very well. She, like me, is very interested in fashion and so when she arranged this event and invited me I knew I wanted to do something for it. I've always sketched clothing ideas but never done much beyond, now with a bit of business advice from my father and the support of Milana and Vasilisa I'm going to give things a go." Asked whether her partner King David III of East Moreland would be accompanying her she said, "David is a man who is always busy, I'm sure he'll be rooting for me but I don't think he'll attend. I know he may be among the best dressed men on Mundus but I also don't think he really has that much interest in fashion, those lazy weekend mornings when I've been at Northfort Palace the smart dapper suits are gone and the East Moreland rugby shirt and a pair of jogging bottoms are on, its a very different sight."
The range does include outfits for children and so Stasya was asked about whether we'd see Princess Rhiannon of East Moreland in any, "The range starts for young teens, Rhiannon is a long way off that. Add to that Rhiannon is a little bit of a tom boy who loves her swordplay, I don't think my range is combat ready."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://static.miraheze.org/teriawiki/thumb/d/de/Dormach_Class_Submarine.png/800px-Dormach_Class_Submarine.png)
FIRST NEW SUBMARINES ARRIVES
The first Orca II (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=108.msg5003#msg5003) submarine today was handed over to the Navy for assessment. The new submarine is first of ten which are replacing the aging Orca Class Submarines as part of the nations military improvements. The new ships are smaller than the outgoing class and are more silent thanks to largely all electrical propolsion systems. The first of the new boats is to be named "Galant" and cost $280million, $30million more than anticipated. Minister of Defence Lubos Kubik spoke about the overspend saying, "We noticed when the building began that some things were not quiet the way they needed to be, this meant some retooling was required but the ship is now completed, looks to be superbly done and there should be no problems with her nine sisters, those should come in on budget."
The new vessel will now go and spend a full week at sea patrolling the Alucard as a way of testing the effectiveness of the new vessel before returning to Lodja and officially being named in a ceremony due to be attended by the Queen. It marks the second military acquisition this week as several Land Portable Vertical Launch Systems were delivered for evaluation. Minister Kubik added, "Our military was in dire straits, we've seen improvement in the last few months thanks to retraining and now rearming means the skills the soldiers are acquiring is backed up with decent systems."
It is expected that further acquisitions will take place in the new year.
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/506238904463130634/unknown.png)
LADY STASYA SETS TONGUES WAGGING AHEAD OF FASHION WEEK
In a post on her social media Lady in Waiting Stasya Pelagiya was seen sporting a giant diamond ring on her engagement finger. The 22 year old who is due to debut her fashion company Stagiya at the Niameck Fashion Show has been in a relationship with the King of East Moreland for several months, however there are rumours that the pair have been an item for much longer. King David of East Moreland was seen leaving a high end jewellry store in Silverhills, a well known area for high class jewellry stores last week. Tongues began wagging that perhaps when the King attends the wedding of Queen Klara he will marry his Lodjain lover.
The Royal Court spokesman however pointed out that King David would fist need permission of Stasya's father, Duke Tobias Pelagiya as well as Queen Klara. So far this has not happened and so it is unlikely that the pair are marrying anytime soon. Duke Tobias, who is currently based in East Moreland said, "My daughter and the King do appear to be very much in love and I know His Majesty is a strong follower of tradition and I can confirm he has not approached me."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/507274980191502344/unknown.png)
HIGH PRIESTESS APPOINTS TWO "PRIESTESSES FOR YOUTH"
The High Priestess of Sessifet, Alla Kohut, has today announced that she has created the poisition of Priestess for Youth and has named two Priestesses to the new role. The 48 year old High Priestess made the decision because of "the threat the outside world is presenting to our young people's connection to the Goddess." The ceremony where the two ladies, Maria Shvets (Above) and Arina Maksimov (Below) were blessed by the Queen was witnessed by several hundred members of the Priesthood. Following it Kohut explained her decision in selecting the two people. "In Lodja it is a time where the young people will play a vital role, we have a young Queen once again and our young people have so many more oppurtunities than their parents and espeically their grandparents. This is of course a great thing, but with any positive there can also be negatives. We have seen since the death of Queen Sonya three years ago an increasing pressure on our culture from outside influence and those under the age of 30 are more likely to be swayed as it they who are more influenced by globalisation. Take for example the recent relationship of Oksana Stasiuk to the King of the Seleucid, becoming his 4th wife. This is totally against the teachings of the Goddess, now we believe that marriage is an important part in building a families prestige of course adding to the good deeds of ones ancestors by making wise marriages and thereby sharing the good deeds of others is important. What we saw in the Stasiuk marriage though was a mother throw away all her pride in her nation and her Goddess by sacrificing her daughters marriage hand. Then we look at Lady Stasya, someone so central in the Queen's life, fratinising with a foreign King. Now while the Goddess Sessifet used her own feminine charms to bring the lesser Gods to her side and under her spells for the powers of good we do not have the same hope with King David, the man is a gentleman and a honourable man for sure but could he ever truly follow Sessifet, no. Therefore Stasya is willing to corrupt herself for the prestige of a crown rather than the service of the Goddess."
The youngest of the two new Priestesses is Maria Shvets, a 25 year old Priestess based in Iskor. She is the 2nd daughter Lord Peter Shvets, a former member of The Conclave and Lord of the River Peksha. She graduated the National Theological College four years ago and has been working as a Priestess attached to several Naval units. Kohut explained her selection saying, "Our military is undergoing change and as such we are relying ever more on our young people, Maria has a lot of experience of preaching to, supporting and educating young people about Sessifet and their duties towards her. She is a perfect example of what a true Priestess should be a passionate speaker, exceptionally knowledgable and someone who can build excellent relationships with her congregations. I hope she can now take these skills and use them nationally, and then internationally."
The other of the new Priestesses is Arina Maksimov a 27 year old Priestess based on Grand Alucard. She is the 3rd daughter of Hartem Maksimov a Lord with land on the island and a former General in the Army. She is also a graduate of the National Theological College and graduated six years ago. Since then she has been the Priestess responsible for the Queen's Military Academy, an institute that at the time was run by Lord of the Conclave Besarian Ivanov. Kohut explained her selection saying, "Arina has already a wealth of experience working with school children, they are the future of our nation and the faith and need to be well grounded in the love of Sessifet. She has already made extensive use of modern technology to support her congregation to access and enjoy their faith and she is someone I believe can make the faith relevant for the 21st Century."
The two new Priestesses will be granted a seat of the Holy Council which supports the Conclave. Shvets said following her blessing. "This is exciting, to work almost everyday on the Isle of the Goddess is my dream. I hope to be able to support our young people to walk the true path of honouring and loving Sessifet. She saved us all from the wars fought by the Gods and we can never repay her fully, only work each day to try and be worthy of her sacrifices." Meanwhile Maksimov said, "We need to begin to see our higher ups live as an example, Queen Klara in herself has done this as she is the personifcation of the Goddess, wise, beautiful and loving. The problem is however she does not neccessarily make those demands of those around her, Lady Stasya is a beautiful woman of great influence and is willingly in the service of the Queen, she should therefore have insisted Lady Stasya act as just as good an example as herself and not permitted her into King David's bed until he had publically proclaimed his love for the Goddess."
(https://stealherstyle.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/holland-roden-hair-12-500x750.jpg)
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://iv1.lisimg.com/image/15904146/540full-adelaide-kane.jpg)
YOUTH PRIESTESS SHVETS TO LAUNCH "SESSIFET ONLINE"
One half of the new Youth Priestesses has today launched a new initaive that she is calling "Sessifet Online" in an attempt to reaffirm the prescence of the faith in everyday life. The initaive will see the Priesthood of Sessifet have its first social media account as Maria Shvets whose idea it was sent the first official tweet which read, "If Sessifet can reach anywhere that includes Twitter. #SessifetIsEverywhere." In the following hours a new account was set up by the Priesthood on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat meaning they are now active on all major social network platforms. Priestess Shvets explained her reasoning, "We're trying to get young people to engage with their faith, to stay loyal to our culture and our traditions. That is very hard when you've input from across the world sending out messages that at times may contridict our faith. Now we've joined the major channels of communication for young people and so we can hopefully appear more relevant to them." Social media is hugely popular in Lodja with practically 100% of Patricians aged 13-17 having at least two different accounts, meanwhile 92% of Plebleians of the same age have two or more accounts.
Shvets, who worked as a Priestess for the Navy, has a social media following of around 700,000 who view her short weekly sermons on YouTube as well as her "Thoughts for the Day" on Instagram where as well as having comments were people have asked her questions on scripture and faith people have also commented on her fashion sense. The Priestess explained the use of instagram, "Sessifet taught us to take pride in our appearence, the way we dress and present ourselves. We are a package she created and as such we should look after it well both inside and out. As a Priestess I'm clearly stood in front of the public a lot and it is important that I reflect the care we should take in our appearence. Fashion is a major point of discussion for young people in Lodja, if I can use that as a way of piggy backing discussions about faith then so be it."
Already within the first 24 hours the Priesthoods Twitter account has attracted some 150,000 followers, while its Instagram account has seen close to 400,000. Shvets also spoke about using the media outlets to show the world the work of the various Shrines and Temples. "Our buildings are fantastically beautiful to reflect Sessifets beauty. As such I'm sure the artwork will attract several fans. This means we can create an interest in the faith outside our nation and interest may lead to some conversions. You also see some outright misunderstanding about our faith around the world. Using social media means we can deal with these head on by using the internet. It is also my hope to feature key personalities of Lodja talking about their faith as a way of showing the world what the average Sessifetian is like. One such person is likely to be Lady Stasya Pelagiya who currently has close to 10 million followers on Instagram, just 500,000 behind the Queen of Lodja herself. "Young Lodjains like Stasya Pelagiya have shown the impact social media can have, I'll be talking to her in the coming days about building a following for sure."
Meanwhile the 2nd Priestess for Youth, Arina Maksimov, has today announced that she is attempting to convince the Conclave that every school in the nation should have their own shrine to Sessifet. The Conclave will meet to discuss a number of issues tommorrow and this is due to be ruled upon by the Queen during that meeting.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://www.airwar.ru/image/idop/craft/g222/g222-1.jpg)
MINISTERIAL FLIGHT MISSING
The military transport plane taking Minister of Social Affaris Anna Utkin has gone missing. The flight was transporting the Minister and her team between the Isle of Queens and the smallest of Lodja's island's Karak. The aircraft was around 20 minutes into the 90 minute flight when it suddenly disappeared from RADAR. Aircraft were scrambled from the Air Force bases at Uren and Zhary but no trace of the aircraft was found. The navy have also taken patrols into the area in the search for any wreckage or sign of the missing aircraft.
Lady Utkin was born a Plebleian and through her involvementwith various community projects meet Lord Samuel Utkin a major philanthropist. The two married despite it causing a social outcry at the time. Her husband was murdered in 2014 during a house robbery and since then she has continued to try and follow his work. She was appointed to the Conclave by Queen Viktoria and became both the first female and the first person to be born Plebleian to sit on the nations government. She has since that time carried out a great deal of efforts to try and improve conditions for Plebleians across Lodja such as introducing free school meals and more afterschool clubs.
The 32 year old had a rather tumulterious youth as she was involved in both a biker gang and has an arrest for possession of recreational drugs. She was not charged with any drug offences as the quantities carried where within limits for personal use. Speaking of her youth before her appointment to the conclave she said, "I was a young girl from a poor background who honestly believed the best Lodja had to offer me was being part of some kind of poorly scripted teenage drama. It was only through getting in trouble I was turned to the path of trying to help my community rather than wreck it. Thanks to my husband I was able to see there are great oppurtunities out there if you're willing to work hard and walk the right path, regardless of your birth." There had been several calls for Queen Klara to replace the Minister as according to some former members of the Conclave she did not have a "manner beffiting that required of the closest confidents to the Guardian of Sessifet"
It is expected that the search for the missing plane and clues to its dissapperance will continue. This is the latest incident however in a string of military related technical issues which saw one of the nations Destroyers catch fire due to poor maintainence.
(https://cdn2.omidoo.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/full_width/images/bydate/201709/fatshaming1.jpeg)
RELIGIOUS "FAT-SHAMING" IS A "NON-ISSUE" SAYS YOUTH PRIESTESS MAKSIMOV
Within 24 hours of the Priesthood of Sessifet opening various social media accounts it has already become embattled in its first controversey. The two hastags "Sessifet Approves" and "Sessifet Does Not Approve" began appearing on various images of Lodjain profiles. Celebrities considered plus sized received the hashtag "Sessifet Does Not Approve" while those considered attractive recieved "Sessifet Approves" the majority of the first uses of the comment were traced back to accounts operated by members of the Priesthood. It was left to the new Youth Priestess, Arina Maksimov to respond which she did by saying. "This is a non-issue. Our faith tells us to look after our bodies both inside and out. All Lodjains should there seek to look after the wonderous gift that Sessifet has given us, packing it full of choclate cake is disrespectful to that gift and to Sessifet." Many said that the hashtag was the equivalent of fat shaming, a form of online abuse which makes fun of people considered overweight. This too was brushed off by Maksimov, "We're essentially doing these people a favour, the liberal world outside Lodja will tell people that they are all beautiful and should feel comfortable in their own skin. This is a downright lie, not everyone is beautiful, only those who take care of and pride in their appearence are. This is not fat shaming, this is giving people a dose of reality and saying put the cake down and pick up a dumbell."
The Youth Priestess went on to say, "It is important that young people in our nation are healthy, first it pleases Sessifet to see us that way and second it means less stress on the health service." Lodja has reasonably low rates of obesity compared to many nations. The Mundus[1] average rate of obesity in 19.8% of men and 18.3% for women. However this is based off nations returning data, most of whom appear to be the more affleuent nations of Mundus. Meanwhile in Lodja that average is 9.8% for men and 8.4% for women a statistic many put down to what some outsiders say is Lodja's "Shallow attitude towards physical beauty." One critic however said, "It is clear Lodja has some of the lowest obesity rates on Mundus and that is a positive, but we also have some of the highest rates of eating disorders, especially among girls, it is estimated that around 1% of the global population aged between 15-30 suffer from anorexia nervosa whereas 8% of Lodjain women in the same category are thought to have the condition. One leading mental health charity said, "It is clear the pressure on young girls especially to look beautiful and slim is having a major impact on their health. We have seen the teen suicide rate increase year on year and little is being done to combat it. Words like those we have heard today from a Priestess do not help the matter."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://www.s10probus.co.uk/Cromford%20Mills/slides/cr01.jpg)
COMMANDO BLUNDER KILLS SIX
Yesterday it was revealed that a series of explosion and gunfire in the city of Kirs was a raid by the Commando Regiment. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence explained, "The Commando's who have been looking at the Lady Utkin kidnap believed that they were acting on good intelligence that would have ended this situation. Sadly that was not the case and in the ensuing chaos six civilians were killed." It was later revealed that the six dead civilians were all under the age of 18 and had been using the old wool mill as a makeshift TV studio to broadcast and illegal teenage Plebian TV channel in contravention of national media laws. The families of the deceased have been informed and the Queen has sent them her condolences.
It was later revealed that the Commando's took action without any input from Red Legion of East Moreland in controvension of existing military practice. The Minister of Defence, Lubos Kubik, announced that the officer in charge of the operation will be court martialled as he disobeyed orders to not undertake any operation without Red Legion oversight. "Our Commando's have come on leaps and bounds but have yet to undertake any live operations. We can not magic up live experience and should take oppurtunities to take the advice of one of the worlds most elite forces."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/08/09/21/02A0C95E0000044D-0-image-a-5_1502312089603.jpg)
LORD PAJARI GIFTS QUEEN HIS ISKOR ESTATE
As tradition dictates the family of the person marrying the Queen is expected to make a series of gifts to the monarch. In keeping with that tradition the father of Lady in Waiting Roksana Pajari has today announced that he is giving the Queen his estate on the edge of the city of Iskor. The 54 year old is a large landowner and the Iskor estate one of six that he owns. The house features eight bedrooms, ten bathrooms, a library, a small ballroom and a banquet hall. Iskor is also one city in which the royal household does not posses a single property. Lord Silvan Pajari confirmed his gift saying. "The estate at Iskor was always Roksana's favourite, she had many happy times there and I remember at the age of 10 seeing her in the ballroom giving her first public cello performance. I always saw my little girl as becoming a famed member of our nations Royal Philomonic Orchestra or something and I would have been very happy with that. Now to know that she is to marry my Queen is rather mind blowing. I think it fitting that a place that saw her so happy becomes a gift to the woman who has apparently made her even happier." The Queen is said to have been "very grateful" for the gift and added that "I hope my new family will be as happy there as Roksana was in her youth."
It is likely over the next month that a series of gifts will be given by both Lady Roksana's family and that of Duke Lepold Henrik who has already confirmed that he is establishing a series of ballet scholarships in his future wifes name. Queen Klara, born as Tataina Kohut was a well respected young ballerina before becoming a student of Medicine at the Army Medicial University. Duke Leopold stated, "My wife loves to dance and I think it only fitting one of her legacies shall be helping others learn the joys it brings her."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://pmctvline2.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/patrick-j-adams.jpg?w=619)
BARON ROMAN'S SIGNATURE ON ENVIRONMENT TREATY APPROVED
Several days ago Baron Roman Chowynk, the former husband of Queen Viktoria, signed the Environmental Treaty of Wellow on behalf of the Queen. The new treaty seeks to protect the environment and is the first attempt to forumulate a global strategy. As with all laws Queen Klara II must approve the treaty and this approval was given this morning. The Queen had made her support of environmental protection well known in the past, making the removal of all plastic one of her first edicts and this new treaty covers aspects including this as well as reduction of food waste, cleaner public transport and environmental education. The Queen made the announcement while visiting fashion designer Milana Vasylyshyn whom is designing one of her two wedding dress, "The Environment is a gift from the Goddess, we have no right to destroy what she has given us and in the past we have taken little care of it. This must change, there has to be work done to find sustainable and effective measures to bring our planet back to a safer and happier place. This treaty will do that, yes it doesn't outline how we will do it yet but I look forward to seeing our people work with other to bring about effective solutions."
The Queen also announced that from next month the Queen's private car will be run on biofuel and that two new forests will be planted. The Queen has announced that the first will be the Roksana Forest and will be located in the hills around Noginsk, the second will be the Hamrik Forest and will be located near Noverak. Both forests will be named after the future spouses of the Queen and it is thought each will viist thier namesake woodland to plant the first tree prior to the wedding beginning on Friday this week.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://cdn-01.independent.ie/style/celebrity/celebrity-news/article35051532.ece/324d6/AUTOCROP/w620/PANews_P-0a86e8ec-c13d-4597-a5c7-36dcfe63e9ee_I1.jpg)
LADY STASYA ENTERS DIPLOMATIC SERVICE
Following the Queen's recent double wedding it has been revealed that the Queen has lost a 2nd Lady in Waiting. Lady Stasya Pelagiya has been a Lady in Waiting for three years and has been removed from the Queen's household and made a Royal Envoy, a position that means she can be sent anywhere to act on behalf of the Queen but is usually based overseas. Lady Stasya was given the minor noble title of Baronetess of Iskor Islet, a small piece of land neighbouring her own father's Dukedom. The move means that as a noble woman in her own right she is of sufficent rank to serve the Queen as an envoy. It did not come as any surprise however that the new Envoy's first destination is East Moreland. The 22 year old is currently in a relationship with the King of East Moreland and many had assumed that the pair would announce their engagement at the Queen's recent wedding however that was not the case.
Baronetess Stasya's father, Duke Tobias currently serves as Ambassador for Alba Karinya and is based in Northfort at a parkland cottage close to the Palace of Northfort and many Lodjain gossip magazines are now speculating as to whether the Baronetess will move there, into the Palace with her lover, or establish her own home somewhere in East Moreland. Stasya however will find herself not the centre of her lovers attention for a while as King David's daughter, Princess Rhiannon, recovers from leukhemia. Speaking to the press briefly while out shopping in Gaia Stasya said. "I'm honoured to be given this role and responsibility and shall endeavour to, as always, serve my Queen to the best of my ability. I am excited to live in a foreign country, to be able to spend more time with His Majesty King David and help Princess Rhiannon's recovery in anyway that I can."
With many people calling this news a promotion it now appears that Queen Klara will need two new Ladies in Waiting, Tonya Bogdanovic, the 18 year old daughter of influential business man Lord Milan Bogdanovic, acted as a stand in for Crown Princess Roksana's wedding however it has not yet been confirmed that she will take up the position permanently. The Royal Chamberlain's office revealed that as always when a position comes up they have been inundated with petitions on behalf of noble women, the Chief Chamberlain announced that so far they have had some 1,200 petitions sent in however he was keen to point out that the process of selecting new Ladies in Waiting puts little if any weight on such petitions.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://img4.bdbphotos.com/images/700x350/9/h/9hx4nisoj5i33is.jpg?skj2io4l)
QUEEN BEGINS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR NEW LADIES IN WAITING
In what is believed to be a historic first the Queen of Lodja is seeking two new Ladies in Waiting by opening up for applications. Across various social media platforms a link to an online application system enables potential applicants to upload a letter of application, their CV and a series of phots. The application must include a scan or photo of the families Patrician enrollment which surprised many as the more liberal Queen was expected to be recruiting the first Plebleian Lady in Waiting however it now appears that she has had second thoughts. The two new Laides in Waiting are needed to replace Crown Princess Roksana who recently married the Queen, and Baronetess Stasya Pelagiya who has been dispatched to East Moreland to be a royal envoy. It is understood that Barontess Stasya has already moved into Northfort Royal Palace with her lover King David III of East Moreland. Traditionally the Ladies in Waiting have been recruited by the existing Ladies in Waiting from among the daughters of the nobility and wealthier Patricians. They serve as the Queen's day to day companions and organise her daily life when visiting dignitries come to Lodja they are expected to handle hospitality for them ensuring a smooth and pleasant stay in the nation. It was during one such visit that the then Lady Stasya meet King David.
The successful candidate will be likely to be in her early 20's and will be expected to reside on the Isle of the Goddess in a private suite next to the Queen's chambers. They work in shifts but are needed to be avaliable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The wage for the job isn't among the highest in the country, with a Lady in Waiting thought to be paid $45,000 a year however with most day to day living costs assumed by the royal household. Most Ladies in Waiting go on to make very prestigious marriages as they generally retain the friendship of the Queen once they leave the role. Lady Anna Immich is the longest serving Lady in Waiting having assumed the role soon after her 18th birthday when selected by Queen Sonya, she went on to serve Queen Viktoriya and now serves Queen Klara having spent 16 years in the service of various Queen's, thus making her the longest serving Lady in Waiting in history.
(https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/images/adelaide-kane-1.jpg)
YOUTH PRIESTESS CALLS FOR "HOLY BOOT CAMP"
The outspoken Youth Priestess Maria Shvets today called for what she is calling a series of "Holy Boot Camps". The move comes as Shvets spoke out about what she called the "Liberalisation of Sessifetian Values." The move comes following the Royal Weddings which Shvets described as "a marvellous mix of ancient tradition at a handful of times spoiled by complete deriliction of faith." The Priestess went on to explain. "Queen Klara on both occasions wrote a beautiful set of promises and these were in keeping with the beauty our faith expects in honour of the Goddess. She at times though acts like she is no Queen, as though the Goddess has deserted her and that is not acceptable. The people of this nation, particularly people of mine and my Queen's generation are paying only lip service to Sessifet. We must make the Goddess the centre of everything we do. In our homes we must give her idol a beautiful home, in our neighbourhood we must make sure the environment is cared for and beautified with natures gifts. Each person must do all they can to ensure they maintain the beauty of their physical form and yet I see more and more people using social media to post about being beautiful no matter how they look on the outside. This is not true, health is the most beautiful of conditions." This belief by the Priestess is seeing her establish her Boot Camps, these will be a series of activities in a 10 week programme which will see groups of the faith join together for exercise sessions as well as discussions lead by the Priesthood on spirtual matters. Shvets also indicated that she believed that a Priestess should maintain a duty to look after their own body and lead by example.
The move was both welcomed and criticised by the Queen who said. "I believe that a health mind and body are important for all people and this programme may just help promote those values and for that reason I encourage the Priestess. What Maria must remember though is that while she is learned about all things to do with the faith of Sessifet it is me who carries the Goddesses spirit within me, should Sessifet disapprove of my actions I am sure she has the power to take control of me, or if so disgusted as Maria believes then strike me down and find a new more acceptable host. The Priestess is free to make suggestions and promote the faith but she must walk a fine line to do so in my favour."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/24/Uxv_combatant.JPG/300px-Uxv_combatant.JPG)
REMNS BORG BECOMES HDMS MORELAND
Today the Royal East Moreland Naval Service warship REMNS Borg docked in Gaia where it will begin its eight year lease with the Lodjain Navy. The ship will become the most state of the art ship in the Lodjain Navy and will begin the process of naval improvements that the Queen ordered since the disasterous fire on a Lodjian destroyer earlier in the year. The ship is designated a "Drone Carrier" by East Moreland and is capable of launching a wide variety of air and sea drones as well as having the capability of launching a wide variety of missiles. The new King was on hand to welcome the ship into dock and confirmed that it will recieve a name change. "All ships in our Navy are prefixed with HDMS, Her Divine Majesties Ship and in this case we determined as a way of showing the origins of this ship to call it the Moreland. I look forward to having a tour of the vessel and seeing it in action in the coming days." It is expected that King Leopold will spend the next two days onboard observing the workings of the crew.
The agreement will see Lodja absorb all running costs for the vessel for the next eight years and for the first six months feature a crew made up of 25% Lodjains and 75% Morelanders before switching to the opposite for the next 6 months. The King commented on this partnership saying, "Our Navy would take a considerable amount of time to acquire ships such as this, we now get to acquire a top quality piece of equipment to ensure our nation is secure as well as our navy gaining valuable experience and insight into the workings of such a ship." One of the first operations for the ship will be to patrol the Central Alucard Island Chain to ensure the Water Nomads do not seek to move into the territory of Lodja as they have that of Bakkermaya and Paracambi. Lord of the Conclave Lord Besarian Ivanov, who also attended the hand over, said, "The Water Nomads need to be left in no doubt that we control the islands in our jurisdication, EEZ or Territorial waters. We will not tolerate anyone in anyway challenging our authority over them."
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s8xf454rr_s/V9xvec02ACI/AAAAAAAAJXA/KG61sETLMGIMelFBv8uQOmQxGw_4GzABgCLcB/s1600/letters.jpg)
APPLICATIONS FOR LADY IN WAITING POUR IN
With two positions for Lady in Waiting being avaliable and for the first time ever the Queen opening the appointment up for formal applications the Royal Household have been flooded with applications. To date some 2,322 applications have been received however it is estimated that around 25% of them are ineligable. The process of picking the new Ladies in Waiting has been given to the most senior Lady in Waiting, Lady Anna Immich. The Royal Chamberlain is also responsible for collating the incoming post to the Isle of the Goddess and has said they have had to appoint a team of administrators to remove those applications that are not either genuine or don't fit the criteria. One of those is 24 year old Simon Yvetech who showed us a box full of rejected applications. "Those letters are from people who have failed the first hurdle. The reasons for failure range from the absurd to the rather sweet. We had one application from a 6 year old girl who wrote a letter explaining how she likes pretty dresses and can sew already, then we've had one even come from a 70 year old widower. We've also had some come from overseas, and while some are from Lodjians who have settled abroad we've even had one from an Alander. We have set out clear criteria and rejecting 25% from just the first glance may seem harsh but its the only way to do this."
Each eligible application is then given to a member of the senior administration who place it in one of three piles, strong candidates, maybe's and rejects. It is Ivan Retajakov who is overseeing this. "Some applications get rejected on the first page of their application, if they can't even spell the Queen's name correctly what chance do they have. Those who end up in the strong candidates pile put themselves across in the their application to be intelligent, loyal, hard working, beautiful and devout. The maybe's, well they fit most categories but may on paper seem lacking in one field or another. Once the deadline for applications is reached the Strong Candidates pile will be handed to Lady Anna Immich who will then narrow the field down before inviting some of the candidates to meet the Queen who will have the final say.
It is highly likely that one of the positions will be taken by Tonya Bogdanovic the 18 year old who stood in as a Lady in Waiting during the recent royal weddings. It was reported that the Queen was very pleased with her performance during the two ceremonies and the festivities afterwards thus making it likely that should the daughter of Lord Milan Bogdanovic wish to become a Lady in Waiting she is likely to be given one of the roles.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://amp.businessinsider.com/images/57fe0370dd0895f4308b4847-750-563.jpg)
PLEBLEIAN FORMER SOLDIER STARTS POLITICAL PARTY
Former Royal Lancer Sergeant Nikolai Isaev has today launched a new political party that aims to take seats in this years Plebleian Council. The Council is elected by the Plebs every five years and acts as an advisery council to the Queen as well as making certain decisions that effect only Plebs. They are also responsible for selecting the Tribune of the Plebs, an indivdual who gets to regularly meet with the Lord of the Conclave and the Queen. The new party, named the Lodjian People's Party, is according to Mr.Isaev focused on "ensuring that in the face of this wave of modernisation of Lodja our ancient ways and traditions remain." The 49 year old served 30 years in the armed forces both as a soldier and then an administrator and explained the reasons for forming the LPP. "We're a laughing stock. Our military is still the playground of the rich and pompous meaning we are open to relying on others. To have Morelander sailors patrolling our waters because our own navy can't leave dock without a disaster, it brings shame on our nation. Add to that the fact that we've essentially whored out a Lady in Waiting in return for the chance to modernise our military. The CNN is a great strength of our nations international standing and I have no issues with the Cenneg's, the Maori or the Morelanders as people but it is currently not an alliance of equals, the Cenneg and the Morelanders prop it up while lording it over us and the Maori. We need to make steps to improve our standing to ensure we move to the height of the Cenneg and Morelanders and not sink to the level of the Maori."
It is expected that the LPP will see reasonably strong support as it calls for better employment oppurtunities for Plebleians, makes prayer a central part of all schools and grant the Pleblian Council Members the right to approve marriages as well as remove Priestesses. Mr.Isaev attended the Temple of Sessifet following registering his party and offered flowers as an offering in return for blessings on the group. It is also understood that the new political leader has sent gifts to the Queen in hope of receiving blessings from the Palace. These traditions have existed for several hundred years yet very few modern parties have undertaken this in recent years. Members of the public seem hopeful of the new party doing well, one person we spoke to said, "We share the belief that our Queen needs to know that the Lodjain people love her but that we need her to do more to protect our traditions. I mean her weddings were wonderful but she denies the tradition of having children any time soon, its a bad omen. She's also too in bed with Morelanders, maybe literally like Viktoria was, we need to be more capable of standing on our own feet."
The current Tribune of the Plebs is Timon Rodzovic of the People's Voice Party and he has welcomed the new party. "Our nation does not have the traditional liberalist democracy, our nation is governed by a Goddess and so democracy in the form nations like Achkaerin have is uneccessary. I welcome competition in our Council, the more views we have the more confident I am that we reflect the needs and voice of the Plebleians. I look forward to testing the PVP against this new party."
(https://dz7u9q3vpd4eo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/legacy/posts/6eb1c951-e068-4aec-bd15-475e24ed31c8)
QUEEN TO VISIT SELEUCID JEWEL FESTIVAL
The Palace today announced that Queen Klara and her husband King Leopold will visit the Jewel of the Desert Festival in Royal Seleucid. The announcement said that the visit served two purposes, "The Queen is keen to experience the festival that she has heard much about. She is also keen to see if relations between the two nations can be salvaged." The news comes following the shameful return to Lodja of Oksana Stasiuk, a former Queen of Royal Seleucid who was accused of having an affair with her husbands son. The former Queen of Royal Seleucid was exiled, along with her child, from Seleucid and has since been keeping a low profile in her mother's estate on the island of Grand Alucard. The 21 year old has yet to speak with the media however he mother Ekaterina Stasiuk has said "My daughter is a good honest girl who has done nothing wrong. She stood by her husband and bore him a child as was the duty of a wife. We will now raise this Seleucid Prince a Lodjain and he will know what it is to be loved."
The Palace of the Goddess also confirmed that the Queen would be seeking a face to face meeting with King Heydar as Lord of the Conclave Besrain Ivanov explained, "There are naturally vast differences in our cultures but we had been seeing the blossoming of a good relationship between ourselves and Royal Seleucid, that relationship had been begun by the Stasiuk family but it seems they have now dropped the ball. What is important is that the benefits both nations could have enjoyed are reviewed. The Lodjain people love fine jewellrey and we have a great market for it, the Queen is keen to add to the royal collection and the Festival gives her a chance to experience Seleucid craftsmanship first hand and hopefully return with our shaky relationship back on an even keel." It is also expected that the Queen will seek to find ways of restoring the trading rights of the Seleucid royals that were established by Ekaterina Stasiuk.
(https://ocdn.eu/pulscms-transforms/1/nYvk9kqTURBXy8xMTFlZTkzOTk4YzkxNTZkZTQxNWEzMWY0ZDBhYjQ3Ni5qcGVnk5UDAM0CnM0Jjs0FX5MFzQMUzQG8lQfZMi9wdWxzY21zL01EQV8vMjMzN2M5ZmQ2YjkzMWVlNmNiMGQyM2RjYmEyNThhOWQucG5nAMIAgaEwBQ)
FIRST OF TWO NEW LADIES IN WAITING NAMED
In a decision that comes as no surprise Tonya Bogdanovic has been named a full Lady in Waiting. The 18 year old daughter of the Sheriff of Luzhny,Lord Milan Bogdanovic, was a stand in Lady in Waiting for the wedding of Queen Klara to both King Leopold and Crown Princess Roksana. While undertaking the role she was seen socialising with various foreign nobles including the royal family of Krimeon and is thought to have made a good impression. Tonya is the first of two new Ladies in Waiting needed following the posting of Stasya Pelagiya to East Moreland and Lady Roksana marrying the Queen. For the first time in history the Queen has invited applications for the role and the Palace is said to have been inundated with applications reaching five figures.
The new Lady in Waiting is expected to join the Queen on her trip to Royal Seleucid however this still means the Queen is missing one Lady in Waiting as tradition dictates that the Queen be served by four "Ladies of beauty and good standing". The newly appointed Lady Tonya said that she is "overjoyed at being able to serve the Queen and do my part in helping the Goddess."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/24wikia/images/7/7f/Prisoners.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20070116031706)
172 OFFICERS NOW IMPRISONED
Following the initial arrest of the heads of the Lodjain Armed Forces investigations continued into the conduct of military officers of all ranks. The investigations saw charges levelled against 233 officers across all branches of the military, 172 of these cases resulted in guilty verdicts for crimes ranging from financial irregularities to dereliction of duty. Those found guilty have been sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 2 years to 30 years furthermore a total of 13 nobleman have been stripped of their titles and lands have reverted to the crown. The most high profile of those found guilty was Jaced Herazov, a Lt-Col in the Northern Tank Regiment. Herazov was the Duke of Smeldov a small town on the isle of Great Alucard with a population of 21,000 people. He was found guilty of claiming wages for soldiers that didn't exist, as well as selling ammunition after claiming his men had used it on the ranges. It was estimated that over his 15 years in the military in a Regiment his father established he had embezzled some $1million into private funds. He was sentenced to ten years in prison and has forfitted his land. His 18 year old son Emile spoke to the media following his father's sentencing. "I am embarassed at what my father has done. I will now not inherit our ancestoral land and I am heartbroken. It will become my life's mission now to make amends and somehow I hope to gain the trust of the Queen and the Goddess so my family can regain our rightful position."
The military have been undergoing major retraining and have taken extreme measures to make up the short fall of officers following the arrests. This has seen the Ministry of Defence employ former East Moreland Red Legionnaires to be drill instructors for the extension of the programme of training. The military have also begun using two disused prisons as training bases to bring about greater capacity. The military have now also fully ended the practice of purchasing promotions and will be the end of 2020 have no more units run along old noble family lines instead each unit will be under the direct command of the government.
(https://yangonlife.com.mm/sites/yangonlife.com.mm/files/styles/articles_gallery_style/public/article_images/Salon%2006.jpg?itok=qzIljbSK)
"WATER NOMADS A THREAT" SAYS LORD BESARIAN
Following calls from several nations to recognise the Water Nomads as a sovreign nation Lord of the Conclave Besarian Ivanov has made an official statement. Speaking to the assembled media as he arrived at the Isle of the Goddess he said, "The world are calling for the Water Nomads to be given sovreignty based on notions of well intended sentiments however they are a unwitting threat to the region. We are talking about a group that are already proven to be engaged in a highly damaging fishing practice, they've been caught helping traffic contraband goods and that's just the things we've found. For hundreds of years we've lived peacefully with them. They've been allowed to fish, allowed to forage and allowed to live their way of life. No pressure from us, no threats and no restrictions. The problem is our planet is now under threat and everyone has to do their bit. The Water Nomads should be the example for us all to follow in that regard, however that has not been the case they are polluting our coral reefs and their boats are now poorly maintained and leak oil everywhere. Why should we allow one group to get away living below the standards we set for everyone else. We approach the time of year that we begin to see the Water Nomads approaching our waters and we shall robustly ensure they comply with the rules of our EEZ in terms of environmental protection. We will not restrict their movement save to protect property."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://pds.exblog.jp/pds/1/201511/12/43/d0067943_904136.jpg)
A-18 GOES MISSING AS MILITARY CURSE CONTINUES
One of the nations newest military assets, an A-18 light fighter, has gone missing. The aircraft was on routine patrol around the island of Tyr when it suddenly disappeared off RADAR. The aircraft was just 6 months and had less than 100 flying hours on the clock. The pilot who has yet to be named is said to have had six years experience in the military and well over 4000 flying hours. Royal Naval assets have rushed to the area and begun a search for both wreckage and the pilot however it is not known whether he ejected or whether it may have crash landed on a more remote part of the island. An Air Force spokesman said that the search was "going to continue until we find out what has happened and recover our pilot. It is vital we understand what has happened and how things have gone wrong, not just for the safety of our pilots but to bring this pilot back home."
The aircraft is one of the second batch of 25 fighters to be purchased and was a landmark moment as it signalled the first domestically built aircraft in over 30 years. It was hoped that around 120 of the aircraft would be built with sales of them hopefully going overseas. This latest debacle for the military however might jepodise the deal with the manufacturer, Symonov Holdings, suspending manufacture while a full safety check is carried out. The fleet of 50 is grounded until further notice as a precaution. The news comes amid a string of military issues which have seen a large number of officers imprisoned for various crimes as well as a naval Destroyer being irreperiably damaged. It is also understood that the East Moreland drone carrier, renamed as the HDMS Moreland, will delay switching the crew to majority Lodjain following its transfer to the Lodjain Navy in order to become part of the search for the missing pilot.
(https://wikibioage.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Karlie-Kloss1-749x445.jpg)
ZHENYA MARKOV BECOMES FINAL LADY IN WAITING
The 25 year old singing daughter of the Duke of Streva has been appointed as the forth Lady In Waiting to Queen Klara following the departure of Ladies Roksana and Stasya. Lady Zhenya was a member of the National Youth Choir where she featured as a soloist on many occasions. Her appointment was announced by Lady Anna Immich, the lead of the Ladies in Waiting who said. "We had a large number of applicants for this position and Zhenya stood out as a very strong one. She is talented, her family are very well respected and she is beautiful this makes her a fine asset to the Queen's court." It is expected that the first duty of both the new Ladies in Waiting will undertake is a visit to Royal Seleucid as part of the Jewell of the Desert Festival.
Lady Zhenya said she is "Thrilled to have a chance to work for the Goddess and be a part of court life. It's every little girls dream and even though I've visited the Isle of the Goddess on many occasions I've never been so close to the inner workings as I will now. I hope that I'll still have a chance to continue with my music as its something dear to my heart but I understand that the Queen is someone who loves music and dancing and so I am sure it won't be something absent from my life."
(https://img.maximummedia.ie/her_ie/eyJkYXRhIjoie1widXJsXCI6XCJodHRwOlxcXC9cXFwvbWVkaWEtaGVyLm1heGltdW1tZWRpYS5pZS5zMy5hbWF6b25hd3MuY29tXFxcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcXFwvdXBsb2Fkc1xcXC8yMDE3XFxcLzA5XFxcLzE1MDkxMjQ5XFxcL1NjcmVlbi1TaG90LTIwMTctMDktMTUtYXQtMDkuMTIuMTEucG5nXCIsXCJ3aWR0aFwiOjc2NyxcImhlaWdodFwiOjQzMSxcImRlZmF1bHRcIjpcImh0dHBzOlxcXC9cXFwvd3d3Lmhlci5pZVxcXC9hc3NldHNcXFwvaW1hZ2VzXFxcL2hlclxcXC9uby1pbWFnZS5wbmc_aWQ9YjYzYjA3MWIxM2EwZDk0ZWM2MTNcIixcIm9wdGlvbnNcIjpbXX0iLCJoYXNoIjoiYmVlMzBhYTBlODZhN2JhNzE0OTI0ZGI0NWM5MDZlMWE1NTkzYjZlOSJ9/screen-shot-2017-09-15-at-09-12-11.png)
HAS BARONETESS STASYA JOINED THE SISTERHOOD OF HELUS
Following a recent East Moreland religious Festival it has been noted in several gossip magazines that Baronetess Stasya Pelagiya has been spending a lot of time visiting the Sisterhoods Temple in Northfort. The Sisterhood is an offshoot of the Cult of Helus which states that the God Helus is in fact female and not male. The news of the many visits has become a concern to Youth Priestess Maria Shvets who said. "The Pelagiya family is one that is an ancient stalwart of our homeland and our faith. To see the Barontess spending so much time in a religious place of a false religion is sending the wrong message. Stasya is a lady who many young girls in Lodja see as a role model. Well educated, well dressed, beautiful and a servant of the Goddess. If this story turns out to be true then she must be stripped of all her titles and her father forced to answer for the weakness of his daughter."
The move was also greeted with concern by some in East Moreland as people on media websites made comments about her being a heretic. The Sisterhood of Helus, which has just over 1million followers, is seen as being almost an outcast faith among many however it is thought to be growing. It's leader Jinny Denman has called for King David to marry a Cultist noble lady leading some to speculate that the Baronetess is perhaps investigating the faith in order to ensure she may marry King David. Some though speculate that the fact that the Sisterhood places dominance on female divinity that this branch of the faith appeals more to the Baronetess. The Pelagiya family have yet to comment and Stasya Pelagiyas own social media feed has made no reference of the rumour instead focusing on the excitement for the upcoming Festival of Greenflowers and her lovers birthday, both of which fall on the 23rd of May.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://i.cbc.ca/1.3885727.1487809397!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_780/fixed-wing-search-plane-c-295.jpg)
FIGHTER PLANE STILL MISSING
The search for the missing A-18 fighter plane entered its second day this morning as the search area was expanded and more assets were assigned to the search. The aircrafts last known location has so far yielded no clues and so far no oil or wreckage has been found. Among the assets assigned to the search was HDMS Moreland which was reported to have launched 12 of its UAV's simultaniously to aid in the search. This is the largest number of UAV's launched at sea for a single operation and was carried out by the largely Morelander crew with support from the 25% of the crew who are Lodjain. Sadly despite being able to cover such a large area of sea the sorties failed to find anything.
The pilots identity was revealed as Flt.Lt Mayakor who was onboard with his navigator Flt.Lt Smolkov, between them they have over 7,500 flying hours and are among the most experienced aircrews on the A-18 model. It was confirmed by the Ministry of Defence that their families had been informed and had been taken to the Squadrons home base in order to be kept up to date with the progress of the search.
Meanwhile the A-18 fleet remains grounded as the aircraft are checked for faults. The checks carried out by a combined Air-Force and Symonov Holdings team have however discovered some irregularities in terms of maintainence records however have yet to give details. This news comes at a time when the Lodjain military faces scrutiny once more over its operation and whether it is fit for purpose. The news of the missing aircraft, the grounding of the fleet and the maintainence issues has seen the share price of Symonov Holdings decrease by around 20% causing the CEO to make a statemenet saying, "The aircraft is a perfectly capabale platform and has been let down by human error of our Air Force. I have no doubts that in the hands of a capable operator the aicraft would perform wonderfully and relaibly. This is a tragedy that two airmen are missing and we will do all we can to assist in finding them and working out how this incident came to be. I am confident however that any investigation will fully exhonerate our company."
(https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/landscape_928x523/2018/03/gettyimages-927658688_copy_-_h_2018.jpg)
BARONETESS DENIES CONVERSION
Following speculation that Baronetess Stasya Pelagiya had coverted to the Sisterhood of Helus the 22 year old Royal Envoy who resides in East Moreland has taken steps to refute the rumours. Speaking on a morning radio station the lover of King David of East Moreland said, "Yes I have visited their temple and I have spoken with their Priestesses, including Miss Denman. I am an envoy of our Queen living in East Moreland where their faith is central to everyday life. I need to understand that faith if I am to become part of the community here, something all Envoys need to try and be able to do. The Sisterhood of Helus is growing and with over 1million followers it is finding new followers everyday, as such I would be a fool to not try and understand it. I have visited High Priestess Skye Maddix far more than I have Miss Denman yet people focus on the Sisterhood." Baronetess Stasya also explained that she see's similarities between the Sisterhood and Sessifet. "Our Goddess shows the strength females can have, the idea of a female Helus does likewise. We live in a world where at times females can be marginalised and I see no issue with two faiths that tell women they can achieve greatness working together."
The news was greeted with some skepticism by youth Preistess Maria Shvets who said, "Stasya was never as pious as I would have liked a Lady in Waiting to be, I therefore do not find myself convinced this is a fact-finding mission. I hope to see more of her promoting her Sessifetian faith in the coming days to show her loyalty."
Baronetess Stasya is however expected to attend an East Moreland religious gathering tomorrow as she accompanies King David on his public duties for the East Moreland Festival of Greenflowers, the day also marks the King's birthday. The Baronetess said, "As the search for our missing plane shows East Moreland are a great ally of ours and as they celebrate their nations birthday I think it fitting their friends show their support. It will be an honour to celebrate their birthday with them. I am excited to see how the celebration goes having heard many great things about Northfort street parties. The fact it is also David's birthday makes it even more special and I can't wait to spend the day with him and his daughter Princess Rhiannon. I will naturally be expressing the best wishes of Queen Klara to the Morelanders as well as expressing our thanks for their support at this difficult time for our Air-Force."
The news comes as the Baronetess' father, Lord Tobias Pelagiya is reassigned. He had been the Ambassador to Alba Karinya however it is now expected that he will return to Lodja where many believe he will be given a role as Deputy Minister for the Armed Forces under General Lubos Kubik. The pair are close friends, share a military background and have both called for root and branch changes to the way the military is formed.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(http://www.askthepilot.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/TWA-800-floating-wreckage.jpg)
WRECKAGE FOUND IN SEARCH FOR LOST PLANE
Search teams today have discovered what they believe may be a wing piece of the missing A-18 fighter plane. The aircraft has now been missing for three days having vanished off RADAR and communication was lost. The piece of grey metal is so far the only clue as to where the aircraft went and having been spotted several Lodjain Navy vessels have headed to the area to begin underwater searches. The aircraft piece was discovered some 200km East of the island of Tyr which would mean it is around 300km from the location of the aircrafts last transmission. The whereabouts of the two airmen remains a mystery and the search for them will continue.
Minister of Defence Lubos Kubik explained, "We have now begun to find clues as to where the aircraft went down. I don't understand the science fully but our experts believe that now it should be possible to predict where the aicraft may have gone down as that now seems the most likely explanation. We are hopeful that the aircrew managed to eject before the aicraft ditched and that they are floating around somewhere in the Illumic. Our aircrews are all equipped with personal survival kits and life rafts. They have enough food and water in those kits for 4 days but they are also trained to ration themselves. The aircrew could also have ended up on any number of the small islands. We're not giving up on finding them."
Since the accident the A-18 fleet has ben grounded however to date nothing has been discovered that could potentially have caused this incident. The nations air accident investigators are currently undertaking their own checks in order to rule out a system wide problem.
(http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Vita+Sidorkina+UNITAS+2nd+Annual+Gala+Against+BXBOV7yQmXul.jpg)
MISS LODJA 2019 STRIPPED OF TITLE
Katerina Ignatiev the 22 year old winner of Miss Lodja 2019 has today been stripped of her title. The annual beauty pagent attracts lots of attention in Lodja as the winner is someone considered to be blessed by the Goddess Sessifet. The competition sees women from across the nation compete in heats in one of 32 regional competitions with the winner of each competing for the prestigious title. The competition is open to any unmarried woman from a Plebleian family who must "be of good moral standing.". It is this reason that has seen Ignatiev stripped of her title. The Iskor native has also been stripped of her title for Miss Iskor following the discovery that the former Business Management student worked in one of Gaia's Brothels for 2 years. Prostitition is legal in Lodja as long as it takes place in a licenced brothel and there are currently 502 such premises in the nation, the number increasing in the last two years. It is estimated that some 6,000 girls work in the industry.
The event organisers said, "Miss Ignatiev won the title recieving 7 of the 13 judges votes including that of the Priestess of Gaia. We routinely ask the competitors about their background and we point blank asked if any have worked in the adult industries. Miss Ignatiev said no, had she told the truth she would not been permitted to enter." Many believe that seeing as Prostitution is not illegal it should not be frowned upon by the event organisers. Sahsa Piprikovic who operates the Red Door chain of Brothels owns 21 across the nation and spent ten years in the industry herself, she called the move to take away the title, "Disgusting, the brotels are a healthy part of their communities. They provide employment for the women who work in them as well as the various associated tasks such as bar staff, cleaners and various other duties. This decision is essentially saying to these hard working people that there work is not acceptable yet if that were the case then surely it would be illegal." She then called upon the organisers to not strip Miss Ignatiev of her title saying, "She is a young girl who worked to better herself. Working while studying is difficult and it only goes to show that more must be done to help the poorest in soceity get education. She went out and using her own initaive funded her degree to not put a burden on her impovrished family. She's intelligent having got a first in her degree and this competition could have helped her start a career in modelling or something else, instead we're now casting her out."
Miss Ignatiev later posted a statement saying, "I am sorry I lied to the organisers. As a girl I saw these pagents and really wanted to be part of one, then when I just kept winning it was so hard to undo the lies. I never meant to hurt anyone and now I hope to be permitted to start a fresh career using my degree." The title will be reallocated once the new Miss Iskor is put in place.
(https://www.driving.co.uk/s3/st-driving-prod/uploads/2018/05/GettyImages-960162928-1-1024x639.jpg)
SALAMA REBRANDED FOR NEW FORMULA MUNDUS SEASON
The nations Formula Mundus entry, Salama, have now been rebranded as preparations for the new season begin. The team was purchased by the Pelagiya family following Lord Tobias Pelagiya and his daughter Baronetess Stasya attending the race in East Moreland last season and then visiting both Rytol and EMAC HQ's on official visits in their respective roles. The new team will be called Pelagiya-EMAC and will be a sister team in many respects to the also soon to be rebranded Rytol-EMAC. The East Moreland Aircraft Company entered motorsports following a stream of speed records including the land speed record, the team claim Formula Mundus helps them develop better aircraft technology. Stasya Pelagiya attended the teams official launch in East Moreland where the teams new aerodynamics package was formally handed over to the Baronetess and driver Sergei Ruznetzov. The Baronetess was suitably attired in the teams new overalls and had the chance to try out a drivers simulator with guidance from Ruznetsov. The 22 year old Baronetess said, "I got really excited when David took me to the Northfort Grand Prix, its a buzz like very little else and straight away I loved everything about it. I'm very proud to now be a team owner in Formula Mundus and hope that Sergei and his fellow driver Robert can do us proud. To be able to partner with EMAC is something I think will help us be competative from the start."
At the same time in Gaia Duke Tobias Pelagiya and Robert Vilakiov, the teams lead driver, took delivery of the engine and a finished chassis. Vilakiov then drove the car around the Lodjan Coastal Grand Prix track for a few laps but was clearly not pushing things. Following his laps he said, "The Pelagiya family have always tried to help Lodjains achieve great things and are a lovely family to have associated with us. I hope we can repay their trust by making a real challenge." The contract the team have signed with EMAC means that the team will get access to data from last seasons Rytol cars as well as having drivers share certain components however as Viakiov explained, "In all I think that the cars will have around 40% shared components. We want to be able to stand on our own feet and I know EMAC have different techniques they think can lead to victory and will enjoy having two teams to experiment with." The season gets underway shortly and both drivers will meet with their East Moreland counterparts in the coming days for further publicity oppurtunities for EMAC as well as joint testing. Vilakiov explained, "Sam Halliday is a former world champion and I'd be a fool not to want to see how he does things. If he can even make me just 0.001 seconds faster it will be worth the trip."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://wordlesstech.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/The-Machete-Attack-Plane-could-replace-the-A-10-Warthog-2.jpg)
MISSING PLANE RECOVERED WITH DISTRUBING FINDING
Today the search for the missing A-18 has come to a distrubring end. The wreckage of the aircraft was found some 200km East of the Island of Grand Alucard. The aircraft seemingly impacted the sea hard as it was found in several pieces and while air accident investigators have yet to reach a conclusion they have stated that it appears it entered the water at "a steep attitude and at great speed." this caused the aircraft to break apart. The bodies of the aircrew have been recovered and will be repatriated to the mainland in the coming days. What has distrubed investigators however came when the port wing was recovered. "It would appear at first glance that the aircraft took a some fire as there are a series of small holes which from my opinion could only have been made by sustained and rapid gunfire." The pilot however did not radio in that they were being fired upon causing some kind of mystery.
The Queen made a statement regarding the incident. "Our thoughts and prayers go to the airmens family. Let us remember that today families have lost fathers, brothers, sons and people central to their lives. We must now work hard to discover what happened and take appropriate action to ensure such measures do not happen again." The AX-18 fleet is still grounded pending investigations into the aircraft itself however the most recent discovery would seem to indicate foul play rather than mechanical or software issues.
Meanwhile while some have speculated the East Moreland flagship King Robert was en route to help with the search this was refuted by the Ministry of Defence who said, "While Morelanders were involved in the search as part of the HMDS Morelander there were never requests for extra support. This operation was carried out by the Lodjain military."
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/583698541562560512/unknown.png)
EX-MISS LODJA TO EXPOSE "HIGH AND MIGHTY"
Following being stripped of the title Miss Lodja the former beauty pagent winner and prostitute Katerina Ignatiev has appeared on several media outlets and has been teasing that she is about to expose several high profile Lodjains. The 22 year old was disqualified by organisers and has admitted that she feels "betrayed" because while she has done nothing illegal she has been denied a chance to represent her country. She has been on a kind of vendetta since and claims to know intimate details of several important Lodjains which she claims "include people in positions of trust that if what I did was not of good moral standing then these people in positions of infinitaly more power than myself should be stripped of their titles and they are worth a lot more than a tiara and sash."
Ignatiev is expected to appear on the highly popular Friday in Gaia talk show which is watched by around 10million people each week. Many believe that she will reveal secrets about some of her former clients at the brothel where she worked. The host of the show Gavrillo Mumtenov explained, "Katerina is a hot commodity. We have an angry beautiful woman with a story to tell and as we all know sex literally sells, especially in this story. I have no idea what she will say when I interview her and thats half the fun of shows like this."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims3/GLOB/crop/2254x1478+816+182/resize/1028x675!/format/jpg/quality/85/https%3A%2F%2Fs.yimg.com%2Fos%2Fcreatr-images%2F2019-01%2F0733a4c0-1b41-11e9-933d-7978f9293478)
MINISTER OF DEFENCE MAKES STATEMENT REGARDING DOWNED PLANE
Minister of Defence, Duke Lubos Kubik, today made a statement about the fate of the downed A-18 plane which was discovered crashed in the Illumic. Speaking at the Air Force base on Grand Alucard Duke Lubos said, "We have a preliminary finding and it is sadly rather disturbing. What appears to be a burst of .50cal machine gun fire has been discovered through the side of the cockpit. The aircraft is designed only to be a light fighter and therefore is not as well shielded as many conventional aircraft, beside at a range of some 1,500 meters a .50cal a considerable amount of damage could be done. It would appear both members of the flight crew would have been injured, possibly killed in this barrage of fire, with the aircraft in what seems to be a tight turn at the time and at low altitude there would be little anyone could do and the aircraft impacted the water." The aircrafts recording system is still being analysed and as the Minister explained, "We'll get print outs from the aircrafts RADAR and on board voice recorders in the coming days and this will perhaps reveal who fired upon the aircraft. At present we are using air assets from the HMDS Morelander to comb the area for potential threats but with a head start and as you can imagine thousands of ships transiting the Alucard it will be difficult to turn up any clues until the recorders have been fully utilised."
Regardless of who fired the shots the Lodjain Navy have begun increased patrols in the area to reassure shipping.
(https://cdnph.upi.com/pv/upi/d61434a9ba0d02a4e24c980be96b7440/SI-SWIMSUIT.jpg)
LIVE TV INTERVIEW OUTS THREE NOBLES
The much anticipated Live TV interview of disqualified Miss Lodja Katerina Ignatiev aired tonight and looks set to have pronounced impact on the nations nobility. Miss Ignatiev was disqualified from the beauty pagent when it was discovered that prior to her victory she had worked in one of the Red Door chain of Brothels in Gaia for two years stating, "I come from a poor Plebleian family with three younger siblings, I was lucky enough to get a place at Iskor University to study Business Management and while I recieved a grant it was only enough to cover the fees of he course. I naturally wanted to be able to live somewhere, eat, buy books and have some gas and electric and so I needed to do something as my parents will struggle to provide for all four of us. So I did what I thought was responsible, I looked for a job but the only things that would fit around my studies were things like bar work which I did for a bit or stripping, which I also did. It was there Red Door owner Sahsa Piprikovic gave me a card. I looked into how much I could earn there and it was much much more than anywhere else, it meant I could work less hours and focus more on my studies and even send some money back home. My parents were naturally against it but they understood why I did it and appreciated the fact I wasn't a burden anymore." She explained how it was only when her studies finished that she stopped working there and instead began entering beauty contests while she looked for full time work.
Having explained about how she fell into the profession, which is not illegal in Lodja, she began to name drop some of the clients. "I started off at the Red Door near the train station in Gaia. It was nice but most of our clients were Plebleians. I was in demand and so Sasha moved me to the one near the beach, the majority of the clients there were Patricians and it was a much nicer place to work, and of course they had more money to spend." The first name that she dropped was that of Mykola Bogdanov. The 49 year old husband of 26 year husband of business woman Ekaterina Stasiuk, whose daughter Oksana was briefly Queen of Royal Seleucid. "Mykola used to come in once every two weeks and stay for two hours. He paid extremely well and even used to buy me presents, silly things really like chocolates and flowers, things like that. He said he and his wife hadn't shared a bed for three years since she had taken a lover that he believed will become her third husband."
She next explained that Baron Roman Chownyk, former husband of Queen Viktoria had also been a frequent visitor but never selected her. "The Baron started coming in about a month after Queen Viktoria died, we were all shocked but also rather excited. He's one of the richest men in Lodja and you know that as well as paying you if you can become the rich guys favourites they tend to shower you with things. He picked a dark haired girl called Jessica and I was amazed one day she said he'd brought her a car, not just any car though it was one of these fancy sports things. Jessica however must have broken the rules of the brothel as soon she was panicing because she says the Baron got her pregnant and had paid her a lot of money to have an abortion, even though it would be against the law. I'm not sure what she spun to the doctor to get them to agree but his influence and his money that probably wouldn't be an issue. Soon though Jessica stopped working there but I've heard on the grape vine that she still has private sessions with the Baron." If this is true it would mean that potentially the former King of Lodja may have broken several laws however it is not yet known whether the police have taken any notice of the accusations.
Finally she claimed that Varlaam Kohut was among her clients. Varlaam is the father of Queen Klara and according to the interview, "He began to be a regular the day before his daughters coronation. He came in and a few of us recognised him but your told to say nothing. He sat at the bar, had a few cocktails and then requested to see two of us, he sat and spoke with us over a drink and then made arrangements to spend some time with me. From that point on I'd see him most Tuesday nights, some weeks Friday as well. He was a nice guy and tipped brilliantly. He would be accompanied by a security guy who would sit outside the door while we had our meeting, it was a bit weird. He used to tell me the gossip of the Palace while we lay in bed together. One night for example while we lay there he told me all about how his daughter thought Duke Leopold wasn't really a nice guy and hoped the courts found a way to cancel his marriage contract to her. A week later he told me she'd cried when the courts had said the contract was legal and therefore was left with little choice to marry the man unless she wanted to look like an oath breaker. He even invited me to the royal wedding on the Isle of the Goddess. I really enjoyed it, a chance to see these nobles without them really knowing who I was. I even had a little dance with Finance Minister Dragan Knežević, he asked for my phone number but never called."
The interview was watched by some 16million people, 6 million more than usually watch the Friday in Gaia talk show. Miss Ignatiev also revealed that she is to write a book of her experiences which she says will "reveal even more shocks". The Palace was contacted for statements regarding the accusations against the Queen's father and Baron Roman however they have declined to comment.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://img.theculturetrip.com/768x432/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/mont-saint-michel-2.jpg)
FATHER OF THE GUARDIAN BANNED FROM THE ISLE
Following yesterdays media appearence by former Miss Lodja Katerina Ignatiev the Father of Queen Klara has been removed from the Isle of the Goddess. Miss Ignatiev revealed several well known clients live on TV including Varlaam Kohut who is officially known as the Father of the Guardian. As such it is expected that he uphold the highest of moral standards and having now having been shown to fall below that standard has been made to leave the Queen's residence that is the Isle of the Goddess. The Queen's office refused to comment on the situation however Lord Besarian did respond saying, "The deicison was made while the Kohut family determine what action to talk against these stories. The Queen wishes it to be known that she expects all residents on the Isle of the Goddess to uphold the promises that they have made. A man when he marries promises to be loyal to his wife, clearly this appears at first glance to be a huge failing in that regard." Also named by the former beauty queen was one of the husbands of business woman Ekaterina Stasiuk and former King Baron Roman Chownyk. Lady Ekaterina has yet to make any comments. Baron Roman however as a former King is still permitted rooms on the Isle of the Goddess and has not been denied access as he was seen visiting the island first thing this morning. Our royal correspondent explained, "Baron Roman was not married when he is alleged to have visited the Brothel, as such he broke no promise and broke no law. This is in contrast to Lord Varlaam who being a married man has made promises to the Goddess, effectively his own daughter, which he has failed to meet. It is therefore only to be expected that he be expelled from the island."
The owner of Red Door Brothel Ltd, Sahsa Piprikovic as also today appeared outside her beachfront brothel in Gaia to speak to the media who have over the last few days been gathered there. "I am asking the media to leave my business alone. We are a legitimate business that creates employment for thousands of people across the country. We ensure our staff are well looked after and our clients kept happy and safe. To now have the media descend on us trying to portray us as something dirty upsets me and is damaging our business. Take the example of Katerina, she is a young and highly intelligent young woman desperate to better herself and her family. She saw an oppurtunity in this industry to do both and now has a top degree and had until those stuck up beauty pagent judges punished her for doing a legal job. There is absolutley nothing wrong with two consenting adults sharing their bodies it is in some ways a celebration of the beauty of the human body Sessifet created." Later in the day Ms.Piprikovic had taken out an injunction baring the media coming within 100 meters of her property.
Another person potentially caught up in the scandal was Finance Minister Dragan Knežević who Miss Ignatiev claims she gave her phone number too. The former business guru has spoken to the media saying, "Yes I meet the lady and we danced. I didn't know who she was in terms of her being a Plebleian or a prostitute. I was under the impression everyone there was a Patrician invited by the Queen or the family of King Leopold. I saw a beautiful young woman with no one to dance with and did what any gentleman would do, I invited her to dance and I enjoyed her company. Yes I asked for her phone number but cabinet business prevented me from phoning her. Would I have done so? Probably. Would I if I'd known she was a prostitue? No."
Miss Ignatiev has claimed further scandals will come out in a book she is writing.
(https://scontent.flhr6-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/17017211_756563294497459_6989191197929288601_o.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_ht=scontent.flhr6-1.fna&oh=51a221bfbde0bdc34421cf9acb1dd604&oe=5D564535)
AX-18 TO GET REFIT
Following initial reports that the AX-18 lost in the Alucard was shot down by .50cal machine gun fire penetrating the cockpit it has been announced that the fleet will be modified. It's manufacture Symonov Holdings has confirmed that it will be adding a new style of armour around the pilot and navigators cabin on future models and will be retrofitting some currently in service. The aircraft was designed only for light combat or in secure airspaces however the recent downing of the aircraft surprised many and while the fleet has now been given the green light for flight again none have yet to be flown.
The culprits of the shooting are still unknown as in cockpit recorders and cameras are being reviewed in a process that Minister of Defence Lubos Kubik has confirmed could take weeks. In the meantime air patrols over the Alucard are being undertaken by UAV's off the HDMS Morelander which next Friday will become half crewed by Lodjains. The "Drone Carrier" is crewed by around 100 men and 20 technicans, at present 25% of the crew are Lodjain as they train on the new ship type. By the end of June the ship will be 100% crewed by Lodjains. So far those Lodjains who have served on the ship have been impressed with one saying, "I've spent eight years on Lodjain ships and this is like a different world. The Morelanders have worked me harder in a month than I have in all my time at sea."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://www.aircraftmaintenancestands.com/FileRepository/Products/4830c8ec-c66a-4202-9e07-e2bcd851798d.jpg)
DEFENCE REVIEW GIVES SOME HOPE
The second annual review of the state of the Lodjain military has been completed by the East Moreland military headed by groups of elite Red Legionnaires. Last years review discovered a series of blunders that saw the then recently coronated Queen Klara sack all the heads of the Armed Forces and have them arrested. Two of the militaries three commanders are now serving jail sentences for a variety of crimes while Field Marshall Givi Sokolov remains a fugitive. The past twelve months have also seen two significant military disasters, a destroyer catching fire and the recent loss of a A-18 aircraft possibly due to Water Nomad fire.
The highlights of the review are printed below.
HER DIVINE MAJESTIES NAVAL FORCES (DMNF)
* While naval assets have enough servicable rotary wing aircraft it was discovered that ships at sea lack the spare parts to conduct any sustained operations.
* Naval vessels had 78% of the munitions required, an improvement of 10% since last year.
* Marines at 75% strength on most ships.
* Three Frigates discovered to have RADAR systems at only 70% efficency.
* 5% of naval guns found to be fouled and below the standard of cleanliness required.
* 12% of helmsman had not recieved sufficent refresher training.
HER DIVINE MAJESTIES DEFENCE FORCE (HDMDF)
* Shortfall of 18,000 new recruits for the new initial training programme.
* Only 33% of combat units had a full quota of standard issue equipment.
* A total of 302 firearms were discovered to be missing.
* Tank units have still not begun moving towards operating a compatible compliment of vehicles
* Recruits only recieving 72% of shooting time required by basic training.
* 2,873 soldiers failed their annual basic fitness test.
* 12% of promotions still being sold despite the practice being outlawed.
* Three Armoured Personnel Carriers unaccounted for.
HER DIVINE MAJESTIES AIR FORCE (HDMAF)
* 62 Tornaado multi-role fighters found to be missing survivial equipment in ejector seat.
* 78% of pilots have not recieved their annual small arms refresher.
* Pilots only receive 62% of their scheduled flying time.
* 59 Aircraft maintainence logs missing or falsified.
* Two of the nations eight military airfields require resurfacing.
* Only 92% of Air Traffic Control coverage provided.
* Fire and Rescue Services at airfields discovered to be missing essential equipment.
* 1 Konn (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beriev_A-40) seaplane unaccounted for, possibly canibalised for spare parts.
RECOMMENDATIONS
* Scrapping of 4 types of Main Battle Tank. (Mainted from last year)
* All military personnel below the rank of Major but over the age of 40 to not have their service renewed.
* All bases to begin random searches of personnels accomodation for contraband and missing equipment.
* Secondment of East Moreland and Ui Cenneslaig instructors to oversee all branches basic training.
* Compulsary PT sessions for all ranks.
* Disbandment of all regiments seen as "Family" Regiments with those soldiers among them to be redistributed to newly formed Regiments.
* Institute a series of financial penalties for military personnel found to have dirty firearms, being parts of gun crews with dirty naval guns and being part of engineering teams in the Air Force where equipment is missing.
* Formation of the Military Standards Office to undertake spot checks of readiness. Individuals and units failing to be subject to disciplinary action.
It is expected that Queen Klara will make her statement on the subject in the coming hours.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ltyh2bOR9nM/maxresdefault.jpg)
QUEEN REACTS TO MILITARY REVIEW
Queen Klara has today issued several decrees relating to the recent review of the military by the East Moreland Armed Forces. In the first of her actions designed to make the military more effective she announced that General Lubos Kubik, the nations Minister of Defence would be now working alongside King Leopold who will now be assuming personal responsibility for the management of the armed forces. The Queen stated, "Duke Lubos has done a good job trying to bring in changes in the military, the problem is many of the leading figures in the military seem to believe that they are above Ministers and as such at times he has seemingly lacked the power to ensure complete change. Therefore by having him work alongside the King means direct royal involvement on a day to day basis." King Leopold served in the Army for eight years after winning ownership of the Royal Watchman Guard Regiment in a card game. He then proceeded to make himself a Brigadier at the age of 22 years of age. He handed over control of the Regiment in 2018 immediately following the original East Moreland military review.
The Queen has also today initiated the formation of a new Corps within the military. It shall be known as the Royal Instruction and Standards Corps and its purpose shall be to carry out spot checks of both the standard of training and operational readiness of military units. In a move that may anger some members of the military it will only recruit from veteran members of the armed forces who first pass a rigiourous screening test or NCO's from what the Queen has described as "competant and proven nations." Her Divine Majesty explained the move stating, "We have been caught out time and time again and units know when the review inspections are likely to take place. We need to be more prepared all the time. I will therefore seek to add battle hardened individuals to a unit that will not be a front line unit. They shall be tasked with casting their experienced eyes over what goes on day to day and make sure people remain on their toes. We're close friends with three nations that have proud military heritages, East Moreland, Ui Cenneslaig and the Maori of the Iwi, they all have veterans who know their way round a battlefield." Queen Klara went on to announce that the unit would also be given powers to make arrests when they find issues arrising from their inspections.
In order to try and encourage more youngsters to join the military the Queen has also announced she will be changing the rules regarding families becoming Patricians. Currently the law states that should five generations of a family complete satisfactory military service the family may be able to apply to become a Patrician family. This route has seen a fair number of families move up the nations strict social structure in the past. The Queen announced that from 2020 any family that provides members to the military for four generations and where each serving member serves a minimum of eight years while receiving an honourable discharge will be permitted to apply to become Patricians. It is hoped that this will encourage more people to enter military service for the benefit of their family. It is estimated that a shortfall of around 18,000 recruits needs to be made up in order for the military to be at full strength. This move was supported by Priestess for Youth Maria Shvets who said, "Service to the Goddess comes in many forms and protecting the nation of the Goddess home is one of the noblest. I think it perfectly fitting that the Queen lower the qualification for those brave enough to serve in the military." It was also revealed that the Queen had considered bringing in national service however was persuaded not to.
In regards to large numbers of soldiers failing basic fitness tests the Queen stated, "Fitness is a habit and Sessifet teaches us to take care of our bodies so that they are beautiful and perfect as she designed them. As such it is our responsibility to ensure that we take steps to ensure this happens. As such at ages 16 and 18 students will be expected to take a basic fitness test. Those reaching above a set standard will recieve extra credits towards their High School Diploma. It is my hope this will see young people place a better emphasis on their health and fitness and as a result get into good habits that will stick with them for the rest of their lives" The Queen has also said it is important to set an example and as such she will be expecting the Royal Household to be able to prove that they have completed 30 minutes of physical exercise per day. "I have witnessed some of the Red Legionnaire run training sessions for our military and they tell our potential leaders that they should not ask a man under their command to do something they are not willing to do themselves. With that in mind every Lodjain living on the Isle of the Goddess, be it the myself or a pot washer in the kitchens will be expected to lead a life including physical activity." It was confirmed all members of the Royal Household will be given fitness trackers which will be monitored by the Queen's staff.
It was also announced that those youngsters expressing an interest in a career in the military, of both Patrician and Plebleian descent, will be considered for scholarships at schools run along military lines in other countries. Queen Klara stated, "Military excellence starts young in many places around the world, East Moreland has a fine tradtion of disciplined uniformed youth organisations, Neu Urburzis has some unique military style activities at camps, we should look to take advantage of these." It was announced that one of the first to be considered for one of these roles would be 17 year old Henrik Pelagiya, brother of Baronetess Stasya Pelagiya who is the lover of King David of East Moreland. It is believed that Henrik will be taking up some kind of placement at a Rokkenjiman naval academy in the coming months.
The Queen has stated also that the military will recieve a financial shot in the arm. "We currently spend around 3% of the nations budget on the military, that will increase by 1% for at least the next 24 months with the bulk of the new money being put towards procurement. Coupled that with better spending scrutiny it should see a sizeable boost to the nations military capabilities."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://storage1.censor.net.ua/images/6/3/8/e/638e94daf3e973cd70014cd3a0fa3be9/600x397.jpg)
EMBASSY PROTEST BY MILITARY
Members of the Queen's Warriors of Gaia were today called in to deal with a protest outside the East Moreland embassy by retiring members of the armed forces. A group of around 40-50 Non-Commissioned Officers aged over 40 years of age. At one point they threw smoke bombs over the gate and there was an immediate increase in the prescence of armed East Moreland guards inside the embassy building. The leader of the protesting soldiers was Warrant Officer Konstantine Metzgovich who has served 22 years as a member of the Light Foot Regiment of the Line. WO Metzgovich said "We have come here today because we are all about to lose our jobs, we will be unemployed in the next 6 months and our jobs will be given to foreign soldiers, mercenaries with no loyalty to our homeland. Our crime? We served corrupt officers, I know it, you know it. The Patrician officers were the ones stealing money, selling weapons, conveniantly forgetting where they sent equipment. It was not people like me and my fellow soldiers. We followed orders and did as instructed. These East Moreland reports have consigned us to the rubbish dump and we have very little prospect of getting another job."
At one point a pair of protested seemed like they were about to climb the fence but the appearence of an East Moreland soldier with levelled rifle made them rethink and warnings were given about "anti-personnel devices" being utilised if the crowd did not retreat. It was then that the Queen's own personnel guardsman appeared to push the crowd back. Their commander Lt-Col Ulvis Ambrekiski said "These anti personnel devices are essentially claymore's but instead of metal ball bearings they contain small rubber balls. We got a demonstration of the devices when installed in the East Moreland embassy and they are non-lethal but not comfortable. They will leave you with a ringing head and a body covered in bruises." It is understood such devices are routinely installed on East Moreland embassies due to that nations heightened security risk. Lt-Col Ambrekiski stopped his men once they had created a 10 meter zone around the embassy gate area stating, "We have no intention to stop sensible and peaceful protests. Climbing the fence of an embassy belonging to a nation paranoid about security though is asking for trouble. Emotions run high and we are here to ensure they do not spill over."
The recent East Moreland military review found the Lodjain military were still plagued by a host of problems including corruption, financial mismanagement and dereliction of duty. It is believed that around $70million was wasted last year by the Army for poor equipment storage, maintainence and mismanagement. Meanwhile one of the nations "Missing" Armoured Personnel Carriers has been recovered. It was found on the estate of Sheriff Ruben Miksamov near Leublin. The vehicle had been part of an armoured unit where Sheriff Maksamov had been adjutent and when the vehicle was discovered it was revealed he had taken it home in order to allow his 18 year old son to drive it around the estate with friends. The Sheriff will now be made to go before a court of his peers and is likely to get his title stripped from him and Queen Klara has already confirmed that if that is the case she will strip him of all his lands. Two APC's still remain missing, along with a seaplane and 302 firearms.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/201533878043672588/600772675740237825/AlexanderLebedevLoveBallLondonOutsidehyS3-qG0-ESl.png)
QUEEN TO END "SELF APPOINTED" MARRIAGES
Today Queen Klara has passed the Marriage Reform Act which effectively halts what have been called Self Appointed marriages. Under Lodjain law all marriages involving Plebs must gain the approval of a Patrician, however over the last few decades there have been increases in cases where rich Patrician men, often widowers, take young Pleblian brides and approve the marriage themselves. This process in effect allows rich men to often effectively purchase their bride. It is now not uncommon to see wealthy widowers in their 60's and 70's approaching the father of a Plebleian girl in her late teens or 20's and essentially giving the families patriach a large sum of money to have them agree to have their daughter marry the Patrician. One such example of this is 57 year old chemical company boss Varlaam Mikhailov who last year married 20 year old Pleblian Yuliya Sobol whom was a waitress at his favourite restaurant. Having meet at the restaurant Varlaam offered Yuliya's father $250,000 dollars in exchange for his daughters hand in marriage. With Yuliya's family being rather poor they accepted and a week later Varlaam signed a confirmation that he had permitted Yuliya to marry, in this case himself.
The new law will mean that any Patrician-Plebleian marriages must now be approved by someone unrelated to either party. It is however not expected to stop the practice of young Plebs marrying older Patricians. Varlaam Mikhailov spoke about the new law saying, "I don't see the point of it. I did not place a gun to Yuliya's head. She is a beautiful woman and I am a lonely widower, my wife died four years ago. It is natural that people wish to be in a happy relationship and I am certainly happy. It is only natural that a son-in-law wishes to help his new family and thankfully I was in a position to do that. I am happy and Yuliya is happy." Having now been married 18 months Yuliya's social media feed has shown a stark contrast in her own fortunes. 2 years ago it showed her in a small community college hanging out with friends of a similar age while now she is often seen attending major business functions and even attended Queen Klara's wedding to King Leopold. One post on her social media showed she had a boyfriend known simply as Timotov_87. We made contact with him through social media but he asked we not reveal his real name. He said, "Me and Yuliya had been dating two years, we had plans to move in together once we finished college. All of a sudden she phones me and tells me her father had agreed a marriage for her. When I found out who too I was shoked. How can I compete with a multi-millionare."
Some Plebleian Rights groups such as "Better Future For All" have called for the idea of arranged marriages to be scrapped altogether. One member of BFA is Milana Naoumov who said, "The new law isn't a change at all. The rich nobles will stick together and just approve each others marriages forcing these young girls to essentially be their exclusive prostitute. It is unfair that the rich can essentially pick and choose who keeps their bed warm. The Queen may think this will stop the practice but its a weak law. No marriage contracts should be permitted to be entered into without the brides approval and until she has reached the age of 21." Critics of BFA include High Priestess Alla Kohul who said, "Plebleians are families who have yet to prove themselves to the Goddess. To have one of their daughters elevated to become a Patrician is something they should long for. The girls this happens to are beautiful young ladies, a gift from Sessifet, and so it is only right they become Patricians and as a by-product speed up the ascendency of their own family. Lets not forget there is nothing to stop people such as Yuliya taking another husband, she could as a Patrican herself now marry her former boyfriend and approve that wedding herself. Would people be against stopping love? Personally I think this is a law the Queen should leave well alone." BFA responded to the High Priestess by pointing out most of these Self Appointed marriages include a pre-nuptial agreement which forbids the woman from taking a second husband and therefore means she can not Self Approve further marriages for herself.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://s.hdnux.com/photos/47/62/10/10428954/3/920x920.jpg)
FIRST INTERNATIONAL ROYAL BALL TO TAKE PLACE IN HARBY
Every summer the nation of Lodja celebrates the coming of age of its noble sons and daughters. Across Lodja those turning 17 hailing from noble families attend a series of balls designed to allow young people to meet and families to potentially arrange future marriages. Traditionally the opening ball of the season has taken place at the Palace of the Goddess with the Queen in attendance. While this will still take place the second of the series of balls will be taking place in Bakkermaya on the island of Harby, with a ball happening simulteniously in Gaia's Grand Ballroom. The Ball being hosted in Harby is to be sponsered by Duchess Rhiannon Farmer who is the noble in charge of that island. The decision to allow the ball to take place came about because of her request to do something for the Sessifet worshipping community on the island. The idea of arranging marriages between noble families at a young age is important and the balls are an important part of that process. The Royal Office has granted permission for any Lodjain or Bakkermayan noble to attend the event and has even committed to Crown Princess Roksana attending so as to give it a seal of approval. The Crown Princess stated, "I've not been to Harby before but have heard its a beautiful island. My wife and the Bakkermayans have worked to begin making a strong relationship and I know Harby is an island of mixed cultures. I look forward to meeting my fellow devotees of Sessifet."
The final ball of the season will take place in early September and coincide with the Queen's Invitational Polo Match.
(https://i0.wp.com/celebmafia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/camren-bicondova-at-pamella-roland-spring-2018-collection-show-nyfw-in-ny-09-06-2017-2.jpg?w=600)
QUEEN SIGNS MAEA
With the formation of the Mundus Atomic Energy Agency Queen Klara has given her approval of the document. The treaty will put in place rules regarding the sale and transfer of nuclear material for both civilian and military use ensuring both its safety and security. The treaty is hopefully a prelude to a second treaty effectively making Nuclear weapons a thing of the past. The treaty was deemed a neccessity by Queen Klara according to a spokesman who explained, "Lodja needs to ensure we have access to nuclear material for a whole range of uses, military propulsion, we now have a fledgling space programme with our fellow CNN nations and of course for civilian power. We have seen how unsavoury characters out there have attempted to utilise nuclear material for neferious ends and this treaty will hopefully go some way to ensuring the long term security of the world."
The treaty will contain provisions for nuclear inspections of various materials including two of the three submarine classes in service with the Navy.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Cargo-Airlines/Cargo-Airlines-B/British-Gulf-International-Air/Antonov-An12/i-chWnwKS/6/0662df92/L/bagan12-L.jpg)
ELEVANT CRASH POSTPONES DAY ONE OF CNN EXERCISE
A Lodjain Elevant transport aircraft crashed on take off injuring three Lodjains, two Morelanders and a Maori on the first day of a major joint CNN exercise. The incident which took place on Greater Alucard saw the transport airplane have an engine fire just after take off and the pilot ditched the fully loaded aircraft into a field. The decision was taken to postpone the exercise for the day to ensure all air assets being used were safe.
The incident comes as the latest of a string of failings for the military caused mainly by a long period of corruption among the now replaced senior leadership. The CNN exercise will recommence tomorrow with a dummy amphibious landing on Lesser Alucard as Cenneg and Maori forces attempt to take control of a beach there.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/960x0/https%3A%2F%2Fspecials-images.forbesimg.com%2Fdam%2Fimageserve%2F789501346%2F960x0.jpg%3Ffit%3Dscale)
ISLE OF THE GODDESS TO CONSIDER NEW TRANSPORT LINKS
The Isle of the Goddess, home of the Queen of Lodja and her royal court is set for a transport update. Currently the only way to access the island is by using a tidal causeway or by boat to a small quayside. Over the years there have been many attempts to increase the size of the quayside or improve the causeway to allow greater and easier access for a whole range of uses such as resupplying the island or delivering goods to the Isle's staff who live at the foot of the island. One of those is Sylvia Grezney who has worked in the kitchen of the Palace for twenty years. "The Isle is an amazing place to live and work, to be in the direct service of the Goddess is all I ever wanted to do. Life on the island though does have a hardship, only small boats can reach the quayside so it becomes difficult to get larger things ashore. When we tried buying a lovely new sofa it was hard to manouver over the side of a ship and nearly ended up in the sea. Being able to bring in boats designed for cargo would be much better."
The Queen is apparently considering three new proposals. The first would see a wider roadway put in alongside a turning circle to allow lorries to offload good directly onto the island. Currently lorries have to drop cargo at the shoreline for them to be taken across in small vans when the tide is out. The second opion is a new bridge from the mainland out into the bay. This would give 24 hour access to the island for foot and light road traffic. The final option is that an underwater tunnel be constructed. Each of the options are being considered however there is opposition to the change with many believing it would potentially damage the island.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/608021133807321089/unknown.png?width=246&height=300)
EX-MISS LODJA CALL GIRL BUYS FORMER ROYAL PALACE
The recently disqualified Miss Lodja, 22 year old Katerina Ignatiev has announced today that she has purchased Kirakin Palace (http://www.heemkundehoeilaart.be/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/OMD-Koninklijke-Loge-Small.jpg). The Palace is in reality nothing more than an ornate hunting lodge used by a King of Lodja in the 18th Century but was granted the title of a Palace along with the exclusive hunting rights for 20km square around it. Miss Ignatiev was stripped of her title of Miss Lodja when it was revealed that she had worked as a prostitute in a brothel during her time as a student. In the aftermath of the revelation and her subsueqnet disqualification she wrote a kiss and tell book of her experiences as well as doing the rounds of various talk shows, she was even in demand as a fashion model. Miss Ignatiev posted several images of her new property which was purchased from the Knežević family who have held it for close to 200 years for $4million. She later went on to say that in the coming weeks she plans to open her first brotel called Igna in Gaia's red light district.
The Palace owners have traditionally held the title of Sheriff of the Hunt however as a Plebleian she is not able to inherit that title herself so it is still not determined who shall now own that title or whether it will be disbanded.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://www.amtonline.org/images/MfgTech_1.jpg)
"LACK OF TECHNOLOGICAL SKILLS IS A NATIONAL EMBARASSMENT" SAYS LORD IVANOV
Following an announcement of a further joint CNN Space Project the Lord of the Conclave Besarian Ivanov has called the lack of any Lodjain involvement in the manufacturing process an embarassment. During a visit to a agricultural processing business in Gaia the Queen's lead councillor said. "I am naturally excited about the upcoming launch. I find however the fact that we are the only nation in the CNN that has not contributed some manufacturing to this project shamful. Our lack of technological skills is a national embarassment. The Cenneg are building mighty telescopes across Mundus, the Morelanders are renowned for aerospace excellence, now the Maori are producing space probes having been a nation less than fifty years. Lodja meanwhile has existed for centuries and we struggle to build vehicles that are essentially on water that don't catch fire. There has been a systematic failing in our education systems when it comes to core subjects like Science and Technology. Our nation places great emphasis on our arts, our music, literature and I would stand that quality against any on Mundus happily. Yet I truggle to remember the last great scientific achievement from our nation."
The nation see's all students have to study biology, physics, chemistry and maths alongside various technological based subjects until the age of 15 at which point students are free to narrow their study based on their interests and future plans. Figures show that just 30% of students pick any of these subjects and that there is a shortfall in University students choosing a science or technology pathway. This is much lower than the international average and goes someway to explain some of the nations recent failings when it comes to the use and production of technologically advanced products.
So far the Palace has yet to announce any new policies to remedy the situation however with the Conclave set to meet tomorrow it is highly likely that Lord Besarian will be putting the matter as a high priority.
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://hbimg.huabanimg.com/472a7d35c68e0820e23d0e734e18a42ccd5a82f7145ff-q7DxEz_fw658)
HDMS MORELANDER TO HEAD AID OPERATIONS
Queen Klara has today begun a mobilisation of the Lodjain military in order to be on standby to provide aid to Noobia who have suffered a natural disaster that has reportedly claimed thousands of lives. The ship is on loan from the East Moreland military for the next four years and recently became 100% crewed by Lodjian sailors. The Queen has requested through the CNN for assets to be able to use facilities in Ui Cenneslaig which neighbours Noobia from the South however it is likely that the Morelander will head to the coast on the Mhorish Sea. The ships depolyment is the first since it was leased to the Lodjain Navy almost six months ago. It is the second time that a CNN operation to provide humanitarian aid has been carried out following the organisations efforts in Nya Aland almost two years ago. The Air Force are also likely to be involved in the operation providing an air lift capability for operations. The exact number of soldiers assigned to the suggested aid effort have yet to be confirmed.
The Minister of Defence, Lubos Kubik, explained the mobilisation. "The military need to practice their skills in a wide range of different operations. We've recently had a major CNN exercise and now they have to change mind set to being medics, structural engineers and various other professions. It is my hope that just as they did in Krokom and Uppsala or forces can be a force for positive good."
-
(http://i64.tinypic.com/35bus7o.jpg)
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/07/0f/0e/070f0e1ad443f0c3686750b363d29d51.png)
NATION CELEBRATES PREGNANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
It was announced from the Isle of the Goddess today that Queen Klara is expecting her first child. The 20 year old Queen is reportedly three months pregnant and is expected to give birth in February of 2020. The news was greeted with great celebration across the country as the birth of any Royal child is seen as a child of Sessifet. While the Lodjain throne is not heriditary like many nations the offspring of the Queen are considered to be descendents of the Goddess and for the next three generation may use royal titles. The child will also be the first for King Leopold whose first wife died in 2008. The King is said to be "excited" at the prospect of being a father. The child will also be the first to be born to a Queen of Lodja since 1948 when Queen Sonja gave birth to Princess Annabelle. Queen Viktoria was expecting a child but was assassinated before it could be born. The news therefore of a new royal child has excited the nation. One member of the public who we spoke to said, "We were worried that perhaps Sessifet had picked an awkward vessel for herself, the Queen is a little quirky and made some decisions that have gone against tradition. This shows though the Goddess is blessing us."
The Queen's wife, Crown Princess Roksana is also said to be "looking forward to help raise the child" and the 28 year old former Lady in Waiting was already presented with gifts for the new child while she visited a music school in Zhenya. The Conclave have also begun preparations for a nationwide celebration the moment the news of the birth is announced.
(https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/nintchdbpict000283680977.jpg?w=960&strip=all)
NUMBER OF ARRANGED MARRIAGES INCREASES AT BALLS
It has been reported that as the summer ball seasons reaches its final few weeks the number of arranged marriages agreed from them has increased. During the ball season young men and women aged between 17-24 attend a huge number of formal balls which allow them to socialise and families then often enter talks between each other to agree a marriage. Generally most balls begin with an announcement of marriages arranged since the last one. In the summer of 2018 a total of 243 marriages were announced however with two weeks of balls still to come 318 have already been announced. The increase has been put down to a number of reasons as Radmilla Bulekainov, a 46 year old professional ball organiser explains. "Youngsters now have thier own dedicated Priestesses in Arina Maksimov and Maria Shvets. These pair have captured the imagination of many youngsters and rekindled an enjoyment in their following the faith. Marriage is a duty to the Goddess and so people are trying to do their bit. The second reason is the example of the Queen, whoever has the crown is a role model and it is obvious Queen Klara believes marriage is important having two marriages so close together."
One of those with an arranged marriage is 17 year old Adriana Timovic from Gaia who is now engaged to 22 year old Maximov Berkhov. The pair meet at a ball on the Isle of Greater Alucard as Maximov explained, "When you arrive the girls each have dance cards and the guys see which girls have tickets for the ball by looking at a board at the Male Entrance. When you enter the hall the girls are sat around the edge of the room and you sometimes make a point to go speak with a certain girl and try and arrange a dance. For example Princess Alana was at many of them and straight away had flocks of men asking for dances. Others like me prefer to just take a look at the girls and when I saw Adriana I just had to ask. I wasn't surprised that she already had a busy dance card but she wrote me down for some and we just enjoyed each others company. At the next ball we had dances arranged before we even arrived and after that I asked my parents to see if they could arrange a marriage and now in six months on Adriana's 18th birthday we'll be married."
Adriana explained that despite having agreed a marriage she is still attending other balls. "Queen Klara has two spouses and as a woman I am allowed to marry more than one person. Max is a lovely man and I can't wait to marry but if there are other men who would also make good husbands then I'd be a fool not to consider them." Usually however families are reluctant to negotiate for their son to become a "2nd husband" until the girls marriage has been conducted and even then usually only once they have exhausted all other avenues.
Maximov's father explains. "You want your son's children to stand a good chance of inheriting the titles and lands within the family and by being the first husband thats a much better chance. It also gives your son more authority within the family should his wife take on other husbands and therefore more prestige. Its nice too to have a wife to yourself for some time."
All marriages must be approved by a Patrician of higher rank than those involved in the agreement and as a result Queen Klara has personally approved 22 marriages so far. There were rumours that 22 year old former Lady in Waiting Baronetess Stasya Pelagiya had asked for a wedding to King David to be approved however both the Pelagiya family and the Palace of the Goddess have denied this with Duke Tobias Pelagiya, Stasya's father, saying, "With a foreign King being involved the normal process isn't really appropriate. Stasya has attended one ball but mainly as a networking event but she did enjoy it. I can confirm however her dance card was almost exclusively made up of the East Moreland ambassador."
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://i.wpimg.pl/O/644x429/d.wpimg.pl/72020564-1691510289/tom-hardy.jpg)
KING DEMANDS "LOCKDOWN" UPDATE
Following reports of the Paracambian island of Castries going into "Lockdown" (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=902.msg13899#msg13899) the King has called for the Emperor of Paracambi to update the government on the actual situation there. The island was cut off from the outside world three days ago and no information has been permited off the island however there have emerged today rumours of an outbreak of smallpox. The island is the Northern most of the Paracambian islands however since the formation of the Treaty of Unity for Alucard Nations (TUNA) the island has been visited by many Lodjains and it is currently believed that around 20 families of Lodjains were on the island when a lockdown was instigated.
The King has asked for a formal report from the Paracambians saying, "Our citizens health and safety is a primary concern. Families headed to what should have been a tropical paradise for vaccation and now we have no idea what is happening to them. Naturally we have trust in our TUNA partners however that can only go so far. It has now been three days and the reports of boats being shot at and now photos of children with smallpox do set alarm bells ringing. Should this be a humanitarian situation then my wife will naturally do all we can to support the situation however communication is important."
The Queen, who announced her pregnancy nearly a month ago has missed Conclave meetings for the last two weeks suffering with what Doctors have described as "severe morning sickness that has confined her to bed." In her stead King Leopold and Crown Princess Roksana have been attending the meetings to represent the monarch. King Leopold said, "It is unfortunate Klara is sick as she is someone who is committed to doing her duty. She is however doing better each day and hopeful it shall soon pass. In the meantime myself and Roksana will be ensuring she is kept comfortable and up to speed on the situation." When pressed King Leopold did not rule out requesting a CNN Micro-satellite overflight of the island to gauge the situation.
(https://img1.nickiswift.com/img/gallery/why-you-never-hear-from-heather-graham-anymore/-1504784399.jpg)
STASIUK RESORTS TO SPREAD TO HASSFURT
Duchess Ekaterina Stasiuk has today announced that she has secured a former fortification in Hassfurt that she intends to convert into a luxury spa resort. The 18th Century fortification, or "Star Fort" as it is known was built just half a kilometer from Peniche Bay and was designed to control a main road. The luxury resort developers acquisition marks her first project since having her assets in Royal Seleucid seized following her daughters alleged affair. The 49 year old former Lady in Waiting who now owns a whole host of luxury hotels, spa's and restaurants has not yet ruled out seeking compensation through courts however has admitted that it is very unlikely she will ever recoup some of the $300million her company invested. She explained, "We have had to sell one or two properties, examine some financial matters and dig into some of our reserves to ensure that the timeline of projects we had planned can continue. We're delighted to be able to expand our organisation into Hassfurt as its an untapped market for us so far. I am yet to visit Hassfurt but I look forward to in the near future."
Since being exiled from Royal Seleucid the former Queen, Oksana Stasiuk and her son by King Akakois have returned to Lodja where Oksana has taken up duties with the family business as an events manager.
(http://img.twitrer.com/upload/c/84/c843a3f462ca8a5f3cd35de6de35ca19_thumb.jpg)
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://keyassets-p2.timeincuk.net/wp/prod/wp-content/uploads/sites/42/2016/11/kevin-mckidd.jpg)
KING FINLEY TO VISIT IN NEXT WEEK
It was announced today that King Finley of Ui Cenneslaig is to visit Lodja on an official state visit. The Cenneg King has not visited Lodja before however his younger brother Prince Lennox is almost a permanent resident of the Queendom having been appointed as his nations official Envoy for Albion. The King is expected to undertake a four day visit starting with a banquet in his honour on the Isle of the Goddess before spending some time on Greater Alucard with the Royal Family. It is expected the King will also lay memorial wreaths on the beach opposite the Isle of the Goddess to honour his deceased sister-in-law who fell from a balcony on the Island while inebreated. King Leopold has also spoke of his intention to take the King to a family distillery to "convert him to Vodka". The visit is seen as significant as it is the first face to face meeting of Queen Klara and King Finley without other CNN leaders present. It is expected that the Queen will bring up issues concerning military acqusitions as in the past Lodja have purchased surplus Cenneg naval vessels. Additionally the nation recently faced embarassment when the CNN Micro-Satellites featured no significant Lodjain input. It is thought possible that the Queen will be asking for deeper Lodjain involvement with the Cenneg space programme which is highly respected.
The visit is set to be the first of many state visits over the next two months as the Queen is keen to "Tie down relationships with our old friends, neighbours and those with common interests before I get too pregnant." The Queen finally returned to duties with the Conclave today following missing two weeks with severe morning sickness.
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/626874955912445962/unknown.png)
"QUEEN" OKSANA OPENS UP TO MEDIA
For just under a year Oksana Stasiuk was the forth wife of King Akakois of Royal Seleucid until her life was turned upside down following her husbands sudden death and then the accusation of adultery and her newborn child not being her husbands. Following King Akakois death of a heart attack his son Hadi inherited the throne, however soon after was replaced by his younger brother Heydar following apparent admissions of seducing Oksana and fathering her child. These are claims the now Department Manager of Stasiuk Enterpresises refutes. "I was never unfaithful to Akakois. My son is his son and a rightful Prince of Royal Seleucid, just as I am entitled to use the title Wilhom Queen. Me and my son have been exiled from his homeland and he looks likely to never know his brothers and sisters. King Heydar is a man who has pulled the wool over the eyes of the world and now denies his own brother a place in the royal court."
The self titled "Wilhom Queen" is now back living in Gaia with her five month old son. "My son is now my whole world. I was never fully in love with Akakois. I respected him, he was kind to me but it was a marriage of duty, at least on my side of the relationship. It was hard to turn my back on my own culture but I was duty bound to marry who my mother selected and what young girl doesn't dream of being a Queen. Akakois would share my bed twice a week and he was thrilled when I became pregnant. His other wives also were very kind to me at the time I was pregnant and I felt like I was destined to lead a life as a core part of a loving family. We discovered Akakois had died when Katerina yelled from their bedroom. Panic soon set in and over the next 12 hours chaos enveloped the Palace. The next thing I know I was arrested and Heydar had seized power accusing me and Hadi of being lovers and my son of being his too. It is a lie. I never once slept with Hadi and I think I was only ever alone with him once during all the time I knew him. You could tell he loved his father deeply and I think even if myself and Hadi had been attracted to each other there would never have been anything between us because we both cared for Akakois in our own ways. I've already demanded a DNA test on my son but the Seleucid government have repeatedly denied me that right. I am just fortunate that my own family are so supportive and we have an oppurtunity to give my boy an exceptional life."
When asked what she will tell her child of it's father Oksana said. "I'll naturally tell him he is a Prince, whether he chooses to persue his birthrite will be his choice. I will do my best to make him a son of two nations, Lodja and Royal Seleucid, he deserves to know of the people he is from but also he must be aware of the people he will likely grow up to live alongside. I pray that Heydar will see what he has done with his wild accusations are wrong and that he will recognise my son as his brother. I know that the relationship between myself and the Soter family can never be fully repaired but my son could still have a relationship if Heydar accepted the truth."
The 23 year old is currently single however has had no shortage of suitors. "My mother insisted I attend some of the balls this summer. I'm at the upper age for women who attend and frankly it felt awkward. I did have several young nobles ask for me to see them again but for now my son is my proirity. There will be time for me to find true love and I am in no hurry." She finished her first interview by saying, "I would like to thank the Seleucid people for being so welcoming of me when I became their Queen. I wish the people well and hope that one day they accept the truth about me and that I can once more enjoy their beautiful nation."
The Royal Seleucid ambassador to Lodja was asked for comments and stated simply, "Illigitimate children of whores and traitors get nothing in Seleucid."
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/637040808427520000/unknown.png)
QUEEN SPEAKS ON RADIO
Queen Klara today appeared on national radio, her first interview since confirming that she is pregnant with King Leopold's child. The 19 year old Queen had been "out of action" with severe morning sickness effectively handing the day to day running of the Queendom over to the Conclave. She also answered a range of questions on a variety of topics ranging from the recent issues with Paracambi to the prescence of a young Achkaerin royal in the country.
ON BEING PREGNANT
"I'm excited and nervous in equal measure. As a young girl I imagined being older when I had my first child but I'm happily married, I have a large supportive extended family and so the time is right. Traditionally Queen's marry within a year of becoming Queen and then a year later get pregnant, I'm kind of ahead of the game a little, I took a little longer to get married but the pregnancy has come well within that year. The morning sickness has been a nightmare, I'm just thankful that I've had Roksana there to help me and of course my Ladies in Waiting. The Doctors are pretty confident that the worse is now behind me and I hope the Goddess will ensure things go smoothly over the next few months. Ideally I would love to have a little daughter but that is up to the Goddess to survive as she sees fit.
ON MILITARY FAILINGS
"Recently we've seen some issues, an airplane crash on the first day of a military exercise, a submarine running aground. We should now be in a situation where things are getting better. Our army is now much better than it was and reports I have heard from the recent CNN exercise reassure me that we have turned a corner. What we need to do now is sort out the Air Force and the Navy. We have put in place a system of upgrades we wish to make within the next 12 months or so. We must look at the level of training there not just equipment. King Leopold and Minister Lubos Kubik are putting in place such things and should have an announcement soon. It will be many years until our military is up there among the greatest on Mundus but we can get there.
ON THE CASTRIES SITUATION
"The whole thing is a mess. I have meet Emperor Benson on a number of occasions and he's a man I think our nation can do many great things with. My concern is that I'm not entirely convinced that you can have a secret biological warfare lab and as leader of your nation not know about it. The fact that rather than seek the help of neighbours he just shut down the island also concern me. If it had been a Lodjain island I don't think I could have lived with myself leaving the people there to their fate. I understand now the facility is closed down but the fact it may have been responsible for the plague outbreak last year needed investigating. Something just doesn't sit right and I hope that we can fathom out what has been going on. I had great hopes for TUNA but this is now denting that hope.
ON SELEUCID -IWI SITUATION
"I'm worried that this is heading in a bad direction. I won't sugar coat my words, the Seleucid occupation of the Commonwealth of the Iwi is in my eyes perhaps the greatest crime against humanity that has ever been committed and nothing has been done to address this by anyone other than the Maori. How can we permit a nation that has killed millions in medical experiments utilising chemical and biological weapons to face no action. We have recently seen Slava Lavosk test a single nuclear weapon, and to my knowledge not kill a single sole. Yet for decades we had an occupation force systematically using the Maori as Guinea Pigs for chemical weapons. I am therefore not surpised the Iwi see the Seleucid as evil. This however does not give them the right to attack the Seleucid, this whole issue comes from the Bubonic Plague outbreak. We need to investigate that Paracambian connection and then see what that means for Maori-Seleucid relations. I would have hoped King Heydar would not have inflammed the situation with his ridicoulous compensation claim but that has now happened and we can't turn back time. I'd like to see nations not taking sides, even the CNN have refused to do so and we like the Maori. I think more nations need to join the Paracambian backed convoy system. Its a way of ensuring the continued trade routes which everyone wanted while at the same time not directly threatening either side.
ON RUMOURS OF PRINCE JACK AND DUCHESS KATYUSHA
"I know Katya well. We spent time together when the Priesthood talked about who should be Queen. To this day I still struggle to think of why they thought I was more worthy. She is a beautiful young woman and naturally I can imagine why Prince Jack is attracted to her. I would urge however the young Prince think on the situation of King David and Lady Stasya. Tradition in Lodja dictates that any man wishing to court a member of my household must get my permission before doing so. Now as far as I am aware they have attended the balls together, that is fine but I was forced to issue a formal warning to King David for his romance with Lady Stasya without permission. It may seem an odd thing but traditions have kept Lodja stable for centuries. Jack should learn the lessons of King David's mistakes. Katya is one of my Literature Circle and I'll address the situation with her when we next meet."
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/638846556845506579/unknown.png)
QUEEN HOSPITALISED. CREATES TRIUMPHERATE
Queen Klara has today been admitted into hospital with hyperemesis gravidarum, a form of extreme morning sickness. The Queen had suffered with morning sickness several weeks ago and was thought to be over it however following what the Palace have described as a "painful and draining" weekend the royal physician made the decision to admit the Queen to the hospital in order to monitor the situation. The Palace have stated that "the Queen is in constant need of monitoring to make sure she is not dehydrated or that her blood sugar levels do not become dangerously low. We will be keeping a constant eye on her to make sure the baby she is carrying is healthy." King Leopold visited the Queen shortly after she was admitted and left saying, "There is nothing to worry about except allowing Klara to have a long rest and be monitored."
The Queen confirmed that while she is in hospital she has appointed a three person committee to run the nation. This will be made up of her husband King Leopold who has been busy overseeing the military developments. He will be joined in the committee by Lord Besarian Ivanov who has been the leader of the Conclave for the last four years and ran the nation for a short period following the death of Queen Viktoria. The final member of the new commitee shall be Alla Kohul the High Priestess who has been appointed as the voice of Sessifet on the committee. The trio will hold the Queen's authority by utilising a vote between the three of them. The High Priestess stated, "The Queen has consulted the Goddess on a way forward. The Goddess is clearly blessing the child with such spiritul power it is a struggle for the Queen to contain.For the time being we have been entrusted with the powers granted to the Queen. Do not expect any major decisions during this time but we shall ensure the smooth running of the nation."
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/29/59/33/295933da0d1313fa83e5fd0155d0e5cd.jpg)
WATER NOMAD "SETTLEMENT" APPEARS NEAR ISLE OF TYR
Following a routine maritime patrol by a Lodjain Air Force plane a settlement belonging to the Water Nomads was located just some 45km away from the Isle of Tyr, the eastern most island in the Queendom of Lodja. The settlement is thought to be home of around 100 people and is made up of several hastily constructed stilt houses and a floating platform made from lashing together boats. The group are presently engaged in what appears to be fishing and experts on the nomadic sea farers believe that they are settling down ready for the winter. The group have been making their way up and down the Central Alucard Island range and have been involved in several issues with authorities in Bakkermaya where a group of Water Nomads were involved in kidnapping the Sister of Kaitaine's vice president Vadik Pasternak. So far the group have not been considered a threat to the nations security. In other areas the Water Nomads have been moved as they have been accused of damaging the environment as well as polluting the ocean due to poor boat maintainence.
Minister of Defence, Lubos Kubik, announced that the Lodjain Navy would, "double patrols in the area and make sure that all regulations pertinent to our EEZ will be adhered to. As long as the Water Nomads boats are well maintained and they are not operating outside our nations legislation. We shall have a naval vessel in the region ready to respond should such violations occur." The Water Nomads have in other areas been caught fishing in restricted areas as well as taking part in a practice called "Cyanide Fishing". This is a practice where divers using snorkels swim around coral reefs where tropical fish are located and spray liquid cyanide into the crevices. The fish swim out to find oxygen and are stunned and so the divers grab them and place them in plastic bags. The fish are sold within a 48 hour period and then usually die within a week because of the damage to their lungs. The practice is damaging certain fish stocks as well as destroying coral reefs. "Should we find the Water Nomads are violating our rules regarding our EEZ they will be moved on and if neccessary prosecuted under the Queen's Law."
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vhynTTwi8cA/hq720.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEhCK4FEIIDSFryq4qpAxMIARUAAAAAGAElAADIQj0AgKJD&rs=AOn4CLBJenTJQ6Y-c_xQFTAgiOHdxx_q0g)
QUEEN RETURNS TO ROYAL DUTIES
Following a stay in hospital to ensure a safe pregnancy Queen Klara has today resumed royal duties. Queen Klara is four months pregnant with King Leopold's child but has suffered terrible morning sickness and was confined to bed for a two week spell with the pain it caused. She needed to be closely observed to ensure that she was not dehydrated and had sufficent nutrients to ensure he baby grew appropriately. During the Queen's hospitalisation the Queendom was overseen by King Leopold, High Preistess Alla Kohul and Lord Besarian Ivanov.
The Queen marked her return to royal duties by spending the morning hearing the tradition series of weekly petitions alongside her husband before attending an inspection of the latest gradutes from the Air Force Officer College. The latest recruits have just undergone 27 weeks basic officer training which is 10 weeks longer than previous counterparts. The new training syllabus has been modelled on the East Moreland model and is designed to try and break 30 years worth of neglect within the Air Force. The Queen presented Pilot Officer Vasili Rolands with a ceremonial sword to mark out the fact that he graduated with the highest score among his peers. Following his graduation the newly commissioned officer said. "I wanted to follow in my older brothers footsteps as he's a pilot in our Air Force. I'm hoping to become a Fighter Control Officer once I finish my trade training. It was interesting that the advice he gave me about what to expect from training was all wrong. Its clear that the new system is very very different. I'm pleased though as I feel very prepared for the next stage of my training and I think our Armed Forces are turing a corner in leaving the past corruption and problems behind."
Like all branches of the Lodjain military the last East Moreland review was embarassing for the Air Force. It identified that a significant number of aircraft were ill maintained and others had been canabilised for parts. The report even found that a UAV was missing. An improvement in the training of officers was highlighted as an important goal in the improvement of the armed forces and this now seems to be blossoming.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/03/02/01/31C002AC00000578-3472297-image-a-7_1456883757933.jpg)
QUEEN TO INTRODUCE NEW CITIZENSHIP LAW FOR NOMADS
Following reports that the Water Nomads are wintering in a large group near the Island of Tyr Queen Klara has began the process of introducing a new citizenship law specificially for the Water Nomads. Currently only Water Nomads born on land within Lodja are permitted to claim citizenship however only a handful qualify under this arrangement. The new law would see any Water Nomad who can prove they have resided in Lodja's exclusive economic zone for 12 months continiously become eligible for citizenship. Those claiming citizenship will enter the Plebleian class and will be entitled to access Lodjain health care and education. Currently there have been many stand offs between the Water Nomads and various nations governments over some of the practices of the nomadic seafarers. It is not yet known how many Water Nomads would accept the citizenship on offer however some believe that resources will be wasted on providing means of the Water Nomads proving consistent residency within the EEZ, additionally people have voiced concern over how the nation will provide the health care and education facilities required under law.
It is also understood that Lodja will seek to make the issue of the Water Nomads part of the TUNA Organisations charter in an effort to end issues surrounding the groups legal status.
(http://image.hnol.net/b/2007-10-8/0/2007108085399.jpg)
NAVY WANT TO KEEP DRONE CARRIER
Following around six months of service in the Lodjain Navy the rechristened HMDS Morelander has been deemed a major asset. The ship, which combines some of the abilities of an aircraft carrier with those of a Frigate has now been crewed by Lodjain naval staff for the last three months and has been on operations around the Alucard. It has been deemed by Admiral Joszef Kumevets "a major asset in advancing our naval capabilities and the time spent with the Morelander navy on board allowed us to develop our skills. Now we are just as capable as them but we lack the innovation." With the Ministry of Defence having made it clear that investment in the Navy is expected there is every possibility that they will seek to mae the lease on the vessel permenant, it is not however known whether an option to buy is included in the agreement.
Some however question the purchases saying that instead some of the civilian ship builders should be given an oppurtunity to construct new vessels for the Navy. The CEO of Iskar Dockyards, which have been experimenting with automated cargo ships for the last few years has said. "Historically speaking the old Royal Dockyards have failed us, one need only look at the quality of what is being used by our forces at the moment. The quality of our civilian shipping however is superb and it would not take much for us to turn our craft from container ships to Destroyers." There are plans a foot to add to the navies stock of ships in the coming year.
(https://blog.parkinn.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2016/03/Water-show-and-fireworks-during-the-Scarlet-Sails-St-Petersburg.jpg)
NATION USHER IN NEW YEAR
Across the nation parties and celebrations have taken place to welcome in the New Year. A giant firework display in Gaia signalled the beginning of a new decade and was watched by the Queen and King from the Palace of the Goddess. The Queen usually hosts a giant party on the island however this year it was rather low key as the Queen has just recently been released from hospital. It is expected in the first few days of the New Year a series of new policies will be announced.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://rostechnologiesblog.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/39.jpg)
QUEEN CHANGES RULES FOR PLEBS
Today Queen Klara has announced that laws regarding the conversion of citizens from the status of Plebleian to Patrician will be changing with immediate effect. Currently there are three routes for a Plebleian to become a Patrician, via marriage, via royal patronage or by military service. A Plebelian woman may gain Patricain status six months after marrying a Patrician this has seen many marriages where older noble men have been accused of "buying" young attractive Pleb women keen to get their family promoted to the ranks of Patricians. Any family may be granted the rank of Patrician following presentation of patant of patronage by the Queen. This has been an extremely rare honour in the last five years and Queen Sonia who ruled for around 90 years issued only 50 of the documents. The most common way for a family to gain Patrician rank is through four generations worth of military service. It is this final method that the Queen has changed and was announced while the Queen was meeting weekly petitioners. "From this point forward the number of generations required will be reduced to three. Any soldier who is currently the third generation of their family to serve will be granted their rights of a Patrician. They will however still be required to first complete their term of agreed service before the status is legally recognised."
The exact number of people being granted this status is yet to be confirmed however some have argued that the move may now reduce the incentive for people to join the armed forces. Others have also commented that the increased numbers of Patricians may upset many centuries old family arrangements. The Queen has explained her decision saying, "The move is part of our ongoing military reforms. We need to attract high standards of recruits and giving them a reasonable chance of seeing the benefit of their service is hopefully an incentive."
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Arnold-Schwarzenegger-2-625x302.jpg)
LORD KUBIK SPEAKS OF TUNA SUCCESS
Lord Lubos Kubik, the nations Minister of Defence has spoken in a recent public appearence of his views on the growth of TUNA along with several other key matters. "I am delighted we've now got the whole of the Alucard more or less as part of this organisation that started from such a positive foundation. What started off as neighbours giving their neighbourhood a good spring clean has flourished into an organisation full of co-operation, we now have a chance to follow in what the MICA nations have in terms of having a whole ocean with a unified and co-operative security arrangement. While we may be many years off putting that into practice in the Alucard we have made a further step towards better security and better conditions for everyone." One of the main points of questions revolved around the Water Nomad situation, the latest TUNA agreement will establish a route to citizenship of a recognised nation should they wish it. Any not wishing it will have their rights clearly protected within a legal framework. Its a win win situation for a group in a very unique situation." The route to citizenship though could see some rejected a right to remain in Lodja, or any other TUNA island nation. Those rejected would be removed to an island based centre. "We are working with the other members, mainly Paracambi and Bakkermaya, to identify an island suitable for constructing a centre for those rejected from permanent residency. It shouldn't take us long to identify the island and then we can begin putting together a centre to house people in acceptable conditions. The centre could also be used in times of refugee crisis and will be a useful asset for TUNA."
The Minister was also asked to comment on the recent assault on Sea-Towers by East Moreland and said, "We have witnessed how the Borlanders do not discriminate between military, civilian, Morelander or anyone else. Sea-Towers was a potential thorn in the side of Sea-Towers and should have in my view been removed a long time ago. The fact this platform is now empty of the terrorists is a time for celebration not for accusations. Need I remind people of the fact Borlanders tried dosing us all with LSD not too long ago?" The Minister also suggested that now with the platform empty it would be a good time to remove it. "As far as I know the Platform is a relic of a bygone age, its not been used for anything in a long time and as such will not just be something the Borlanders can claim was taken from them. By removing it from the face of Mundus we can ensure they can never take it back."
The Minister finished his appearence by confirming that Queen Klara will be attending the upcoming wedding of King David and Baronetess Stasya Pelagiya, "While the Queen is 6 months pregnant she still enjoys dancing. I am confident that as long as she feels well she will be attending and wishing two of her friends well."
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.directexpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/66518435_494251681350598_6519411497199578467_n-1570261248360.jpg)
MINISTER CALLS "PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGECNY"
Yesterday the Minister for Social Affairs declared the nation has a public health emergency. Duchess Anna Utkin has spent the last few weeks in discussion with various health care professionals and has released a report which she says, "gives me serious cause for concern." The report looked at a whole range of different issues however the one Duchess Anna focuses on in her statement is STD's. "Some of the statistics are frightening. The rate of infection of Chlamidiya per 100,000 people sits at around 600, that is an increase of around 30 in the last 5 years. It's like we are going backwards. Syphallis sits at around 75 cases per 100,000 and HIV at slightly lower but not less worrying at 62. These are all increases and this shouldn't be happening in the 21st Century. We also have a high teenage pregnancy rate, 22.8 out of 1,000 girls aged between 13-19 will have children. These statistics are for the nation as a whole but are totally skewed, the rate of Syphallis for example is much much higher among the Plebleian community than the Patrician, the rate of teenage pregnancy in the Patrician community is only around 7.8 per 1,000. These are rates that are sneaking up and as such we must act now to halt the slide." The Duchess was born a Plebleian and through a youth charity meet and then later married her deceased husband who was the Duke Bernard Utkin and as such feels she has a unique understanding compared to other Ministers. "In the Conclave there has been recognition that these matters are a potential problem however have been glacially slow to do anything. It is therefore up to me to ensure measures are going to be put in place to try and solve these issues quickly."
Duchess Anna further announced that the Queen is reviewing a proposal to put measures in place. "Should Her Divine Majesty approve my proposal we will see first the removal of fees for STD testing. Currently these are not covered under the term "emergency" health care and so is not a free service. Additionally we will be implementing schemes were people can home test for certain STD's such as a kit for Chlymedia. It is our hope this will remove the stigma of having to go into a clinic and thus make people more aware of their Sexual Health status. Starting from next term all schools must include lessons on STD's and related matters as part of the curriculum. By better educating people we hope they will be more likely to take things seriously. Finally we will make it a law that all brothels must have regular STD tests. At the moment the law only states that a worker must have a clear STD test before commencing work, however there is no commitment to maintain testing once they begin employment." It is likely that Queen Klara II will approve the law with minimal amendments. The measures have also been supported by the Trade Union dedicated to brothel workers whose spokesperson said, "Presently about 70% of licenced Brothels do carry out regular testing of their staff, this however tends to be the larger chain establishments. In order to try and save money some smaller establishments put the emphasis on the girls and with them having to pay for their own tests this is not always possible. The change in the law will make it free for girls to get tested and place a duty on those employing them to keep a record."
It was left to Dr. Miriam Volkoff to explain the disturbing statistics. "It is well known that Lodja is rather liberal compared to many other nations. We are taught that beauty, whether it is a person, in nature, music or in any guise is a gift from the Goddess and must be praised. This leads to a mind set that sexual activity is way of praising that beauty. While I am no theologan it is clear this mind set is damaging to the health of the nation. It however does not need to be the case, with better education, more awareness and making protections such as condoms more avaliable this public health emergency should be a short lived on."
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/676537091663986695/683416565227847691/unknown.png)
KING PROMISES "MASSIVE" DAY OF UNITY CELEBRATION
With the Day of Unity looming on the 5th of March King Leopold had declared that this year the celebration would be "Massive, the largest in my memory and hopefully anyone elses." The Day of Unity celebrates the day on which it is told that the Goddess Sessifet was declared the leader of all Gods on the side of humanity in their war against those Gods who wished to wipe out mankind. The day usually sees huge parades through the streets where people wear fancy dress and push floats showing stories from the stories of Sessifet or promoting the virtues of the Goddess. While people will dress up as characters from the story no-one is supposed to dress as the Goddess. "This year we will be issuing double the number of permits for floats in the city, we will be extending the opening times for bars and restaurants and I have given permission for the Royal Square in Gaia to be turned into a music venue. This is the final Day of Unity before my child is born and I hope the Goddess will see just how much we love her and in return will protect my wife and child when the time comes for her to go into labour."
The King has also indicated that he has delegated to Crown-Princess Roksana the duty of arranging a Royal Ball but has insisted that foreign ambassadors are included as well as 50 Plebleian families. "The Day of Unity allowed us to live the way our lives are today, in a well ordered, well organised society. It is important that we show the Goddess we value what she has shown us as the right way of doing things and that means living in harmony as Patrician and Plebleian, we therefore should worship with our bretherin of all social classes and nationalities."
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://www.chocovira.in/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/ITS-A-BOY-BIRTH-ANNOUNCEMENT-BOXES-UNDER-250-RS.jpg)
NATION SET TO WELCOME A NEW PRINCE IN APRIL
The Palace of the Goddess has today announced that Queen Klara is to give birth to a son. It has been widely reported that the Queen is expecting her first child with King Leopold in just over a months time. This will be the first child born to a Queen in almost 80 years since Queen Sonja had her 2nd daughter. The Palace have announced the gender of the child after rumours began to circulate after what appeared to be a message between King Leopold and his cousin were seemingly leaked to thee media. The Head Lady in Waiting, Anna Immich, made the announcement saying, "We are thrilled that the royal family will soon be welcoming a new addition in the form of a little Prince. The King and Queen are yet to pick a name however the Queen has indicated that she fully intends to give birth on the Isle of the Goddess."
The Queen has no has a smooth pregnancy with severe morning sickness confining her to hospital and medical experts have speculated that the Queen is likely to give birth by cesaerian section, something that will be a first for a Queen of Lodja. The new child will be given the title Prince however as Lodjain monarchy is not hereditary they will not be inheriting the throne however three generations of the family will be entitled to use royal titles and be granted royal privledges. The Queen has just recently returned from East Moreland where she attended the wedding ceremony of King David and Baronetess Stasya Pelagiya, thus making King David now an official member of Lodjain nobility becoming the Baronet of Iskor Islet. It is hoped that the new nobleman will visit his lands in the coming weeks.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://www.dw.com/image/44343995_401.jpg)
LORD LOSES ARM TO TIGERS.
Police Report Problems with Private Zoo's
It was reported today that the Duke of Kőveri has had his right arm ripped off in a freak accident on his estate. Paramedics were called to the estate and discovered that the 47 year old Duke's arm had been ripped off by one of two pet Tigers he had on his estate in cages. Paramedics were unable to save the arm and according to reports were only narrowly able to save the life of the Duke. The two tigers were taken into the custody of Kőveri Animal Park which specialises in big cat care. The administrator of the park is Nastasya Krupin who believes this is not likely to be the final incident of this nature. "There is sadly a culture in our society of having to try and possess something others don't, or surrounding yourself with high status objects and sadly this extends to wildlife. We believe that there are around 200 Tigers in the hands of private collectors and most of those begin as cubs. We've even had reports of some nobles buying them as playthings for young children and then when they become giant cats they simply lock them in a cage and leave them there fro the rest of their lives. It's a scandal that no one is doing anything about."
This is the latest in a series of wildlife scandals that has hit our nation as previously a "Whale Farm" in Nya Aland had several Belugae Whales ear-marked for sale in Lodja to as of yet unnamed nobles. Krupin explains how the process is done, "The Patricians have very little to worry about in terms of checks. Customs generally see the name of the rich noble on import manifests and things are waved though with very little done to consider whether the thing being brought in is compliament with relevent checks such as those we signed up to as part of the Wild Mundus Organisation. This is something that we must stop as it is no longer acceptable that living creatures are status symbols." Last year Police managed to seize from private collections a vast number of animals including three Lions, a Lyger, four Dolphins and a pair of Honeybadgers. Krupin urged the Queen to begin making laws to halt the problem. "What we need is strict measures in place to ensure that no animal becomes like a royal title or a symbol of someone's wealth. There are many more ways of someone demonstrating their status in soceity, fancy homes, fancy cars, jewellrey, elaborate parties. These are all things that would allow that expression. A moth eaten tiger stuck in a cage is not a way of doing it."
It is understood the Duke of Kőveri will undergo several surgeries over the next few days to carry out work doctors have described as "tidying up what remains of the limb to give the best chance of a successful use of prosthetics." The Duke's wife declined to comment.
(https://nelpaese.it/media/k2/items/cache/7ef23a30d416d14d2ab204c0c9e959d1_XL.jpg)
LODJAIN HOTEL GURU TO BUILD WATER NOMAD CENTRE
Duchess Ekaterina Stasiuk (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=137.msg3068#msg3068) has today announced that she has won the TUNA contract to construct a specialist centre for the Water Nomads. Following the last meeting of the Treaty of Unity for Nations of the Alucard measures were put in place to give the Water Nomads a route to citizenship of many of the island nations of the Alucard. Part of this gives the Nomads the right to take up residency for a set period of time in a TUNA nation before applying for full citizenship, any of those wishing to leave their traditional way of life but refused citizenship will be moved to this new centre until their application for residency in another nation is approved. The centre will be built on a as yet un-named volcanic island just some 17km2 in area and uninhabited by humans. The Duchess has been responsible for a range of luxury hotel projects across Mundus including the Palm Project in Royal Seleucid which was seized by the government there when the Duchesses daughter, Anoushka was acccused of adultary while married to the late King Akakois of Royal Seleucid. The Palm has gone on to be completed inline with the Stasiuk plans and is considered one of the most luxurious hotel complexes on Mundus.
The 50 year old noble-woman said, "This is a slightly different idea to what we have done before. Clearly we're looking at building more of a large village rather than a hotel complex or resort but the planning and skills we've acquired make us the perfect contractors to get things set up. Our company took a hit losing the Palm, although we had not ploughed any siginificant sums into construction when we lost the land the plans we have put in place show the quality we can produce. We are still involved in the project there with the family business owning some of the houses and lesuire facility providers but we need another project to keep ourselves moving forward and the Water Nomad Centre is a chance to do something meaningful and unique." It was announced that originally the centre will include housing for up to 500 people and include a small school and health care centre. Duchess Ekaterina stated, "The centre is funded jointly the the island TUNA nations and we hope to build something that the Water Nomads can call home during a difficult situation. I understand talk is to also use it as a refugee centre at times and so perhaps the original provision for 500 people may be increased." The Duchess confirmed that work will begin early next month and is likely to take around a year to complete.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://phototass4.cdnvideo.ru/width/1020_b9261fa1/tass/m2/en/uploads/i/20180701/1197621.jpg)
NEW PLEBLEIAN PARTY CALLS FOR "MORAL CRUSADE"
Two days ago in Iskhar the National Conservative Assembly was formed by Marina Vasilev, a 53 year old wife of a local Rabbi. It marks the first political party established by people of a non-majority faith in Lodja and despite its youth as a party it already possesses one seat in the Plebleian Council as Jewish councilman Kostyantyn Holub switched to the new party from the long established Plebleian Alliance Party (PAP). Councilman Holub made the switch to become Deputy Party Leader because "while I loved the idea of PAP it was really only a party for those whose views are not represented by any of the major parties. There was no party in existance that my personal views, and those of my constiuency, agreed with so to ensure the best amplification of my voice PAP was the perfect tool. The new NCA party is one that I believe firmly fits with my ideals and so joining was a no-brainer." The new party however is unlikely to cause the leading Divinity Party any concerns as the NCA are likely to only appeal to the religious minorities of the nation. Councilman Holub for example represents the area of Zhenya Coastal which see's a sizeable Christian population thanks to an old fishing community established by a missionary in the 17th Century. It is unlikely that any area of Lodja will be able to see a member of the NCA elected any time soon.
At a meeting in Zhenya Marina Vasilev unveiled the parties first policy aims saying, " We have seen a series of issues brought about by the relaxed liberal attitude of our nation. We have a raising amount of STD's, young girls are essentially being brought as wives in the Plebleian community, corruption runs rampant in many aspects of daily life and we see a sense of selfishness among most people. These are not values a nation should have and we must change it. If we are elected we shall campaign to end prostitution, we will extend free education to Plebs to be identical to the Patricians, we shall end the idea of arranged marriages and push for marriage to become the sacred connection it is, between one man and one woman forever faithful to each other." When questioned whether she therefore believed the Queen was damaging Lodja she said, "Sadly yes. I believe Tatiana Kohut[1] is an awful Queen through no fault of her own. She is too young and niave to be a world leader and I think this has lead to her in many ways being morally bankrupt. She cavorts with a woman in her bed, has two spouses and has encouraged her Ladies to be promiscious beyond belief. I don't blame her, for she is still in many ways a girl, kept that way by the sicophants that the government surround her with. I feel sorry for her soon to be born son as he will be brought up within the same system that has created his well meaning but misguided mother." The party will get its first chance at facing public opinion in two weeks time when the seat of Novisan comes up for election following the resignation on health grounds of its current Councilman.
Arina Maksimov who is one of the two Priestess for Youth, tasked with helping engage the young people of Lodja with the Sessifetian faith, has already condemed the new party. "The NCA are traitors. Queen Klara is someone deserving of respect, she is the physical embodymend of the Goddess, she is in a perfect symboitic relationship with the Goddess. Her words are indisinguishable from those of the Goddess. To thereby ignore her Royal Name is a slap in the face of every person of our faith in this nation. We do not demand everyone in Lodja follow our faith but they must respect it. The social issues she discusses we too have addressed but she is the niave one if she thinks these are issues you simply click your fingers and are fixed. That would be impossible. I believe she will just be wasting her time and everyone elses by contesting elections, outside one or two seats this is a nation that loves the Goddess and will remain loyal."
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://p1.pxfuel.com/preview/534/540/37/holiday-salute-river-ship-fireworks-st-petersburg-russia.jpg)
FIREWORKS WELCOME PRINCE ISAAK
At 7:04pm the city of Gaia was illuminated by a massive firework display just moments after the official announcement of the birth of Prince Isaak. The nation began listening for news of the birth when it was announced at 3am that the Queen had gone into labour, a week before her official due date. In accordance with the Queen's birthing plan the child was born on the Isle of the Goddess making him the first child born there in over 100 years. The Palace confirmed that King Leopold was present at the birth. The news was relayed to the nation and an official proclamation of the birth announced from the quayside used by those travelling to the Isle of the Goddess, no sooner had the announcement ended than a massive firework display began, something the population of the city had been warned about. For 15 minutes it erupted across the nights sky and the nation celebrated the prestigious event. Once the fireworks had ended King Leopold made a brief statement on TV saying, "I'd like to thank the medical staff who have helped bring Isaak into the world. He is healthy and his mother is recovering well. We are delighted that after what seems like a very long wait we have our son here with us. We all thank the people of Lodja who have been so supportive and caring during this time."
It is expected that the Prince will be introduced to the public in a weeks time when tradition dictates any royal child must spend an evening in the Temple of the Goddess alongside it's father to give thanks for the life. Prior to that ceremony it is usual for the child and its parents to take part in a parade through the city. The newborn has also already been given its first official honour with the military Regiment known as the Royal Watchman Guard which was previously the property of King Leopold prior to him becoming King and then the changes in the military organisation. The Regiment have already renamed one of its Battalions the Prince Isaak Battalion. In response the King has granted them the right to be the escort for the Prince during the upcoming ceremony. Prince Isaak will also at the age of 18 assume the ceremonial rank of Major-General in the regiment. It's current commander stated, "We are exceptionally proud to have King Leopold as a former member and have been his Regiment. Currently like many old family regiments our Battalions are just letters or numbers however like most we seek to connect with our heritage and currently we already have the King Leopold Battalion. With two more requiring names we will hopefully be able to name them after his future sons."
On behalf of the staff and readers of the Lodja Times we extend our best wishes to the Royal Family and wish Prince Isaak well.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://i.insider.com/59b6868cba785e30fd583669?width=750&format=jpeg&auto=webp)
BALL SEASON BEGINS ONCE MORE BUT BIGGER
The period of 1st of May until the 31st August every year marks what is called in high society as "Ball Season". The period marks the time when young unmarried girls are introduced formally to society as being of maturity to marriage. The age of the girls varies from family to family but generally most are aged between 16 and 19. The tradition see's the young girls invited to a vast number of balls arranged by the Patrician families of Lodja during these they are expected to mingle with the host family and their contacts as well as having chance to mix with eligible bachelors. It was during this time period that in times gone by families would make their arrangements for future marriages and while tthis still takes place today it is more a secondary function compared to families flaunting their connections and wealth. The highlight of the season however is the Queen's Ball which takes place in early June and the Goddess' Ball which is on the 31st of August. These are the only two that take place in the Palace of the Goddess and invitations for the event are hard to come by. The balls have a large number of rules that have been shaped over a long period of time. Only girls who are experiencing their first ball season are permitted to wear white and while dresses are of many varied designs they must be floor length. Girls also have a dance card that features slots like appointments that can be "Booked" in advance, it is quiet common therefore that a girl from an influential family may see her father being contacted by several other families to get their son time dancing with the young girl. It is expected that the girls fulfil the obligation for their dance cards meaning that popular girls from influential families can often spending around 4 hours dancing non stop.
This year though the Ball Season is likely to be even bigger than ever with an official Ball being held in Silverhills, East Moreland. Last year Stasya Pelagiya held a ball based on Lodjain traditions for Morelanders however this year the former Lady in Waiting has become Queen of East Moreland and a Baronetess of Lodja. This entitles her to host a ball in an official capacity and around 800 invites have been sent out across Lodja. The new Morelander Queen explained, "I still love Lodja, I always will. The Ball Season was the most exciting time of the year for me and I will miss it. I used to attend a ball most evenings before meeting my now husband. Now I'll maybe attend the Goddess' Ball and that will be it. Hosting my own will give me a connection back home and a chance to meet the young ladies making their way into Lodjian society." The Queen of East Moreland has apparently also invited 200 Morelanders mainly from her fellow members of the Sisterhood of Helus.
There is however a second reason for why this years Ball Season will be even bigger than previous ones and that is the growing number of "Pleb Balls" that are taking place. The licenced balls are only able to be attended by Patricians however with a growing number of more well off Pleblians emerging thanks to the nations improving economy and overseas economic connections it is more common to see young Plebleians seeking to emmulate the styles and actions of their Patrician counter parts. One such Plebleian Ball is being hosted by Lady Anna Utkin who while being a Pleb by birth was married to a Patrician prior to his death thus meaning in her own words she "straddles" the two groups. "I grew up in Gaia watching young ladies parading through the neighbourhood in fancy open top cars or horse and carriage on their way to the Balls. I was never really a girly girl but I was jealous. It seemed so glamourous. I know I was lucky enough to meet a man who didn't see Lodja as Pleb and Patrician and thanks to him falling in love with me I ended up with a foot straddling both worlds. I understand many youngsters admire the Patrician balls and while the reasons behind them are not possible for a Pleb the enjoyment, the interactions and the music are enjoyable." Lady Anna will be hosting 600 Pleb youngsters at her home in Gaia before hosting a similar number of Patricians the following night for a licenced ball. When asked is she ever believed that the two groups will attend balls together the Royal Representative of the Plebs said, "I doubt it anytime soon. As a nation we are changing for the better. We are making improvements to getting rid of corruption, we are taking better care of public health and Plebs are becoming richer which will open up avenues for them becoming Patricians. Traditions though are very important and should be retained."
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://spacenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/methanesat.jpg)
ALUCARD MONITORING SATELLITE IN THE PIPELINE
Queen Klara is set to give the go ahead for Lodjain delegates at Treaty of Unity for Nations of the Alucard (TUNA) HQ to request the organisation puts into orbit a satellite designed to help monitor the environment of the region. It was confirmed that the matter was first brought before members of the CNN in the recent conference however it was thought best to proceed via TUNA because of the satellites task. It is hoped however that the satellite will be constructed utilising support from both the Cenneg and Morelander space programme. Lord Besarian Ivanov explained the need for the satellite saying, "We've invested as part of TUNA in huge amount in protecting the Alucard, both in removing plastic and also in various other manners. We are making great progress in these matters however the area we are dealing with is vast. A satellite to monitor the environment is something that will be of great help and we hope that the other Alucard nations will support us."
The project to clear up the Alucard of plastic is currently 18 months old and has made significant progress. The TUNA nations are also exploring ways to combat other damaging practices including cyanide fishing on coral reefs. Having heard how Paracambi are experimenting with "farming" coral in order to help the reefs regrow the Environmental Agency has explained that they intend to create three artificial reefs by the end of 2020 with one for each island of Tar, Grand Alucard and Minor Alucard. The exact manner of the reef creation has not been confirmed yet but it is likely to combine several means including ustilising old ships and growing coral arteficially.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://images.newindianexpress.com/uploads/user/imagelibrary/2019/5/1/w900X450/ins_vikramaditya_16-03-2015_18_30_1.jpg)
FLEET HEADS TO WEST ALBION
The Queen has today issued orders for the nations aircraft carrier and an escort fleet to head to the West of Albion in order to partake in operations under the banner of the Council of Albion. The Council has put in place measures to begin talks between the various factions in Merina and this arrangement has included a ceasefire that shall exist for the duration of talks. The situation has however been put at risk as both Fleur and Solemani have announced an intention to send military aid to one of the warring factions. The Queen has sent the fleet to help try and ensure that no further foreign weapons make their way into the warzone. The Lodjain fleet are likely to be joined by vessels from Tytor and Paracambi who have also declared that they are sending ships. So far Nya Aland and Bakkermaya have yet to mobilise vessels however as active members of the Council of Albion they are expected to in the coming days.
Minister of Defence, Lubos Kubik, stated, "The Lodjain ambassador to he Council of Albion has worked with their colleagues to get five different factions around a negotiating table. That's a tough thing to do. This has been done in the backdrop of a long standing civil war. For the first time there is a geniune chance at some peace coming to Merina. That peace is now at risk because two nations seem to think now is a chance to play out whatever their agenda is. We have no desire to see military action, the problem is not every nation feels the same." The announcement of the deployment comes just 48 hours before the annual, and final East Moreland review of the Queendoms military. It is hoped by Kubik that a significant improvement will be made. "This is the forth year we will have had East Moreland's Red Legion come and effectively scrutinise every aspect of our armed forces. We've made huge changes, changed high command, altered training and routines. I'm confident this year we will see a favourable review. We are not yet where we want to be but I believe another 12 months we certainly will be."
(https://i2.wp.com/metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/fight-gif-3548.gif?quality=90&strip=all&zoom=1&resize=480%2C270&ssl=1)
KOLVA BALL TURNS VIOLENT
12 arrests were made yesterday at the ball held in the city of Kolva. Police were called to reports of fighting at the residence of the Duke of Kolva who was hosting a ball in his estate at the edge of the town. Witnesses say that at around 7pm a group of young men began throwing glass bottles at other attendees and that these were confronted by one of the fathers of a young debutant girl who was struck by a bottle. It then transpires that the young men surronded the father and began intimidating him, several other people then came to the fathers aide and a brawl began. In addition to the 12 arrests there were four people in need of hospital treatment mainly from cuts caused by broken glass. One young woman at the ball said that she didn't see what started it but saw about 30 people pushing and shoving before beginning to throw furniture. "I was on the outdoor dance floor when I heard a loud scream from behind me. People were trying to get out of the way as a mob pushed and shoved. Then I saw glass flying and people just knocking bystanders flying. The boy I was with took me inside out of the way so I didn't see how it ended."
Police charged 10 people with various crimes while 2 were released without charge. The cities Chief of Police explained "The violence was unacceptable. It transpires it began when some Plebleian boys had somehow sneaked into the Duke's ball and became annoyed when a group of girls refused their advances. This set them off abusing the young ladies and naturally their families stepped in. It is important that people remember these balls are private functions and whatever admission policy the host enacts must be respected. These young men did not and that is unacceptable. What should have been a momentous day in the lives of many young girls from the city have been ruined."
One of those in attendance was former husband of Queen Viktoriya, Baron Roman Chownyk who was removed from the scene by royal security agents whom he is still entitled to. In a statement following the ball the Baron, who is friends with the Duke of Kolva, said "I hope everyone is safe and well. The occasion was great until some idiotic Plebs ruined it through a lack of manners and respect. I am confident the police will prosecute them to the full extent of the law." Tomorrow the Baron hosts his own ball at Chownyk Castle and he has confirmed that security will be tighter.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://www.defencetalk.com/military/photos/jaguar-close-air-support-cas-battlefield-air-interdiction-bai.225/full?d=1514049729)
2020 MILITARY REVIEW
Following the coronation of Queen Viktoria the Lodjain military had been a large focus of concern. The young Queen began a friendship with East Moreland which has seen an agreement that the Morelanders help reform the practices of the Lodjain military that were "historically flawed." Today Queen Klara has accepted the 2020 version and has, despite the initial arrangement coming to an end asked for it to be extended until 2022. Queen Klara stated, "The Lodjain military was a 18th Century military armed with 1970's equipment. The military was historically flawed, it was a system that saw the military enjoy great presige and service in it worthy of high status. Something I agree with. Anyone willing to dedicate their life to serving their military is someone worthy of great respect. Therefore we needed to end the process of the wealthy buying high ranks within the military while those of less means struggled to be promoted to the ranks they deserved. We needed a more centralised approach as this almost independent running of the military was holding us back and allowing corruption to run rampant. Now we have a central administration, standardisation across the board and things are improving."
The 2020 report is summarised below.
HER DIVINE MAJESTIES NAVAL FORCES (DMNF)
* The Navy had a 7% shortage in spare parts for ships in service. This was reduced from 26% last year. The short-fall was discovered in older Kuznetsov CLass Frigates (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_22_frigate) and Pavlov Class Destroyers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spruance-class_destroyer). These ships are nearing the end of their service life and parts are therefore becoming less freely avaliable.
* All naval vessels had sufficent ammunition for operations with the exception of the HMDS Morelander which lacked several types of missile, this is however down to the lack of procurement since acquring the ship.
* All ships with Marine contingents remain understrength at 77%, only a 2% increase from last years review.
* Naval RADAR operations showed a 89% accuracy rating.
* Naval guns in port were discovered to be clean in 99% of cases. Those at sea however were clean in 78% of cases.
* 6 ships lacked sufficent firefighting protective equipment
* 3 ships lacked clear maintainence reviews
HER DIVINE MAJESTIES DEFENCE FORCE (HDMDF)
* There is currently a 9,800 shortfall in manpower.
* There were no shortages of equipment for front line combat units. 18% of non-front line units had shortages of equipment
* While no firearms were found to be missing a total of 198 were found to be unservicable and should have been decommissioned highlighting a lack of regular inspection and maintainence.
* For the third year running there has not been any progress about streamlining the wide variety of armour deployed by the army. This can at times lead to maintainence and supply problems.
* 1,763 soldiers took two or more attempts at passing their basic fitness test.
* Only 3 promotions were found to have been "purchased"
* Random spot checks of the barracks of based units indicated that soldiers going AWOL is a concern.
HER DIVINE MAJESTIES AIR FORCE (HDMAF)
* All AX-17 aircraft now on service.
* All fighter aircraft passed inspection of ejector seats. 12% of questioned pilots lacked sufficent training in survival.
* 26% of pilots had not requalified on small arms.
* 28 aircraft had missing maintainence logs.
* A failure in supply lines meant a 8% shortage of spare parts.
RECOMMENDATIONS
* Scrapping of 4 types of Main Battle Tank. (Mainted for last two year)
* All service personnel assigned to base to have to use ID cards to sign in and out of base.
* Older naval vessels to be replaced with existing new models when possible.
* Regular at sea inspections to be carried out by all ship captains.
* All service personnel to have two manditory PT sessions per week. Only one re-test for failing fitness tests should be permitted. Failing a 2nd time without medical reason should result in suspension without pay until fitness test is passed or dismissal from service.
* Base commanders to perform regular spot inspections of all firearms and security drills to be conducted.
* Establishment of a "Prone to Capture Escape and Evasion" course to be established. Initially this would be run by Red Legion while training local operators on how to run the course.
* A systematic approach to recruiting and retaining service members.
Spoiler: 2019 Review • show
HER DIVINE MAJESTIES NAVAL FORCES (DMNF)
* While naval assets have enough servicable rotary wing aircraft it was discovered that ships at sea lack the spare parts to conduct any sustained operations.
* Naval vessels had 78% of the munitions required, an improvement of 10% since last year.
* Marines at 75% strength on most ships.
* Three Frigates discovered to have RADAR systems at only 70% efficency.
* 5% of naval guns found to be fouled and below the standard of cleanliness required.
* 12% of helmsman had not recieved sufficent refresher training.
HER DIVINE MAJESTIES DEFENCE FORCE (HDMDF)
* Shortfall of 18,000 new recruits for the new initial training programme.
* Only 33% of combat units had a full quota of standard issue equipment.
* A total of 302 firearms were discovered to be missing.
* Tank units have still not begun moving towards operating a compatible compliment of vehicles
* Recruits only recieving 72% of shooting time required by basic training.
* 2,873 soldiers failed their annual basic fitness test.
* 12% of promotions still being sold despite the practice being outlawed.
* Three Armoured Personnel Carriers unaccounted for.
HER DIVINE MAJESTIES AIR FORCE (HDMAF)
* 62 Tornaado multi-role fighters found to be missing survivial equipment in ejector seat.
* 78% of pilots have not recieved their annual small arms refresher.
* Pilots only receive 62% of their scheduled flying time.
* 59 Aircraft maintainence logs missing or falsified.
* Two of the nations eight military airfields require resurfacing.
* Only 92% of Air Traffic Control coverage provided.
* Fire and Rescue Services at airfields discovered to be missing essential equipment.
* 1 Konn (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beriev_A-40) seaplane unaccounted for, possibly canibalised for spare parts.
RECOMMENDATIONS
* Scrapping of 4 types of Main Battle Tank. (Mainted from last year)
* All military personnel below the rank of Major but over the age of 40 to not have their service renewed.
* All bases to begin random searches of personnels accomodation for contraband and missing equipment.
* Secondment of East Moreland and Ui Cenneslaig instructors to oversee all branches basic training.
* Compulsary PT sessions for all ranks.
* Disbandment of all regiments seen as "Family" Regiments with those soldiers among them to be redistributed to newly formed Regiments.
* Institute a series of financial penalties for military personnel found to have dirty firearms, being parts of gun crews with dirty naval guns and being part of engineering teams in the Air Force where equipment is missing.
* Formation of the Military Standards Office to undertake spot checks of readiness. Individuals and units failing to be subject to disciplinary action.
While the review showed significant improvements from previous years it shows that some areas are still significantly lacking. The Queen has confirmed that she will be accepting the recommendations "without exception" and that measures to make them possible will be announced in the coming days once "the Queendom and Conclave have been able to sit down and digest what we have been shown."
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://i.insider.com/59b6868cba785e30fd583669?width=600&format=jpeg&auto=webp)
SUMMER BALL SEASON REACHES MID POINT
The annual Patricians Ball Season has reached the midway point and has seen already seen an increase in the number of marriage requests sent to the Palace. Law in Lodja dictates that any marriage must have the approval of a higher ranking member of society however many patricians will always seek the approval of the Queen regardless of their own status in order to say they have had the direct blessing of Sessifet on their marriage. The Royal Mail Office has this year reported an increase in the number of requests with Gleb Aleksandrov, the Chief Mail Officer, reporting that last year at this point they had 122 requests for marriage permission while this year they have 176. "The office has always been busy during the summer with various requests for the Queen to attend functions, requests for marriages, blessings for newborns, various other ideas. This summer though has been many times busier, one reason is the birth of Prince Isaak and then we hit the ball season. We've about another five weeks to get through and then things slow down." The Royal Mail Office deals with all correspondence addressed to members of the Royal Family and determines how best to direct it. In the case of marriage permission requests the office first ascertains whether the marriage is legal. This means first checking the ages of those involved and if neccessary checking that parents have given permission. Once this has been determined the Office check that the marriage does not see a man committing polygomy and once this has been checked the proposed marriage is added to a list that is given to the Queen who will either approve the marriage or request further information. It is extremely rare for a marriage request to be denied.
One such marriage permission request came from 18 year old Galina Fedorov and her fiance 22 year old Artem Sokolovsky. The pair met at the 2nd ball of the Season in Gaia hosted by the nations Air Force. Artem is a recent qualified fighter pilot and was introduced to Galina by his uncle. "My uncle said that Galina was someone that I should meet, that she was beautiful and smart. My uncle is a member of the same Polo Club as my soon to be father-in-law and so could make the arrangements for me to have several dances with Galina. We immediatly hit it off and I couldn't wait to see her again. I spoke to my father that evening and the next day him and Lord Fedorov were discussing the marriage. Thankfully they agreed and co-worte to the Queen to gain permission." His soon to be wife, Galina explained why she wanted the approval of Queen Klara, "Marriages are a gift from Sessifet. To find someone with great beauty that you can dedicate yourself to making happy is wonderous. I've been lucky to find Artem so early in my life and knowing that Sessifet has confirmed that she has sent him to be mine makes things so much better for us." The pair recieved confirmation that the Queen had granted permission for them to marry just last week with Galina explaining, "It took longer than we thought it would. My parents told me my older sister who got married six years ago got confirmation within a week, we had to wait three because there is a backlog, it was worth the wait though."
The increase in marriages resulting from these balls has been in part put down to the idea that there have been significant efforts by the Priesthood of Sessifet to connect with younger audiences particularly through the work of Maria Shvets one of a pair of young Priestesses appointed by Queen Viktoria to promote the faith to those under 30. This has seen weekly Podcasts, an emphasis on modern music in religious activities, commissioning TV shows where the faith features prominently and even having a reimagining of various youth groups run by the faith. Shvets said she was delighted with the news of more marriages coming from the balls saying. "Marriage is a great corner stone of society. It allows us to recreate the devotion Sessifet achieved from the other lesser Gods. It allows us to respect and cherish the beauty the Goddess created and allows us to bring children up in the love of Sessifet. People love weddings anyway and the more we have the better."
One of the stranger requests this year however comes from the family of 18 year old Milena Maksimov the grand-daughter of Lord Thomas Redaka who once Lord of the Conclave and is a descendant of Queen Sonya who died in 2014. Milena and her father have agreed in principle to three different marriages, something Lodjan polygomy laws permit. Lord Thomas explained, "Milena is a catch for any young man, she is the descendent of a Guardian of Sessifet, she is the descedent of a Lord of the Conclave and our family is extremely well connected. She could have her pick of almost any man. As such we as a family turned down many many proposals for Milena and allowed her to take her pick of those that are left. The three young men will, if we get the Queen's permission, find that they have a fantastic future for them and their families and of course a beautiful wife. A large and solid family helps everyone involved."
There are however several eligible Lodjain members of the Conclave who have yet to marry and speculation is rife that the Queen will be seeking matches for them in due course. Lord of the Conclave Besarian Ivanov is still unmarried despite being connected to several high profile women and having just turned 40. Finance Minister Dragan Knežević is also unmarried at the age of 36 and is as the 2nd son of the owner of Knežević Enterprises is likely to have a pick of brides if the Queen agrees.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://images.thequint.com/thequint%2F2020-01%2Fdb6e4f4d-bdab-4dc1-b14f-56eecbf79868%2FINS_Vikram_HERO.jpg?rect=0%2C0%2C750%2C422&auto=format%2Ccompress&format=webp&w=700&dpr=1.0)
NAVY DEPART FOR ALUCARD EXERCISE
A fleet of 10 Lodjain vessels today departed from Gaia to take part in a series of exercises with the Cenneg Navy before joining a much larger exercise with Bakkermaya and Paracambi. The deployment marks the largest contribution to a military naval exercise in the Queendom's modern era. The QNS Alohura, the nations aircraft carrier, will lead the deployment that also features three destroyers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spruance-class_destroyer) (Bibulous, Libertina, Vometia), two submarines (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturgeon-class_submarine) (Ikebana and Sek), two Frigates (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karel_Doorman-class_frigate) (Errata and Patina) and two Minelayers (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A4meenmaa-class_minelayer) (Fate & Pedestriana). The ships are scheduled to take part in a vareity of different scenarios before staging some form of simulated war games near the Isle of Tar.
The Minister of Defence, Lubos Kubik, stated, "The exercise is an important step in the continuing development of the Lodjain Armed Forces. There have been a great many advances made over the last 12 months. This however is a great chance to test what has been learnt against people that haven't been through our own system. We're lucky that the East Moreland representatives who have been observing and advising our military will be on hand to give us feedback and hopefully be able to see even more progress than with the annual review."
The QNS Morelander was scheduled to be part of the exercise but was pulled out last minute after it was discovered to have a slight fault with its launch catapult. Mr.Kubik explained, "Its a few days to set it right however with any repair job you don't know what may happen during the job. We didn't want to potentially hold up proceedings."
(https://www.rfsu.se/globalassets/1-nya-bilder/pressbilder/personer/hanslinde_0012.jpg?width=648&height=360&mode=crop&scale=both&quality=80)
LORD BESARIAN SET TO WED
Lord Besarian Ivanov is set to marry Isidora Smirnov, the daughter of former military General Lord Pankrati Smirnov. Lord Besarian is the current Head of the Conclave and at 40 years of age is rather surprisingly unmarried. It is understood that Queen Klara arranged the marriage feeling that it is now the time that what many percieve as the most powerful man in the Queendom to settle down. Rather uniquely among Lodjian nobles, particularly unmarried members of the Conclave, Lord Besarian has not been the subject of rumours regarding his romantic life.
Isidora Smirnov is set to become the Lady of the Conclave, a title that carries no political weight however is expected to organise the Lord's social calender and represent him at several important functions. Miss Smirnov however is not a stranger to the Isle of the Goddess having resided there since 2019. The 21 year old is currently living on the island as part of the artistic community. It is understood the Queen paired the duo up at a recent Summer Ball. The arrangements for the wedding are yet to be announced.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://www.hoveringhelicopter.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/ch-53-sea-stallion-helicopter.jpg)
MARINES CAPTURE KOZLOV
A group of Marines from HDMS Swevoo were yesterday deployed at short notice to conduct an arrest warrant at a location on the North of the Isle of Tar. The suspect was none other than former General Ignat Kozlov who was wanted on several counts of corruption, theft and treason in relation to mismanagement of the armed forces during his spell as Commander of the Army. At the time he was meant to be arrested along with the heads of the Air Force and Navy however Kozlov evaded capture and has since been in hiding. Meanwhile the nations former Air Marshall and Admiral are serving time in prison having already been found guilty.
Minister of Defence Lubos Kubik made the announcement early this morning saying. "At short notice we diverted a team of Marines from the ongoing exercise in the Alucard known as Operation Tartan Green. They were given the task of arresting Ignat Kozlov and bringing him back to Gaia in order to stand trial. The operation comes after a lengthy intelligence gathering operation tracked him down to a remote estate on the north of the Isle of Tar." While the Isle of Tar is well known for being home of many large estates and tourist resorts it is understood that this particular one was in the vicinity of the former Gas Works Airfield and belonged to a holding company who rented it to an events hosting company which is now believed to be a front for the former military commander. Alongside the General 11 others were arrested at the estate most being people working as part of his household staff. The Minister of Defence explained, "We will need to now investigate these people are their knowledge of who they thought they were working for. If it transpires they were part of conspiracy to defraud the people of Lodja or knowingly worked for Kozlov then they too have committed a crime and will face an appropriate penalty."
It is believed that Kozlov is now back in Gaia under heavy guard however no one at the Ministry of Justice would confirm whether he was being held at the cities civilian prison or in a military complex.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://i0.wp.com/handluggageonly.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Hand-Luggage-Only-8-3.jpg?resize=1000%2C668&ssl=1)
CHAOS ON ISLE OF THE GODDESS
Following a leak of a vast number of documents (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=2047.msg18059#msg18059) relating to various matters connected to the government of Lodja there has been a day of comings and goings on the Isle of the Goddess with some sources describing the day as "chaos". A member of the household staff on the island told us of how the day saw a vast number of meetings taking place between Ministers, the Conclave, the royals, the royal household and military matters. The source also reported that a large number number of the Queen's personal ceremonial guard the Warriors of Gaia were also present.
Among the allegations that have surfaced in the leak, which many believe has been triggered by the arrest of General Ignat Kozlov are those of bribary, corruption and extra-marital affairs. The leaks also implicated several other nations being involved in various matters. Chief among the allegations is that several members of the government have been involved in taking steps to give the annual East Moreland review of the Lodjain military a false impression. Among those is the son of the Minister of Defence who is alleged to have tipped off bases of inspections that were due to take place thus allowing the redistribution of equipment which means several more pieces of military equipment could be missing than were reported. Other matters of concern from within the military include the apparent sale of Lodjain military firearms to the Bene Gesserit Truthsayers who are labelled as terrorists by many nations across Mundus. This has long been suspected in some quarters as Soviet Kaitaine forces have intercepted smugglers with such weapons in the past. Finally a large concern was that a sum of some $30,000 a month from military budgets was being paid to the chain of brothels run by Red Door. Representatives of this company have refused to comment on the payments so far. With many of the allegations dating back a number of years and the complete replacement of the commanders of each branch of service last year it is suspected that no senior officers will be forced to quit however fingers are currently being pointed at the Ministry of Defence despite Lubos Kubik having done a great deal to help reform the military over the last three years. The Minister son was one of those implicated in the leak and sources on the Isle say the former General spent "well over an hour" in talks with the Queen.
There were also concerns about the security detail of the Queen with one, a Plebleian agent, by the name of Angelina Evanov being accused of passing information overheard while guarding Queen Viktoria and then Queen Klara onto outsiders. It is understood from the source on the Isle that the Security Agency that provides day to day close security for the royal family have largely been replaced by the members of Warriors of Gaia who while traditionally seen as ceremonial troops are also trained in specialist techniques. It is not understood what has happened to Evanov at present. One note passed by Evanov alleges that the now Queen of East Moreland Stasya Pelagiya concluded a "under the table" arrangement to use her influence with her future husband to encourage better relations with Rokkenjima in turn for support for her brothers military career. It is understood that while in her final weeks as a Lady in Waiting to Queen Klara the Empress Beatrice visited Lodja and had private talks with the former Empress.
There are also a lot of what are being described as "moral impropriaties" that have taken place on the island including extra-martial affairs between the Prince of Ui Cenneslaig and Lady in Waiting Jasmina Danilov and the father-in-law of the King of East Moreland meeting with prostitues in his rooms on the Isle. In Lodja it is illegal for prostitues to operate outside of a licenced brothel and to acquire the services of a prostitute outside of a brothel. It is understood that it is likely these allegations will be looked into by the Police.
The tsunami of allegations has seen political leader of the Plebleian majority Lodjain People's Party, Nikolai Isaev, speak out saying. "This dirty dossier highlights the problem we have in Lodja. We have a ruling class that are still caught up in the ways of a time such as the 15th century where family units ran the nation for their benefit rather than for the peoples. I think Queen Klara has taken many steps towards trying to get rid of these systems and we have seen improvements for those of us who are Plebleians. It is clear though the Conclave she inherited from Queen Viktoria is trash. At least 50% of them have been mentioned in the dossier and these must go. The time has come for the Conclave to be reformed. We have an elected council beneath them which only has a voice to the Queen on days when petitions and requests are allowed to be presented in the throne room. The Conclave should have at least 25% of its members drawn from the elected council. We also need to have these Ministers give reports to the people as well as to the Queen behind closed doors. Queen Klara may be young but I think she is a young woman who is committed to her people and I trust her to do what is right. Rest assured my party will stand squarely behind her."
One of the primary concerns that needs to be addressed however is an apparent loss of several samples of a unidentified virus from a lab in Lodja in February 2014. It is understood that a lot of the symptoms of this virus are connected to the virus outbreak that ravaged Safraen later that year and in which experts have struggled to work out whether the outbreak started by some kind of "artificial release" or naturally. The case will now lend more weight to conspiracy theorists who believe the virus outbreak was a plot to destroy Safraen. The company that owned the lab, Hugvonic, have since ceased trading in 2016 and produced a range of different medical treatments. There CEO at the time was Bogdan Milovenik who has since relocated to Vanora but has not been heard of for the last few years.
It is expected that the Queen will address the nation on Saturday evening from the Isle of the Goddess.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://celebsline.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Camren-Bicondova.jpg)
QUEEN TO ADDRESS THE NATION TONIGHT
Following the various leaks about matters within the government Queen Klara will tonight address the nation. Over the last few days there have been a large number of behind the scenes meetings and the media have seen many comings and goings by senior officials. It is also understood that over the last few days the Queen's Press Office (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=2050.0) have been accepting questions for the post statement press conference from both journalists and members of the public. This is one of the first times the Queen has done such a question session.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://learnrussianlanguage.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/imperial-arts.jpg)
QUEEN CALLS SNAP COUNCIL ELECTION
Although not due to take place until 2023 the Queen has used her power to call a snap election for the People's Council. The Council is made up of 150 Patricians and 200 Plebs and was last elected in 2018. The Council exists to suggest legislation to the monarchy and guide the Conclave however it lacks any actual power to effect change that goes against the will of the Queen. The election will take place in two weeks and the Queen has already stated that she intends to create some positions within the Conclave for Plebs likely meaning she will use the election as a chance to see who enjoys the support of the people. The council is elected by splitting the nation into zones with each zone electing a set number of representatives dependent upon the population contained within that zone. For example the city of Gaia elects 4 Patricians and 6 Plebleians while the island of Alucard Minor elects 2 Patricians and 1 Pleb.
One of the people eyeing one of the new seats on the Conclave is National Conservative Assembly Party leader Marina Vasilev. Vasilev's party represent only Plebleians and is drawn primarily of those from religious minorities in Lodja, Vasilev herself is Jewish. Speaking after the election was announced Vasilev stated, "I believe regardless of the result there must be a non Sessifet following Minister or Junior Minister in the Conclave. We have seen Lodja become more and more debouched and something needs to be done especially after we have seen a corrupt regime on a scale Mundus has never witnessed. We need a fresh broom and a new set of expectations on the Conclave." It is likely that the National Conservative Assembly will get possibly one or two seats only and therefore experts believe that there is little or no chance of the party getting a representative on the Conclave.
Meanwhile the leader of the Lodjain People's Party, Nikolai Isaev, is highly tipped to do well. The Party was formed in 2019 and has picked up two seats in by-elections. Both of these seats were won in huge landslides meaning pollsters believe the party will make a huge impact on the Pleblian section of the council. Many of the parties supporters are already calling for the former military Sergeant-Major to be given a seat on the Conclave as a representative of the Plebs. Isaev however is a devout follower of Sessifet and believes that while the Plebs should have a voice to the Queen he believes that the position of Tribune of the Plebs is the way to do this, "Historically there have been regular meetings between the Tribune and the Queen. A time when the voice of the Plebs can sit down and one to one outline the concerns and feelings of the Plebs to the Guardian of Sessifet. This permits the Tribune to question the thinking of the Queen without having her degraded by having to answer questions of Plebs while in the Conclave. The Goddess gave us a hierachy to ensure we devote ourselves to following her so that we enjoy the rewards of her grace. We are beginning to see people believe they are entitled to Sessifets goodness simply by existing."
One big question that remains however is the future of the Priesthood after the High Priestess Alla Kohan was dismissed from service as announced in the Queen's TV conference. Many believe that either Maria Shvets or Arina Maksimov will be given prominent roles having seemingly revitilised the engagement of young Lodjains with the faith since assuming positions as "Priestesses for Youth" in early 2019. The Queen has already stated she intends to take a more hands on approach to the management of religion. The Queen has yet to confirm how this will be done and is expected to make an announcement on this in the next few days.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://learnrussianlanguage.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/imperial-arts.jpg)
QUEEN CONFIRMS MAKE UP OF NEW CONCLAVE
Following her recent speech to the nation the Queen has been remodelling the Conclave. The Conclave is what many other nations would consider the Cabinet however in Lodja's case the members are unelected and sit in council with the Queen in expectation of them managing their area of responsibility on a day to day basis. Several members of the Conclave have been recently dismissed prior to the Queen's announcement and the Queen has spoken of increasing the size of it moving forward and adding for certain portfolios adding junior ministers. The Queen's Press Office has today released a list of the current Conclave and the names of the incumbant Ministers were appropriate.
Lord of The Conclave:- Lord Besarian Ivanov
Minister of Defence:- Vacant
Minister of Home Affairs:- Duke Maxim Schnoor
Minister of Social Affairs:- Vacant
Minister of Education:- Vacant
Minister of Finance:- Dragan Knežević
Minister of Housing:- Lord Yuily Shvets
Minister of Foreign Affairs:- New Post
Minister of Justice:- New Post (came under the remit of Home Affairs previously)
Minister of Environmental Affairs:- New Post
Junior Minister of Finance:- New Post
Junior Minister of Defence:- New Post
Junior Minister of Foreign Affairs:- New Post
Junior Minister of Social Affairs:- New Post
Junior Minister of Education:- New Post
In addition to the Conclave positions above the Queen has also confirmed that each meeting of the Conclave will feature a representative of the Priesthood and the Tribune of the Plebs who will be determined in the up coming snap election that the Queen called a few days ago.
With the Conclave only having 1/3 the number of members that the Queen now requires it is understood that until the positions have been filled the Queen will not be holding meetings with the Conclave and instead will be holding daily meetings with Lord Besarian and Priestess Arina Maksimov. While previously King Leopold had apparently used his royal privledge to sit in Conclave meetings it is understood that he has been sent to the Isle of Tar where the Queen has an estate, this is following allegations of the King bribing judges to ensure Queen Klara fulfilled an ancient marriage contract. It is not known whether the Queen will seek to reconcile her relationship with him or will simply become estranged.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://www.topplanetinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Sam-Worthington.jpg)
QUEEN ADMITS CONCLAVE FACES LARGE PROBLEM
Queen Klara has today admitted that she has come upon the first stumbling block forming the new Conclave and one that she has not found a "satisfactory solution" too but rather a "Stop gap but excellent solution that may need to be in place several years." The Queen has reached the conclusion that she may be unable to find a Lodjain with the qualifications required to be Minister of Defence. The Queen admitted that she has a strict list of criteria she wishes to see fulfilled for each role in order to ensure that the Conclave is "staffed with experts in each field who have no connection to the scandals of the corruption we have just removed." The Queen confirmed that the Minister of Defence needed to be someone with "significant military experience in a unit which has either been among those that have undergone retraining with the Morelanders or came from units deemed free of irregularaties." The Queen went on to say, "We so far have discovered that all those who fulfil the criteria are serving members of the Armed Forces and at the moment are fulfilling an important role within the military meaning we struggle to have anyone who can fulfill the role."
The Queen later in the day announced however that until further notice the post of Minister of Defence would be undertaken by Prince Lennox of Ui Cenneslaig. The Prince currently serves as the Cenneg Envoy for Albion but has made for the last three years a home for himself on the Isle of the Goddess where sadly his wife died two years ago in a fall from a balcony. The Prince served in the Cenneg military as a Commando for several years and has experience of international diplomacy. He is expected to serve until a retiring Lodjian officer can be found to fill the position. Prince Lennox's appointment has recieved mix responses with some saying that the Queen has made the best of a bad situation while others are critical that Lodjains are no longer in control of the Conclave or that Sessifet's influence could be weakened. The Prince is currently in Lodja and is expected to begin in the post immediately.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/754788993979383971/754789078720839771/unknown.png)
RESPECTED SCHOLAR NAMED AS NEW MINISTER
Professor Borislav Andreev has today been named as the new Minister of Social Affairs. The 43 year old is the 2nd son of the Duke of Kalita and has spent a great deal of his life working at the University of Kalita as a lecturer in Sociology in addition to being the author of around 15 books on a variety of subjects. The announcement fills the 2nd of the vaccanies currently in the Conclave following the appointment of Cenneg Prince Lennox as Minister of Defence. Professor Andreev will now be responsible for overseeing changes to housing policy, public health programmes and various other fields helping support people's day to day lives. The appointment marks a stark change from previous appointments who have all been either noble title holders or the heirs to titles with the exception of Dragan Knežević the nations current finance minister. It was left to Lord Besarian, the head of the Conclave to introduce the new Minister to the media and he hinted this shall now be a common approach. "Queen Klara spoke to the press saying she wished Lodja to become a more meritorous society. That will mean those with the correct qualifications or experience. Professor Andreev is someone with a wealth of knowledge in how to position society so that all can benefit, at least in theory. He can now bring this tremendous wealth of knowledge to focus on many of the issues Lodja has."
Speaking at his introduction on the Isle of the Goddess Professor Andreev said he was "excited to have a chance to see if years and years of theory work in practice. I'm nervous to take up this role but at least its a period of vast change in the Conclave so I won't be alone. I am happy to be working for the Queen and hope I don't let her down." Professor Andreev is expected to travel to the Isle of the Goddess to take up residency in the coming days.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/130/590x/mor1-911852.jpg)
LADY NINEL LEADS "MERIT DRIVEN" CONCLAVE ADDITIONS
Lady Ninel Naoumov was today named as the nations first Foreign Minister as a raft of new appointments to the Conclave were made public. The 54 year old is the former Sheriff of Gaia and was for several years the editor in chief of the Lodjain International Journal, a prominent scholarly magazine reviewing international politics. She is perhaps the highest profile appointee in a new Conclave which has been described by Queen Klara as being "merit driven" with each position filled by someone with a "deep background in their field with a combination of book smarts and real world experience. The aim is to ensure that rather than just being a body drawn from those of prominent families who have for generations often been permitted to amass power based on a surname the Conclave will become a functioning and effective tool for managing the Queendom." In total the Queen made 11 new appointees meaning the Conclave now has a grand total of 15 members and is now at its full compliment of members in its new form.
New Look Conclave (new appointees in red)
Lord of The Conclave:- Lord Besarian Ivanov
Minister of Defence:- Prince Lennox of Ui Cenneslaig
Minister of Home Affairs:- Duke Maxim Schnoor
Minister of Social Affairs:-Professor Borislav Andreev
Minister of Education:- Vissarion Novikov
Minister of Finance:- Dragan Knežević
Minister of Housing:- Lord Yuily Shvets
Minister of Foreign Affairs:- Lady Ninel Naoumov
Minister of Justice:- Vlad Fedorov
Minister of Environmental Affairs:- Isay Yakovlev
Junior Minister of Finance:- Lidochka Andreev
Junior Minister of Defence:- Radimir Konstantinov
Junior Minister of Foreign Affairs:- Anatoli Bogomolov
Junior Minister of Social Affairs:- Professor Borislav Andreev
Junior Minister of Education:- Borys Volkov
The new conclave also features two women, a new record with the former Social Affairs Minister Anna Utkin being the only other woman to have ever served on the Conclave. Lady Anna Utkin was also the first person born as a Plebleian to serve on the Conclave however both Borys Volkov and Lidochka Andreev, who serve as Junior Ministers, are Plebleians and are appointed in line with the Queen's commitment to have Junior Ministers appointed from a list drawn up and presented to the Council of the Plebs. The identities of those on the lists for Junior Minister have not been seen by the media.
Various members of the Conclave have spoken today about their appointment.
Vissarion Novikov - (Minister of Education) Novikov is a 48 year old who has spent the last ten years as a tutor at the University of Iskor where he oversaw teacher training. He had prior to that worked as a Maths teacher at the Coastal Academy for Boys. He has written several books on increasing engagement in education by plebleians. Making his first appearence in his new post the Minister stated, "It has always been the case that the Patricans have been the head of the nation and the plebs the muscle. We now live in a world where the intelligent application of muscle is needed more than ever. We have an education system that slants itself on the concept that Plebs do not need to be educated beyond the age of 16 while Patricians are educated until the age of 21 with many wasting places at University just to be able to say they've been. It needs to become to norm that your mind and not your birth rite gains you a place in education. That now needs to be made possible and I am proud the Queen has entrusted me with this job to make this happen."
Vlad Fedorov (Minister of Justice) - At the age of 70 Fedorov is the oldest person on the Conclave. Fedorov was the judge responsible for carrying out a review of the circumstances around the assassination of Queen Viktoriya and has overseen some high profile cases over his 20 years in the High Court. His brother is the Baron of Nilag a small town in the North West of the mainland. Speaking as he arrived at the Ministery building the new Minister said. "It has become clear we face a turning point in Lodjain judicary. We have had corruption and nepotism on a scale unseen across Mundus. If the practice is to be eradicated then it needs to begin at the top and I fully expect to take a broom to those unable to comply with what I believe to be normal bevahiour for judges and law enforcement."
Isay Yakovlev (Minister of Environmental Affairs) - Yakovlev is a seasoned operator in Environmental Affairs. Until last year he was the owner and chief executive of Yakovlev Green Consulting, a company based on Alucard Minor, that offers advice to businesses on how to cut their carbon footprint and save money. He sold the business for around $47million in November 2019 and has since spent his time cruising the Alucard on his sail powered yacht making a documentary on the region. He was also part of the Lodjain delegation that negotiated the Treaty of Wellow and helped fund the project to clear plastic from the Alcuard. Yakovlev spoke to the media from Gaia dockside where a ship returning from recovering plastic from the Alucard Garbage Patch Clean Up was unloading. "Lodja has not been a leading light in Mundus for a while now. The one place we have is in our protection of the environment. It is my hope that we can carve out a niche in green policy and green technology. I fully intend to turn the lessons we've acquired from the Alucard clean up to the waterways and lakes of Lodja."
Lidochka Andreev (Junior Finance Minister) is a 30 year old graduate of the Gaia Centre of Economic Studies and comes from the Andreev family who are a wealthy Plebleian family who made their money through metalworks. Lidochka became the first of the family to gain entry to University and won a scholarship to the prestigious institute where she graduated 2nd in her class of 82 in International Economics and Business. Since graduating she has spent the last 7 years working as an investment advisor for the Plebleian Business Alliance, a non-government think tank which aims to advise and support the growth of the Plebleian economy. She will be working alongside Dragan Knežević who was one of the few Conclave members to emerge unscathed by the recent scandals. Speaking at her arrival at the Isle of the Goddess she explained. "I think old fashioned ideals have seen Lodja fail to tap into it's potential. While Mr.Knežević has done a lot to shore up the nations economic dealings he has done so from the insights of a rich businessman and I think I can help him see a bigger picture now. I can't wait to get to work with him."
Many of the other junior ministers hail from the outlying islands of Lodja and have yet to arrive in the capital. It is expected that the elections for the People's Council will be held on the last day of October 2020. The Council is made up of 150 Patricians and 200 Plebs and all seats will be contested.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://www.nme.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/GettyImages-813932476-696x442.jpg)
KING EFFECTIVELY IN EXILE
Following a leak of information several months ago it was revealed that King Leopold had bribed judges to find in his favour over a historic marriage contract. Not long after Queen Klara took the throne King Leopold produced a medieval marriage contract that stated that should a member of the Kohut family be unmarried and on the throne then an unmarried male member of the Hamrik family would be able to marry her if they wished. In a court hearing the nations judges ruled 4-1 that the contract was valid and thus Queen Klara accepted their verdict and married the man, 21 years her senior. Since then they have a six month old child, Prince Isaak. The news however that the King may have effectively bribed his way into the crown saw him fall out of favour. It has now been rumoured that in almost two months the King has been residing on the small island of Zoyhan where there is a small Palace maintained for use by the Queen although it has not been used in around a decade. Reports from those who live in the island, which has a population of around 600,000, is that the King spends his time running on the beach, sailing a small boat in the bay near the castle and confining himself inside the Palace.
Rumours from the Palace of the Goddess in Gaia are that the Queen has not even contacted the King after having him escorted from the Palace. While historically no Queen has ever divorced a King there have been several examples of when the Queen has effectively banished a husband cutting all ties with them while utilising the laws on female polygomy to simply replace them after which point they establish the new husband as King. While the Queen has yet to be seen to consider this action it is one that several leading members of the People's Council have called for her to take. One such member is former Priestess Angelina Schenkova who has stated "It is the duty of the Queen to not just rule the nation but to ensure the spirit of Sessifet exists in many children. Each child the Queen has is blessed and cared for by the Goddess and serves as someone who can help take the burden of authority and duty from the Queen as she ages. Look at Princess Anfisa, the grand-daughter of Queen Sonya, there is a young woman who has dedicated her life to serving this nation as an envoy and diplomat and has always done so with the grace and dignity of one blessed by the Goddess. Queen Klara is still young and I am sure she will have many many more children but for that to happen she must take more husbands. She can afford to simply cast aside a man with no respect for the Goddess."
The Queen is also married to Crown Princess Roksana who has remained at the Palace of the Goddess in Gaia and is thought to be free from any involvement in any scandal. Sources at the Palace say that the Queen and her wife, "appear very happy and not concerned about the fate of the King." It was understood that Roksana and King Leopold got along well and our sources describe them as being "good friends."
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/703317694988157051/771470742646030336/unknown.png)
QUEEN ANNOUNCES CHANGE TO PRIESTHOOD
Following alleged corruption against the last two High Priestesses the Queen stated that there would be significant changes to the way the religion of Sessifetism will be organised in the future. The last High Priestess, Alla Kohan was discovered to have been filtering money away from the faith as well as allowing individuals to essentially purchase preferential treatment from the faith. Before Alla Kohan the position was filled by Raisa Chownyk who was responsible for the assassination of Queen Viktoriya Tar before committing suicide. The Queen has for several weeks refused to be drawn on the future of the faith's leadership but today appeared at the Residence of the High Priestess on the mainland end of the Isle of the Goddess to make the announcement on what will happen in the future.
"The nation of Lodja is built on the foundations of Sessifet. The Goddess sacrificed her physical body so that humanity could survive. We were left with the duty of continuing to make a society that enabled the great beauty and grace she created to thrive. It has become clear though that very people the average Lodjain trusts with helping guide them in the way of the Goddess have failed them. That stems from the top and while you will expect me to lay the blame firmly a the feet of Chownyk and Kohan I will not do that. I will lay the blame at my own feet if you permit me to explain. On the day I willingly agreed to become the host of Sessifet I joined with the Goddesses spirit and we joined as one being. For a long time now we have had the High Priestess responsible for guiding the faith which is from a theological standpoint utterly ridicoulous. I am more than capable of guiding the faith forward for I am Sessifet and Sessifet is me. I can think of nobody more qualified to guide us in the ways of the Goddess than having the Goddess guide us. From this day onwards there shall be no High Priestess, I shall be responsible for the duties that were once undertaken by such a role and I will be the one making the decisions the High Priestess would. Rituals she undertook I will perform, those requiring a High Priestess and the Queen to be present shall be either reworked or shall utilise one of my new appointments as what will essentially be my spiritual Ladies in Waiting, we shall confirm a title in the coming days. These ladies shall be responsible for carrying out my orders regarding the faith and will be part Priestess, part enforcer. They shall carry my authority in spiritual matters far and wide across Lodja and if requested to those following Sessifet beyond our borders. With immediate effect the following measures will be enforced on all Temples of Sessifet regardless of size.
1) No Temple may take offerings in the form of money either physically or digitally. Citizens wishing to make financial contributions to a Temple are to do so through a system being unveiled at midnight tonight where each Temple shall have a centrally controlled bank account overseen by my authority.
2) Any offerings of physical items such as for example jewellrey or flowers are to be recorded in the Temples inventory. Non perishable items must remain on the site and be presented for inspection on request by those authorised by me.
3) Weekly services shall be carried out using traditional prayers as approved by myself in the coming days.
4) Rituals shall select key participants by lottery not by any other means. Those eligible to take a role must give their name to their local Temple 21 days before hand and names shall be drawn 14 days prior to the ritual. This shall come into force for the Feast of Mariam which will take place on November 19th.
5) Training Schools for the Priestesses shall no longer discriminate between Plebleian or Patrician and eligibility criteria shall apply equally to both classes.
6) Upon becoming a Priestess an individual is no longer classed as Plebleian or Patrician. As a servant of the Goddess they are beyond such simple classifications.
These rules shall come in to immediate effect. I understand this more traditionalistic and more hard line approach to our faith may make non-followers concerned as they see other nations imposing strict religious, or anti-religious rules, I wish to reassure those not sharing the faith in Lodja that for them nothing shall change except in minor ways. From now on they can expect businesses to be closed on our four major festivals, they can expect more rigourous enforcement of rituals upon entering Temples if they choose to visit as guests or tourists and they can expect their children to have more focus on the Sessifet faith if they attend a mainstream Lodjain school. Beyond this we shall not change anything for those of other faiths. We are a nation built on a foundation of love and we shall cause no harm to someone mentally or physically just because they are yet to see the beauty and truth of Sessifet. I today give the people of Lodja my promise that under my role as Guardian of the Goddess our faith shall see a restoration of its good order and discipline."
The Queen later confirmed that there would be three people taking up these newly created roles of "Spiritual Ladies in Waiting" and that Maria Shvets (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=137.msg10566#msg10566) and her fellow Priestess For Youth, Arina Maksimov (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=137.msg10567#msg10567) shall take two of the three positions. The two ladies and the Queen took an evening tour of the Temples in Gaia and the Queen ordered two Priestesses to be removed from their office. The Priestess responsible for the Temple in the River Meadow District was found to have denied entry to prayers to Plebleians that evening because a rich businessman and his wife wished to pray in private. Roughly an hour later the Julianna District Priestess was removed for being unable to recite the Prayer of Purity[1]. The measures have been largely supported by the faithful who hope they will make the Goddess happy. One of those at the Julianna District Temple told us, "For about two years we've been unhappy with our Priestess. She does not make the Temple beautiful, the statue of the Goddess has not been given a new dress in months, it is yellowing in colour because she doesn't clean it. We complain but she is friends with the High Priestess and so nothing happens. We'd regularly see girls picked to play the parts of Sessifets servants in ritualistic plays come from the same two or three families, now my daughter who dreams of being in one has the same chance as everyone else."
There has however been some criticism by others. "The Goddess showed us that everyone has a place appointed for them in society. Those blessed by her either with physical beauty or lucky birth should be the ones favoured by the faith as they are favoured by the Goddess." The individual also believed that the lottery approach to selecting those involved in rituals is a bad thing, "Traditionally those in the rituals are the prettiest girls from the most noble families. They play the role of a servant of Sessifet, those servants in reality would not be somone fat and ugly, now to be seen to be promoting equality we risk offending the Goddess saying her servants were not worthy." This however was a point addressed directly by Arina Maksimov who stated, "This is ridicuolous, what people like this are saying is that the Goddess would not approve, yet they forget Queen Klara is in direct communication with the Goddess as Sessifet and her have joined into one being. Do they honestly therefore think the Goddess would allow an order to be issued which she does not agree with. To go against the Queen's new rules is to go against Sessifet."
In a rather quickly put together poll around 68% of the nation approve the Queen's actions while 14% are unsure as to whether they will be a positive or negative change, the remaining responses indicating their disapproval of the new approach to the faith.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://www.ruaviation.com/images/ii/409/b62/409b62ceec34496a68a94c0d1bf31dbe_900.jpg)
GENERAL KOZLOV EFFECTIVELY SENTENCED TO LIFE
Following a series of charges connected to corruption while in charge of the nations Army the former General Ignatz Kozlov has been found guilty and sentenced to a total of 149 years in prison. In total Kozlov faced 16 different charges with treason being the most serious for which he was sentenced to 50 years without parole. At the age of 61 the sentence means that without a successful appeal Kozlov will die in prison. In handing down the sentence the judge said, "The Armed Forces of the Queendom are supposed to be a representation of what is best in our nation. People serving the Queen, and therefore the Goddess and putting the needs of their countryman ahead of themselves. A life in service requires mutual support and respect between those who serve and in the actions you have taken you put your own advancement and luxurious lifestyle above the safety and well being of those who put their lives in your hands. You were given an ultimate position of trust and you broke that and for those reasons it is only right that you are given the toughest sentence possible. It is also my hope that by handing down this large sentence you will serve as an example to those who would consider manipulating their position for their own gain at the expense of the nation."
The former General has already issued instructions to his legal council to lodge an appeal on his behalf based on the fact that he should have recieved a military tribunal as his alleged crimes were committed while in military service and on military facilities. It is however likely that these arguements will be refuted as it was considered that a military lead trial would be potentially compromised. The appeal will be considered and a determination given within 14 days. Until then the General will be held in the High Security Wing of the Gaia Prison.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://learnrussianlanguage.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/imperial-arts.jpg)
NO CLEAR WINNER IN ELECTIONS
Following the Council elections (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=108.msg18190#msg18190) which took place yesterday it has become apparent the new Council has no clear winner. With three parties in the Plebleian Council finishing with a roughly equal share of the vote it is likely that no single group will be able to exert influence in the body which is largely advisery in any respect. Meanwhile in the Patrician Council it was as expected that independent candidates have filled the majority of the seats.
The 200 seats avaliable for the Plebleian Council saw the Plebleian Alliance Party lead by Stilian Beruzekhy take a very slender lead with 67 seats. The Party ran on a ticket of supporting the Queen in continuing her reforms which will see Pleb's lives slowly change over the next few years as she introduces incentives to help them stay in education, end forced arranged marriages by their Patricians and also seeks to make it easier for them to own and operate businesses. They narrowly beat the Lodjain People's Party guided by Nikolai Isaev who wished to see more jobs created within the public sector for Plebs, add compulsory prayer to aspects of certain daily life and wished to see a reform of the Councils by giving them automatic seats on the Conclave which was a platform that earned them 63 seats. The last of the three parties to do similarily well was the People's Voice Party commanded by Timon Rodzovic. They earned 61 seats with their campaign focusing on improving education and ending automatic ties to a Patrician for Plebs. The National Conservative Assembly, the nations newst party, gained 4 seats in areas which are more or less exclusively resided in by those of faiths other than Sessifet. 5 other seats went to various independents.
Meanwhile in the 150 seat Partician Council 108 seats went to independents. These were largely minor nobles or the children of more senior nobles. One of those who earned a seat was former Minister of Defence Lubos Kubik. The remaining 42 seats were spread between the People's Voice Party, the Noble Alliance and Lodjian People's Party.
The new council will take its seats in the assembly chamber tomorrow and will be sworn in. It is likely that they may struggle to send legislation of their own to the Queen for approval with the spread of seats being so large.
(https://www.thestyletribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Tom-Hardy-haircut.jpg)
KING LEOPOLD TO REJOIN MILITARY
Following being effectively exiled to the Isle of Zoyhan the future of the King has been a source of much speculation. Today however sources close to the King have confirmed that the 43 year old is rejoining the military. The King was an Army Officer between 1998-2006 however this was under the old regime of the military where ranks and even regiments could be purchased by the Patricians. In 1999 King Leopold won the Regiment then known as the Royal Watchman Guard in a card game as their former commander couldn't pay his debts. King Leopold gave himself the rank of Brigadier and took part in numerous military exercises with his Regiment. In 2006 he left military service but kept ownership of the Regiment until the beginning of the East Moreland military reforms at which point he handed the unit over in the first wave of Regimental takeovers. Noticably the Regiment, which is today known as the 1st Royal Rifles, earned gold star reviews in each of the East Moreland military reviews and many put that down to the control of King Leopold over many aspects of the Regiment.
The King is not however rejoining the 1st Royal Rifles and is instead taking up a commission in the Zoyhan Defence Corps, a small unit of around 800 men tasked with providing a first line of defence should the island ever get attacked. He will be commissioned at his old rank of Brigadier and will largely be responsible for the day to day organisation of the units resources. A spokesman for the Army stated, "King Leopold expressed a desire to contribute to the good of the Queendom. Currently while staying on Zoyhan he is unable to offer his support to Queen Klara on a daily basis and so requested some kind of role within our local defence forces. While by his own admission he is not a experienced soldier he has proven time and again to be a superb organiser and leader so we are delighted to have him work with local forces."
There is speculation over the future of the King's marriage as source say since news broke of his allegedly bribing judges to approve his marriage to the Queen the pair have not spoken. Queen Klara has spoken in the past of embracing Lodjain traditions and marrying multiple times in order to "produce a gianomous royal family. Sessifet and me both love children and I intend to have many of them." This statement from shortly after her coronation and the King's apparent exile have lead to speculation she may embark on her third marriage in the new year.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://images.newindianexpress.com/uploads/user/imagelibrary/2019/11/20/w900X450/Dignityy.jpg)
THE MISSING YOUTH OF LODJA
Over the last few months a total of 33 youngsters from Lodja have been repatriated from various countries across Mundus after being rescued during operations to end human trafficking. The autorities in Lodja have identified that of the 33 just over 20 were on lists of people missing from Children's homes or foster placements. The remaining youngsters have however not been reported as missing but a large number are from children's home run by a charity known as Homes For Tomorrow which is now under investigation.
There is growing concern among the government that the actual number of people missing could be much more with currently 280 under 18's being listed as missing by their parents, a further 200 or so in the care system being missing and then an unknown number who may not have been reported. In investigations by this newspaper we have discovered that there is the possibility that some of these people may have been sold to criminal gangs. We spoke to a convict in Gaia Prison who agreed to speak to us on condition we did not publish their name. They were convicted in the early 2010's due to drugs networking however they admitted to use that their "organisation" also dealt in people. "It was simple we would use money from drugs to buy remote homes out in the countryside. We next would find families heavily in debt and offer them a large sum of money to send their children to these homes. From there we would send them out to the islands like Iskor or Tyr where it was easy to bring in boats or sea planes. We would film the children and take photographs of them and someone would take them away. I know of a lot ending up in secret brothels around Lodja that cater to what I'll call the less mainstream preferences. Some ended up in Hassfurt as mail order children to families who wanted certain hair and eye coloured, I think to help the family progress. Others I know ended up in some kind of servitude in wealthy homes. Those that we couldn't get rid of after a while we packed off to Zimalia where there was a surgeon who would remove organs for sale. We could sell a kidney from anywhere between $1,500 to $150,000 depending on its condition or the place we were selling it. After we'd processed a young kid we could make close to $3million easily and it was far easier to transport the kid alive and process them at the destination rather than try sneaking kidneys through." The situation described by the convict is supported by the fact that several Lodjain children found overseas were discovered with kidneys and corneas missing.
Other missing children have ended up in the sex trade. It is well known that Lodja has a rather relaxed attitude towards sex with the practice of prostitution being legal in licenced venues. It is hoped that this licencing process would have ensured the safety of everyone involved and kept criminal elements out of the trade. This however appears not to be the case. In the last two years around 20 individuals have been convicted of running unlicenced brothels. It is understood that several of these brothels permitted engagement in practices that are illegal in the nation such as also dealing with drugs, skipping the medical checks for workers and also in some cases permitting those under 18 to work there. The workers there aged under 18 tend to fall from two groups, the first is youngsters from poor families unable to make ends meet and the second is by utilising what can only be called slaves. One raid on such an establishment in the hillside town of Mezgad discovered locked living accomodation above the venue in which a 40 year old woman was imprisoning 4 girls aged under 14 who were forced to work in the brothel four nights a week. One of those survivors explained that they were sent to a childrens home at the age of 10 and that one of the workers there took them at about the age of 12 to the brothel telling them that they would be moving to a new home. This however was clearly not the case. It is understood that several daughters of poor Plebleian families are pushed towards the profession of prostitution as it is seen as easy money. One such example, who willingly entered the profession at the age of 19 was disqualified Miss Lodja, 22 year old Katerina Ignatiev. Miss Ignatiev made headlines last year when she was first disqualified from winning the beauty pagent and then writing a tell all book about her experiences in a brothel with many high ranking nobles. "My family were living hand to mouth. Both my parents worked, there were three kids of which I was the eldest. I was a good student and so I made the decision to work in the sex industry as it was the only way for me to get a University education. While working I was well looked after but many of the other girls had worked in other venues where they told me stories of how the owners were constantly trying to overwork them and underpay them. They would take short cuts to maximise profits and so I can only imagine using slave labour being a great way of doing that. Families who become so desperate if one of their family lose their job see the brothels as a perfect way to make fast money. Despite the laws in place to protect sex workers there will always be people taking advantage."
The charity Homes for Tomorrow have also been closed down following their connection. The charity was set up in 2015 and gave homes in their accomodation centres until youngsters could be found permanent homes. The charity also aided in finding such homes and carried out a large number of background checks to place children. It is now suspected that this charity did not place children in Lodja and instead trafficked them out of the nation. Several checks into the placement of children in their care come back to families who had died before 2015 or that had no knowledge of the children they supposedly adopted. The current Minister of Social Affairs is Professor Borislav Andreev who took position in August and stated, "There is now very clear evidence that people have been not doing their job correctly. We have now been exploring this situation for several months and I commend the investigators, including the Lodja Times, in uncovering what they have. Almost immediately we have seen the closure of these homes, children put into fully checked and approved homes or foster families. This is a crisis that must be tackled and is part of the blindness to the plight of the poorest in society we have seen. Since her coronation Queen Klara has sought to make more oppurtunities and chances in life avaliable to the Plebs and we have seen a growth in things such as average household incomes but now perhaps rather than looking at the top end of society we need to look towards the very very bottom. There is a lot to do and we shall when it becomes clear there is a problem we shall overcome it."
The government are beginning to co-operate with many nations across Mundus on the issue and are hoping to reunite several families in the coming days.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://www.thenewpotato.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/camren-bicondova-interview-2017-479x360.jpg)
WHERE IS THE QUEEN?
Despite several functions being held at the Isle of the Goddess and a recent scandal based around human traffiking there has been little to no sign of Queen Klara. The Queen has been keeping a relatively low profile since the birth of her son Prince Isaak eight months ago which was followed almost immediately by the breaking of several scandals impacting the government and her own personal life. One such scandal was her husband King Leopold's legal case that lead to her agreeing to marry him to honour an historical marriage contract. The Queen initially responded with a large number of replacements in the Conclave and sending high ranking nobles into exile however since making heself not just Queen but also High Priestess of the Sessifetian faith there has been little evidence of the Queen appearing in public.
Prior to the current situation the Queen had been a very visible prescence in and around the Isle of the Goddess and at a vast array of public events across the Kingdom. During the annual summer ball season the Queen attended around 30 different balls including one held by Queen Stasya of East Moreland in Silverhills. Many have speculated that the Queen may be suffering from post-natal depression having seen the end of the summer ball season, an event she is highly supportive of, has ended. Many people around the capital have been discussing whether the Queen is still actively engaged with government however Lord Besarian Ivanov who is the leader of the Conclave has stated, "The inner workings of the Conclave are a matter for those in attendance. We have been busily dealing with a period of transition and we're ensuring the day to day business of the Queendom is being taken care of. The recent human traffiking news has seen a change in priorities and we will be working with our friends across Mundus to solve this problem."
Queen Klara's wife, Crown Princess Roksana has however been active at various functions across the Queendom having yesterday attended a orphanage recently taken out of control of the charity Homes for Tomorrow following the discovery of potential connections to child slavery and prostition rings. Following her visit the Crown Princess stated "The home is now under the control directly of the government and a full audit of what has been going on here has begun. I was pleased to see the children here appear safe and happy, perhaps more importantly they are all accounted for. If we can't look after our children then we have our priorities as a nation wrong." Crown Princess Roksana refused to answer questions about Queen Klara simply saying that she did not "discuss family business without my family being here."
With the Day of Purificiation, a ceremonial day where people have their evils from the previous year washed away approaching it will be expected that the Queen will take a leading role in the rituals and ceremonies of the day however as of yet no details have been released from the Palace.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://www.toptrendsguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Tom-Hardy-Beards-800x400.jpg)
KING CALLS FOR QUEEN TO BE SIDELINED
King Leopold has today called for the Conclave to look for ways of temporarily removing Queen Klara from power. The King is currently in a kind of exile in the Alucard Islands and has not seen his wife or child, Prince Isaak, for several months. Recently there have been reports of the Queen suffering from various mental health issues that many have connected to post natal depression and stress from having to deal with a large number of recent political crisis within the Queendom and the Priesthood. Some believe that the Queen has taken on too much herself and is not delegating enough. Reports from the Isle of the Goddess have spoken of her working 20 hour days and refusing the company of many of her friends and advisers including her wife Crown Princess Roksana. The King has pointed to the precident of when a Queen has been incapable of making decisions for the nation previously the Conclave have stepped in. The last time this happened was when Queen Viktoriya was left in a coma following the 1st assassination attempt on her life. For the final two weeks of her life before she was murdered by the then High Priestess Raisa Chownyk the Conclave took decisions on her behalf.
One such barrier is that when previously this course of action has taken place the Queen has been physically incapable of taking decisions on behalf of the Queendom either by illness or injury. There have been no occasions when a Queen was deemed unfit to rule by the Conclave and so there is seemingly no legal support for the course of action King Leopold is proposing. The Queen is deemed to be the vessel containing, alongside her own soul, the soul of of the Goddess Sessifet along with all her knowledge and experience. With this in mind it is next to impossible in many legal experts opinions to rule that she is incapable of ruling while still being able to speak herself. The laws of the Queendom stating that the Queen and the Goddess speak with one voice. It is not yet known whether the Conclave will support King Leopold's point of view however the fact that he has publically called for his wife to be deemed unfit to rule is likely to further drive a wedge between the two.
The Conclave are due to meet tomorrow for a scheduled meeting and it is likely a response to this will come at that time.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://www.toptrendsguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Tom-Hardy-Beards-800x400.jpg)
PRINCE ISAAK'S BIRTHDAY TO BE NATIONAL HOLIDAY
In a rare statement Queen Klara has announced that April 13th will become a national holiday to celebrate the birth of her first child Prince Isaak. The Queen has ruled that from now on April 13th shall be Prince's Day and that special services in Temple should be celebrated in order to give thanks for the birth. The news came as a bit of a surprise for the nation as the Queen has been away from the spotlight for several months with many speculating that Queen Klara may be ill or suffering from post natal depression. This however has been downplayed by the Palace who have said, "The Queen is in constant touch with the Conclave and even though she may not publically be the face of the administration at the moment all decisions still flow through her. The Queen believes that the people of the Queendom need and deserve more time to enjoy the blessings of the Goddess and naturally she is very thankful for being the mother of Prince Isaak."
The Palace of the Goddess will be hosting a birthday event for the Prince however it has been confirmed that the Prince's father, King Leopold, will not be permitted to attend.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/825493804592398346/unknown.png)
COUP ATTEMPT
Earlier today there was a simultaneous attack on the Island of the Goddess Marina and the Palace of the Goddess which has seen the kidnapping of the Queen's son Prince Isaak. A number of gunmen had sneaked onto the Isle as members of a scheduled tour group and accessed pre-prepared caches of arms. The attack was timed to catch the Queen returning to the island following a self imposed exile. The Conclave were in session at the time and were evacuated however an ambush within the Palace saw several Ministers also taken from the scene by the gunmen.
It is understood that a nearby team of East Moreland special forces responded alongside the members of the Queen's guard known as the Warriors of Gaia. The two forces were able to evacuate the Queen however the gunmen managed to escape via fast-boat across the bay where Gaia is located. The Morelander helicopter gave chase however came underfire by a disloyal vessel of the Lodjain Navy later identified as the Cyborg Class ship HMDS Morelander. It was later confirmed that the attack was orchestrated by King Leopold who has seemingly begun attempts to seize control of the nation and institute a new system of government. King Leopold and Queen Klara have been seperated for over six months and relationships between them have been described as "awful". King Leopold has stated that he is attempting to create the "Monarchy of Lodja" which will dismantle the current system of Lodjian society and establish a new heriditary monarchy overseeing a form of basic elected government. The HMDS Morelander has since put out the sea and elements of the Lodjain Navy were beginning a search for the vessel.
The Minister of Defence, Prince Lennox of Ui Cennesliag, was involved the military action attempting to defend the Ministers in the Palace and has spoken to the media saying. "This is a cowardly act of terrorism designed to try and undermine the whole of Lodjain society. Queen Klara has, in her short reign, taken huge steps towards helping change the lives of the Plebleian community of Lodja and has already indicated that more reforms are in place. Leopold is nothing other than a traitor and a criminal and will be hunted down."
The military is on high alert and the Queen has been evacuated to an undisclosed location. The following Ministers are currently missing.
Minister of Home Affairs:- Duke Maxim Schnoor
Minister of Education:- Vissarion Novikov
Minister of Housing:- Lord Yuily Shvets
Minister of Foreign Affairs:- Lady Ninel Naoumov
Minister of Environmental Affairs:- Isay Yakovlev
Junior Minister of Education:- Borys Volkov
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/zQZQVvrDdcN2OdYX4N4KSb3Vl7RtUH0eaabO_rw7lMiYS3dGVTbhwQ-fhUB0gZkPntjkxrhR10-v1ij9XD-Zw3IgSxR1j0NN-YbrGZziuA)
TRIUMPH AND "TREASON" IN LIJIANG
The last 48 hours in Lijiang have been a whirlwind for the Lodjain national rugby team. The team lifted the Rugby World Cup for the first time in the nations history having only established a professional Rugby Football Union four years ago under the guidance of Morelander Sir Clyde Woodward. The Morelander had already a strong legacy of coaching excellence following a string of victories with the usually dominant "Honeybadgers" before being persuaded to come and start professionalising Lodjain rugby. The team took the field with one eye on events back home leading some to think that the team would be distracted however the team overcame a determined Vaguzian team 27-25. At the final whistle the team celebrated and lifted the trophy before celebrating back at the teams hotel. Sir Clyde said at the final whistle, "Lets not forget what these men have achieved. In short order they've gone from people with full time jobs who played some rugby to being professionals to reaching the pinnacle of their sport. They have throughout this world cup consistently got the job done and most importantly did so at the most crucial time. Now we hope to go home and find the nation overcoming the recent tragedies."
With the team nursing likely hangovers and due to return to Lodja the next evening it was however discovered that four members of the squad had left the hotel and visited a Lijiang Police station to request asylum. Vissarion Filippov, Rurik Kovalyov, Avenir Ignatov and Konstantine Romanov all later in the day issued a letter of support to the proposed Monarchy of Lodja. The letter stated, "We as Plebleians have just brought great success to our homeland yet will for the rest of our lives be denied the same oppurtunities as people who have never done anything for the good of the whole nation. This highlights just one of many ways that inequality exists within our nation. We believe that King Leopold should be given a chance to make everyone equal." The request for asylum has yet to be approved or denied and Head Coach Sir Clyde refused to be drawn on the matter simply saying, "We will be catching our flight as scheduled. Its not unusual for squads to travel seperately and while I'm sad the team won't all get to greet the crowd back home together we'll be pleased to get home."
The team are due to arrive back at 9pm on Saturday and security is expected to be tight.
(https://metrobiography.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Camren-Bicondova-500x432.jpg)
QUEEN "SECURE" AND SETS PROTEST LIMITS
Following a number of arrests that took place close to the Isle of the Goddess in the aftermath of Leopold Hamsik seeking to form the "Monarchy of Lodja" the Queen has issued new instructions to the Police. Some, including Rokkenjima, had been critical of the manner of arrests which have been described as "heavy handed". The individuals who were protesting in support of the Socialist Student Union had glued themselves to road barriers in the area around the entrance to the Isle of the Goddess.
The Queen has stated, "Protests are always permitted so long as they conform to laws. It is not permitted to obstruct anyroad in Lodja at all. The biggest concerns however are that these are people who are supporting the demands issued by an individual called a pirate or terrorist by many nations on Mundus. In future the following rules will be in place in regards to protests. First they can not take place within 1km of the roadhead that leads to the Isle of the Goddess. As a nation we are on a heightened level of security and having people so close to the seat of government is a security risk. Any banners than support Leopold Hamsik or the so called "Monarchy" are forbidden. Leopold Hamsik is a traitor and terrorist and his movement are an outlawed movement. Anyone seen giving them support of any kind will be called a security risk and dealt with accordingly. Finally anyone seen intentionally concealling their identity in a protest will be arrested. It is expected all protests are to be declared to the Police prior to taking place. I will give the Police the responsibility of giving any protest that fails to follow these rules one oppurtunity to return home otherwise they will be removed and if need be arrested. We can not have Gaia, or any other city, brought to a stand still. Roads can not and will not be blocked."
The Queen is currently at a "undisclosed" location where the Conclave is reconveening.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2021/05/30/196706-oof-4.jpg)
DECREE TO BRING ORDER
Following a week of various protests supporting both sides of the ongoing crisis in Lodja there have been violent clashes across the major cities. With the Queen staying out of public she has been in constant meeting with her Conclave at an undisclosed location. In an attempt to stop the violence within the cities the Queen has issued a decree that will take effect this evening. The measures in place will be in force for 30 days and will then need to be renewed if required.
Following consultation among the Conclave it has been determined that the following actions will be required of all Lodjains with immediate effect.
1. All Lodjains are to remain in their place of residence between 9pm and 7am. Exceptions apply to those working in essential services.
2. Security forces have the right to stop and demand ID of any individual. Failure to provide ID when requested will result in arrest.
3. No gatherings in public of more than 20 people may take place without licence from the local Mayor.
4. Local Mayors have the power to designate areas as Social Control Zones. Within these zones Security Forces can, if neccessary, forceably remove any indivdiual.
5. It is now illegal for any individual to carry a firearm outside of private property. Anyone caught with a firearm is to be fined $10,000 and sentenced to 2 years in prison.
6. All individuals except those Pleblians who reside there must leave the Isle of the Goddess within 48 hours. This includes ambassadors. Ambassadors are not prevented from acquiring other accomodation within Gaia and if they require it the Conclave will aide in finding this accomodation.
7. All Universities are to postpone lectures for the next 14 days.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_736,h_485,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fchampagneandshade.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F956999252-850x560.jpeg)
DAY OF SHOCKING NEWS
The day has seen a series of shocking events that have rocked the Queendom. With the nation standing on the edge of a full blown civil war a few weeks ago it had appeared that the situation was calming down and any uprising was contained to the island of Zhoyan where forces loyal to the crown are working with CNN allies to clear the stronghold of Pro-Leopold forces. With the eyes of the media following that conflict it was then a devestating shock when news came from Noginsk that a missile strike launched by renegade Leopoldian forces had hit the royal residence there. What had been believed to be a highly secure area was compromised when an apparent covert rebel force managed to take part of the residences anti-missile defence system off line creating an oppurtunity for the strike. The Queen was resident at the time and roughly an hour after the strike took place her body was removed from the rubble and she was declared dead at the scene. As digging continued for survivors it was also discovered that the Queen's Chief Lady in Waiting, Anna Immich, had also been killed. A total of 16 people were confirmed dead in addition while 32 were taken to hospital. It is expected that the death toll will increase in the coming days.
As news of the Queen's Death spread through the nation the Conclave meet back on the Isle of the Goddess. Traditionally during times following the death of the Queen there had been a number of weeks before the announcement of a new Queen and during this time the Conclave had sole responsibility for running the nation. While many expected the Conclave to announce details of mourning and potential funerals the announcement that came this evening was that a new Queen had been selected already. In a huge break from tradition the 22 year old Emissary to Ardia, Nataliya Kozel, was selected. When Queen Klara was selected for Queen the then Lady Nataliya was considered for the position and having not been selected was given a diplomatic role with one of Lodja's biggest allies The Iwi, her duties also extended to representing Lodja throughout Ardia if the need required. The new Queen was in East Moreland visiting her friend Queen Stasya when she was informed and is currently in Northfort Palace. A representative of the Conclave stated. "The High Priestess and her advisers agreed with us that it was vital a new Queen was on the throne as soon as possible. They determined that it was clear under the circumstances that our nation finds itself in that the Goddess has the need for a stronger leader than we typically select and have, following consultation and prayer, determined that Queen Nataliya will be able to lead our nation forward."
As the news has yet to sink in across the Queendom it remains to be seen how the people will react to this break in tradition.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://www.inquiringsystems.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Damanhur1.jpg)
QUEEN MAKES LANDMARK ANNOUNCEMENT
The new Queen of Lodja has today announced that she intends to construct the first new Temple complex to Sessifet in 40 years. While there have been several Temples built across Lodja in that time no complexes have been founded. The plan is for an exact replica of the Temple of the Goddess which is located on the Isle just off the coast of Gaia which is considered sacred by those who worship Sessifet. It is said the first time the Goddess transfered her spirit into a human Queen was within that temple which was in effect carved out of a series of caves and is brightly decorated. The new complex will begin work next week and will be carved out of the rock with precision in a project overseen by Valentin Zima who is a respected sculpture from the capital city. The Queen explained her decision saying, "The Isle of the Goddess is a place that is not accessible to the general public for several reasons. The first that the Isle is a highly secure area and the second is that it is a site which must be protected and having thousands of people crowding to see it daily would potentially damage it. This way we can both honour the Goddess by building a new temple complex and at least allow the general public to feel as close to the Goddesses home as I am fortunate enough to be permitted to be."
The artists in charge, Valentin Zima, has explained the process they'll be taking saying. "21st Century technology makes the possible. We've been permitted to take 3D scanning equipment into every part of the Complex and ensure we've a map of the place. From there we will use the best system we can utilise to carve out of the rock the various chambers, corridors, staircases and the like. These will then be finished by being painted by the best artists we can find. It is our hope that when we have done someone will be unable to tell whether they are in our replica or the original." The news was not supported by the High Priestess Alla Kohan who said, "The Temple of the Goddess is a perfect place of peace and can never be replicated. To even consider doing so in an insult to the holiest place in our faith."
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/703317694988157051/967549469145047130/unknown.png)
KUBIK NAMED NEW LORD OF THE CONCLAVE
Former military officer Lord Lubos Kubik has today been named as the new Lord of the Conclave. The position is the seen as the 2nd most important in the nation after the Queen and has for close to the last decade been filled by Besarian Ivanov. The announcement marks the first appointment by the new Queen to the Conclave following her being proclaimed as Queen. Lord Kubik served under Queen Viktoria and Queen Klara as Minister of Defence before being replaced following a data breach within the military which cast doubts upon his ability to do the job correctly in the midst of the various scandals of military corruption. However Queen Natalya has since downplayed such concerns today as she visited a hospital where injured serviceman are being treated. "It is clear following investigations that Lubos was a stalwart supporter of the rightful Queens of Lodja. He is a man that has always acted in the highest ideals of service to his nation having served a long career in the military, reaching the rank of General and then as Minister of Defence. He is a man that has no need to prove his loyalty and I am confident that he will be a man that will continue to serve both the people and myself well."
Lord Besarian Ivanov however will not be totally leaving royal service as later he was named as the Queens Envoy. This is a position that has not existed before in the nation and has been described as "carrying the weight of the Queen's voice at times when she is unable to do so herself. The Envoy will allow the Queen to be in two places at once and Lord Besarian is one of the most experienced leaders in our community. While he will now deserve some well earned leisure time he will also be avaliable to the Queen in order to aid her in making the best decisions for her new Queendom." At present a Royal Spokesman has confirmed that the Queen, Lord of the Conclave and the Queen's Envoy are currently working to ensure all seats within the Conclave are filled in a short space of time.
There is still no word on an official coronation ceremony and many people are suggesting this may be because of an inability to recover the body of Queen Klara for a formal cremation.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/130/590x/Linda-Barker-five-things-can-t-live-without-789777.jpg)
SURPISE APPOINTMENT AS FOREIGN MINISTER
Tamila Andreev today makes history as both the first Plebleian to hold a Ministerial title and as the first woman to be named as Foreign Minister. The announcement makes her the 2nd appointment to the Conclave since Queen Natalya came to the throne and begins to fulfil the promise to make it easier for Plebs to experience social mobility. The 60 year old has served as a member of the civil service for the past 35 years and was part of the CNN office for Lodja for the past two years. She entered the civil service having served two years in the military so as to potentially put her family on course to becoming Patricians and then attended University in Gaia to study Rus Linguistics, a course which saw her spend a year studying in Samantra. Queen Natalya introduced her new appointment while addressing the National Association of Patrician Students, a meeting which she has said she hopes to see it merge with the National Association of Pleblian Students before the end of the year. The Queen said, "In Tamila we have a woman who has already given nearly four decades of her life to serving the nation and most of them dealing with our relationship with other lands. She is like me, part educated overseas, and as such has insights that most Lodjians lack. The is someone that while perhaps not currently having a huge reputation in other nations is a part of the quiet backbone that has made Lodja the nation we are today. She is also part of the future of Lodja where the divisions of old become less significant."
The new Minister thanked the Queen for her words saying, "We have a brilliant group of civil servants in this nation quietly working at embassies and missions across the globe to serve our interests. I consider this appointment a victory for their work. I will naturally now be looking at appointing juniors and presenting the Queen with suggestions for embassy teams across Mundus. It is my hope that we can begin strengthening relations with our current friends while building new ones."
Some however have been critical of the appointment with the Duke of Zergeu saying "The Goddess Sessifet gave us a natural order to the world. It is clear we are moving away from this, our Queen does not yet even carry the soul of the Goddess within herself and is making changes to our land that will bring an end to the society the Goddess wants. We should wait until the coronation has taken place before we allow her to make any decisions."
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSn3ikYBfrU6AesMd9ioEwonfU4KnyhsZ7dRw&usqp=CAU)
PLAN TO "REHABILITATE" DISLOYAL SOLDIERS
An estimated 2,000 soldiers, 1,200 sailors and 300 airmen fought for Leopold Hamsik during the recent conflict. The vast majority of these are now in custody with around 1/4 dead and the question is beginning to be asked what should happen to those currently in various military bases around the Queendom. There have been calls from many that those who fought against Queen Klara should be put on trial for treason and spend long sentences in high security prisons, some are even calling for the death penalty to be returned into use. While the current Queen's stance on execution has yet to be confirmed she did spend several years in the Iwi which is renowned for using it against those guilty of crimes against humanity during the Seleucid occupation. There is also the added complication that some of those in custody are likely to be involved with the destruction of the East Moreland embassy and it is highly likely their extradition on terrorist charges could be requested and the Morelanders are known to push for the death penalty in these matters.
Lady Anna Utkin thinks though there must be a rehabilitation programme. Lady Anna is a former member of the Conclave who was born a Pleb but became a Patrician by marriage has worked for better Patrician/Pleb relations for several years. She says, "The problem we have is that while there are some rebels in custody there will be many more frightened to come forward. The way forward would be for us to consider why these people did what they did. Some will have done it out of fear that if they didn't support the Patrician their family is connected to they'd lose everything. Others will have done it because Leopold Hamsik was connected to their families business. We should give each person a chance to explain their actions. Those who acted out of a perception of neccessity need to be given a chance of redemption and rehabilitation. Those who acted because of other nefarious reason must be punished." Lady Anna has suggested that the process could see exile for a set time used as some form of punishment or that some deal could be struck with other nations to give people a fresh chance to reform their life.
This is a debate that will likely continue for many months but for now thousands of prisoners are being detained in makeshift prison camps on the playing fields of military bases.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://matalelaki.com/media/8f/1b/ce/b1/8f1bceb1479561ca02660800a2fd24ec.jpg)
QUEEN REPLACES HIGH PRIESTESS FOLLOWING FAST TRACK COURT DATE
Queen Natalya has today taken steps to replace Alla Kohut as the High Priestess. The move comes after Alla Kohut has been accused of putting obsticles in the way of Queen Natalya appointing members to the Conclave. Kohut has over the last few days attempted to state that Queen Natalya has yet to be officially coronated and therefore can't make any formal decisions. The Queen challenged this on two fronts and even went so far as asking for the highest court in the land to make a determination. Queen Natalya argued that having been declared Queen by both the Conclave and Alla Kohut it ensured that she had been proclaimed as the guardian of Sessifet's spirit and was therefore capable of taking the role on. Despite religious arguements by Kohut the Queen was supported by the prominent Priestess Maria Shvets who argued that while normally a coronation happens within 48 hours of the death of the old Queen that was not necessary. Shvets argued, "Sessifet is the supreme being who controls everything in the Universe. There are many occasions of her in holy scripture entering the body and possessing various people without the need to be consumed via ash. It would therefore be safe to assume that should the Goddess wish to have a new guardian, something Kohut has confirmed, then Sessifet could if she wished automatically appear within them and join souls." The Queen's legal team that produced evidence that Queen Klara had infact declared herself to be High Priestess as well as Queen therefore meaning that while Kohut was left as the highest status surviving Priestess the moment she, the Conclave and the rest of the Priesthood announced Natalya as Queen she also inherited the title High Priestess. Following the appereance in court Queen Natalya addressed the assembled media to say.
"I believe that there now needs to be a return to the formal seperation between the High Priestess and the Queen. As Queen I am viewed as the Guardian of Sessifet and therefore Sessifet lives within me. The High Priestess is responsible for ensuring those of our faith worship correctly and that rituals in praise of Sessifet are conducted. I don't need to be in a position where I have to ensure I am worshipped. So as such Maria Shvets will become High Priestess with immediate effect and as her first duty I am asking her to organise a coronation in keeping, as far as possible with the traditions that have gone before."
The date of the coronation is not yet known or the exact nature of it determined. One decision by the Queen though has been made and that in the coming days representatives from East Moreland will meet with her to discuss the rebuilding of the embassy in Gaia that was destroyed during the recent unrest. Currently the East Moreland embassy is operating out the Ui Cenneslaig one. The Queen is also expected to visit the site where an estimated 25 Morelanders were killed along with a similar number of Lodjains.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/703317694988157051/971889152654196777/unknown.png)
CORONATION TO TAKE PLACE IN GAIA SQUARE
Today the new High Priestess Maria Shvets has confirmed that the coronation of Queen Natalya will take place on Sunday 8th May at 1pm. Unlike all previous coronations it will not take place in the Temple of the Goddess on the Isle off the coast of Gaia but instead in the heart of the city. The High Priestess has said, "The coronation is happening in unique circumstances as much of the traditions involved in a normal coronation can not take place. We, by that I mean myself and a team of other respected Priestesses including Arina Maksimov, have studied various sources and sacred texts and believe we can undertake a coronation that will be just as acceptable to both the new Queen and the Goddess." The exact details of the ceremony are being kept under wraps but Shvets did confirm that the King and Queen of East Moreland, the King of the Unified Iwi and Ui Cenneslaig would be in attendance.
The Queen's new Envoy, Lord Besarian Ivanov, also spoke to the media saying, "Her Majesty is determined that many things will change in the coming months. It will therefore be fitting that her reign will start with something that is a change from normal. Queen Natalya was keen that the people of Gaia could be as much part of the ceremony as possible and the fact they will be able to attend the event in some form. We're excited that the event will now take place after so many hurdles have been overcome."
(https://mil.today/upload/resize_cache/medialibrary/4bd/675_450_1c13b412cd0c1a4766e352e0ba9b82d16/10.JPG)
HUGE MILITARY SHAKE UP PLANNED
The new Lord of the Conclave, Duke Lubos Kubik, has today confirmed that there shall be a major shake up of the military heirachy. Currently all officers must come from the Patrician class and usually any Patrician joining the military recieves a commission. The new system will see all members of the Armed Forces undertake a basic 8 week "Soldiering Assessment Course" This will teach basic skills of map reading, first aid, marksmanship and various other basic military subjects. In addition all new airmen, soldiers or sailors will be expected to undertake exams after eight weeks in a range of subjects such as military doctrine, regulations and technical subjects. Those achieving the highest scores on each intake will then enter the Officer Training College for their particular branch of service, regardless of which social class they belong to. To make this possible any Plebleain who graduates from their Officer Training College will on their passing out parade receive not just their commission as an officer in the armd forces but also their acknowledgement as a Patrician for themselves and their descendants. Duke Lubos explained, "The move will ensure that we have people in charge based on the best avaliable talent and not just on social class. Our armed forces have been on a route towards becoming a proper meritocracy for a while and this will push it that final little step."
The move has been welcomed by some Social Mobility campaigners who have said, "The military was a long route for families to become Patricians, this provides a short cut that we hope many will access. There will still be much to do as many Patricians attend private schools with military traditions so will have a head start on this new course but in time I see more and more Plebs accessing Officer training. It will take several years for this to become even but it is a good start."
The new course will be designed by the East Moreland Armed Forces who have been supportive of the Lodjain military reogranising over the last few years. It will follow closely the East Moreland national services induction programme and is likely to begin with the September intake of military recruits. Duke Lubos has also stated that he intends to work with the Queen to find ways to make it easier for Plebs already serving in the armed forces as NCO's to access Officer Training and transfer onto a commission.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://vz.cnwimg.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Anne-Vyalitsyna-1.jpg)
LODJA SIGN HISTORIC CRIMES TREATY
It was confirmed today that Queen Natalya had ordered Princess Anfisa to journey to Northfort to sign the Historic Crimes Treaty on behalf of the Queendom. The Treaty aims to provide a mechanism for those accused of what could be described as crimes against humanity to be brought to justice despite the crimes having taken place long in the past. The Treaty was authored primarily by King David of East Moreland and King Piripi of the Unified Iwi and scrutinised and amended by representatives from Chistopol, Nya Aland and Cassiopeia before being distributed for the rest of the world to sign up to. It is understood Princess Anfisa was furnished with a letter from Queen Natalya giving her authorisation to sign it on behalf of the Queendom. The Princess is both an envoy to the CNN and Council of Albion and often undertakes a role as a Royal Envoy. The Princess is the great-grandaughter of Queen Sonya and so permitted to use the royal title and has dedicated much of her time to supporting the work of Queen Sonya's successors, Queen Viktoriya and Queen Klara. This though is the first international treaty that she has signed.
The Princess spent time at Northfort Palace in private with her close friend Queen Stasya and saw Prince Llewellyn. Following the meeting the Princess said, "It was nice to see the little Prince who is doing great. Queen Stasya was someone who while a Lady in Waiting I became friends with and I have missed seeing now for a long time." It is understood that Princess Anfisa is due to travel to Eskdale soon to begin diplomatic talks with the Illumic nation.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2015/09/04/159010b5-2447-4918-871b-d09514483c7b/thumbnail/640x455/5838466d0a1307b490ce5178f0ff3bb3/russia-syria.jpg)
QUEEN ANNOUNCES PROCUREMENT AGENDA
Queen Natalya has today confirmed that in the coming year the Lodjain military will go through what she called a "Procurement Agenda". During a visit to the newly built facility at the National Officer Training College the Queen said, "It is clear after the civil war we went through that our military has improved in terms of the standards of training and troop skill levels. What lets our nation down, and therefore also our allies, is the fragmented and chaotic list of equipment we deploy. This is a throw back to the old system where we permitted nobles to effectively manage regiments as they saw fit. This saw many of them buy equipment that was sub standard simply because they could buy it from a friend or even in some cases family members. This means we as a nation operate five different types of tank, that means five sets of spare parts, five systems to know how to maintain and all the problems that this brings with it. This chaotic system can not continue. A robust procurement agenda is on the cards that will streamline matters and make us more effective. One major part of this is the air-force where over the last few years we have invested in smaller aircraft not likely to contribute much to a major war. People can expect several announcements in the coming days."
The Queen also confirmed that she had reached out to Brigadier Richard Kelly, former commander of East Moreland's Red Legion, to become the new commandant of the Officer Training College. "Brigadier Kelly was able to create one of Mundus most effective fighting forces in Red Legion. The tales I have heard of their contributions to help us during the civil war makes me confident that if we can have officers trained under the shadow of his learning tree we as a nation can only benefit. It is my hope that he will accept our offer and take the role in the coming days. I understand however he may wish to enjoy a well deserved retirement and if that is the decision he makes I wish him well. We have several other candidates in mind but I want to make sure this is the best person possible so we will not rush the decision."
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://p6.focus.de/img/fotos/id_180402226/microsoftteams-image-35-.png?im=Resize%3D%28800%2C533%29&hash=2b549acfb0101f565747f12857bc2eba143b7b9ecd9e8ab673a59bb0abace9a9)
QUEEN'S LADIES RETURN TO FULL STRENGTH
Queen Natalya has today named Svetlana Schnoor as the forth Lady in Waiting meaning that after several months of being understaffed the Queen now has a full compliment of personal aides. The 23 year old is the daughter of Duke Maxim Schnoor and the heiress to his title. She has recently graduated Gaia University with a degree in Fine Art and Media and will take up her position alongside Jasmina Danailov, Tonya Bogdanovic and Zhenya Markov. The announcement also confirmed that Jasmina Danailov will now be named as the Lead Lady in Waiting meaning she is the closest aide to the Queen and has significant influence over who gains access to meeting the Queen. Currently Duke Maxim is convalescing at home following his abduction during the recent conflict in Lodja. The Duke however did release a statement saying "I am proud that my daughter has been called to serve the Guardian of Sessifet. She's a bright girl with a great future in front of her and I know that she will provide the Queen with companionship, loyalty and devotion."
The position of Lady in Waiting is undertaken by unmarried noble girls and is often seen as a route for many to secure extremely good marriages. In the past many Ladies in Waiting have gone on to become highly influential Duchesses and as women have become to take more of an active role in national politics their role has been seen to evolve into one as almost a diplomat. In recent years we have seen Duchess Roksana Pajari marry Queen Klara and now as a widow has retired to Noginsk where she has opened a music school. Meanwhile Stasya Pelagiya began a relationship with King David of East Moreland while in the role of Lady in Waiting and two years later the pair were married meaning she is now the Queen of East Moreland and more recently acquired through her business negotiations the title High Princess of Semelberg effectively gaining her own Queendom. It is also rumoured that Jasmina Danisilov has been romantically involved with Prince Lennox of Ui Cenneslaig however reports from the Palace indicate that this romance is now over. These apparent successes meant that when the applications for Lady in Waiting opened over 1000 applications were received. It is however understood that Lady Svetlana was not one of those who applied but instead was "headhunted".
The new Lady in Waiting will travel to the Palace tomorrow where she will take the various oaths associated with the position and then begin her duties. Among the first will be a trip to East Moreland where the Queen intends to visit to take part in the Festival of Greenflowers, an event that Morelanders consider their nations birthday. Lady Jasmina informed the press saying, "The friendship between East Moreland and Lodja is perhaps the strongest on Mundus. It is forged through years of mutual trust and co-operation and whenever we have been in need the Morelanders have always supported us. The two nations are, thanks to Queen Stasya, always joined it should be remembered that His Majesty King David also holds the title Baron of the Iskor Inlet making him a noble in Lodja. The Queen is looking forward to showing the people of East Moreland we value their friendship by paying respects on their national day and also helping our friend King David celebrate his own birthday." It was also confirmed that the Queen will be joined on the trip by Lieutenant Hahona Mere of the Parachute Regiment of the Unified Iwi, heir to the Ngāti Paoa Chieftan, will join her. The two are friends from the Queen's childhood in the Commonwealth of the Unified Iwi and are rumoured to be romantically involved, a matter Lady Jasmina refused to comment on.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1046375532134137907/1113436345919090718/image.png?width=808&height=606)
MORELANDERS IN FASHION THIS SEASON
Last night the first of the Lodjain Summer Balls began in Gaia. The annual "Ball Season" runs from late May until late July and marks a time period for the Patrician community to traditionally arrange the marriages of their daughters who have just reached "womanhood" . Traditionally girls having reached the age of 16 are expected to be presented to the Patrician community in their area having formally been classed as an adult. Many noble families run balls throughout the summer months with families often co-ordinating to ensure girls can attend as many of them as possible. There is also an expectation that the family will invite high profile and influential guests from their region in order to show their own prestige. The first ball of the year is always the Queens own ball on the Isle of the Goddess in Gaia and is attended by around 600 guests, many the sons and daughters of prominent members of society and this ball tends to set the trends for the year ahead. On this occasion it appears that being escorted by a Morelander man is the fashion for many. Three prominent Lodjain noble woman attended with a Morelander on their arm.
First was Lady Jasmina Danailov, the Head Lady in Waiting, who was escorted by Duke Peter Kade. The Duke is the cousin of King David of East Moreland and has been serving in various diplomatic roles for his nation. Lady Jasmina has previously been seen on the arm of Prince Lennox of Ui Cenneslaig and there had been rumours that the widowed Prince intended to marry her however despite the Prince being in the nation he was not in attendance leading many to speculate that their romance is over. This is not the first time an East Moreland royal has fallen for a Lady in Waiting as famously Lady Stasya meet her future husband through such a function. Lady Jasmina has now been the Head Lady in Waiting for just under six months. The next Morelander accompanied noble was Princess Anfissa Naumov (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=137.msg523#msg523). The 39 year old is the great-grand daughter of Queen Sonya and has, for a Lodjain, strangely remained unmarried having dedicated her life so far to acting as a foreign diplomat for the nation. The current CNN ambassador for Lodja was accompanied to the ball by Sir James Fitzroy who is the usual ambassador to Lodja from East Moreland.
The final arrival of a Lodjain with a Morelander was 19 year old Princess Yolana Kozel (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=137.msg25271#msg25271), the sister of Queen Natalya. The University student was accompanied by the 20 year old son of Duchess Orlaith Kade, the East Moreland Foreign Minister and also a cousin of King David. Theodore Osmett is the son of the Duchess and her husband Duke William Osmeet who is an investment banker. Theodore is currently studying at the Gaia Institute of Science and Technology on a one year study exchange as part of the CETO programme, he has been living on the Isle of the Goddess.
Sir James Fitzroy was asked about the heavy attendance by Morelanders and explained his opinion, "East Moreland and Lodja are close allies and the various treaties and schemes we have in place between us means that the two nations are open for education and business oppurtunities to each other. Its only to be expected Morelanders would love to come to see Lodja, the country is full of opportunity, the scenery is wonderful, climate much nicer than our own and the people extremely friendly. When you get the chance to attend an event like this you take it. Its been a wonderful evening and I wish everyone a good summer season." There will also be a summer ball this year in Silverhills, East Moreland, hosted by Queen Stasya of East Moreland.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/703317694988157051/1130127133684023356/image.png)
MOST RADICAL CHANGE IN 400 YEARS
Today Queen Natalya meet with a large number of the nations key nobles on the Isle of the Goddess. The Queen spoke with them about several changes that will be made over the coming days. The news has lead many to celebrate them however some nobles have voiced concerns. Former King, Roman Chowyk, has called them the "most radical change in 400 years of Lodjain history".
Firstly the Queen has announced that she will be creating a new series of titles of nobility. These will not be able to be inherited but will allow the family to instantly claim the status of Patricians. The names of these titles have yet to be announced however the Queen has stated that those inheriting the titles will be people who have shown that they are willing to help the rest of the Plebian class. Many people welcomed this saying that the current nobility has become too insular and one person on Twitter said that the Queen's announcement would "go someway to ending a nation within a nation." There have already been calls for Anna Utkin to be given one of these titles. The widow of Lord Samuel Utkin, was born as a Plebian and as such was classed as a Patrician however there has been discussion as to whether she could have taken the title herself under current inheritance rules. The calls to grant her one of the new titles would ensure she remained a member of the Patrician class.
The Queen has also ended the practice of Patricians effectively accepting cash payments in order to permit businesses to operate. Under former laws the Patrician class must grant permission for a Plebian to open and operate a business. Many Patricians have demanded annual fees or large one off payments in order to give this. Occasionally some have taken shares in the business as an alternative. Queen Viktoriya meanwhile attempted to solve this with a royal licencing scheme but backlogs in this system mean that there is currently an 18 month wait for these which rather than demanding large fees asked for a small one off payment and a 2% share stake. The Queen today announced that Patricians would no longer be permitted to take money for this practice but may take up to 10% in shares. It is hoped this will help streamline the process and as a result boost the economy.
One of the biggest, and most exciting announcements for most is the creation of the Royal Preparation Academy (OOC-Name to be determined) . This will be a institute of learning that incorporates kindergarten, primary school, secondary school and University. It will eventually be the conveyor belt for many leading roles within the Queendom including the position of Queen. In future only people who have attended this school will be permitted to inherit the throne. In addition the Queen has raised the age of inheritance of the crown to 21. In order to streamline this process Queen Natalya also confirmed that while the throne will not be inherited there will be an heir in place. Each year there will now be a ceremony where a new heir is named so upon the death of a Queen a seemless transition of power can in theory take place. The Queen then announced Princess Alana Tar, the younger sister of Queen Viktoriya Tar, as the first heir. In years to come this will be a national holiday. The school will see only noble girls educated and at the age of 16 will be tested for the Lower School Diploma. Those doing well will proceed to study Highers for a further two years however any girl deemed "beautiful" will also be offered a placement. Those achieving well academically at the age of 18 will be offered a place for a further three years to gain a degree. The school will recruit its first University intake and kindergarten class for this September. The University shall be overseen by respected Morelander scholar Dr.Maddie Howard who Queen Klara says "is, with the exception of her faith, the epitome of what we want the scholars to become."
There have been some critics of the new systems saying it turns its back on traditions however the Queen was quick to point out that it wasn't until the 1600's that many of the traditions that people understand today began after historic corruption by Duke Vitali Eramenko seized control of the military. One person critical of the new measures described it as "unleashing chaos upon the structures of the nation." A series of ten decrees has been released to make the measures the Queen has passed lawful.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://cdni.rbth.com/rbthmedia/images/all/2016/06/02/7_castles_in_Russia/vorontsov_palace.jpg)
ZHARY PALACE TO BE RE-OPENNED
The Palace has today confirmed that Zhary Palace will be re-opened for use by the crown. The Palace was put into "mothballs" during the recent conflict and suffered some minor damage during local fighting there. The Palace was repaired by local artisans and Queen Natalya has today confirmed that the Palace will become the official residency of the newly created position of Crown Princess. The Palace was built in the early 19th Century by Queen Maria III as a summer retreat however she died before its completion. The Palace has been used largely for functions by the people of Zhary such as balls and art exhibitions. The Palace enjoys a position sat on the top of a cliff overlooking the Alucard and has access to a private beach. In addition the palace boasts a large complex of buildings, including the main palace, a theater, a small temple, and several outbuildings. The main palace is a three-story structure with a central dome. The exterior of the palace is decorated with elaborate stuccowork and balustrades. The interior of the palace is lavishly decorated with marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and gilt-framed mirrors.The palace is surrounded by a landscaped park with fountains, ponds, and gardens. The park is home to a variety of plants, including palm trees, cypresses, and magnolias. In total the main Palace has over 160 rooms. The Palace will now be home to Crown Princess Alana Tar who will be considered the owner of the Palace until July 2024. The new Crown Princess has already begun the establishment of a staff at the Palace and will be hosting her first formal ball in a weeks time.
As well as being the designated heir for 12 months the Crown Princess will also undertake various duties ranging from supporting diplomatic efforts as well as supporting good causes.
(https://cdni.rbth.com/rbthmedia/images/all/2016/06/02/7_castles_in_Russia/vorontsov_palace.jpg)
ZHARY PALACE TO BE RE-OPENNED
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/703317694988157051/1144365270853500958/image.png)
ZHOYAN TO BECOME "NATURE RESERVE"
Queen Natalya yesterday visited the smallest of the Lodjain Islands, Zhoyan. The island is home to just 12,000 Lodjains most of whom work in the tourist industry. The island is very popular with tourists who enjoy its beautiful beaches, hillside forests and clear blue seas. The islanders though have become concerned that the island is becoming overcommercialised and as a result the environment on which they rely for their appeal is becoming damaged. A representative of hospitality industry members stated, "We have on Zhoyan a awkward see-saw act. We need tourists to come here for our income, yet at the same time the way some less than desirable elements of our industry operate have begun to damage the things people wish to see. Many of the beautiful mountain paths have been heavily eroded, we've seen a raise in people setting up spa's in the region of the mountain springs and vast fishing trips harming fishing stocks. If these things go unchecked then the island will eventually find its appeal gone. We therefore have been asking for a long time for some action as while the majority of us are happy to work together for the betterment of our whole sector others won't."
The Queen arrived at the island by helicopter after visiting the Helicopter Carrier HDMS Swevoo which was part of anti-piracy operations in the region. Having arrived at the island she meet with a delegation of representatives of the islands tourist sector at the Stasiuk Eco-Resort which has been held up as a beacon for sustainable tourism. The resort features several luxury cabins built from sustainably harvested timber and all electricity comes from either solar energy or wave generators. The resort also works exclusively with partners on the island it can show are working environmentally friendly. Following the meeting the Queen visited several businesses on the island before undertaking a hillside hike with a wildlife charity who seek to preserve habitats. While in the hills the Queen had time to go swimming in one of the many waterfall streams and helped at an orphanage for wildlife.
This morning the Queen made an announcement that there would be a "rotating nature reserve system" set up on the island. Under the new arrangements the island will have a rotating "no fishing zone" which will allow fish stocks to be replenished. No logging will be permitted unless companies first buy a quota and then replant on land logged. There will be small business loans made available for companies to go onto fully renewable energy sources as well as another scheme that will allow companies employing less than 50 people to make investments that can be shown to have positive environmental impacts. The Queen has also pledged that the Iskar-Zhoyan-Tar ferry service will be increased from one vessel every three days to one vessel a day. The trip takes two days between each island. The Queen made no statement about an international standard airport for the island which is a topic of contention among many with some of the larger resorts wanting one while smaller establishments believe the airport capable of taking smaller aircraft is sufficient.
The Queen intends to spend the rest of the day kayaking, a hobby she took up while spending her teenage years in the Commonwealth of the Iwi. She was not accompanied on the visit by the Maori Lieutenant and Envoy of the Commonwealth of the Unified Iwi, Hahona Mere, whom she has been romantically linked.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/11/3/1415055275025/a232c55a-7727-4f49-a68d-b1df16d7adee-2060x1369.jpeg?width=700&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=cc38bde6eeb5a51f0d43ad3c2029bca3)
CURTAIN FALLS ON SUMMER BALLS
This weekend has marked the final of the annual summer balls. The traditional final ball of the season took place in the Palace on the Isle of the Goddess and was attended by around 1000 guests, a number reduced from previous years due to "stricter security" as it was the first following last years postponement during the conflict that rocked the nation. This year the ball was reinstated and the Queen had invited 200 guests with the remaining 800 being made up of a random selection from those who applied and were vetted for attendance. Among those fortunate enough to be invited were several ambassadors including Peter Kade, the cousin of East Moreland's King David who is rumoured to have been accompanying Chief Lady in Waiting Jasmina Danilov. As always with balls on the Isle the Queen was in attendance however as people had expected the Maori envoy Lt.Hahona Mere did not accompany her, the second engagement he has not attended which has lead some to consider whether their relationship, if there was one, is over. Instead the Queen was accompanied by Henrik Pelagiya, the younger brother of the Queen of East Moreland and former Lady in Waiting Stasya Pelagiya.
The ball lasted until 2am when High Priestess Arina Maksimov called a halt to proceedings and gave what has become the formal blessing to end the summer ball season. The youngest High Priestess in the faiths history said, "We today mark another summer passing and have watched as Sessifet has weaved her magic in allowing young people to find love. To those now preparing to marry the Goddess wishes you well and to those yet to make a match the Goddess wishes you happiness until next summer. May the Goddess be with you all." Traditionally the summer ball season has been a time where young noble girls upon reaching the age of 16 are formally introduced to noble society as eligible for marriage. As Professor Mesalov who has written several articles on Lodjain culture explains, "The age may have varied throughout history, usually it was the summer following a noble girl being able to have children that they were introduced, now we have all seemingly without discussion agreed at 16. Appearing at your first ball as a young woman is sending a message that you are on the market so to speak and the would be suitors can get to know you in a safe and fun setting for everyone involved. Normally this was the best way for many young women to have their pick as many girls could easily have multiple men seeking their attention."
Traditionally all girls attending who are unmarried and single wear white, a colour no other person may wear, thus marking them out. Each of the girls carries a dance card which any gentleman interested in her can be asked to be added to. Traditionally it is seen as exceptionally poor etiquette to accept a gentleman's invitation and then not follow through. Many girls who are known to be attending certain balls can actually find that they have a full dance card before even arriving at the ball with their family sometimes making arrangements or as one girl explained the use of a more modern method. "Everyone has social media these days, instagram is the main one where this happens. You post a picture showing your dress, because frankly you don't want someone turning up in the same as you, and what ball your going to Quiet often guys will then slide into your DM's and ask if you'll add them to your dance card. For two of the summer balls I had full cards before even walking through the door. Its a bit of an ego boost and actually means you can chat with guys a bit first before the ball and get a sense if they're someone you'd get on with before adding them to your card."
The Lodjains ball season has also become more international this year as Lodjains living overseas have organised their own balls. The biggest of these though was the one hosted by Queen Stasya of East Moreland whose Silverhills home saw some 1,200 individuals attend. The event also raised a significant amount of money for Global Childbirth Initiative projects. Several embassies in Gaia also hosted events including the Cenneg embassy which introduced Cčilidh dancing to the Lodjains in attendance. Next year there have already been several other embassies asking to be added to the traditional approved list of balls and rumours that other nations with Lodjain diaspora have also intended to host them.
With the main aim of the Summer Ball Season being to secure marriages the office of the Queen has received several requests to approve marriages between noble girls and boys. A Royal spokesman explained, "All of the official balls have a certificate from the Queen authorising them. As such it is traditional that any marriages resulting from meetings at these balls should be approved by the Queen. We have so far received 162 requests for approval. In the coming days the Queen will be issuing formal approvals to these but likely we'll get a few more over the next few months." One of those hoping for approval is 17 year old Tanya Akeeva who is hoping to marry Fedor Milakonov in February once they are both 18. The two meet at a ball in Zhony and their parents began discussions about marriage soon after. Tanya said to us, "I know its extremely rare the Queen does not give approval but there is a sense of nerves until that letter arrives giving her blessing. I think it will always make my marriage to Fedor more special because you know the Queen, and therefore Sessifet think you're a suitable couple."
This season has also seen the first same-sex request for a blessing. While this has never been outlawed most balls are very clearly the territory of hetrosexual couples. This year though there has been three official balls that have been advertised as "Rainbow Balls" which have been marketed as LGBTQ+ events. The first same sex couple to ask for royal approval for marriage is 17 year old Svetlana Ludmilla and 18 year old Anna Sharakova who meet as a ball in Luben. Svetlana told us "Sessifet is very clear that love and passion are beautiful and that it does not matter who you love. I meet Anna at Duke Rorias ball and we just clicked, that night our parents began talking and even though we both went to other balls during the summer we kept in touch and meet at a few of them and then two weeks ago our parents approved our marriage and now we just wait for Queen Natalya to give her and Sessifets blessing. We're hoping to get married on my 18th birthday in July next year.
For now though the white dresses and tuxedos can be packed away until May next year.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://www.mariefrance.fr/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/02/t5-750x394.jpg)
QUEEN OPENS "PRINCESS FACTORY"
Queen Natalya today has opened the Royal Preparation Academy, a new educational institute which has been dubbed by many as the "Princess Factory". The Academy is located in Gaia and this year will be accepting 36 noble women at University level for a new course dubbed "International Leadership Studies" that will take in areas of study in economics, politics, history, disaster management and international relations. The Academy is designed to help prepare any future heir to the throne after Queen Natalya raised the age of inheritance of the throne from 18 to 21 in order to bring more stability to the throne on the death of the monarch. The school will also feature a variety of programmes to encourage sport, the arts and cultural pursuits on a beautiful campus that was once the property of the Hamsik family but was seized following the end of the recent civil war. The initial course supervisor is Dr.Maddie Howard of East Moreland who greeted the Queen and her entourage as they arrived. Queen Natlaya spoke with the first intake saying, "While I am hopeful of being on the throne for many years it is important we remember we are a Queendom, for a long time we allowed women to become those responsible for a narrow field and they were out of the Conclave for decades because of how Queen Sonya in her old age became hoodwinked. That's over. I intend for noblewomen to feature prominently during my reign and I want to equip them not to just look after family business while men run states, cities or even the Conclave. The 36 who make up the first class of the Academy are blazing a trail for that and will be our future ambassadors, Ministers or even Lord of the Conclave. While I am exceptionally grateful that Professor Howard has taken this role I believe it will be a one year role. She is the kind of bright, intelligent, beautiful and sophisticated woman we want the Academy to produce and we are lucky to have her but this project will eventually need to be run 100% by Lodjains only utilising global experts like Dr.Howard when it adds significantly to our offering."
The school will welcome 16 years olds in 2024 and offer Lodjian higher exams before those achieving well progressing onto degree level. One of those beginning this year is 18 year old Sabina Volkov, a cousin of Queen Stasya of East Moreland, the well connected student said. "I'm excited to have this chance to learn here. They've acquired an amazing roster of tutors, the lessons look very interesting and the facilities are out of this world. While the media may call this the "Princess Factory" it is nothing like that. To me this is an opportunity to get a degree from what will become a leading institute and as a result I'll be positioned to have an exciting career and if the Queen wills it a chance to be of service to the Queendom. I can't wait to get started."
Some though have criticised the Academy concept with one saying "If Queen Natalya was serious about making it easier to move between being a Pleb and a Patrician then why didn't they open the school to both classes. Imagine the leg up attending would have made to a Pleb, it would be life changing and inspire so many to know that they can become anything they set their mind on." Meanwhile the Lord of the Conclave , Lubos Kubik, defended the decision saying, "It will eventually become the case that the future Queen will have to have been educated here. The class sizes are always going to be limited and we want as wide a pool as possible. Only a patrician can inherit the crown and so that naturally sets the field of who we can accept."
High Priestess Arina Maksimov blessed the facility and those attending for their first day and said "I'm thrilled that the Goddess will, a long time from now, have a well prepared, well educated and cultured protector to be her Guardian. This school is an amazing idea and will be a beacon in many ways for our nation. I'm hopeful that while its aim is to prepare diplomats, government officials and the like some may also consider entering the Priesthood as we always need a new generation to keep our faith strong. Its especially telling that this opening coincides with the comet NS-2013 arriving overhead. It shoots off into the heavens lighting a path in darkness, something of a good omen as this is what we hope this school will do."
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/703317694988157051/1161745639131062382/image.png?ex=65396af0&is=6526f5f0&hm=874f697c434941ba85c984ec1c19b94bae7028e5834cfdf33367ed1d708ec1ec&)
FIRST FEMALE ROYAL GUARD APPOINTED
Following the end of the recent Lodjain Civil War the members of the Army responsible for the security of the Isle of the Goddess have undergone radical change. The 187 year old unit known as the Warriors of Gaia was disbanded and replaced with the new 1st Royal Guard Regiment. The new unit is not considered a special forces unit but just as its predecessor it does have higher requirements in terms of fitness and soldierly standards than the regular army. Since the formation of a specialist unit to guard the Isle, a role once undertaken by the Queen Marine Squadron, there has never been a female member. Today Lieutenant Violetta Matveev became the first to pass the final hurdle to enter the service, a 1km open swim followed by a 2mile run. This is undertaken across Gaia bay and then up the hill to the Palace itself. The 26 year old was formerly a member of the 2nd Horse Artillery and is the youngest daughter of the Sheriff of Karpovka, a small town in the North of the nation. In the coming days she will be formally inducted into the new regiment and presented the silver beret by Queen Natalya. Speaking following the announcement Lt.Matveev said, "A while back Queen Natalya spoke of the Queendom regaining its traditions of women taking the lead within the nation after for the last few centuries a corrupted priesthood and nepotism diminished most womens roles. I'm proud to be the first to join the Queen's guard and I now dream one day of being the commanding officer of it."
Queen Natalya has yet to meet Lt.Matveev but did say "I am very proud of Violetta and look forward to presenting her, and the other three new guards, their berets on Saturday. I have heard Lt.Matveev talk of her dream f one day commanding the Guard and I too look forward to seeing her achieve her dream. I pray that she is the first of many to walk this path."
(https://www.croatiaweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/ana-maria-markovic%CC%81-croatian.jpg)
FOOTBALL TRANSFER SPARKS DEATH THREATS
With the World Cup just a few weeks away it is expected that football will be in the spotlight of the media however today it is for the wrong reasons. 23 year old superstar of the Lodjain womens game Kristina Kovalyov first completed a transfer from Dynamo Gaia to local rivals CSK Gaia becoming the first player in either the mens or womens game to move between the teams. The news sparked an outcry online from Dynamo fans branding the winger a "Traitor" and calling for her to be targeted for "retribution" when the two teams next meet. That meeting, barring a cup tie, will not happen this season as Dynamo Gaia were relegated following a 10 point deduction last season for financial mismanagement. It was this relegation that saw Kovalyov push for a transfer. In August she went on record saying, "This coming world cup will see fierce competition for places in the womens team and I need to be in the top league for my chance to come about. Sadly that means leaving Dynamo."
Later in the day however CSK Gaia had police attending their training ground where Kovalyov was meeting fans for the first time. It was discovered that police had received warnings of at least six death threats against her. While many of these are likely to be simply angry fans using social media to vent their disappointment at what they perceive as a betrayal of their club the Police have said they will be giving Kovalyov a panic alarm for the time being. CSK Gaia have also confirmed that they will be providing her with security until those responsible have been caught.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1173358900116979742/1175570226671259658/image.png?ex=656bb617&is=65594117&hm=6a25191a91ff66c07f13ae31811eaa3d251d5268e3fac8e80389135770a5105a&)
NOBLE DUO BATTLE FOR EMPEROR
With the 20th birthday of Emperor Orion of Neu Urburzis approaching the traditional competition to become his wife and therefore Empress has begun and two Lodjain noble ladies have put their names forward. Ophelia Danialov and Angelika Kubik have both thrown their name into the metaphorical ring. The two girls face competition from a local ice skater, a noble lady from Asadal and rather ironically the Royal Ambassador to Lodja from Rokkenjima. The competition is to start in the new year but there have already been several social media posts referencing the competition with Princess Sophia, the Rokkenjiman ambassador, already posting criticism of a post on social media by Queen Stasya of East Moreland. In a picture of Queen Stasya and her close friend Lady in Waiting Jasmina Danialov, who is the sister of Ophelia, posted that she hoped Ophelie would "Bag" an Emperor, something criticised by Princess Sophie. The East Moreland Queen has however laughed off the criticism saying, "There is a great deal about Neu Urburzis society that is competative. Their school system has competition built into it and they even love summer schools that pit children into contests. If the Princess things a nicely nicely approach to the competition sanctioned by the nation she's applied to be Empress of is the way forward good luck to her. I'll be hoping Ophelia wins and if for some reason she doesn't then Angelika would be an excellent choice too."
The two Lodjain candidates are both well connected with ancient family connections to nobility. Ophelia is the sister of current lead Lady in Waiting Lady Jasmina while Angelika is the grand-daughter of the current Lord of the Conclave Duke Lubos Kubik. The two girls are also friends with both of them having spent considerable time on the Isle of the Goddess, where ironically one of their rivals, Princess Sophie, has also spent significant time. Over the current summer season it was reported that Angelika had received at least ten offers of marriage however these had been rejected as her grand-father felt they "were not of sufficient standing". Meanwhile Ophelia has recently begun campaigning for Wild Mundus Organisation following Queen Natalya stepping down as their junior ambassador.
The Queen has sent both competitors her best stating, "If one of the two win it is a positive result for Neu Urburzis and Lodja. The country of Neu Urburzis will get an elegant and beautiful Empress to support Emperor Orion. Meanwhile Lodja will naturally feel more inclined to seek ever closer relations with them." The Palace also confirmed that the two will be invited to spend time on the Isle as an "extended part of the royal retinue" if it helps them in their competition. Ophelia has however turned down the invitation in order to spend time in East Moreland visiting Portworth where the founder of WMO, Matilda Osman is based. In addition she will be spending time with family friend Queen Stasya.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/625386240925106222/unknown.png)
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7b/e4/dd/7be4dd283ecfdc99bef359402ad70ff2.jpg)
QUEEN BANS FUR FROM ISLE
In a move sure to send the noblewomen of Lodja scurrying to their wardrobes the Queen of Lodja has today banned the wearing of real fur on the Isle of the Goddess. Traditionally as the winter months have hit the Isle the weather there can get rather cold, especially in some of the older parts of the complex which is home to the Queen, her court and various entourages. This has often seen many nobles opt for the warmth of thick fur coats, including several monarchs. This year however there will be a change following the Queen issuing an edict that real fur will not be permitted to be worn on the Isle at all. The move comes following discussions with Ophelia Danilov, the ambassador to the Wild Mundus Organisation in Lodja, the Queen has determined that she will support the noble-womans anti-fur campaign. The Queen posted pictures of herself wearing faux fur online while praising Ophelia's programme. The Queen stated, "Once upon a time fur was seen by many Lodjains as a necessity. It was the only way to stay warm in winter. We've seen bears decline, at one point the beaver was gone from Lodja and various other species faced farming of sorts which was cruel. Sessifet may have given us dominion over the animals but it doesn't mean we need to abuse them. I'm proud that we will do our bit on the Isle."
Ophelia, who is hoping to become the Emperess of Neu Urburzis, has been helping promote the WMO to younger Lodjains since being named as Queen Natalya's successor as youth ambassador to the body. She hopes to run a small fashion show in the next month which is totally dedicated to "non-animal but animalesque fashion." Explaining the concept she said "Our nation spends much more on average than most nations per person on fashion. We have a whole host of styles we all enjoy suede, leather, fur and various other things give us a beautiful luxurious feel. We can still achieve these without the use of animals. I hope we can show young people that as we are the major consumers of fashion." The show is likely to happen in the next few weeks as Opehlia hopes to capitlise on the Queen's support.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/703317694988157051/1221581622537879592/image.png?ex=6613198a&is=6600a48a&hm=79bf6dc5463b1a6da8ec79007dbe75a7794234a1b0daa1ea37b2bb1d7ad799f3&)
(https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/incoming/article32259337.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/0_Street-Style-Paris-Fashion-Week-Womenswear-FallWinter-20242025-Day-Five.jpg)
QUEEN TO PROPOSE TIZER AGREEMENT
Queen Natalya is due to travel to Bakkermaya in the coming week in order to meet with representatives of Bakkermaya and Paracambi in order to formulate what she is called the TIZER agreement. The Queen hopes that the agreement will allow the islands of the Northern Alucard to work together to boost each nations economy as well as support the growth of Water Nomad engagement in the region. "The Tri-Island Zone for Economic Relations will be primarily aimed at working together to ensure we can sustainably use the resources of the region to help all three of us. One issue that we have is that the involvement of the Water Nomad within the region can often make the situation regarding the movement of goods and safety of the environment an issue. So far we've largely turned a blind eye to working together and now we need to start making changes. If I get the deal I would like then I will be pushing to make it easier for business owners to move between the islands and also maximise the way these mainly small businesses can work."
The Queen is also expected to try and get a visit to Lymm into the coming weeks saying, "Lymm sits on the opposite coast of the Alucard and is a nation of great potential. I want to see if we can find ways of encouraging them to become an economic partner in the region and I intend to formally invite them to become a part of TUNA. I also desperately want to view more of Mundus and intend to in the coming months." The Queen is expected to also host one of the summer balls this year outside of Lodja. The Queen explained. "We have seen other nations have great success with diplomacy utilising what could be considered cultural exchanges as a way of forging friendships. I think our ball season is exceptionally well positioned to allow us to do this and while nations we've a friendship with like East Moreland, Neu Urburzis and Ui Cenneslaig it makes sense to try and take the experience to new nations therefore I would like to perhaps go to Tanith or Eborcium. Both are continental neighbours whom we have yet to become close friends."
The Queen is currently in the midst of drafting new legislation which, if it goes ahead, would change the nations education system. "We've allowed standards to be too low for too long and we've placed in the past far too much emphasis on nepotism. This is going to change if our economy is to keep growing. Currently we're seeing it slow as we have a shortage of high end skilled workers. " The Queen has yet to reveal any information on what changes she imagines are needed.
-
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/703317694988157051/1221581622537879592/image.png?ex=6613198a&is=6600a48a&hm=79bf6dc5463b1a6da8ec79007dbe75a7794234a1b0daa1ea37b2bb1d7ad799f3&)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1173358900116979742/1227371322863255622/image.png?ex=6628299e&is=6615b49e&hm=024e70e230c32467ee07f38f7f2ebe105bfa673488616d1fa174e34a83a000ff&)
SUMMER BALLS GO "OUT OF THIS WORLD"
Every year at the end of May we see the beginning of the annual summer ball season. In Lodjain culture these serve as both a way of the aristocracy networking, arranging marriages for their newly adult daughters and celebrating the beauty of Sessifet. Since the reign of Queen Viktoriya the season has taken on much more of a modern feel with the Queen bringing in more modern music, fashion and encouraging them as a cultural form of foreign relations. As such the Summer Balls, while still very Lodjain in character have since become an annual event at places across Mundus ranging from Northfort Palace, where Queen Stasya of East Moreland hosts one, to next year going to Eboricum. 2024 will also mark the first time a ball has taken place outside of Mundus. With a scheduled addition of the CNN Space Station due in early May the crew will be formed of four Lodjains, with the daughter of the Duke of Demesk, acting as mission commander. Ludmilla Demeskov, the 38 year old former Air Force Officer, will lead the team utilising a Cenneg and East Moreland constructed rocket to the reilnflated modules that serve as the station. These are part of a long term research project to evaluate them as a potential tool for long range exploration. The proposed mission will be to take a third module up and install it. The four individuals will conduct a number of research projects as well as prepare the station for a much longer stay by a team later on in 2024. While there the four have confirmed that on the penultimate night of their stay they will have a ball, thus kicking off the Summer Ball Season.
Demeskov has said "My father usually hosts a big summer ball, in fact it's where I meet my husband. I always enjoy them and it'll be interesting to try and waltz in zero-g. I will also be back home for my father's ball so at least I won't miss out." For a Summer Ball to be classed as an official part of the Lodjain Royal Ball Season it must have a licence from the Queen. It is understood that Queen Natalya will travel to the Cenneg launch site to present the crew with the licence and to observe the launch.