The Independent Order

Roleplay => International News Networks => Topic started by: DaveIronside on September 01, 2017, 10:42:46 PM

Title: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 01, 2017, 10:42:46 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://justfunfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/lake-bled-island.jpg)

ADRIANA PILGRIMMAGE COMPLETED

The pilgrimmage carried out by the young Rokkenjiman/Dartfordian Princess Adriana was completed three days ago. The two week long journey was organised as part of the girls education into East Moreland culture following her abduction by Borlanders and in the aftermath being seen cuddling a Borlander outfitted teddy bear. in photographs of the Rokkenjiman royals. The Princess was accompanied by East Moreland's Princess Freya and deviated from the traditional route from Portworth to Ostlake by taking in some visits to significant sites and meeting Morelanders affected by the Borlanders. One such person who spent a day hiking with the two Princesses was 51 year old Anna Gunning, mother of Melissa Gunning the Morelander hero teacher who when Freestone was hit by missiles pulled several of her students out of a collapsing classroom and was killed as the roof caved in trying to save another 11 year old, Melissa's body was found covering Hayley Spencer who sadly was also dead. Mrs. Gunning said, "All I did was show her photos of my daughter, she had lots with her students, many the Princesses age, many now dead because of the Borlanders. It's my hope she sees the innocent victims of those people and the damage they've done. I'm so proud of Melissa but I miss her everyday."

The pilgrimage meant they had to sleep under the stars and they bivouacked out at some of East Moreland's Temples and Shrines. At one they took part in a camp fire evening with local musicians. One, 27 year old Simon Rough said, "I always enjoy an evening out under the stars, some nice roast boer, a fine glasses of cider and music. It was lovely to share it with Princess Freya and I hope Princess Adriana learned a little about our culture and customs. We taught her about the importance of the Parting Glass (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eisW0skJ9fU) and its place in our history of ordinary people standing up against tyranny."

The pair carried ingots of steel from the temple of Helus in Portworth to the Temple of Jekar on the Isle of Jekar in Ostlake, there they stayed for four days while Royal Blacksmith Max Norris helped her smith a sword. "We've made a decent sword, not the best I've ever made, but for a young lass she did well enough." the Blacksmith explained, "It's now sealed in a box which will be kept along with other swords of note in our crypt, when Princess Rhiannon determines its time and Adriana is at least 21 she'll be given it as a reminder of her duties to protect the innocent, something I hope she does."

Following completion of the pilgrimage she spent a day with the "Battle Back" programme at Ostlake which helps wounded servicemen and woman recover from life changing injuries. While there she had the chance to meet several soldiers including 19 year old Stephen Hollins who lost a leg in Academica. "I've meet royals a few times, King David is a regular here, he's been through the programme so knows what its like. I know Freya is heavily involved in the project too and she's a soldier so gets what its like here, but I know across Mundus not all royals serve they can't know then the impact their actions can have on those who serve, by coming here I hope this Rokkenjiman appreciates the realities of decisions she'll one day have to make."

The two Princesses then made their way back via helicopter to Northfort, there Adrianna spent two days with the Royal Family including the King's famous Chili Friday, when on the last Friday of the month the family gather for a home cooked chili con carne as a family whenever possible. It is thought this meal was attended by the King, Princess Freya, Princess Rhiannon, Alex Redfern, his ward Evie, and Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside, fresh back from Hrothgar. Traditionally one chair is left empty as it symbolises King David's deceased sister High Priestess Joanna, who was murdered by Borlanders. As he left the Palace, Redfern stated, "It was just a meal with a group of people, hopefully the fact she can see the way Borlanders destroyed the Ironside family will have her see what damage these terrorists can do." The Princess was seen leaving Northfort airport heading presumably for Dartfordia onboard an East Moreland Air Force VIP Transport. As she boarded the aircraft she was seen to be carrying a new teddy bear dressed as a Red Legionnaire (http://www.richmere.com/richmere/images/products/Teddy-Bears/t/tBM-EH-551A1.jpg).
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 02, 2017, 03:29:11 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02234/sheffield_united_2234282b.jpg)

UNITED HEARTACHE LEADS TO FOOTBALL RETHINK

Following Northfort United's 2nd valiant Champions League run in three years the East Moreland Football Association has announced a major shake up of the league system. Speaking following a meeting with the leading clubs FA Chair Edward Neill explained the changes to the press saying, "We have a great base from which to build football in East Moreland, United have done amazingly well to get to two Champions League finals, despite having semi-professional players. Furthermore to see 70,000 East Moreland fans fill the King Robert Arena for the semi final was a sight to behold for a nation where football is not out leading sport. However if teams are to take the next step and the national side replicate what United have done, then things need to change."

Currently the East Moreland Premier League features 12 teams who play each other four times during the season, beneath that is a structure that according to Neill doesn't promote the game. "We have a structure seeing a Northern League and a Southern League, each with 12 teams in mirroring the four matches a season structure, it sees too many mismatches and the league has to be restructured every year depending on which team wins a playoff between the North and South for promotion." The new structure will see the Premier League extended to 18 teams with a team made up of players doing national service and an invitation being extended to Heyra to enter a club side. The other four clubs will see this seasons Northern and Southern champions and runners up promoted. The second and third tiers of Moreland football will now be made up of 18 teams each as well and teams will play home and away, there will also be the introduction of a new cup competition known as the Royal Cup. This new cup will feature teams drawn just from the top three tiers unlike the continuing East Moreland Cup which allows any and all  clubs in the country to enter. The Royal Cup will also include a rule that at least six of the starting players must be under the age of 25.

Additionally it was confirmed that due to the numbers of people who watched the Cup Final national TV station EMTV is to start a specialist football channel via its streaming services and every league game from the Premier will be available to fans who subscribe. EMTV Chair Melanie Oakes said, "We've looked and seen a massive increase in the demand for football, we hope this gives fans what they want and encourages a few new fans." It is estimated that the TV deal will see each Premier League team net an additional £800,000 in revenue for the first season. 

Northfort United manager Simon Coleman supported the idea. "We've now got a league that brings stability to lower levels and will hopefully see the money being pumped in filter down, it also means clubs like us will be able to give out more full time contracts which means players get fitter. We had to play two hours against Leubin in Dartfordia and by the end the lads could barely move to take their penalties. We can now have them train more often as they don't need day jobs. We've also the chance to attract bigger sponsers."

The move may however come too late for Northfort United to keep hold of their star youngster, 18 year old Henry Marshall. When not playing football he studies Physics at Northfort Science and Technology University and has been approached by IFK Krokom the team that beat Northfort United two years ago. It is thought an offer of a University placement at Krokom Science Institute, from where the Joint Nordic Space Programme operates, has been made by the Aland champions along with a wage of £10,000 a week, which would make him the highest paid East Moreland footballer. There however may be competition from Roberton AFC who, backed by King David, have been rumoured to have offered a similar wage.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 03, 2017, 11:13:31 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Flag_of_%C3%85land.svg)

KING PAYS RESPECTS TO DEAD HEAD GOTHI

Following an announcement that the Head Gothi Daniel Stenberg had died the King used his weekly statement in Council to pass on his and the nations respects. It appears that the religious and political leader of Nya Aland died in some kind of ceremonial fight and recieved a traditional funeral in private. While the manner of his death may be shocking the Alander media revealed that the man had motor neurone disease, a condition likely to have left him unable to walk or work in his carpentry workshop, something it is believed the Head Gothi enjoyed. The King paid tribute to Stenberg saying, "At times he was a man who could be a thorn in the side of many nations, however we stood with the Alanders many times and I considered the Head Gothi a friend. He faced challenging decisions right until the end and faced them with strength and courage, he was the first leader of his nation and he has set the bar extremely high for whoever has the task of following him. Rest assured the East Moreland commitment to support the Alanders as they continue to help the people of Uppsala is unwavering. Following the fight together in Marseille and now the Uppsala Crisis I know many of our military forces consider each other close friends, we stand ready to uphold that if still required. I am sure Daniel will find a place in his Valhalla."

The King went on to say that unlike The Iwi who have returned troops from Uppsala the East Moreland contingent will remain saying "Uppsala is getting back on its feet but is not there yet. It is right forces on the ground reflect the situation, no one wants to see foreign soldiers patrolling their streets, we have a closer connection with the Alanders so it is probably more appropriate for our forces to remain a little longer. The Maori have been fantastic and my officers can not speak high enough of their work." This means some 5,000 Morelanders will still be posted in Uppsala on a variety of duties ranging from policing to medical care.


(http://www.outwardon.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/shutterstock_316823891-805x460.jpg)

LONGEST ALPINE TOBOGGAN RUN OPENS

A brand new tourist toboggan run opened today in the Alpine town of Keepton, the new 5.3km run makes it the longest in East Moreland. These types of rides are very popular amongst tourists and this one is a real record setter betting the previous record of Stoneton's by a full kilometer. The ride lasts almost 10 minutes as the rider drops a total distance of 400 meters around its twist and turns. The ride was opened by Nature Resorts Holiday Ltd, a company that specialises in Alpine holidays and ski resorts. It is expected that around 100,000 people will use the ride in the first six months. The companies directors, who were amongst the first to ride it said, "The ride is designed to add to the already thriving tourist market of East Moreland and the Alps. We have now got more and more tourists coming from across Mundus as various treaties make it easier to come here, we're very excited at being able to put together experiences like this for our clients."

It is expected that the King will complete a new Mhorish and Illumic organisation in the coming days and this could potentially open up East Moreland to even more tourists leading a director to say, "We can't wait for the people across the Mhorish to see the videos of this thing and come over to try it, they'll find a warm welcome and a ride of a lifetime."

A video of the ride can be found  here (https://youtu.be/8hPd4PQzuiM?t=301)



(http://e1.365dm.com/16/08/16-9/20/oliver-burke-red-bull-leipzig_3774753.jpg?20160828184303)

MATTHEWS JOINS DYNAMO LEUBIN


While it had been expected that 18 year old wonderkid Henry Matthews would leave Champions League runners up Northfort United it was expected that he would go to either Roberton AFC, arguably East Morelands richest team, or former Champions League winners IFK Krokom. Today however he has signed for three year deal with Dynamo Leubin in a deal which sees Northfort United receive EM£ 6,500,000 a record fee received for any Morelander. As part of the deal it is also understood that the Lodjain team will loan United two of their up and coming stars each season for the next three years. Matthews has confirmed that he has signed a EM£30,000 a week contract, also making him the highest paid Moreland footballer ever.

The move came about after Dynamo Leubin's coach was impressed by the midfielder during the competition and especially during their final game. It prompted the coach to make a call to the East Moreland ambassador to get the youngsters phone number and persuade him that Lodja was a much better deal that Nya Aland or remaining in East Moreland. Matthews took to his facebook page to thank Northfort United and wish their fans well. "I've been a fan of United since a little boy, to play for them in a final of that size is something that will live in my memory forever. East Moreland football needs to grow, and I want to test myself at a higher level, I hope one day soon the East Moreland Premier League will be as respected as the Lodjain one and I can once again test my skills with United."


Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 06, 2017, 09:50:01 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://justfunfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/lake-bled-island.jpg)

TREATY DISREGARDED BY "ALLY"

Following an announcement that Orania are to send a carrier group to the Illumic, on the presumption of safeguarding against Kaitaine aggression the Minister of Defence Harry Samuelson has explained that the treaty in place between the two nations is now in tatters. "Several months ago we signed a treaty with Orania in which there was an agreement to use our embassies to communicate military activity of interest to the other. We have no deployments anywhere near Albion other than our commitment to the Uppsala, something which long pre dates any treaty. Meanwhile Orania have today announced, through their media, a deployment to the Illumic on the supposed grounds of defending against Kaitaine, when Kaitaine is over 5000km away. For any missile attack to even reach the Illumic it would need to fly through our airspace and our defence network would be triggered eliminating threats. Furthermore for Orania to launch any kind of strike from that region is frankly ridiculous. There is clearly something else going on, however this does not gloss over the fact that our alleged ally is aware of the stance on the Illumic and the notion that it is not defended sufficently is a joke and an insult."

In response to the announcement the Orania has been summound to the Palace where he will receive an official letter of protest which will outline the nations concerns and measures to be taken should the fleet enter the Illumic. Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker explained. "Rokkenjima, a nation we have considered allies a number of years knows their ships are regularly shadowed by East Moreland vessels, on the rare occasion they have gone above their quota of ships with notice they are always shadowed. This process will be put in place, our fleet in the Illumic will move to follow the Oranian Navy and air assets will monitor them. The Illumic is a region that our Kingdom has ensured is safe, defended and open for trade, to now have a foreign power sending its navy here for what frankly doesn't make sense is an insult, especially when they expect support joining the CNN. On prior discussions it was likely we wound stand by our treaty with Orania and support their CNN application, however if a nation breaks one treaty why not others? Therefore I believe it highly likely King David will withdraw his support."

It was also announced that the Ekra-Badger will be heading into the Mhorish Sea for "speed trials" over the next few days.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 19, 2017, 09:09:55 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://i.pinimg.com/736x/cf/ba/d6/cfbad62c7802da07f07023b416c9e91d--kaya-scodelario-celebs.jpg)

KING SENDS BEST WISHES TO LODJA

Following the surprise announcement that Queen Viktoriya of Lodja had been attacked and lies in critical condition King David has made a statement.

Quote from: Statement

Queen Viktoriya is a young lady who in a short space of time had achieved so much, within a year of assuming the crown she has founded one international organisation, made major redrafts to another and taken her nation into a major alliance alongside ourselves, Ui Cenneslaig and The Iwi. I have been privledged to meet her many times and know that she is a monarch dedicated to her people and keen to ensure she lives up to their expectations. I and the rest of East Moreland send her our best wishes and hopes for a speedy recovery. While I understand the Lodjain officials have the situation under control I would remind them that if required our nation will offer whatever support it is within our power to do so. I then read that the Priory of Sion claim they carried out the attack, frankly it smacks of desperation to claim an attack that isn't yours, a group that look to exaggerate their reach. At this time I hope the media give them the publicity they deserve which is precisely zero. This is the last I'll speak of them in this matter. I will instead focus on sending my prayers for the Queen's speedy recovery.

The identity of the would be assassin has not yet been released nor their motive.


(http://defense-update.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/hero30isr_725.jpg)

EMAC SHOW CASE "MINI DRAGON"

The East Moreland Aircraft Company today showcased their latest development at a showcase of new aviation products. The MiniDragon is a small drone capable of being carried in an infantryman's backpack and weights just 3kg. The system can be launched by hand and can stay airborne for 30 minutes using an electrical engine. It is capable of recording footage of the battlefield and transmitting this back to operators several kilometers away. The small drone is also equipped with a 0.75kg warhead which can be used effectively against light vehicles and ground forces. Sir Alan Maybury of EMAC said, "The ability to have eyes in the sky relatively quickly is a much needed asset for any ground force, no longer do infantry need to await aircraft to be able to check out areas around them from the air. It will provide them with a great deal of flexibility and all within the confines of a rucksack."

The company also showcased the Mini Dragon's bigger brother, the Tiny Dragon which is almost identical but weighs 7.5kg with some 3.5kg being a warhead. With a 60 minute flight duration this version is likely to be attached to canister carried on military vehicles allowing them to launch the drone as a reconnaissance platform while on the move.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 21, 2017, 10:46:49 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.odt.co.nz/sites/default/files/styles/odt_story_slideshow/public/story/2016/04/kieran_read_of_the_crusaders_makes_a_break_during__5388599599.jpg?itok=q37Ut7jS)

HONEYBADGERS READY FOR FINAL TEST

After a long and gruelling world cup the HoneyBadgers have reached the final. On Sunday they will face the hosts to determine the world champions in what Eddie Johns, the HoneyBagders Head Coach, has described as "The Dream Final" speaking from the teams training camp in The Iwi Johns said, "This world cup sees us hopefully come away as the first team to win two world cups, but we know this will be a major challenge, The Iwi are on home turf, their fans are fanatical and they play good hard rugby, its the dream final, a team that's been at the top of the international game versus a team that live and breath the game. If I wasn't a Morelander I'd be excited, instead I'm nervous."

The team have put in a string of great performances which have seen them score many great tries. One of the star performers has been Jonny Joseph who at centre has been one of the most eye catching performers of the world cup. The Northfort Royal player has scored five tries and has explained the secret of his success lies with, "The way the team have been attacking at pace, it opens up alleyways for me and I just keep hitting them, sooner or later you find one with no one waiting and its been try time, it's like the coach says, speed kills, and we've been playing at speed at getting good ball."

One of the forwards who have been credited with a great deal of praise is Rollo MacAllister, the 21 year old who plays his club rugby for Royal Merriman University, has been a force to be reckoned with in the back row and has himself scored two tries, his last coming in the semi final against Bykrestan when he finished off a superb run by Joseph who was held up by the opposition full back. The naturalised Morelander spoke of his pride of pulling on the red jersey, "When you play any sport you want to be the best and win world titles. I'm looking forward to seeing if we can achieve that and match the team from a few years ago. What we've got to do is just play like we've been doing and I'm sure we'll do it." He was asked with Somerset becoming independent whether he intended to switch allegiances if permitted. "I've been told special dispensation may be given in cases like Somerset, but it won't happen, I may have been born and raised in Seaforth but East Moreland has been my home for five years now and I love the nation and its people. To be permitted to put that red jersey on is something I will not give up on until I'm either no longer needed or able to play the game."

The big screens in People's Park are already being prepared and it is expected that some 80million Morelanders will be watching the game.



(http://www.army-technology.com/uploads/project/arrow2/images/arrow_1.jpg)

JEKARS SHIELD HEADS TO IWI

A missile interception system known as Jekars Shield has today been loaded onto a Ui Cennesliag naval vessel to be delivered to The Iwi. The system was loaned to the Commonwealth, CNN allies of East Moreland, after a press article from Lakhzovia indicated they were giving anti ship missiles to their Saheristani comrades, this was as a result of The Iwi supporting Utmen Independence. The system will ensure that any missile coming within 150km is capable of being intercepted. The system was developed from the Jekars Spear system that was installed in most cities following the Borlander attack on Freestone, as of yet it has only been used once in anger when missiles from a rouge Academican faction fired several at East Moreland.

King David explained the loan saying, "We have an alliance with the Iwi and they are good friends, we stand by our friends and if we can help them protect themselves we will. This is not an announcement that we support their stance on the Utmen question, thats something we are still investigating and considering. This is an announcement that we will help protect our allies whenever we can. I just hope they appreciate this in the rugby on Sunday."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 26, 2017, 09:53:33 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://static.stuff.co.nz/1431042646/668/11717668.jpg)

HONEYBADGERS BACK ON TOP

The HoneyBadgers have won the World Cup for the 2nd time, the first time any nation has achieved this fete. The team defeated the host nation 39-33 in what many are calling one of the greatest world cup matches ever. The streets of Northfort were packed full of fans who watched on large screens in People's Park as well as a packed King Robert Arena where fans gathered on the pitch to watch on a giant screen. King David was also in Hunter's Bay to watch the final and meet with the team after the final whistle.

Head coach Eddie John was clearly emotional when he spoke with journalists following the victory which came in the 72nd minute when Rollo MacAllister took a line out throw against the head setting up Elliot Dailee for a try scored in the corner. The conversion was scored by Jon Wilkieson who became one of four players to be a double world champion along with Martin Jonson, Ricky McCore and Rory Overwood. The coach, who joined the team after the failure at the last world cup, said "To get our hands once more on the trophy makes the last year perfect. We've grown as a team in every game and it came together in a perfect final. Both teams played hard running rugby and kicking was kept to a minimum providing great entertainment for neutral fans. For much of the game both teams had the advantage but the Morelanders came out on top mainly by keeping the ball tight amongst the forwards.

Rollo MacAllister was the youngest member of the squad at 21 and has become a household name in world rugby, many nominating him as their forward of the tournament. Speaking with the media he said, "It's been a long tournament, the fans of The Iwi have been superb getting behind everyone whenever their team isn't playing. Its the greatest experience of my life and I can't wait to meet all our fans back home."

It is expected that a Champions Ball will take place at the Palace in the coming days and already a petition has begun to knight Eddie Johns. Former World Cup winner Sir Clyde Winwood, who coached the Lodjain national team in their first world cup, passed on his own congratulations via twitter by saying "Great work Eddie, welcome to the winners circle."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 27, 2017, 11:17:28 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/k/v/u/n/i/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1kvvd2.png/1502137087870.jpg)

HONEYBADGERS RETURN HOME

An estimated 100,000 people took to the streets of Northfort to welcome home the East Moreland team that clinched the World Championship. The team returned home from The Commonwealth of The Iwi via a private flight scheduled as WC002 run by Moreland Wings, the company explaining that it stood for World Champions Twice. The team exited the aircraft to a fanfare played by members of the nations Army Cadets and were greeted by King David. The team then stopped and signed autographs and posed for photos with fans before making their way onto an open top bus which drove them to the city centre, through the Temple District and then onto Embassy Row where they headed up the hill to Northfort Palace. Outside the Palace the King meet them and spent time with the team while getting his own replica shirt autographed, he was joined by his daughter Princess Rhiannon who presented each player with a souvenior HoneyBadger toy bearing each players name, number and the words World Champion. The King described the day as "The perfect celebration of being both a Morelander and a a rugby fan. Its been a great day today and I'm very proud to be the King of such an outstanding group of individuals. They are a great example to youngsters across the nation."

There has already been speculation about the future of Eddie Johns, the teams coach whose contract runs out in two weeks time. He had refused to be drawn on contract renewal talks before the tournaments stating, "the team need to be focused on the games, not who will be their boss in a few months time." As he was interviewed he refused to say whether he would remain simply saying, "Preparing for a tournament is demanding, we'll see what the wife says and then I'll work out what is best for me, the Honeybadgers and the RFU." A poll of fans shows he has strong support with 92% of fans wanting him to sign a new contract.

The team are to return to their clubs in a weeks time at which point the players will take it in turns to showcase the trophy to local areas. There will also be an official tour of the nation in four weeks time where the players will visit various schools. One exception however is likely to be Rollo MacAllister who has confirmed that he will be returning to Somerset for a short period for "family reasons" he refused to be drawn on the matter saying only, "my heart is split between East Moreland and Somerset, two nations that share so much. I've a few loose ends to tie up in the old home before returning ready to fight to make the HoneyBadgers even better."



(https://scstylecaster.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/olivia-palermo-new-lob-2017.jpg)

MATILDA OSMAN OFFERS SOLONIA GCI SUPPORT


Former Queen of East Moreland, Matilda Osman, today responded to the call reports (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=314.msg1777#msg1777) that the nation of Solonia is running short of midwives. The former Queen is the patron of the Global Childbirth Initiative, which takes much of its funding from OsmanTech's charitable trusts. In a statement she said. "I have first hand experienced the need for skilled and dedicated midwives, as such today we will be paying for fifty midwives to travel to Solonia to work there for a period of 12 months, additionally they will work alongside locals to ensure the level of training and skills necessary are passed on. We will also fund 50 Solonian students to come to East Moreland and train in our teaching hospitals. OsmanTech has donated various drugs and pieces of equipment necessary to initially equip two new wards and two mobile maternity wards."

Matilda Osman has also promised EM£200,000 of her own money to provide scholarships for Solonian's willing to train as midwives. She explained, "It is our hope that this money can be offered as bursaries to encourage people to enter what is a challenging profession."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 01, 2017, 10:38:32 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/364160524834832384/Untitled.png)

KING BREAKS HAND IN CHARITY SPORTING EVENT

As part of the Legionnaire Legacy games King David has broke his hand during a wheelchair rugby game.  The Legionnaire Legacy Games (LLG) were established by the veterans welfare charity from which it takes its name after the first Safraen conflict. The games see injured veterans take part in a wide range of events on a similar format to the Ostlake Games which pitches the various Army Legions against the Air Force and Navy. This year a charity wheelchair rugby game was scheduled between the semi-finals and final of that event, the King was playing for the Moreland All Stars against a team made up of players from the recent rugby world cup winning HoneyBadgers. The King broke his hand during a collision between himself and HoneyBadgers scrum half Matt Doorson. The King's wheelchair was knocked over and it appeared the King injured himself putting a hand down to break the fall. He was treated at the OsmanTech Arena in Ostlake before later going to hospital. The King returned just in time to present the medals to the winners of the final. The All Star team won the charity match 6-3, the King had scored one try before being injured, however the star of the match was former Youth Minister and current CTO Refugee Agency chair, Melissa Lusk who scored a hat-trick.

The King, who by now was wearing a red and white cast, spoke to the media following presenting the Air Force with their medals. "Today has been a good bit of fun, right up until breaking my hand. We've raised a lot of money for projects to support the veterans and they've been very inspiring with the way they've competed at a high level. I'm clearly a little banged up but its not the first time, and there are many here today that have received far worse and kept doing what needed to be done. What I'm most proud of is that I can say I've beaten the world champions in a rugby match."

Melissa Lusk was also interviewed following the match and said, "Its nice to be back home, I try and get back every now and again and when asked to play in this I was honoured. It was a lot of fun. Tomorrow I'm back to CTO business, while the Nya Aland situation is now under control in the short term we still need to look at getting some people back home after East Moreland and Achkaerin took many in. Sadly it now will be a little quieter in the office with the Achkaerin contingent heading home, unless I see big change in the CTO I wouldn't be surprised if we weren't far behind. There is a growing mumbling of displeasure at certain ways the CTO is going and the ways in which certain nations are using the organisation."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 05, 2017, 10:40:13 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getasset.aspx?itemid=50727)

MINI DRAGON TO BE SENT TO ALPS

The first 30 of EMAC's new Mini Dragon "loitering munition" will be undertaking live trials in the Alps. EMAC have made a production run of 40 of the drones which are capable of being operated by one soldier with a backpack of kit, thirty of these will be issued to members of Duke Legion who will be patrolling the Alps, the other ten will be used for trials by EMAC themselves. The new weapon is essentially a kamikaze drone capable of being airborne for 30 minutes and carrying an explosive warhead of 0.75kg, should the operator spot a target they can use it as a missile, with no target visible the drone can be landed, recovered, recharged and used again.

Minister of Defence Harry Samuelson said, "To be able to provide your own close air support is a great step forward for our infantry units, they'll now have added capabilities and we shall soon see how useful these new tools can be. I envisage a day soon where these are used for most scouting operations within our Legions and hopefully it will mean not putting as many men and women into harms way." It is expected that each of the drones will soon be capable of carrying a variety of different warheads ranging from armour piercing to cluster weapons.

There has been no confirmation as to whether there will be an export model but it is likely several other nations will be interested in the product.


(http://www.autonewsinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/WEC-2013-a-BAHREIN-Loic-DUVAL-sur-le-circuit-de-SAKHIR.jpg)

HALLIDAY HAS DEMANDED DNA TEST

A source close to Formula Mundus driver, Sam Halliday, has suggested that the driver has asked for a DNA test on the child he has supposedly fathered with Matilda Osman, the former Queen. The couple became an item following Matilda's split from the King following differences of opinion surrounding children. The pair have a three month old son, Oliver, who was diagnosed with Hunter's Syndrome , a condition that Matilda's deceased son with the King, Prince Caspian, also had which resulted in a significant shortened life.

It was reported that Halliday has suggested that because Oliver has the same condition the Rytol-EMAC driver has suggested the child may not be his and instead be King David's. Royal Press Secretary, Malcolm Tucker, suggested that this is "nonsense, the King has tried to stay on the best of terms with Miss Osman, however that is for the benefit of Princess Rhiannon. The two have meet once, maybe twice since their divorce and then only at events like parents evenings. It is important Mr.Halliday comes to his senses and realises that he has a responsibility towards his son. He should be focusing on that rather than making baseless allegations against His Majesty and accusing the mother of his child." Since his divorce the King has been seen in the company of several women including Mundus Games Legend Daisy Greechan and History Professor Maddie Howard.


(http://static3.bornrichimages.com/cdn2/500/500/91/c/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/cha1_thumb.jpg)

DENMAN "DEMANDS" KING MARRY DUCHESS OF SILVERHILLS

Controversial Priestess Jinny Denman has today used a press conference to launch her book "The Cult in a New Dawn" to once more speak out about the Kings love life. The 44 year old Priestess was once a member of the Cult's Priestesses having a role at the Temple of Jekar in Portworth for five years before determining that the Cult was actually inaccurate. Since leaving the Cult's official hierachy she was formed the "Sisterhood of Helus" which is a growing off-shoot of the Cult of Helus which believes that Helus is in fact female and that the Ironside bloodline should be protected from "pollution".

Denman spoke out many times about the King's marriage to Matilda Osman calling it a marriage "unbefitting of a fine noble man and descendent of the Gods." She welcomed the King's divorce and then attempted to get two of her followers who hold positions as Representative Councillors to introduce a law making the royal families choice of partner a matter for the Council, while this was defeated it did get a small amount of support amongst the general public.

Now Denman has suggested that the King should "marry soon for the good of the nation", something she explained at her Press Conference saying, "The King needs to ensure the Unasson and Ironside bloodline is continued, for that we now need a male heir, and in my view that son should replace Rhiannon as heir to the throne. It is now vital the King marry the most eligible noblewoman possible and therefore I firmly think it is in the King's interest and East Morelands for him to marry the Duchess of Silverhills, Rebecca Henshaw, a uniting of two of the most noble families is now a neccessity. The King must do this thing and I know Duchess Rebecca would make a wonderful Queen and Mother of a future King."

Book makers have made Duchess Rebecca a 75/1 chance of becoming the next Queen of East Moreland, which is still a better chance than the 200,000/1 odds King Leonard of Vaguzia remains at. 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 12, 2017, 06:25:31 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://quwa.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Type-055-02-692x360.png)

THIRD NOBLE CLASS NEARS COMPLETION

The nations third new destroyer of the Noble class is due to be completed in a months time, the new vessel is yet to be given a name but will join sister ships Royaleth and Naqjej in service. The ship is the most advanced in the East Moreland Navy and is the final of the class to be completed for the next few years according to the Ministry of Defence. As journalists were given a tour of the dockyards in Portworth where it is being completed they were told. "The Navy originally wanted five of these vessels, however with the budget the way it is and competing needs from the Army and Air Force it is unlikely that they will get their wish anytime in the future. The three new destroyers will be a formidable addition to our Navy that is already capable of punching well above its weight."

Meanwhile however a Navy spokesman has said that the Naval commanders believe that a more "destroyer orientated" navy is needed to "ensure that the East Moreland military remains at the cutting edge of technological advancements and can deploy anywhere on Mundus effectively." There have also been talks that some of the nations ageing Duke class Frigates could be retired to make way for extra destroyers, this was however downplayed by the spokesman who said, "The Duke Class is a stalwart of the Navy and has many good years service ahead of itself before having a worthy retirement."

The Naqjej is due to leave East Moreland waters in the coming days and head to Nya Aland where it will join up with members of Red Legion as part of a training exercise that will feature members of the local armed forces as part of a long standing agreement between the two nations. The exercise will take place at Red Training Area (RTA) a military establishment set up three years ago in a now deserted fishing village that is used to train Red Legionnaires in cold weather combat and amphibious operations. The exercise will be the first of its kind since the disaster that unified the UNP and Nya Aland into one nation again under Alander control. The commander of the Naqjej said, "Its always tough being the new boys, but this is a chance for us to work with the greatest special forces on Mundus and show them what our crew can do, if we can impress them then I know we're the finished article."



 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 17, 2017, 08:12:24 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://www.royallogisticcorps.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/ESCEA2.jpeg)

DUKE LEGION BEGIN HUMANITARIAN OPERATION

Minister of Defence Sir Harry Samuelson today announced that East Moreland's Duke Legion is preparing for a potential humanitarian operation. The announcement came following a news report of a large area of Lakhozvia being cut off from power supplies following conflict between the nations government and the ethnic Utmen of the nation. Members of the Legion were seen loading containers with medical supplies, food, bottles of water and various other pieces of equipment all in preparation should a deployment be neccessary. A CTO resolution has recently passed with the aim of de-esculating the conflict however the most recent move of cutting power supplies is likely to make any negotiations even harder. The Minister of Defence said, "We have always responded to crisis when required, the situation in Lakhzovia is potentially a powder keg. At the moment we've seen skirmishes that look likely to become a full scale civil war, should that happen a CTO peacekeeping force is likely, but prior to that we're likely to a JET deployment. These supplies will be handed over to JET if they deploy before us and used to help support the crisis zone."

The members of the Legion last deployed during the Mavrosia Refugee Crisis where along with elements of Pegasus Legion they successfully built a temporary airfield between conflicting forces, this was used to remove some 100,000 refugees to various nations across Mundus while bringing in a major amount of humanitarian supplies. Such a move has not been ruled out for Lakhzovia in order to avoid having to depend on local forces securing airfields. One of the soldiers who helped construct that airfield was King David who has explained, "This type of airfield utilises specialist matting creating a more stable surface essentially allowing grass fields to be used. Its hard physical manual labour but given a flat enough area and a couple of days you can get most aircraft in. We've been preparing containers of the matting should the CTO need an airfield creating and I know our forces are more than capable of putting together such an airfield in short order."

There has been no official request from the CTO for forces yet however it is likely if no request comes the Legion will simply provide logistic manpower for JET to deploy from East Moreland.


(http://6004-presscdn-27-34.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/2259ca7816cb41fd157944efb706e738.jpg)

"BANDIT IRONSIDE" INTRODUCED TO THE PUBLIC

Having completed ten weeks of basic training as an Air Force Protection Dog Handler, Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside has been issued with her K9. A 9 month old husky by the name of Bandit, has been undergoing his own intensive training session in order to act as a protection dog. The role involves the handler and dog working together to find explosives and injured soldiers as well as acting as a deterent and watchdog for forces on the ground. The 21 year old Archduchess, who is the daughter of the deceased High Priestess Joanna Ironside, and the neice of the King, has so far set several records for PT during basic training and is described by her instructors as a competent and dedicated soldier.

Bandit and the Archduchess posed for photos as part of an agreement between the REMAF Ostlake Training Camp and the media to stop them following training runs. The Archduchess and a playful Bandit stood for photographs before going on a five mile run with the other recruits. During the photo oppurtunity the Archduchess said, "Me and Bandit have been working together for a week now. He's a really obedient dog and loves the training, he's a bundle of energy. We've both got a lot to learn about each other before we finish training and are considered a good team but I know things will come."

The Archduchess has a further 11 weeks of training ahead before being sent to a specialist training school for her further development, should the pair pass all training hurdles they would be able to be deployed from late 2018. The Air Force use huskies as protection dogs as often they can operate in the Alps and the dogs are thought to be perfectly suited as well as having a great temperament for patrol work.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 20, 2017, 09:33:11 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.popsci.com/sites/popsci.com/files/import/2013/images/2012/11/Iron_Dome_near_Sderot.jpeg)

BORLANDERS TARGET DEFENCE SYSTEMS NATIONWIDE. 19 DEAD IN ATTACKS

There have been a series of armed attacks aimed at the nations Jekar's Spear air defence system that protects major cities from various types of attack ranging from short-range rockets and artillery shells. The system was installed in almost every major city following the horrendous missile attack on Freestone that saw black market acquired Achkaerin made short range missiles used to attack the city, leaving some 200 dead including students in a High School. It was during that attack that teacher Melissa Gunning heroically evacuated 22 of her class before being crushed trying to protect a 23rd. Since the installation of the system some 38 different attacks have been foiled as the system has intercepted weapons ranging from improvised mortar rounds to homemade rockets.

The first attack of the day came at a defence position just outside Keepton when a group of gunmen opened fire with RPG's and small arms at the station. Members of the Air Force manning the position returned fire and a fire fight lasted several minutes before air-support arrived and the attack was aggressively stopped. In the aftermath several Borlander bodies were discovered, the station received minor damage but according to a military spokesman "never went offline and continued giving excellent protection." Similar attacks followed in Rockhampton, Roberton, Silverhills and Ostlake. None of the attacks were successful and a total of 21 Borlanders were confirmed as being killed, meanwhile 19 members of the Air Force were killed, the majority at Silverhills were a RPG hit an approaching vehicle carrying reinforcements. Minister of Defence Harry Samuelson made the announcement saying, "The families of our fallen have been informed, 19 of our brave servicemen and woman have today held back a terrorist attack and in the process defended their home towns ensuring no one has to go through what the people of Freestone have. We shall mourn them but make sure that their sacrifice is not for nothing, the Borlanders will see that once they attack us we shall unleash vengeance upon them."

The attack is the first by the Borlanders in over three months, however there appears to be a connection between the group of so called "Seperatists" and the recent school attack in Vaguzia, however this is being investigated as new evidence suggests the Borlander connection may be some kind of cover up for the real culprits. Following shortly after Sir Harry Samuelson's statement a statement from the self professed "King of Borland and the Borland Folk, Prince of Northern Borland, Earl Grey and Baron Simcoe Kyle Barren" gave a statement of his own stating "Today we have shown we can hit anywhere, anytime and inflict damage. We lost good men today and we shall ensure their deaths lead to our nations glorious birth. Today was nothing other than a probing attack and the Morelanders have been found wanting. The next attack shall be en masse, a great Borlander tide that shall forever break the dams of the scumbag Ironsides."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 26, 2017, 05:48:41 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02849/Caverswall_Castle__2849764k.jpg)

ROYAL MERRIMAN UNIVERSITY MAKE DISCOVERY

The Merriman family have earned a reputation for helping discover ancient monuments in East Moreland. Professor Marcus Merriman, the 82 year old Professor of History, who was supported by King David to open his own university, was responsible for much of the research the nation has on Paul The Explorer, this lead to various discoveries including what is believed to be the tomb of the almost mythical King. His grand-daughter, and current Youth Minister, Amelia Merriman, was also responsible for an archaelogical discovery two years ago when accidently discovering another tomb while on a Geological field trip. It is therefore no surprise that the Merriman name is once more being associated with a potential great discovery after students studying their PhD in Archaeology believe they have found a series of formal tombs close to the sight of the Battle of Greenflowers.

The Battle of Greenflowers was fought in 642AD between King Robert Ironside and the tyranical Niall Barren, the battle is supposed to have hung on a knife edge before a large contingent of peasants lead by a handful of nobles arrived and swung the balance in favour of King Robert. Legend says the peasants were still wearing their traditional white shirts when they reached the battle having marched through the night, by the end of the day the shirts were red and the force became known as the Legion of the Red, from where the East Moreland elite Red Legion takes its name. Several well known nobles of East Moreland died during the battle and it is thought that these tombs could belong to these fallen soldiers.

The tombs were spotted using a combination of drone footage and geophysics as students surveyed the site looking originally at creating a 3D model of the battlefield for a different project. One of the students who made the discovery is 23 year old Kean James who said, "We had planned to map the battlefield from the air and take readings of the geology from these it was hoped we could almost guess what the place would have looked like at the birth of East Moreland some 1,400 years ago. What we saw where some unusal straight lines that had no real explanation and so we sent the ground radar teams in and they found six or seven rectangular structures buried on the edge of the battlefield." Professor Merriman is now petitioning the King to allow a dig to take place as the site is a Protected National Monument and as such no construction or destructive work can take place there without royal permission.

Professor Merriman spoke briefly to journalists saying, "This discovery is not mine, however I will be speaking with the King to emphasis the importance of this discovery for the good of our nations heritage. My students have been superb and as such this is their moment. I am exceptionally proud to have my University associated with this and thank them for allowing me to observe their work." It is expected that the King will visit the University tomorrow to speak with the students and Professor Merriman before making a decision, however as a historian himself it is unlikely he will deny the request.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 27, 2017, 10:00:23 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02686/donna-air_2686126b.jpg)

PROFESSOR HOWARD GIVEN PERMISSION FOR GREENFLOWERS DIG

The King has today given permission for Professor Maddie Howard, a woman whom he has been romantically linked, to undertake an archaeological dig at the protected Battle of Greenflowers site. In recent days students at the Royal Merriman University, where Professor Howard lectures in History and Archaeology, have discovered what many believe to be a series of tombs located on the site, as such they have requested permission to carry out an excavation. The last archaeological dig at the site came in 1979 when a series of mass graves were found which turned out to be members of the forces of King Robert Ironside, since then the site has been made a Protected National Monument.

The King explained why he had made the decision stating, "We are a nation who embraces our past, these tombs could shed a great deal of light upon the birth of our nation and as such I had no hesitation in allowing Dr.Howard permission to uncover them. Having attended her lectures myself I know first hand the reverence she has for the sites she uncovers and this one will be no different. I am excited to see what they will find and will first hand ensure that any remains are treated with the respect they deserve. Imagine that these could be the resting place of the very first Red Legionnaires, a piece of our history and heritage."

There have been some who believe that Dr.Howard was only selected for the dig because of her alleged romantic involvement with the King. The pair have been seen out together around Northfort several times around two months ago, however Dr.Howard at the time explained that she could not have a relationship with the King because at the time he was a student of hers as he completed his MA in History. Dr.Merriman has pointed out that, "Professor Howard is one of our nations top scholars, a gifted archaeologist and a first rate historian, I can imagine no one better to carry out this task."



(http://www.battlestargalacticamuseum.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/jamie-bamber-marcella.jpg)

KING TO OFFER REDFERN TO LAKHZOVIA

Following an announcement that President Kadassa is to call fresh elections in Lakhzovia the King has spoken about the situation. The King, who has recently permitted drone carrier REMNS Dalek to be used for talks between the Lakhzovian and Utmen representatives, explained his offer of support. "We have seen progress by Kadassa to seemingly move away from a civil war, we support fully nations who are willing to listen to the will of their people and we see these new elections as a chance to avert a greater loss of life. It is important however that these elections are seen to be open, fair and run in the manner one would expect, that is important for Mundus not just Lakhzovia. As such I would like to offer President Kadassa the chance of having representatives from East Moreland act as observers of the process, this team would be lead by my brother-in-law, Alex Redfern, a man who has been part of East Moreland electoral observations in the past in several nations. His role would be to reassure everyone that these elections are ones everyone can trust."

It is expected that around 50 members of the East Moreland Civil Service would accompany Major Alex Redfern in order to carry out the observation.  The King's brother-in-law has just returned to active service with the nations elite Red Legion, however he has several times in the past been stood down from active duty on the orders of the King to act as an emissary.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 08, 2017, 06:59:51 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Johannes+Huebl+Christian+Dior+Photocall+Paris+7kSkZMfhcsHl.jpg)

KING RULES HIMSELF OUT OF WORLD CUP.

With the Odinist Republic of Hygelac qualifying for their second World Cup King David has officially ruled himself out of the micronations squad. The 37 year old King represented the nation of which he became a citizen during the crisis to protect the wilderness in the last world cup, earning three international caps and even facing East Moreland. This year though the King has stated that "while I'd love to play in such a prestigious sporting event once more I just can't do it anymore, my back isn't what it used to be and the level of competition this year is much higher. I obviously want the East Moreland team to do fantastically well, however I will have one eye on the results of my former team-mates and will be wishing them well." The King will however be heading to Himeyama in order to cheer on the East Moreland team.

The King is known to be taking a growing interest in football, just like many Morelanders, and 18 months ago became the owner of AFC Roberton, who at the time where a second tier club, but this season are competing in the top half of the Premier League. AFC Roberton manager Jim Smith said, "The King is well documented as being a rugby fanatic, however that enthusiasm is visible with football now. He regularly comes here and watches training and gets to as many of the games as he can, he's not afraid to fund new ideas we have and thanks to him we now have a world class youth set up and I know he wants us to look at bringing through the next generation of Moreland players." With the national squad due to be announced in the coming days it is expected that around 10 AFC Roberton players will feature in the squad.

The King has suffered health issues with his back since being shot two years ago and the bullet passing through his lower back. He has been part of the Legionnaire Fight Back programme which usually takes members of the Armed Forces who have been injured on active duty and uses sport to help them recover. The King has represented his old Pegasus Legion at the Ostlake Games for Wounder Veterans in rowing and seated volleyball, winning two silvers and a bronze.



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 10, 2017, 09:32:37 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://www.constructionenquirer.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2016-06-29-at-11.07.50-600x414.png)

KING ANNOUNCES NEW INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT



Today King David has announced a brand new infrastructure project designed to help boost the economy, create jobs and solve the current housing crisis. The King introduced the "City 2027" project which will build between 10,000-12,000 new homes in the area close to the former Refugee Support Centre at Hunter's Vale. The area has already been heavily invested in as part of the project that saw first Mavrosian and then Alander refugees brought to the converted former military base. The new project will see a new "Garden Town" called "Rigmaden" built over the next ten years, it will feature brand new schools, shopping centres and all amenities that a town will need. The project will also see the new settlement become home to a Free Trade Area, this will allow foreign investment. The FTA will grant land to companies able to create more than 500 jobs so long as they build the facilities themselves and sign a ten year lease. The FTA will also not charge companies import duties or taxes for ten years if the products that they make use 85% of parts made in East Moreland. The hope is that this will attract new business to the area and thus create jobs for the new settlement. To help support this growing industry the government will also be investing in a new high speed rail line to the new town which will also stop at several other cities including Silverhills, which is some 150km north of the new settlement.

There was good news too for Silverhills which will be getting a new international airport, the current one only serves continental flights within Alba Karinya. The expansion will be funded jointly by the city of Silverhills and EMAC who are said to be diversifying their operations. The mayor of Silverhills said, "Our city is one that gets lots of tourists from within Alba Karinya and East Moreland, we get many tourists also coming and spending time here using internal flights or the train service, to now have people able to use air travel to get here will mean they can centre themselves here for their stay in East Moreland. It's an exciting time for this city and it can only help us grow."

It is hoped the projects, which will allow construction companies to buy parcels of land for building houses to sell on condition that they are sold for no more than four times the average Morelander wage, one construction company director said, "It's a good deal all round, we can build some quality housing for first time buyers and they have a chance to get a foot on the housing ladder. We have to now ensure that 40% of all the houses we build are classed as affordable but that still means we get a chance to make a tidy profit."

The ground breaking is due to take place in the New Year and is likely to take around 10 years before the project is complete.



(https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/ihtY05ijvaak/v0/800x-1.jpg)

EMAC SECURE LODJAIN CONTRACT

It was today announced that EMAC will be selling 24 F-3 Dragonheart multi-role fighters to Lodja. The deal comes following several months of talks between the company and East Moreland's CNN allies. The purchase is likely to see EMAC pocket some $1.8billion once the aircraft are delivered and then several more millions in terms of supplying parts and upgrades. EMAC's CEO Sir Alan Maybury said, "We're delighted to be trusted with the provision of supplying Lodja with our aircraft. We're always happy to provide our allies with top quality equipment and are confident that the Dragonheart will be a capable and advanced aircraft with many years of long service to come."

The sale is part of what is expected to be an ongoing process of Lodja upgrading their military assets, something several East Moreland companies are in contention for.



(https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/nintchdbpict0003640039981-e1511090857399.jpg?strip=all&w=960&quality=100)

NORTHFORT UNITED WONDERKID MAKES WORLD CUP SQUAD

The East Moreland World Cup squad was today announced and among the squad is 17 year old Northfort United Wonderkid Zak Boone. The midfield playmaker has been turning heads in the Premier League this season where he has scored 10 goals while assisting with 15 others. While still in secondary school he made his international debut just six weeks ago in a 1-0 friendly loss to Nya Aland, a game in which he was highly rated. Boone will be the youngest member of the East Moreland squad who have already spoken out about the inclusion of Borland, Team Coach Jim Smith saying, "The MFA is living in some fantasy world where they see terrorists as a nation, someone at the MFA should be looking for a new job."

The East Moreland squad departs tommorrow for their training camp and only two of the 23 man squad are professional, right winger Steve Aylmer and striker James Edwards who plays for FK Krokom in Nya Aland.

GK - Ron Abrahams, Oliver Siddall, Zak Rush

DF - Dylan Spears, Harrison Darrell, Glen Hayley, Ray Davidson, Al Millhouse, Trey Hodges, Kurt Whiney, Tyler Barnett

MF - Scott Huddleson, Jacob Oakley, Daryl Soloman, Steve Aylmer, Rick Trueman, Zak Boone, Henry Gladwin, Jimmy Paris

ST - James Edwards, Brenden Eason, Allen Wray, Mike Westwall
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 13, 2017, 10:01:31 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/article_small/public/thumbnails/image/2017/03/16/16/pyramid2.jpg)

"UNIQUE" FIND AT GREENFLOWERS SITE

A team of archaelogists working on the site of the Battle of Greenflowers yesterday unearthed a series of five structures that lead Professor, Maddie Howard, has described as "unique" having dug down a significant distance guided by ground penetrating radar images the team have discovered several small pyramids no larger than two meters in height. It was originally hypothesised that the structures would be part of a series of small tombs built to honour some of the nobles who died during the battle, however no such structures have ever been found in East Moreland before. Professor Howard, who has been romantically linked to the King in the past, explained the significance to the press saying. "We are certain that these structures are from the same time period as the Battle of Greenflowers, the birth of our nation. What we don't know is what they are, we've never seen anything like this recorded in our nation, we are truly delving into exciting history, further study may well reveal something completely new about the battle and maybe even King Robert."

The team have said they expect to spend the next week mapping the mini pyramids before beginning looking at ways of dismantling them while still perserving them. Professor Howard explained, "There are many things we can do in an attempt to see what is inside these things, we've already ascertained that the structures are largely hollow and so it may be as simple as drilling a small bore hole and passing fibre optics in before considering more extreme methods. The team have already begun taking bets on what we will find inside and are keen to begin. We will not however risk damaging the site or any artefacts and remains that exist. Anything found will naturally be treated with the utmost respect and dignity."

It is expected that King David will visit the site when work begins to discover the secrets of the pyramids.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 18, 2017, 11:19:40 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://i.pinimg.com/736x/b0/c6/ca/b0c6ca836da7cf8f8233a536b68fcfb8--travel-england-england-uk.jpg)

RED LEGION RECOVER "ALIEN" BODIES FROM GREENFLOWERS

Following the careful deconstruction of the first of two mini pyramid structures at the historic site of the Battle of Greenflowers six sets of human remains have been discovered. A ceremonial guard made up of non-active Red Legionnaires were on hand to remove the bodies with full military honours, each of the six bodies were painstakingly recovered and placed into a coffin identical as those used to repatriate fallen Morelander Legionnaires. The Red Legionnaires then placed the bodies onto gun carriages and escorted them from the battle site to a nearby military barracks used by the ceremonial guards at the sites memorial. Once within the gates of the memorial, His Majesty King David and Princess Freya, both in military uniform, presented their own salute as each body was carried inside the barracks temple. It was here that two days later Professor Maddie Howard made an announcement to the press which may significantly change the understanding of King Roberts campaigns.

Quote from: Professor Howards statement

It is safe to now assume that the bodies of those recovered from the tomb at Greenflowers were not of Morelanders. While we still wait for irrefutable DNA evidence to be carried out there are many markers that lead our team to believe that those bodies present in the tomb infact came from Ahkabnil. We have so far recovered several "Death whistles" from around the necks of the dead, suspended on leather laces. These items are heavily connected with the people and history of Ahkabnil and other places among the Horn of Ardia. Additionally several weapons buried with the deceased are of non-native design. In particular one  sword (https://images-ext-1.discordapp.net/external/zo3v_BLXt52MIkKHqnqzeeh_1biD46U0MpZ6JQSHrfw/https/img.fireden.net/tg/image/1486/89/1486893356944.png?width=475&height=633) recovered bears a remarkable resembelance to the type used in Ankabnil during this time period. It was only when we saw these objects that the shape of the tomb made sense, the pyramid is a significant image within that nations culture, even the style of the armour worn is more in keeping with other soldiers found buried there than with Morelanders.

I am highly aware of the significance this can have on our nations history, for the entirety of our nations history we have believed that the conflict was one between two armies from within the same territory, now we see a wider Mhorish significance, it leads to many exciting avenues, what other involvement did these soldiers have, were they here with blessings from home or as mercenaries. These are questions we may never get full answers to but we will do what we can to try and get some answers. Over the next few days we will do all we can to learn from these bodies and the site. We also have a second structure to dismantle but it is likely that will not be done until we get information back from this group first.

The King, who holds a Masters degree in History, visited the site of the battle and dig following receiving the bodies and inspected the still intact second tomb. Traditional history states that King Robert Ironside, often known as The Unifier, fought the battle with a group of fellow nobles intent on ending the tyranny of the King Niall Barren of Borland, Robert's elder brother. This battle hung in the balance until a peasant force arrived at the battlefield and turned the tide according to contempary accounts, the peasants wearing traditional white tunics left the field with them dyed red with the blood of the Borlanders, leading to the foundation of Red Legion in their honour. No primary sources however mention foreign troops being present, however Professor Howard did explain how already this discovery may shed new light on some evidence. "Lord Sheridan fought at Greenflowers, his eldest son entombed in the nobles tomb complex, he wrote after the battle about the event to his wife, the letter survived and part said, "as the shield wall advanced a fient whistle swept over the battlefield solemnly marking our advance." perhaps this whistle wasn't just a collection of sound, perhaps it was an  Ahkabnil death whistle."

The King also made a statement on the find and what he expects to happen next

Quote from: King David[/quote

History is a fluid subject, Dr.Merriman once described it as a best guess at the past and that should new evidence present itself then new thoughts are required. Today we in East Moreland stand ready to consider these new thoughts, but no matter what we change it to we know that it was here at Greenflowers, thanks to the sacrifices and bravery of so many that our nation came to be. We give thanks to King Robert and the people he commanded, regardless of their place of birth, for giving us the nation we live in today. Arrangements will be made to treat these bodies, and any others found, with full military honours as you've seen today. What happens next is to then be determined. One of my first acts as King was to create the Cultural Exchange Treaty Organisation, which commits us to returning human remains to their nation of origin is requested, naturally we shall comply with that, should Ankabnil be confirmed as their nation of origin I shall, if asked, have the bodies escorted home with an honour guard and our thanks. Should Ankabnil not wish to exercise that right arrangements will be made to intern these men, in accordance with whatever faith we believe they followed, with the other known individual graves here. I would love us to find their names and add them to the scroll of honour kept here of those we know fought and died here at Greenflowers. Some may see this as diminishing our nations history, personally I see it as an exciting addition, that even back in the darkness of history Morelanders stood shoulder to shoulder with friends to oppose tyranny, and who knows it may show a whole change to the Alba Karinya-Horn of Ardia historical interpretation.

The bodies will remain at the barracks until a decision is made, however Chief of Royal Household Quinn Germaine was seen entering the Ankabnil embassy in Northfort with a telegram used to inform foreign nations of the death of service personnel serving alongside Morelanders. Upon exit the Chief of Royal Household said, "We have informed the Ankabnil government of the discovery and passed on our thanks for their soldiers service. This may be a move that has come over 1,000 years late but here in East Moreland we respect our fallen soldiers, these men may have been of Ankabnil blood but they spilt it on Moreland territory and that makes them as much a Morelander as an Ankabnilian."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 28, 2017, 08:38:04 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://dailybestecn.nohup.it/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/p022qtzj.jpg)

BIFFY CLYRO TO HEADLINE FREESTONE FESTIVAL

It was announced today that Biffy Clyro will headline the annual Freestone New Year Music Festival. The band follow in the footsteps of 2Cellos, The Who and the Rend Collective who have headlined the three day free festival in recent years. The city of Freestone has hosted the street festival to mark the end of the new year since 1971 and traditionally a member of the Royal family has announced some of the acts on stage, last year Princess Rhiannon announced The Who alongside her aunt Princess Freya. In total around  350,000 visitors come to the city where the main street, parks and a woodland amphitheatre host music events ranging from classical to heavy metal.

The festival will this year also feature a new stage where the line up has been selected by Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside, who is currently half way through her initial officer training. The Sophie Stage will feature bands who have yet to sign record deals and will be headlined by Lucky Chopz, a band who were formed by student of Royal Merriman University and lived next door to the Archduchess and her boyfriend, rugby player Rollo MacAllister. Organisers said, "During the Pride 2.0 festival that Northfort hosted lots of unsigned bands stepped into the breach to put on a great show for a good cause with zero notice, this new stage gives them an oppurtunity to perform on a huge stage and hopefully get the attention they deserve."

The festival starts on Friday and finishes at around midday on January 1st.



(http://img1.showmoreimages.com/pic/2ltZzMucm5rci1zdGF0aWMuY29tL3VzZXJfbm9kZV9pbWcvOTkvMTk3NzM3OS9DMzUwL3Nhb2lyc2Utcm9uYW4tcGVvcGxlLWluLXR2LXBob3RvLXU0LmpwZwloglog)(http://78.media.tumblr.com/c0cf2d781dbc1751a397e41095e6ade9/tumblr_ob2fv95amz1us8z0ko1_400.png)

YOUNG POLITICIANS HONOURED IN NEW YEARS HONOURS

With the annual New Years Honours list due to be released in the next few days the first glimpses have been announced. Among those to be honoured include young politicians Melissa Lusk, current head of the CTO Refugee Council, and Amelia Merriman, current Youth Minister. The pair will both be awarded The Moreland Cross, an honour given for people who have carried out "acts regarded as inspirational to East Morelanders."

Melissa Lusk, the 24 year old former Youth Minister, is currently the head of the CTO's Refugee Council, she has spent much of the last twelve months in Uppsala where her military reservist training has been put to use as a voulenteer at a medical aid station. Additionally she also helped establish the Refugee University which has supported youngsters stuck in refugee camps to access education thanks to support of institutions across Mundus. The move was set up to ensure those in Uppsala didn't miss out on their future and it has already seen 42 graduates complete their studies in three countries. The King commented on the award saying, "Melissa did a fine job as Youth Minister and has continued to show that whatever your age you can make a huge difference. The work she has put into operations within Uppsala is fantastic and any young person looking for the epitome of the Code of Canley couldn't go far wrong looking at Melissa. I have no doubt that if one day she chooses to do so she will hold extremely high office in the country."

Amelia Merriman is the 22 year old grand-daughter of Professor Marcus Merriman and current Youth Minister having graduated from Royal Northfort University with a degree in Geology. Over the last year she was instumental in organising Pride 2.0, a response to anti-LGBT policies from Kerajaan Agung. The hastily organised weekend music festival saw artists from across Mundus fly in at short notice and raised hundreds of thousands of pounds to support LGBT support charities across Mundus. She has also taken part in several diplomatic trips with the King and Foreign Minister as part of the Kings policy of exposing young politicians to matters of government. The youngster was also extremely influential during the vote on joining the CNN taking the lead for the "Yes" campaign. The King spoke of her award saying, "Amelia had huge shoes to fill taking over from our nations first Youth Minister Melissa Lusk, Amelia has risen to that challenge and made the role one of great influence within the cabinet. She is never shy telling you what she thinks and has been a superb advocate for young people. I am certain her next two years in the post will see her continue to inspire young people to take an interest in politics."

Melissa Lusk has yet to comment on her award as she is currently in Rokkenjima working at the CTO HQ, meanwhile Amelia Merriman said she is "humbled to think my name will stand against greats of our nations military, sports, engineering and science. I just hope I can live up to what these others have achieved."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 30, 2017, 10:06:25 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.thewrap.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Rush-News.jpg)

NEW YEAR HONOURS LIST RECOGNISES LODJAIN QUEEN

The full list of the New Year Honours were released today and a total of 103 people have been awarded for their achievements and dedication to a wide range of courses. The majority of those receiving awards do so for service connected to the situation in Uppsala, with the King granting the whole of one medical unit the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal , a first for any unit. The awards also see a small handful of foreign recipients for the first time, most notable among them being Queen Viktoriya of Lodja who receives membership of the Order of King Robert, a symbolic posthumous list of names of people who have either dedicated their lives to protecting others or made an outstanding sacrifice in their lives. The King announced the decision to include the deceased Queen saying, "She may have only been a Queen for a short period but she was a good friend to East Moreland. She began a movement in her homeland to improve the lives of the average citizen, making their nation more secure and granting them more rights and opportunities in twelve months than any monarch had in 1000 years there. Furthermore thanks to her the use of rape as a weapon of war has now been outlawed, a massive oversight in our first attempts of the Uppsala Convention, and something I must apologise for omitting. I will be inviting the Queen's parents and sister to accept the award on behalf of Viktoriya."

A summary of some of the other major winners is found below.

RecipientShort Citation
THE MORELAND CROSS - Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside

(https://pikdo.com/img/darkredgrape.jpg?aHR0cHM6Ly9zY29udGVudC5jZG5pbnN0YWdyYW0uY29tL3Q1MS4yODg1LTE5L3MzMjB4MzIwLzI2MjczNDQ1XzU2NDU0NTMzNzIyNDQyOF8zOTA5NTg0MjI3MDM2ODIzNTUyX24uanBn)
Awarded for inspirational acts of physical achievement over the course of a twelve month period, namely in rowing the Mhorish as part of a tandem team and then crossing Hrothgar solo.
THE ORDER OF ROYAL SQUIRES - Robert Kennedy
(Former Foreign Minister]

(https://resizing.flixster.com/TmN16XKQ9IO5g6BewfD8p9vlqv0=/300x300/v1.cjs0NzM0MztqOzE3NTUwOzEyMDA7MTg4ODsxODg4)
Inducted into the Order for giving over a decade of loyal service to both the Kingdom and its people. Furthermore be it noted that since being diagnosed with motor neurone disease he has raised large sums to support those with the illness and help research treatments.
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS - (Then) Corporal Rebecca Jarrett

(https://www.famousbirthdays.com/headshots/daisy-ridley-7.jpg)
Awarded for bravery far above and beyond that expected of a Legionnaire in the face of the enemy. Namely that during operations in Academica the Corporal braved enemy fire to locate missing comrades and discovering them injured lead them to safety, at one point facing an enemy force alone and at one point fighting with the use of sword.
THE MORELAND CROSS - Sir Alan Maybury

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Stephen_Moyer_cropped.jpg/220px-Stephen_Moyer_cropped.jpg)
Awarded for continuous promotion of scientific and engineering endeavours that have helped the nation earn a reputation of high standing among the international community for excellence in these fields.
KNIGHTED - Eddie Johns

(http://rugby.shaw-online.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/jason-leonard_203x266-300x300.jpg)
Awarded for leading the East Moreland National team to their 2nd Rugby World Cup Victory and establishing a foundation for future rugby development. Furthermore for encouraging participation at all levels and ages of the sport of rugby.
THE MORELAND CROSS - Dame Rachael Dixon

(https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--y42H4i-R--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_300,q_80,w_300/iuamqtxzsssmh4xmo8xc.jpg)
Awarded for continued dedication to the East Moreland space programme, both as Lead Astronaut and as an Ambassador for the Royal Aeronautical Societies outreach programme which encourages school children to take an interest in science and aviation.
THE MORELAND CROSS - Daisy Greechan

(http://instagrammi.com/wp-content/uploads/Federica-Pellegrini.jpg)
Awarded for inspirational physical achievements in becoming East Moreland's most successful athlete in terms of Mundus Games medals, as well as being part of a tandem team to row across the Mhorish.
CONSPICIOUS GALLANTRY MEDAL - 42 members of the Royal Medical Corps

(https://www.bellanaija.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Ebola-Virus-BellaNaija-600x400-300x300.jpg)
Awarded to the 72nd Field Hospital for bravery above and beyond that expected of a Legionnaire on active duty. Namely that during the Krokom Posionous Gas Leak the unit worked, without support, for 48 hours in the danger zone stabilising and decontaminating the injured despite themselves being exposed to the gas cloud.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 05, 2018, 09:56:05 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://www.publicaffairsnetworking.com/uploads/images/Penny%20Mordaunt%20MP%20twitter.jpg)

DENMAN STARTS MARRIAGE LAW PETITION

Following the failure of last years attempts by the Traditionalist Party to pass laws insisting that future royal marriages are approved by the Representative Council rouge Priestes Jinny Denman has launched an online petition in order to try and bring about a similar law. The new proposal is that the King be presented with a pre-approved list of potential wives and any marriage must come from that list. The move comes after several months of vocal criticism of both King David and Princess Freya for their relationships with what Denman has called "unfitting bloodlines", she was critical of the wedding between Princess Freya and Alex Redfern and also the Kings apparent relationships with Daisy Greechan and then Professor Maddie Howard. Denman explained her proposal at one of her controversial talks where she explained, "On reflection leaving the King, or any other Royal, to have free reign in their romantic life, only to then have the Council turn down any marriage once they've fallen in love is cruel. This new system is much more emotionally fair, the King would see which people the Council are happy to approve and could therefore not build a relationship that would ultimately end in disappointment. The Ironside bloodline is a special one that should be kept as noble as possible, that means King David should in my view be marrying a young noble woman and then produce children capable of taking the throne in favour of Princess Rhiannon who only has half pure blood."

The King rejected the last idea which failed to even get out of the Council chamber, being defeated by just three votes, mainly because of it being called on a Feast day at short notice meaning many opponents to the proposal where in their home provinces. Jinny Denman has rose to prominence because of her belief that several key areas of the Cult of Helus are misinterpreted, the main one being that Helus is in fact female, this has lead to her own followers forming their own breakaway branch of the Cult known as the Sisterhood of Helus. It is estimated that the Sisterhood has around 80,000 members, just over half the number needed to get the petition debated and voted on in the Council. Denman has also suggested the King should marry  Rebecca Henshaw, the Duchess of Silverhills, who is a member of the Sisterhood of Helus.

Should the petition get 150,000 signatures the motion will be debated and voted on by the Council, just two hours after the petition opened it had already received 25,000 signatures, many believed to be from the Sisterhood.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 14, 2018, 10:27:25 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://thumbs.mic.com/ZTA4NTNlMWFkOSMvbV92TVk4WmZDc1hMaWVqdVpnVVZBeVZoVHVFPS8weDU5NzoxODAweDE0NjgvODAweDQ1MC9maWx0ZXJzOmZvcm1hdChqcGVnKTpxdWFsaXR5KDgwKS9odHRwczovL3MzLmFtYXpvbmF3cy5jb20vcG9saWN5bWljLWltYWdlcy90cmkxdjQ2YXJrZXVidWRkYXJrZms3bnVvNXV4bGowZWRkenh0NHpnYXJqMmNha2V6dnZ5ZzRqeG93a2pwMXJuLmpwZw.jpg)

PETITION REACHES 80,000 SIGNATURES

The petition calling for the creation of a list of pre-approved future brides for the King has reached 80,000 signatures in just 48 hours. The petition brought forward by religious rebel the self titled Priestess Jinny Denman comes after the previous attempt at some kind of marriage law failed to get through the Representative Council and was therefore defeated. Should the petition gain 150,000 signatures the Council are bound to debate and vote on the matter. Denman explained, "We're slowly moving towards resolving the great matter of ensuring the Ironside blood line, the general public are warming more and more to the need for the King to remarry, and to a noblewoman to ensure our next monarch is as pure blooded in the eyes of Helus as possible."

The religious outcasts group, "The Sisterhood of Helus" was out in Keepton yesterday collecting signatures and trying to persuade people to back their cause. One of their followers was Hannah Mitchell, a 21 year old History student who said, "Its not right that a descendent of Unasson fathered a child with a whore like that Matilda, the blood of the most perfect human deserves to be gifted only to a woman equally favoured by our Lady Helus." This was a view shared by several others who believed that should the King father another child it should take presidence over Princess Rhiannon in the line of succession. Miss Mitchell explained, "The Princess is a lovely girl from what we've seen, thats more a testimony to the King's fathering skills than anything else. The child doesn't have the correct bloodline to be a royal sadly."

It is believed that Denman has even gone so far as to begin drawing up a suitable list of future wives, including one of her followers,  Duchess Rebecca of Silverhills.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 21, 2018, 08:31:24 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.bavaria.by/data/mediadb/cms_pictures/%7B2b23c937-b480-bdc3-95ee-4210044c998c%7D.jpeg)

PALACE "INCIDENT" UNDER INVESTIGATION BY POLICE

Police are currently investigating an incident which took place at the Royal Palace in Northfort last night. Witnesses talk about how during a function held at the Palace on behalf of a children's cancer charity hosted by the Representative Council a "scuffle" broke out which saw one person hospitalised and another arrested by the military police before being handed over to the regular police. It was later confirmed by Chief Constable for Northfort, William Moorewood, that the woman arrested was religious outcast Jinny Denman, while Councillor Samantha Hooper was taken to hospital with a suspected broken nose.

One of the guests at the party, who wished to remain nameless, explained what happened. "The party was going marvellously, however it became very awkward when one of the Councillors brought Denman as their guest, a small group of what I assume are Denman's acolytes within the Council began gathering in a corner talking. Before long they had gathered the Duchess of Silverhills into their midst and shortly after they'd corralled the King, who I must say remained polite through it all. It was only when Councillor Hooper tried to rescue the King that a heated argument started, the King's Chief of Household, Quinn Germaine, removed the King from the scene and then a scuffle broke out. I saw Denman throw a massive right hook and then Hooper went down."

Denman has been leading a campaign for the King to remarry and to date the Duchess of Silverhills, Rebecca Henshaw is her preferred wife for the King. A petition to give the Council the right to give the King a pre approved list for future marriage has so far earned around 90,000 signatures. It is not know what charges if any Denman will face.


Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 29, 2018, 09:12:22 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://img.rasset.ie/000f4c7e-800.jpg)

MILITARY BAN FITNESS TRACKERS

Following the release of "Heat Maps" by a popular brand of fitness trackers the military have issued a new standing order banning the use of the devices while on active duty. The announcement was made by Minister of Defence, Sir Harry Samuelson, who said. "We have noted that these heat maps have tracked the routes taken by people while running, as such it is possible for anyone really taking note to see the roads and various other pieces of infrastructure on bases such as Ostlake East. In this instance the information doesn't reveal anything sensitive. Ostlake is home to our nations military games and opens its doors several times a year to the public. You therefore don't need a heat map to be able to trace the roads. What is more of a concern is the various other pieces of information, such as transport routes, that could be worked out. We will be asking therefore for each of our Legionnaires to not wear the devices." The watch like devices are worn by a large number of the Armed Forces as they are seen as a popular way of tracking performances on runs and various other fitness training sessions. The data created however has now been used to show the extent of people's training habits and has inadvertently revealed much about the habits of the military.

Minister for Science and Technology Olivia Cole has criticised the company responsible saying, "This is a huge data breach in my views, it is possible to determine people's habits with relative ease if you have the time and inclination. As such I was able to determine my own usual morning run based on one of the maps freely available, as such this presents a relative safety risk for certain people from stalkers and the like. This data should never have been shared in this format and I am sorry to say many people will now probably reconsider their fitness tracking habits."

The company responsible have yet to make any comment. The maps however have been called "Highly useful" by some researchers who have noted things such as how the maps show how interconnected communities are, or routes taken by people through remote areas which allow footfall to be calculated. One route remained unique however as the one taken by Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside across Hrothgar shows only a single person walking that route.

 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 12, 2018, 10:24:18 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://i41.servimg.com/u/f41/17/41/23/86/98077010.png)

BENE GESSERIT DENIED "RECOGNISED STATUS"

Following today's meeting of the Representative Council it was deemed that the Bene Gesserit, so far recognised by the Eccleastical State, Achkaerin and Ui Cenneslaig will not be recognised as an official religion by East Moreland. The status of a recognised religion grants those members of the faith the right to construct places of worship, be recognised as a charity, establish youth organisations and carry out legally recognised marriage ceremonies, among other rights. The Council discussed the matter for several hours before voting, 428 Councillors voted to deny the status to the Bene Gesserit with only 18 supporting the recognition. Thomas More, the Chief Councillor and leader of the National Traditionalist Party had lead the group against the recognition of the group saying, "To date the Bene Gesserit have shown they do not have anything compatible with the Code of Canley, they hide in shadows and seek weapons of mass destruction. We can not support that kind of people." He went on to say, "The fact that several nations have chosen to recognise them means we must do some serious thinking about our stances with those nations, we have travel agreements with Ui Cenneslaig for example and we do not wish to see the Bene Gesserit take advantage of this."

The Truthsayers, a group associated with the Bene Gesserit, carried out an attempted theft of nuclear waste from East Moreland and where halted by members of Red Legion, several arrests were made in the aftermath and three people are awaiting extradition hearings brought forward by the government for Kaitaine. Darren Bone the Justice Minister explained, "These people were found with files relating to activities in Kaitaine carried out by this group. We have handed this over to the Kaitaine government whom gave us information regarding these terrorists. We now await lawyers to prepare a case on extradition, those accused will get to have their say."

It is likely in the next few days that Foreign Minister Edward Tamana will meet with representatives from CNN partners Ui Cenneslaig who were first to recognise the faith and have recently named a member of the faith to their Council. This is likely to be the first real test of the CNN alliance which is soon to celebrate its first birthday.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 17, 2018, 03:27:44 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://cdn1.alphr.com/sites/alphr/files/styles/16x9_640/public/2017/05/audi_lunar_quattro_1.jpg?itok=1Xb3enXT)

"SPACE BADGER" TO GO NEXT WEEK

EMAC's latest speed record, an attempt to go faster than 11.2mph on Luna, will launch probably on Wednesday next week. The current record is held by a manned lunar vehicle which was used in the early days of space exploration, however the Space Badger will be unmanned and according to the engineering team will hit at least 13mph. The attempt is just the latest in a long line of EMAC speed record projects which have seen them claim the land, water, rail and motorbike speed records. The latest attempt will not just seek to break the long standing record but will also seek to be a "rescue mission". The Space Badger project has been worked on with the Royal Aeronautical Soceity (RAS) who have overseen all Morelander space flight and programme directors intend to use the project, for which they are providing the lander, as a way of retrieving the last three Swarmbots left from a previous experiment. The three bots, named by fans as Blinky, Solo and Bob, have now been on Lunar for close to two years and have been sending messages home every two weeks, they should have been retreived with the other 97 bots however were not at the rendevous point. The three have gained quiet a following on social media where Bob, a camera bot has been posting fortnightly images. Many of these have been commented on by fans with things such as #SaveTheLunar3 and #BringThemHome.

Sir Alan Maybury of EMAC stated, "The space badger is not a vanity project, the rover will break the record and then spend several weeks wandering around the surface mapping various formations of rock and taking samples. We've created the mechanics and engines, RAS have created the scientific equipment and I'm very happy with the results. We've hit 25mph on the flat here on Mundus but its going to be very different to the other projects. Unlike the other record attempts we've no way of really changing things once we start, not like we can change the set up of something on a moon, but we're confident." The launch is expected to take place on Wednesday at 1pm but is weather dependent.


(http://www.thehindu.com/migration_catalog/article11466033.ece/alternates/FREE_960/eurofighter)

REMAF CARRY OUT STRIKES ON UTMEN

The Royal East Moreland Air Force have carried out attacks on targets within Lakhzovia connected to various Utmen milita's. The attack came as a consequence of the Khalinz Brigade using Sarin gas on civilians, murdering a Ui Cenneslaig POW in the process. The REMAF aircraft were joined on the sortie by members of the Ui Cenneslaig Air Force in what is thought to be the first joint operation between CNN nations. It is understood that the targets selected were a fuel depot and command centre, however no information has been released on the success of the operation."

Minister of Defence Sir Harry Samuelson explained the attack to the media saying. "We must make it very clear to the world that under no circumstances will we allow chemical weapons to be used on civilians, nor anyone else by that account. These strikes were intended as a start of showing the Khalinz Brigade that such attacks will not help their cause or standing in the international community. We have purposely carried out attacks in a very low risk way and these shall be the first of many sorties until we see the Khalinz willing to stand by international agreements, including those brokered by the Achkaerinese and guaranteeing a peacekeeping force."

The Minister went on to explain that, "We have a high tech airforce and a route in allowing us to carry much more ordenance than most nations involved in the no-fly zone, we intend to turn this to devestating the various brigades until they no longer present a threat to civilian life."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 21, 2018, 03:37:38 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://i2-prod.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/incoming/article11023387.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/JS84736911.jpg)

LONGER CUES EXPECTED AT PASSPORT CONTROL

Following an announcement today by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs travellers are being warned to expect longer cues at Passport Control. Those entering East Moreland, including those from nations with visa waivers, will face extra scrutiny over the coming weeks. Foreign Minister Edward Tamana explained, "Over the last few weeks we have seen more and more nations recognise the Bene Gesserit as a religion. We here in East Moreland understand it's followers may be religious however we still will not recognise it as an actual religion. Studying it's scripture shows they have no understanding of a diety, in fact they use the term God/Gods when speaking of supreme beings, we recognise some faiths such as ours worship many Gods, while others like the faith of the Christians worship one. Surely a fundemental point of a religion is to have some higher power that guides your actions, the Bene Gesserit do not have this and the very language they us by not saying God or Gods, but instead both shows they are not a true faith. Add to that the fact that this organisation is so closely tied to acts of terrorism unlike any Mundus has ever seen we see them as a very real risk. We have been a target of them once, having had them attempt to steal nuclear waste from our Kilotonnes to Kilowatts programme, we will now do all we can to keep ourselves safe from them. As a result there will be extra security checks at ports of entry from all nations agreeing to recognise them as a faith."

The move now means that nations such as Ui Cenneslaig and Achkaerin with whom the nation has treaties giving visa free travel will now have stricter passport controls put upon them but will still not require a visa. Others however where no such treaty exists can expect longer waits for visa's to be issued.



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/408000457089482752/ddddd.png)

OSTLAKE FILM FESTIVAL ROUND UP

The annual Ostlake Film Festival, often called the "Ozzies" have been announced for the year. The awards which opened up to international films four years ago have become a highlight of the year for film fans and reward cinematic excellence in a range of fields. This year marks the first since the Ozzies have gone global that a member of the royal family was not present or presented an award, however many of the cinema worlds greats were present.

The first international award was  the Best International Film. This award was presented by Jocelin Hopkins, current Royal Artist in Residence and a keen supporter of the arts in East Moreland. The award went to Au Revoir from Némérie which narrowly beat Trust from Achkaerin by a single vote. The film telling the story of the relationship between Princess Serenity and the then Empress Beatrice did however win an award for Best International Song. The award which was presented by Alander Actress Krista Rosendahl-Sunbrek, went to Renee Sandiego for the song "Don't cry for me Rokkenjima", which again narrowly pipped its closest rival, Cometh The Hour from  Vagabonds 2, by a single vote. It was left to East Moreland musicians 2Cellos to present the award for Best International Short Film which went to In a Heartbeat from Neu Uburzis. The final international film award was for Best International Documentary which was presented by EMAC journalist Shelly Coe and went to "109-Year-Old Veteran and His Secrets to Life Will Make You Smile" from The Ecclesiastical State.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 23, 2018, 12:14:44 AM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/416379652928438283/unknown.png)

NATION CELEBRATES FEAST OF HELUS. KING ADDRESSES NATION

Today the nation of East Moreland, and Cultists around the world celebrated the Feast of Helus. The day honours the father of the Gods and the protector of mankind and is traditionally see's families visit Temple, dine with extended family and take part in evening bonfires and hog roasts. The King, as is tradition for the monarch attended the Temple of Helus in Northfort at sunrise, this year accompanied for the first time by Princess Rhiannon. The pair were joined in prayers by around 300 or so others as High Priestess Skye Maddix lead the faiths celebrations. Meanwhile Princess Freya and Husband Major Alex Redfern attended prayers at Ostlake along with members of the armed forces. Following prayers the King returned to the Palace where he dined with all the members of the extended Ironside family, including Princess Freya who had flown in from Ostlake. At 1pm the King took to the nations airways to speak to the nation, addressing some key issues.

Quote from: King's Speech

Today marks the day that we believe our Lord Helus came to Mundus during that great final stand against evil and blessed Raimond Unasson with victory. It is a day to give thanks for our lives and for the safety we enjoy. Today is also about remembering that great days in peace lie ahead if we are true to the Code of Canley, the laws given to us by Helus himself and personified by Unasson, yet at the same time we do not forget the evils of the past. It is quiet fitting that on this day our friends in Rokkenjima announce that Empress Evanthe is to be replaced, I will be sorry to see her go, I consider her a friend, a great colleague and with her being a Rhodes practically kin. I wish her luck in her endeavours to rebuild Somerset and she knows that East Moreland stand ready to support them any way we can. We also wish the Rokkenjiman people the best of luck under their new regime, I have always enjoyed my visits to that nation, as to did my daughter, the people of that nation we consider friends and I wish them the best.

The year ahead is one that will present its own challenges, it always does, this year as we feast though we have four extra chairs at our family table, that of Lodja, The Unified Iwi, Ui Cenneslaig and now the Ecclesiastical State, our CNN family. I look forward to the great works we will accomplish over the next 12 months and exceeding the success of the previous ones. I know that because of our close ties there will be Cultists celebrating in these nations and I send my greetings and best wishes to them. We also have new family members in the AKO, with Heyra, Vafelon and Balticam all joining us, we stand ever closer to becoming a continenent united in friendship. Together I know we can make our island homeland an amazing place for people to live regardless of their nationality.

The Feast of Helus always fills me with hope, and I pray that the God will bless us once more as we rededicate ourselves to his noble laws, honour your promises, put others before yourself and most importantly protect those who can not protect themselves. May The Gods Watch Over You and Your Family be Blessed.


Following the speech the King was seen handing Princess Rhiannon over to her mother, the former Queen Matilda, before he returned to the Palace. Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker said, "The King enjoyed his morning with his daughter and hopes she had a great day with her mother. The pair have always tried to do what is best for the Princess and its important she share these days with her family, including her half brother Oliver. The King would never stop that." It was rumoured that the King spent the rest of the day socialising with family before hosting a party for the Palace staff which concluded at around 2am with a giant bonfire in the Palace grounds.



(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/09/02/11/2BE5C12C00000578-0-image-a-2_1441189032849.jpg)

TAXI FOR THREE AND A SPEED RECORD THATS OUT OF THIS WORLD

From the East Moreland Royal Aeronautical Society HQ in Technology City a rocket has been launched carrying the EMAC lunar rover. The Valkryie Rocket, built using a Nya Aland design carried on board the EMAC Rover designed to test out rover design as well as break the record for the fastest object on the moon of Mundus. Known as Space Badger the vehicle is unmanned and is likely to hit 13mph, beating the previous record of 11.2mph. The rover will be dropped onto the surface by a remote version of the Golden Spike lander used by astronaut Rachael Dixon, the first Morelander on Luna, however this one will be half the size as the one that carried her. Once on the surface it will deploy the rover which will conduct several tests before attempting to reach the 13mph mark. Once its cargo is delivered the mini Golden Spike will pick up more cargo before returning to orbit.

Almost two years ago SmartWar's 100 Swarmbots should have come home on another Golden Spike mission, however three failed to make the rendezvous in time and were presumed destroyed, however three months later they appeared at the co-ordinates and began transmitting data. The three have become social media stars and given the names Blinky, Bob and Solo, they have even inspired hashtags on social media of #SaveTheLunar3 and #BringThemHome. Social media managers at the RAS have even taken to creating accounts from them publishing the data they send back as well as comical messages as though written by the three. RAS engineer Kimberly Haslam said, "I'm amazed at the followers they gathered, people are genuinely interested in these things and its helped us educate people about our work and space. There have been talks about them having a royal audience or even a ticker tape parade when they return. I don't think many people appreciate the engineering achievement that has been accomplished, to spend nearly two years alone on lunar, to have trekked across its surface when you expected to be part of a team of 100, but to make it with three of you is incredible. SmartWar can be very proud."

The Swarmbot project seeks to make semi autonomous robots, each of those on lunar are about half the size of a soda can, which are capable of a variety of tasks and can work independently or as a team. "Bob" is a Swarmbot with a small solar panel and various ports allowing it to act as a generator for the others, meanwhile "Solo" is a transmitter which relays information back to Mundus, while the final bot "Blinky" is a camera. The three can transmit information between each other through versions of USB ports, they can also link together to pull things and climb difficult terrain. Should the mission go according to plan the three bots will be back on Mundus late Monday evening.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 25, 2018, 11:10:05 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/05/30/11/40EF1CFB00000578-4554684-image-a-4_1496141161780.jpg)

JUNIOR FINANCE MINISTER TARGET OF "INCOMPETENT" SILVERHILLS BOMB.

Junior Finance Minister Sarah Aubrery was yesterday the target of what is believed to be a Borlander bomb plot. The 41 year old former economics professor was at home when a large explosion rocked her rented government home in the city of Silverhills. Aubrery had moved in just a week earlier and was provided the three story mid townhouse while working with financial institutes within the city. At around 9pm the explosion rocked the street and was heard for several around however it appears the terrorists, thought to be Borlanders, had targetted the wrong house and instead the bomb had been placed next door sadly killing the houses occupier, a yet to be identified individual. The Junior Minister spoke to the press from Silverhills Air Force Base where she was taken as a precaution in the aftermath saying, "Its a tragic day that an innocent person has been killed, their families have my condolensces and I am very sorry for what has happened." The local Police cordoned off several streets while searchers were carried out using explosive sniffer dogs to ensure no other devices were in the area. 

No group have yet claimed the operation however Minister of Defence Sir Harry Samuelson said, "I suspect this will have been an attempt by the Borlanders to try and destabilise our government, no doubt they believed attacking a target outside of Northfort was simpler but our security agents are superb at their job and I suspect had they tried the correct house, and sadly not dragged this poor unfortunate into their sordid campaign, it would have been discovered with no loss of life. The Borlanders will no doubt say this had nothing to do with them, but we know their failures are lengthy." All Ministers have been issued with revised advice following the attack and the threat level against them has been raised from "High" to "Likely"



(http://cdn1.alphr.com/sites/alphr/files/styles/16x9_640/public/2017/05/audi_lunar_quattro_1.jpg?itok=1Xb3enXT)

SPACE BADGER SAFELY ARRIVES

EMAC and the Royal Aeronautical Society revealed this morning that the Space Badger has safely deployed onto the surface of Lunar and will make its "speed run" at around 4pm tomorrow. The newly designed rover is a test bed for a bigger version which is likely to form a platform for landings on other planets, however the scale fully functioning model is to be used to try and break the "Lunar Speed Record" which currently stands at 11.2 mph. The joint EMAC and RAS team will spend the time between landing and the speed run making preparations and using the rover to collect data from the moon's surface. Sir Alan Maybury spoke at the announcement saying, "RAS have done brilliantly getting us exactly where we needed to be, we've a window for best results at 4pm tomorrow all being well, once that comes and goes we'll hopefully be record holders. After that the Space Badger is all RAS' and will start exploring the Lunar surface doing whatever they need. I just pray to Helus we don't stuff up for them and steer it into a ditch or something as if we do there is no way of getting it out."

At around 5pm tomorrow the lander which delivered the Space Badger will return to orbit carrying the three Swarmbots known as Bob, Blinky and Solo, collectively known as the Lunar3 . The lander will then join with its launch vehicle and return to Mundus, having carried out a test of the new systems onboard the Golden Spike Project. If this is successful it is likely further, possibly manned, missions to Lunar will be pencilled in.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 26, 2018, 08:16:06 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://wordlesstech.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/spacexs-dragon-the-first-private-spaceship-successfully-launches-and-returns-from-orbit2.jpg)

HUNDREDS WITNESS THE RETURN OF THE BOTS

Large crowds assembled at the dockside in Technology City to welcome home three unlikely heroes. Today the test module containing the three Swarmbots that were left on Luna splashed down safely some 50km off the coast of East Moreland. The capsule was retrieved by REMNS King Robert and returned to Technology City where groups of students from the University, as well as a large gathering of space fans had gathered to welcome the three bots home. The bots, affectionately known as Bob, Blinky and Solo, have gained quiet a following on social media and become highly unlikely celebrities collectively known as the Lunar Three. They had originally been expected to operate on Lunar for 12 months, however they return to Mundus after spending 26 months on the moon, making them by far the longest stayers on the surface to have returned home. SmartWars founder Martin Dawson was present to witness the opening of the capsule and ran diagnostics on the bots before re-emerging and giving a thumbs up before speaking to the media. "The three have landed back safely and are in decent condition all things considering, there is nothing a good spray of WD40 and maybe a few new legs wouldn't help with. I am exceptionally proud that we've created these little things that have proved to be so tough." The company had also arrived with replicas of the bots that were given to younger members of the crowd, Dawson explained, "The bots captured the imagination, if we can enthuse young people about our engineering then we have the next generation of great inventors in the bag."

The three bots were taken to the Technology City University where they will have all their data reloaded and be analysed before rejoining their 97 siblings who currently live in a large tank at Northfort Museum of Science and Technology who are planning a small parade to welcome the new exhibits. Stephen Cotter, the head of the museum said, "The Swarmbots have been a good addition here, we set them daily tasks in their glass tank and visitors can see them in operation, the interest in the Lunar Three has seen people come spending ages watching them and the three will be made very welcome after a heroes return."

Martin Dawson was asked about future Swarmbot missions and said, "We have not ruled them out, where in talks with various organisations both from East Moreland and around Mundus, who knows this may not be the Lunar Three's only mission."

In other space news it is expected that the Space Badger will this evening attempt its speed run.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 17, 2018, 08:25:38 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.thetimes.co.uk/imageserver/image/methode%2Fsundaytimes%2Fprodmigration%2Fweb%2Fbin%2Ff33306cd-33ef-490d-a67a-a140f9f9a68f.jpg?crop=1024%2C683%2C0%2C0&resize=1200)

SISTERHOOD OF HELUS HITS 1MILLION MEMBERS

The Sisterhood of Helus, a reformed version of the Cult of Helus, has reached 1million registered members within East Moreland leading its self proclaimed High Priestess Jinny Denman to call for the group to be given a seat of the Royal Council. The 45 year old began preaching her own interpretation of the Cult of Helus roughly five years ago and she has been actively using social media as a way of spreading the faith which now accounts for roughly 1% of the nations population. The Sisterhood tells its followers that Helus is in fact female and that the Ironside families are descended directly from Helus who conceived the child of Raimond Unasson, considered by the orthadox Cult to be the most beloved human and the direct ancestor of the Ironsides. As such Denman believes that the King should work closely with the rightful High Priestess in order to ensure "The Spiritual Health" of the family.

Denman has recruited into her ranks of followers several prominent individuals such as Representative Councillors Susanna Miller and Holly Lewin, she has also been seen on several occasions with the Duchess of Silverhills, Rebecca Henshaw whom Denman believes should be the King's wife. Denman has officially written to Prime Minister Henrietta Quinn requesting that she be given a position on the Royal Council in much the same way as Skye Maddix, the Cult of Helus High Preistess, is permitted to either attend or send a representative. The Sisterhood's High Priestess said, "Many people are beginning to see the truth of what I've been saying for years, as such our numbers are growing daily and while we have 1million members signed up through official channels, in order to show their support, we have much higher numbers of social media, and around 500,000 people have attended talks I've given in the last 12 months. The Royal Council contains a false Priestess and even a representative of some minor faiths, if the statistics are correct the Sisterhood is now the second largest faith movement in East Moreland and should have its views represented at the highest level."

The Royal Press Secretary, Malcolm Tucker said, "The King will be speaking with his advisers in the coming days, while he is always keen to allow a voice for groups of all kinds he is likely to feel that the Sisterhood is nothing other than the Cult which is already represented, furthermore Miss Denman seems to believe her religious views give her the right to determine our Kings own future."



(http://www.victorianweb.org/art/architecture/allom/1.jpg)

LUNAR THREE ARRIVE AT NEW HOME

Following a process of being downloaded, decontaminated and serviced the three SwarmBots known as Blinky, Bob and Solo have been handed over to the Northfort Museum of Science and Technology where they have joined an exhibit with their "siblings". The three bots received a heroes welcome as Royal Aeronautical Society astronaut Rachel Dixon brought the three out of their VIP transport and carried them into the museum. The three bots will now spend their days roaming a specially designed series of glass chambers viewable by members of the public. Around 25,000 extra people arrived during the first day in order to see the machines leading musuem staff to have to turn some people away as long lines formed as space fans wanted to get a view of the now fully reunited SwarmBots.

One person lucky enough to see them was Martin Dawson, CEO of SmartWar the company who made the bots. He was amazed by the reception and spent several hours talking with those wishing to see the machines outside. "I'm surprised how many people come to see tiny robots, it just goes to show how fascinated we all are by the solar system and beyond. We are currently working on Bob, Blinky and Solo's younger brothers and sisters in an effort to produce a new generation of SwarmBots capable of much more."

Many of the crowd were worried about not recognising the Lunar 3 however museum staff have put tiny flags on them bearing their names.



(https://gizmod.ru/uploads/posts/2016-01/1453220445_lunohod-audi-lunar-quattro1-1.jpg)

SPACE BADGER BREAKS RECORD ON THIRD ATTEMPT

EMAC and the RAS celebrated last night as the lunar rover known as the Space Badger broke the record for fastest recorded speed on the moon. The project was designed to test new landing systems and analyse potential landing spots for future missions, the rover was part of a plan to build larger versions for use as a base model for a family of vehicles to be used on future projects. The previous record was 11.2 mph however after two failed speed runs the Space Badger hit 12.1 mph. The first run was aborted as one of the pressure readings indicated a problem, while the second saw issues over the terrain slow the speed to 11.1mph thus narrowly failing to meet the record.

With the record now in the bag it is expected the vehicle will be signed over fully to the RAS who are likely to begin large scale surveys for a future landing mission within the next 24 months. A scheduled Golden Spike landing was due however it is expected this may now be put down in a previously unlanded area of the moon.



(https://image.jimcdn.com/app/cms/image/transf/dimension=313x1024:format=jpg/path/s529e885b90acb415/image/i588eb142394d2055/version/1513871998/image.jpg)

ARCHDUCHESS WILL NOT COMPETE IN WINTER GAMES

It was confirmed today that Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside, the nations most successful Winter Games athlete, will not compete in this years Winter Games. The 21 year old who already has 5 Winter Games medals, in addition to 4 Summer Games medals, will be in the final stages of her military training when the games begin. Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker made an announcement to the media after the Archduchess was seen arriving at the speed skating training camp yesterday leading to rumours of her competing. "The Archduchess is currently five weeks away from passing out as a Pilot Officer in our nations Armed Forces, she had a weekend off like everyone else at her level of training, she decided to go and visit friends in Northfort and wish them well for the games. She will sadly not be competing as her schedule does not permit. The Archduchess takes her military career very seriously and while we know this will not rule her out of future games it would be unfair to her colleagues for her to be permitted to miss part of training."

The 21 year old was photographed sitting with coaches watching time trials along with her military dog known as Bandit.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 20, 2018, 09:08:20 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Johannes+Huebl+IWC+Schaffhausen+SIHH+2018+p7oOB6AX31el.jpg)

KING TO DEREGULATE STEM CELL RESEARCH IF CULT AGREES

It was announced today that King David will meet with the High Priestess tomorrow to discuss his wishes to deregulate the sometimes controversial field of stem cell research. The move comes as the 3rd anniversary of death of Prince Caspian approaches, the King's two year old son died from a genetically inherited condition that some medical experts believe could be treated with Stem cell therapy. It is thought the King's involvement with various charities that deal with children with similar conditions have inspired him to take steps. The move however is not without controversy as many believe that Stem Cell research can be unethical.

CEO of OsmanTech, Joanna Osman, welcomed the move saying "Stem cells provide huge potential for finding treatments and cures to a vast array of diseases including different cancers, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, Alzheimer's, MS, Huntington's, Parkinson's and more. At present we are limited in what we can research and how we can do it, if some of these were relaxed, or removed all together we can make great strides in treating conditions such as that which my nephew Prince Caspian suffered." OsmanTech have pushed for some deregulation on the current stem cell research rules for the last 12 months since Joanna Osman inherited control of the company from her father Lord Lucas Osman.

Meanwhile however members of the Cult of Helus have called for there to be strict controls on the research as it involves the destruction of laboratory-fertilized human eggs, something more conservative members of the Cult believe means destruction of life. One leading opponent of Stem Cell research is the Priestess of Melanor at Silverhills, Imogen Owen, who said, "However and wherever life is created it is a miracle from Helus. We should not destroy that life unless there is no other option. To destroy life so scientists can try and play Helus is just wrong. As such I will do all I can to ensure that this practice is not permitted to be expanded."

The King spoke as he attended an event to support the MPS charity, which provided support to Prince Caspian and has been close to the King and ex-wife Matilda Osman's hearts. The pair both attended a garden party at the charities HQ and were seen to be getting along well. Princess Rhiannon was also present as was her half-brother Oliver Halliday-Osman, the 6 month old son of Matilda Osman and former partner Formula Mundus driver Sam Halliday. Oliver Halliday-Osman is also a carrier of Hunter's Syndrome, the same condition that Prince Caspian had, and is passed on through maternal genetics. The King was seen holding Oliver at one point before making his announcement to the press. "Stem Cell research could help so many children across Mundus. We have some of the best medical researchers on the planet here and I intend to give them the tools to do all that is possible. I am however a committed Cultist, but no scholar of the faith, I will not go against our beloved Code of Canley and so while I shall do everything within my power to make this research possible I shall heed the advice of High Priestess Skye Maddix."

Should the king be convinced that the research is not unethical he could issue a decree within 24 hours.


(https://www.forces.net/sites/default/files/styles/cover_image/public/DRILL.jpg?itok=PejK07UV)

AIR FORCE LEAD FEAST OF JEKAR PARADE

To mark the 100th Anniversary of the formation of the Royal East Moreland Air Force its members were granted the privledge of leading the annual Feast of Jekar parade. Thousands of people lined the route as members of the military and veterans marched through the streets to have their banners blessed at the Temple of Jekar. The King this year did not march in the parade but was present at the Temple to accept the salute of the various units. Other members of the royal family took part in parades across the country, Princess Freya marched with her 2nd Light Scouts in Silverhills, her husband Alex Redfern was part of a Red Legion contingent in the elite units home town of Aldfield and Archduchess Sophie marched for the first time with the Air Force in Ostlake. It was also reported that the four of them took part in the traditional practice of officers cooking and serving breakfast for their soldiers, the King attending a breakfast service at the Northfort Legionnaire Legacy Centre where he helped cook breakfast for 100 veterans.

The King also gave the traditional address to troops which was relayed to units across Mundus including those training in Nya Aland, the garrisons in AK City, those on active duty in Lakhzovia and those currently returning from the Ui Cenneslaig province of Scordisci. He emphasised his and the countries thanks for their service and praised their humanitarian work. The King also announced that he was looking at making the Legionnaire Legacy programme an active part of the military, a move that would ensure injured veterans received on going government support and pay until able to be fully discharged. The move was welcomed by the charity which supported the King through his own injuries after being shot by a rouge Nya Aland ambassador being blackmailed by Borlanders and the Gungnir.

At embassies across Mundus ambassadors held feasts and at the embassy in Lodja one junior member of staff had a sword ceremony which was permitted to take place on the Island of the Goddess, the home of the Queen of Lodja.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 27, 2018, 10:14:08 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://graceuniversity.edu/iip/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/iipi091716-e1474044781412.jpg)

KING LIFTS RESTRICTIONS ON STEM CELL RESEARCH

Following meetings with the High Priestess Skye Maddix and several members of the science community the King has taken steps to remove restrictions on the use of stem cells in research. The move comes on the lead up to the anniversary of the death of Prince Caspian, the Kings son who died from a genetic disorder, a co-incidence that has lead some to believe that the decision was emotionally motivated. Stem cells can be used in a variety of different treatments and until recently the use of them has been strictly controlled because of the fact they come from embryos leading some to believe that the harvesting of them is in fact a form of abortion. The King had various ethical questions regarding the practice and following his meeting with High Priestess Maddix he was seen meeting with Dr. Rufus Marsden, the Health Minister, as well as experts from OsmanTech and several other medical companies. The morning after the King announced his decision in person at his weekly meeting with the Representative Council saying, "It is my decision that all restrictions on stem cell research are to be lifted, I believe this decision is the right move for two reasons, the first is the massive amount of good that it has the potential to unlock. A whole host of therapies and treatments can now be looked into giving people suffering from a variety of conditions great hope. The second reason is an economic one, stem cell research is a field of great interest in the medical and scientific community, our companies such as OsmanTech have often been pioneers in that field and as such need to maintain their competative edge, as one of the nations that now offers the ability to use these cells for research we are likely to see many companies look to invest here. I will however not permit stem cells to be used in active treatment programmes within our nation until they have passed our already stringent checks for the safety of procedures and my Health Minister Dr.Marsden assures himself the treatment in question is safe."

Some Cultists have called the new law a breach of the Code of Canley which views Abortion for any reason other than saving the mothers life as an evil.



(http://radio1230.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/article-1133802-034881BE000005DC-202_468x313.jpg)

PUBLIC BUILDINGS ACROSS NATION CLOSE TO STOP PLAGUE

The Cabinet meet late last night regarding the current outbreak of what appears to be Bubonic Plague, to date some 1,200 cases have been reported across the nation with 176 fatalities. Supplies of antibiotics have been rushed to hospitals designated as isolation centres and the militaries specialist medical units have been mobilised to support, including the Royal Logistics Corps specialist biological warfare unit leading some to suggest this may be part of a co-ordinated attack. Following the three hour long meeting it was left to Prime Minister Henrietta Quinn to make an announcement.

"It was the decision of the cabinet that for at least the next 72 hours all public buildings will be closed. Schools will not open, Universities will close their doors and parks will remain locked. This precaution is likely to limit the risks of infection as we have been briefed of the incubation period being 72 hours. We shall meet again in 60 hours to discuss whether this period need be extended or whether the storm has been weathered. People are urged to not go to hospital unless absolutely necessary and a special phone line has been set up for anyone who believes they are displaying symptoms. The condition is curable with the right anti-biotics and we have begun steps to ensure supplies reach those centres that need it. There is no reason to panic and if people follow good hygiene practices and follow advice being given by medical experts we shall weather this storm. I know Princess Freya will be meeting with other nations from Alba Karinya to try and ensure as co-ordinated an approach as possible can be followed."

When the Prime Minister was asked whether this was, as some are suggesting, a biological attack she said, "We rule nothing out, but we are working with all effected nations to get to the bottom of that, our CNN allies at the Iwi have proposed to the Cross Mundus Agency an independent confirmation of some details before we make any further announcement about the reason this supposed ancient disease has reappeared."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 04, 2018, 06:02:33 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/431128302783299595/unknown.png)

JOINT CNN PROJECT ANNOUNCED

Minister of Defence Harry Samuelson today confirmed that the East Moreland based company SmartWar have been given the green light to take part in a project with the four other CNN allies. The Land Portable Vertical Launch System (LPVLS) is a lightweight transportable vertical launch missile system, similar to that used on destroyers and frigate, but capable of being deployed on any terrain. The system will contain a series of eight missiles, capable of being a variety of different types, all capable of being launched independenly either following GPS, laser designation or satellite guidance. It is thought the system will have a range of around 50km allowing ground forces to call upon highly accurate variable yield missiles. The system is likely to be useful in limiting collatoral damage in urban warfare.

SmartWar are expected to be designing the software to allow the LPVLS to download up to the second data from a variety of battlefield sources before launching its missiles. It is likely that the other four nations will each take on a role within the design and manufacture process. The total cost of the system is likely to be in the region of $1million per unit.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 06, 2018, 01:40:40 AM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://media.elpatagonico.com/adjuntos/193/imagenes/028/574/0028574271.jpg)

2 DEAD IN TRUTHSAYER TERROR ATTACK

Two people have been killed in a terror attack on the East Moreland Rifle Companies HQ in Northfort. (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=674.msg5586;topicseen#msg5586) The two deceased are a member of the East Moreland military and a Rokkenjiman citizen who was visiting the Rosarity Temple opposite the office. The attack was carried out, according to Police, by the Truthsayers and was believed to have been carried out as "revenge for East Moreland co-operation with the Kaitaine Communist regime" Eye witnesses say that a car, which was loaded with containers of petrol likely to have been intended for a fire attack on the EMRC building, crashed into anti-terror bollards installed two years ago to stop a Borlander attack. Following the crash EMRC began shutting their security shutters keeping the two female attackers from breeching the office, as such they began randomly firing at fleeing passers by and the building. It was during this that it appears an unnamed Rokkenjiman citizen visiting the nearby Rosarity Temple was struck and pronounced dead at the scene. The EMRC building neighbours an Army Recruitment office, which was likely also a target of the attack. As with all military buildings in the capital, and many other cities, the soldiers inside have access to firearms, almost immediately two members of the Army engaged the women and killed both, sadly with one East Moreland soldier, whose identity has not yet been released, being killed. Several nearby patrolling units of police and the Army descended on the scene, among them Red Legionnaire officer Alex Redfern who one eye witness spotted trying to administer first aid to the deceased soldier.

The Minister of Defence, Sir Harry Samuelson, visited the scene once it was secure and witnessed police carrying out a finger tip search of the area for clues that may help see if there are further members of this Truthsayer cell. The Minister spoke to the assembled media saying, "Today has shown why we must always be vigilant, while the Borlanders are the usual ones carrying out attacks against us we can not lower our guard to other threats. Our willingness to stand up to terror, regardless of where and when and by who, makes us a target. We have yet to inform the next of kin of our brave soldier who ran towards the sound of gunfire in order to save lives, when his identity is released we shall honour him as one who died living the Code of Canley. I would also like to send our condolensces to the people of Rokkenjima who today have lost a sister. This attack must open the worlds eyes to the threat of the Truthsayers and the Bene Gesserit faith as one that would attack the innocent"

It is the second attack on East Moreland soil by the Bene Gesserit faithful known as the Truthsayers, an organisation now labelled as illegal and terrorists in East Moreland, yet not recognised as such in many other nations across Mundus. Sir Harry Samuelson added, "I would think with our track record of robust response to terrorist threats and our heightened security the Truthsayers would have realised after they attacked our nuclear waste convoy that we are not some soft target. This is a threat we will neutralise and as the Borlanders know we shall never stop hunting those who would do harm to our way of life."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 13, 2018, 03:28:16 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/Col_Tim_Collins_OBE.jpg)

CONCERN OVER NAPALM USE ADDRESSED BY SAMUELSON

The nations Minister of Defence, Sir Harry Samuelson, today spoke in council about reports coming from Quintelia.The news was reported by 24 Hour Quintelian News which stated "The bombing of the unnamed village with napalm has been criticized as it endangered the lives of a news crew and even caused a nearby grass fire that has been extinguished after three days." This lead former Red Legion marksman instructor Sir Harry Samuelson to say, "What we are discovering is a severe breach of the Uppsala Convention. Article 2.4 states Members of the Armed Forces shall do all that is reasonable to avoid civilian casualties. As a former military commander in pre-Uppsala days I know first hand that napalm is a weapon that is not accurate enough to allow it to be used in a populated area without breaching this, it is an indscriminate weapon that no commander can predict what will happen in the aftermath. This is evident with a three day grass fire. Furthermore article 2.8 states Members of the Armed Forces may not intentionally damage or take the property of civilians. By dropping napalm on a village is certain to cause damage to civilian property. We also know first hand that weapons exist today which are much more accurate than napalm and allow the avoidance of civilian casualties to a much higher degree. This all also ignores the fact that some may even consider napalm to be a chemical weapon, but I'll leave that to legal experts to determine."

The Minister went on to further address the situation. "We understand Quintelia has in recent weeks experienced difficulties with rebels, and while we would not criticise them for taking action against violent actors intent on unlawfully overthrowing a government the government of Quintelia does itself no favours with its own people and the wider international community in addressing their internal problems in such a barbaric way. I would call on them to issue publically an undertaking to decommission their napalm based weapons."

It is unknown yet what further steps the international community will take.



(https://www.hellomagazine.com/imagenes/healthandbeauty/hair/2017101843310/outnumbered-karen-actress-unrecognisable-new-hair/0-220-887/outnumbered-karen-actress-now-t.jpg)
PRINCESS EXCITED OVER NEW ADDITION TO FAMILY

It was announced yesterday that Princess Rhiannon will be getting her first pet. In the daily press briefing it was confirmed that King David and former wife Matilda Osman have given their six year old daughter to choose a pet for herself. Royal Press Secretary explained following cryptic messages on Erin Osman's twitter account, "With the typical scandalous flair Miss Erin Osman is famous for I think she may have raised hopes of a great scoop for the press. The truth is however for the last six months the Princess has been wanting a pet after her school did a project on family pets and she was among the few without one. As is well known her mother is a keen supporter of animal charities and organisations and together with King David they told their daughter she would have to prove she was responsible enough to own one first. As such for the last six months she has been earning pocket money through good behaviour, doing chores and academic achievement, she will be using this to pay for the pet, so there shall be no impact to the tax payer."

The Princess was asked about her choice as she made her way to a performance of Disney on Ice with her Mother, Aunt Erin and half-brother Oliver in Portworth. The 6 year old said. "I'm excited, I think I'd like a little puppy, or a rabbit, or maybe even a hedgehog, just something cute and that likes to play." It is not known when the new pet will arrive.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 16, 2018, 09:53:22 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/435531277114802197/unknown.png)

EMAC BEGIN WORK ON 6TH GENERATION FIGHTER

Sir Alan Maybury the CEO of EMAC has today announced that they have begun work of the next generation of fighter aircraft. Since 1936 EMAC have produced all fighter aircraft used by the Royal East Moreland Air Force including the current "Dragon" classes used by the REMAF. The current project saw a concept photograph released by the design team showing a forward swept winged aircraft with engine intakes above the main body, suggesting the aircraft will rely heavily on stealth characteristics. The aircraft has yet to be named and is currently being referred to as Project F-Dragon and is thought to be looking at entering service in around 2030.

Sir Alan spoke to the press saying, "This project is going to help bring together many of the great advancements we've made over the various speed record projects we've done over the last few years. The aircraft we are putting together will be state of the art and we are confident that even with a long lead in time by the time Project F-Dragon comes into mass production it will still be the most advanced aircraft in Mundus." Sir Alan admitted that the aircraft that finally enters production may not look anything like the concept drawing but that, "at present that's the vision we're working towards." It is expected that the first scale model wind tunnel testing will begin in the next six months and then remote prototype replicas soon after. It is estimated that the project will draw significant funding from the government ensuring that EMAC can continue with many major projects. The company have not announced if they will seek foreign investment or whether an export model will be made avaliable. Currently EMAC may only sell aircraft to nations that have signed the Uppsala convention.



(http://www.ljacksonandco.com/LJDB2014/files/10241_photo1.jpg)

MORELAND MILITARY BEGIN LAKHZOVIA AIRFIELD CONSTRUCTION

It was announced by Minister of Defence, Sir Harry Samuelson, that East Moreland troops, alongside their CNN allies Ui Cenneslaig, have begun construction of a temporary runway in Northern Lakhzovia. Speaking from Illumic Command where the operation is being monitored the former Red Legionnaire sharpshooter said, "The mission is simple, create a runway where one does not exist. This is not the first time we have done this and some could say we are becoming experts in this type of operation, this time we are joined by our Cenneg allies and the purpose is to allow aircraft in to support troops on the ground and at the same time bring refugees out of the danger zone." While it is yet to be confirmed it is thought East Moreland will take around 10,000 refugees in the first three weeks of evacuation and they will pass through Ostlake West.

The airfield being built is made from portable light weight metal panels that can be connected together with little equipment to form a solid runway. The last one built by the East Moreland Armed Forces was in Mavrosia and took 72 hours to construct, one of the men who helped build the runway was King David in what was his final active duty assignment. In total around 45,000 refugees were evacuated using that runway and around 800 sorties where flown from it, one aircraft crashed on take off resulting in no casualties but the loss of a cargo aircraft.  While it was not confirmed it is expected this runway will be slightly smaller as it will be using smaller aircraft than the Mavrosia evacuation therefore meaning it will likely be built in 48 hours.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 18, 2018, 09:27:54 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://regmedia.co.uk/2018/01/02/hms_ocean_crown_copyright.jpg?x=648&y=402&infer_y=1)

REMNS KING ROBERT HEADS TO KYNE

The East Moreland flagship REMNS King Robert is en route to the Kyne accompanied by a support fleet in order to "monitor" the situation between The Unified Iwi and Royal Seleucid. The deployment was announced by Foreign Minister Edward Tamana who said, "We have no idea what will happen in that region of the world at the present and it is clear that once more we may be pressed into action. Last time we were unsupported and unprepared, we can not allow this to happen again." The statement leading many to infer the Foreign Minister was talking about the Cultist Genocide in Seleucid. Presently some 250,000 known Cultists live in Seleucid, a legacy of an ancient migration which has stood the test of time. Around 30,000 Cultists were killed in a genocide which according to the Seleucid King took place during "an attempted coup by rouge army officers", currently Ui Cenneslaig Armed Forces maintain a prescence in the Cultist areas in order to provide security and reassurance, however it is suspected the King is concerned about their safety should an escalation between the Iwi and Seleucid take place.

The King Robert is carrying 830 Royal Marines and around 40 vehicles, additionally it is understood one of the Pre-Positioned Global Supply Ships is joining up with the fleet giving them access to a much larger supply of equipment. The Navy maintain six of these ships dotted around Mundus and this one is thought to be currently leaving The Iwi where it has been undertaking resupply.

The King has yet to make a statement about East Moreland's stance on the issue of the Iwi's attack on Seleucid but Prime Minister Henrietta Quinn stated, "I can well understand the Iwi's desire to strike Seleucid but there are wider issues at play here. We must be careful to ensure there is no escalation but be prepared for if there is." The Prime Minister also confirmed that a squadron of Dragonheart fighters is moving to the Iwi as part of a "joint anti-piracy operation" this was, according to Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker, "in the diary for a good six months."



(https://cdn-6.motorsport.com/static/img/mgl/5100000/5100000/5107000/5107200/5107236/s8/wec-fuji-2015-loic-duval-audi-sport-team-joest.jpg)

SISTERS OF HELUS TARGET HALLIDAY

With testing beginning for the new Formula Mundus season you would have expected Sam Halliday, new father and defending world champion, to be on a high however when he opened his social media this week he would have been in for a shock as #SackSam was trending in East Moreland. The campaign against the 28 year old champion was started by the Sisterhood of Helus "High Priestess" Jinny Denman because, in her words, Halliday is "a poor example of a real Morelander and unworthy to be a representative of the King" The Sisterhood of Helus is a growing division of the Cult of Helus, refered to by High Priestess Skye Maddix as "religious insanity" however it is said to have over 1million followers and they have now turned their anger towards the world of Formula Mundus.

In a post on Facebook the 42 year old Denman said, "At every race weekend Halliday stands beneath the flag of East Moreland, he wraps himself in it and sings our anthem yet he has betrayed everything our nation stands for. First he betrayed his King by taking his wife into his bed even before they were divorced. I personally believe Matilda Osman had no right marrying King David but the facts are she was still Queen when she was seduced by this rouge. Next the man fathered a child with his lover, further betraying his King, and when it was discovered the child was sadly handicapped he denied the child was his, in fact at one point claiming it was the King's disgracing His Majesties good name. When a DNA test was demanded of him he ducked and dived knowing the result but knowing it would end his fraud. When one was undertaken and Oiver Halliday-Osman proved to be his child he has spent no time with his son, leaving our former Queen to raise the child alone and thus betraying his own child. A man like this is paid massive amounts to drive a car and is seen as a hero by many. Heroes are not disloyal and do not abandon their children, we must hit Halliday in the only two places he cares about, his Formula Mundus career and the pocket. I call on all members of the Sisterhood to boycott any company sponsering Halliday and therefore Rytol. I urge EMAC to reconsider their relationship with a team that accepts this behaviour. This campaign shall continue until Halliday is sacked."

Rytol-EMAC, who finished second in the Constructors Championship have yet to comment, however EMAC CEO Sir Alan Maybury said, "I appreciate many are angry about Halliday's conduct in his private life, but that is exactly what it is, his private life. He is new to fatherhood and has had to overcome a major shock we must give him time to come to terms with what that means and not judge too harshly. I wish Sam all the best for the season ahead and will be hoping for a successful defence."

One of the teams major sponsors is the Silverhills Empire Hotel, the biggest hotel and resort in East Moreland, the company saw several cancellations of bookings following the start of the campaign but have said, "Most of our bookings come from abroad and I suspect many will view this campaign as a storm in a tea cup."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 21, 2018, 09:41:00 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://res.cloudinary.com/devex/image/fetch/c_scale,f_auto,q_auto,w_720/https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/L6QyWyzmFa7cZ4OizmamZmEZJj_8MvbloD7EGHOnP6NFje5TApwJ7Ma8Hpa6xDGLISeOaOyfA0AJn5xRryJolmHSQQxm1l7q7P1VP2o_2fC6Ehw0zU77dE2ntWgEc2h-eQSr7JUc)

"CRITICS SHOULD COME VISIT US" SAYS DENMAN

Following publication of an interview with Admiral Eidmeier in the Neu Uburzis media "High Priestess" of the Sisterhood of Helus has invited those critical of her to visit the Sisterhoods HQ in Portworth. Speaking in the run up of the Feast of Melanor the religious leader said, "I understand that throughout history whenever an individual has challenged the well established norms of a faith there has been a period of adjustment. Look at the Christian faith, it happened some 600 years ago and in many ways is still going on. I spent my life to this point studying the theology of the Cult of Helus, and much as the Protestants of old did I find the faith of the Cult imperfect and seek to remedy that. As with anyone trying to challenge the consensus there will be time when there is a need to say uncomfortable home truths. I bear Matilda Osman no ill will, but the fact is our King is a direct descendent of the most perfect human to have ever walked Mundus, Raimond Unasson, therefore he has a responsibility to the faithful. Matilda Osman was not able to live up to that responsibility and has plunged the royal line into chaos. She is a nice lady for sure, setting up the Wild Mundus Organisation, the Global Childbirth Initiative and the MSP Foundation but that does not protect her from the truth.

The pronoun which we call Helus matters, unlike other faiths where God is a faceless all powerful being beyond our sight Helus has and will walk among us. The stories she has given us are a guide in all things. It is our duty to remain faithful to her teachings and be prepared to recognise her second coming, that is a hard thing to do if your looking for a man when you should be looking for a woman. I would like to say our faith is a growing one, some 1million followers since we established our HQ here in Portworth and thanks to the media and people like Admiral Eidmeier passing comments on us, yet not really understanding our faith, we have found acceptance rather hard. I would welcome any of them to come visit us here."

It is expected the HQ of the Sisterhood will have an official opening in the coming weeks and the King has been invited, Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker saying, "The King gets invited to many openings, he's a busy man and can't make them all."



(http://cdn.iflscience.com/images/43492531-91a4-58d5-851c-b00d8a13d2e9/extra_large-1524135352-cover-image.jpg)

OSMANTECH DEVELOP CANCER TATTOO

OsmanTech have today asked the Ministry of Health to approve for human testing a "Cancer Tattoo". The process is designed to provide early warning and detection for those considered a higher risk of certain types of cancer. The process is not a tattoo at all but is in fact a skin implant which releases melanin to darken the skin when increased calcium levels are detected, something that can be an early indication of cancer. So far the process has been shown to be 92% accurate on mice and OsmanTech now believe the process is ready for testing in humans. The implant only tends to work on  breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancers, as they usually produce substances that break down the bones, which in turn causes calcium levels to rise.

Joanna Osman, the CEO of OsmanTech, said, "This innovation has great potential to reassure and support those with high cancer risks. Until recently people only got a dianosis once they had begun to shown what are in some cases severe symptoms, this will give a much earlier indication and will also mean less testing for those in need." It is likely according to experts that permission will be granted and that tests will begin within the next three months.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 27, 2018, 10:42:26 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/439536645918949390/unknown.png)

NATION CELEBRATES FEAST OF MELANOR

Tens of thousands of Cultists across East Moreland have today taken part in tree planting ceremonies as the nation celebrated the Feast of Melanor. It is estimated that a total of around 150,000 trees have been planted by Cultists across Mundus as the faith celebrates the Goddess of Life. Two of the trees were planted by the King, one in the grounds of Northfort Palace in a private ceremony for Palace staff and the Ironside family, and a second in People's Park in central Northfort during a public mass lead by High Priestess Skye Maddix. The King attended the mass alone, the first time since becoming King, and was seen mingling happily with the families who had gathered to celebrate the day. Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker explained, "The Ironside family are very busy, Rhiannon is at her mother's this week as agreed between the two parents, Princess Freya is engaged with her military duties and the Archduchess is currently undergoing her Trade training in the military. It is my understanding the King will spend today with his extended family whom regularly attend feast days at the Palace." It was also confirmed that the King had spent time at the family mausoleum where the last 15 generations of the Ironside family, and many others, have been laid to rest.

The nation took part in large open air picnics and gave thanks for the life granted by the Goddess. Embassies across Mundus also saw the staff celebrate by planting trees in their local community as well as in some cities hosting garden parties. In Ui Cenneslaig the embassy were given saplings from King Finley's private estate to plant in the embassy garden.



 
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/86F3/production/_101074543_pig.jpg)

OSMANTECH BRAIN EXPERIMENT A "WORRYING SUCCESS"

It was announced today that OsmanTech have been able to restore circulation to isolated pigs brains and keep the organ alive for several hours. The news has been meet with a mixed reaction with some hailing it as a great medical breakthrough while others have called it unethical. Joanna Osman the CEO of OsmanTech confirmed the news and announced that a full scientific paper will be published in the coming days.

The process involved attacthing pigs brains to pumps, a blood supply and heaters. The activity levels of the brain were then monitored and researchers were reportedly able to keep the cells in the brain alive and capable of normal activity for as long as 36 hours. The ability to do this means that potential treatments for neurological disorders could be tried on live tissues without risk to patients, furthermore it will allow more in depth study into conditions such as dementia. Miss Osman stated, "We are amazed at how successful this has been, this opens up whole new doors of oppurtunity and is something that will allow us to make great strides into neurological sciences." She did however say, "We are aware this is a new form of scientific study and as such we need to be aware of the potential ethical impacts.

It was these that one scientist at the Technology City Insitiute of Science and Technology was most concerned about. Dr. Lance Philpott stated, "I'm interested to see what they found out but this is a worrying success. The science involved is outstripping our ethical guidelines. My main concerns include whether such brains have any consciousness and if so deserve special protection, or whether their technique could or should be used by individuals to extend their lifespans - by transplanting their brains when their bodies wear out. Certainly, today's experimental models are far from having such capabilities. But various models are now being developed to better understand the human brain, including miniaturised, simplified versions of brain tissue grown in a dish from stem cells. And advances keep being made faster than we consider the ethics."

In response to this Joanna Osman has invited several of the East Moreland Scientific community to meet and discuss these issues saying "As far as we know we're the only company that has achieved this level of success, as such we must shoulder a great deal of the ethical concerns, others will follow our techniques and what we determine shall be a benchmark. Its a big responsibility and one we must get right."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 02, 2018, 08:52:47 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/201533878043672588/440290889223372810/unknown.png)

CARPENTER ARRESTED

Former Chief Councillor and CTO Secretary General Tim Carpenter has today been arrested during a fiery protest against the Sisterhood of Helus in Ostlake. Carpenter, aged 32, was arrested to "prevent a breach of the peace" according to local police after he and several other protesters blockaded the slipway of the boats used to ferry people out to the Temple of Jekar. The Sisterhood of Helus had been in the city to visit the Temple and in their own words, "beautify the icons" the meaning of which was never discovered as Tim Carpenter and several others opposed to the Sisterhood arrived ahead of schedule and set up fishing nets across the slipway to prevent boats being launched. Carpenter clashed verbally with Jinny Denman calling her "a mental cow" before adding "and I should know I've just got out the funny farm" in reference to his recent therapy following an as yet unconfirmed breakdown while Secretary-General of the CTO. Carpenter, who prior to becoming a national icon during the Regency Crisis, was a political and human rights activist was carrying his trademark megaphone when he tied himself to one of the fishing nets.

When approached by the press Carpenter explained, "You are the problem, you have given column inches and air space to a women who is clearly manipulating what we love to get control of our nation. She is slowly eroding everything we have stood for since King Robert created our homeland, she is intent on taking away the rights of our monarch, the father of East Moreland, of changing the very fundamental basis of our faith. Once we permit witches like her to have a direct unchallenged voice in government, such as those sheep Councillors she's corrupted, then its only a matter of time until she begins to impose her belief on us like she is trying to do with the King. Today's protest is about freedom of religion which may sound odd as where stopping these screwballs from visiting a Temple. The reason for that is twofold, first Jekar is my main man, I'm not letting anybody "beautify" him, the mans a scared warrior. Second if we let them impose their view of Jekar on the Cult then we are denied our freedom to worship. If she builds her own temple she can decorate Jekar however she wants, but not here and not today."

Denman accused Carpenter of being a "misogynist who can not or will not see the truth of Helus." the Sisterhood stood singing and praying on the slipway. It was then that Carpenter was arrested after attempts by police to get him to life the blockade failed. The group didn't visit the island but did vow to return before returning to the city centre and laying offerings at the Temple of Helus there including a small statue of their version of a female Helus. 

Carpenter is due in front of magistrates later today and is likely to receive a caution and fine.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 03, 2018, 10:29:18 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/441705498467631114/unknown.png)

KING USES MILITARY DINNER TO ADDRESS SEAFORTH SITUATION

The King attended the annual Legionnaire Legacy Dinner to make a speech which included response to breaking news from Seaforth.

Quote from: Extract of speech

The Legionnaire Legacy was set up five years ago to support our warriors recovery physically and mentally. It was founded to ensure that well and truly no man...or woman... was left behind, over the last five years it has achieved its aim perfectly. I owe it my own health and without I can only imagine how little I could do to be a good father to my daughter. For that the organisation will forever have my love, respect and support.

In many ways it is the Legionnaire Legacy that inspired me today upon hearing news finally from Seaforth. Today we heard of a friend, a fellow warrior who is wounded and in need of help. As I said we leave no man behind, especially a friend. Years ago I was fortunate enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with two great members of the Rhodes family on many occasions, when I faced my own trauma of losing Caspian it was Joshua Rhodes who offered support. Seaforth where a nation......are a nation....that we shared a great friendship with and several years ago we made promises to each other, promises that were unbroken. To anyone in Seaforth I wish to remind you East Moreland stands by our obligations and should we be able to offer any support we shall do so. There stands a small corner of the East Moreland royal estate that is forever Seaforth, while the house may have been empty these last few years the Seaforthian standard has fluttered proudly above it and I urge the government of Seaforth to come and make use of it anytime they wish and just as I did with Joshua there shall be a glass of whiskey, a fine cigar and a log fire waiting in the Palace to discuss anything they wish. I hope that soon we shall host our Ostlake Games and the legendary Seaforthian BBQ fires are lit once more. I know not the fate of my dear friend Joshua but I know in his later years he saw the truth of Helus, that being the case I ask our Lord to watch over him and Jekar to watch over the people of Seaforth while Frossaj grants them wisdom.


The King made no mention of what steps where being taken to offer support merely saying, "Contact is a good first step, what happens next takes some more in depth discussions which I look forward to." It was also confirmed that King David will be contacting King Finley to offer them logistics support should "King Finley do the expected and support his Celtic kin."


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/441711316969848854/unknown.png)

"I AIN'T PAYING S**T" SAYS CARPENTER

Following his court hearing following an arrest for breach of the peace Tim Carpenter, former CTO Secretary-General was fined EM£60. Upon exiting court however the political activist told supporters "I ain't paying s**t" possibly landing himself in more trouble. When asked by the media what he meant the 32 year old said, "I was exercising my free speech and I didn't cause harm to anyone. I therefore believe that this fine is unwarranted and in the coming days I'll be appealing it. Some may so "But Tim it's only 60 quid" well I'm a poor unemployed bloke, no job, no prospects and I can't afford it anyway. There has to come a moment we stand up to the religious intolerant and by paying this fine I am accepting that this is not the case and that people can trample over others beliefs at a whim with no respect. Let the Denman bitch go build her own temple."

Carpenter could face contempt of court charges however this has yet to be confirmed by the court.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 09, 2018, 10:25:16 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/443857906861867008/unknown.png)

RESCUE OPERATION TO SEAFORTH A SUCCESS

The Ministry of Defence today confirmed that within the last 24 hours a transmission had been picked up from Seaforth and that " a significant rescue operation involving the men and women of the Armed Forces is underway." Defence Minister Sir Harry Samuelson went on to explain, " Seaforth is a nation we consider practically family, as such we are duty bound to respond to a distress call. A rescue force has made contact with people in positions of responsibility on the ground and we are currently attempting to ensure they are taken to a place of safety." Later in the day it was announced that "a handful of members of the Alpine Cadre along with specialist medical units have effected the rescue of a number of trapped individuals and are using air assets to bring them to a safe location." The Ministry also released photos of the rescue team in operation.

Seaforth befell a great tragedy and all but disappeared, its people fleeing to neighbouring countries, some Seaforthian citizens believing all was lost claimed citizenship elsewhere, rules brought in by King David gave Seaforth citizens fast track ways to obtain Morelander citizenship. One such person talking that offer was rugby world cup winner Rollo MacAllister, boyfriend of Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside. The 21 year old, 6ft 8 inch tall Lock Forward said, "I am in shock. Clearly I have no idea who this person is they've rescued and among my Seaforthian ex-pat mates its been a hot topic, but we now have to wait and see." The Northfort Royals RUFC player was also asked whether he would now renounce his Morelander citizenship and said, "I would never give that up, I love this country and its people. When I lost my home the nation took me in no questions asked. I am proud to have worn the Honeybadgers shirt and sung "Helus Call". I must admit however I never stopped loving Seaforth, its my metaphorical mother and you love that unconditionally." Later in the day it however emerged that MacAllister had withdrawn himself from the Honeybadgers touring squad which was soon to leave for Lodja on a summer tour. This prompted many to wonder whether he was considering asking the Mundus Court for Sport Arbitration about his status as a Morelander and a possible switch to play for Seaforth.

King David was asked for a statement however royal press Secretary Malcolm Tucker said, "The King is a busy man trying to keep in control of an ever evolving and complex operation. Therefore he will not be making any public statement. The military need to get their job done and then the King will speak to the Press."



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/430073882146242571/unknown.png)

EMAC TO BEGIN TESTING EKRA-BADGER 2

Following the success of the Ekra-Badger in several Red Legion anti-piracy operations and good showings in military exercises the Ministry of Defence have commissioned two more similar vessels. The Ekra-Badger 2, which is likely to not be its final title, will be another Ground Effect Vehicle designed to move 150men and up to two tanks at speeds close to 500 kmh. Like its predeccessor it will also be able to be converted to a field hospital and refuel itself at sea. The unique design is part plane and part boat and allows a great deal of weight to be carried at high speed using a kind of ground cushion to help the aircraft reach high speeds and fuel efficiency.

It is believed that East Moreland is the only Navy in the world using the principle and following the completion of the new project three of these vehicles will be in service. The current Ekra-Badger is slightly bigger, but slower as it also carries six large anti ship missiles. It is thought the newer version will not carry significant armament and will be designed to simply move manpower around regions like the Illumic at high speeds.


(https://whc.unesco.org/uploads/thumbs/site_0192_0008-750-0-20151105162946.jpg)

"BENE GESSERIT KAITAINE" A TERRORISTS IMAGINATION

Following announcements by members of the Bene Gesserit faith that they have pushed Kaitaine government forces away from the city of Seitch the government have made an announcement. Prime Minister Henrietta Quinn spoke to the press following a cabinet meeting, which was not attended by the King, during her statement she said. "The Bene Gesserit faith is promoting terrorism, they take young girls, some as little as four years old, and over 14 years brainwash and indoctrinate them. I am amazed Ui Cennesliag, Mountjoy, Achkaerin and Himeyama have not put a stop to this abhorrent practice. It boils down to child soldiers. As such we will not tolerate terrorists masquerading as a nation. Any attempt by the Bene Gesserit to do this will be stopped by ourselves."

Quinn went on to say, "The KDF have our sympathies for loss of life suffered at the hands of these blood thirsty terrorists. The government of Kaitaine shared with us valuable information regarding the Truthsayers following their attempt to steal nuclear waste from us. As such we shall do all we can to ensure any information we have finds its way to them."

The Prime Minister also said, "We shall be taking measures to internationally put pressure on the Bene Gesserit and thus have placed sanctions on their membership by freezing bank accounts and issuing travel bans."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 15, 2018, 09:46:19 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/446045177321095178/unknown.png)

NIA PRODUCE EVIDENCE OF CHILD SOLDIERS

The National Intelligence Agency have today produced what they say is evidence that the Truthsayers are using child soldiers. The organisation responsible for providing anti-terror operations, among other things, released two images which we have reproduced above. The photo on the right is of a Ui Cenneslaig citizen, reportedly called Sarah McPherson who entered East Moreland just over a year ago. The image was taken by passport control for her temporary ID card, as is standard practice with all visitors to East Moreland, the one on the left is a still taken from footage filmed by the Truthsayers during their "celebration" in Seitch. A Ministry of Defence spokesman explained. "This Miss McPherson, who is clearly a Truthsayer, entered our nation as a tourist on a Ui Cenneslaig passport, when she did so she had just turned 17 years of age and was travelling on a student exchange. This was a time before we knew of the existance of the Chapterhouse schools. This means that she is now only just past her 18th birthday, by three weeks in fact. There is no way a person could be trained for the kind of infiltration mission Seitch must have been in three weeks. This evidence therefore shows that the Bene Gesserit's paramilitary force of the Truthsayers must be the same as those involved at their schools.

Brigadier Kelly, commanding officer of Red Legion also spoke on the situation saying, " The kind of skills required to take back a target like Seitch would take years to perfect, this is an 18 year old, she has clearly been preparing for this operation, or similar ones of its kind for the last few years, maybe all her life. I have no hesitation in saying that this individual would at one point in her life have been a child soldier. We must now do something to prevent further children being indoctrinated."

The Minister of Justice, on behalf of the King, has issued a notice to ask nations of the world to support action against child soldier (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=812.0) At present Neu Uburzis have replied with what Minister Darren Bone has described as , "strangely dismissive language" while Miteravia have condemned the practice, a move welcomed by Mr.Bone
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 23, 2018, 08:12:33 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/people-enjoy-music-hyde-park-sydney-january-dj-sydney-festival-sydney-australia-january-sydney-festival-start-32245939.jpg)

NATION CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY WITH KING

The nation has today celebrated both The Festival of Greenflowers and the 37th birthday of King David III. The nation made the most of the sunny weather to gather in parks, listen to concerts, watch the Northfort Military Parade and generally celebrate. The festival marks the anniversary of the Battle of Greenflowers, which over 1,400 years ago saw King Robert the Unifier defeat the Borlanders and form the Kingdom of East Moreland. As the battle seemed to be evenly matched a group of peasants, lead by Lord Cedric had marched through the night from Keepton arrived at the battlefield and turned the tide of the battle, these peasants had been dressed in white tunics which by the end of the Battle had turned Red with blood, it was from this legendary endurance march that the nations elite force take their name of Red Legion. As such it was left to Red Legion veterans to lead the march through Northfort by members of the armed forces to the Temple of Jekar where several units were presented with new honours for their colours. The King was present to hand out the new honours and it was revealed that he had recently returned from being part of rescue operations in Seaforth along with his old unit the Alpine Cadre. Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker said, "I can confirm that King David was part of a rescue operation within Seaforth. A distress signal was received and it called for experts in high angle rescue. This is a standard procedure for members of the Alpine Cadre and with time being of the essence the King reactivated himself to ensure the team had someone experienced in this practice. The mission was a great success and the Alpine Cadre have once again been a credit to our armed forces. The King will now resume his retirement from military service."

After the parade the King spent the day with his daughter, Princess Rhiannon and his sister Princess Freya along with her husband Alex Redfern. The four watched the annual concert in the People's Park from seating set up in the neighbouring grounds of the Palace, however Freya and Rhiannon where spotted in the VIP area of the concert during the performances in the early evening. The royal family where joined for the evening fireworks session by various guests including the Pelagiya family from Lodja, Duke Tobias Pelagiya having recently been appointed as a liason for Alba Karinya. He was accompanied by his wife Lady Anouskha, his daughter Royal Lady in Waiting Stasya Pelagiya and their 16 year old son Henrik. Other guests included former CTO Sec-Gen Tim Carpenter, rugby world cup winner Rollo MacAllister and astronaut Rachel Dixon.

The King was apparently presented with a signed rugby shirt from the World Cup winning HoneyBadgers and according to Palace sources received breakfast in bed from his daughter. The King is expected to begin training for the Ostlake Military Games in the next few days where he will be competing for Pegasus Legion in the Legionnaire Legacy Rowing Challenge, a gym based rowing event for wounded veterans.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 28, 2018, 11:34:56 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/450778389171798016/unknown.png)

PRINCESS FREYA LAUNCHES OSTLAKE GAMES COUNTDOWN
7 DAYS TO GO

Princess Freya today started the official countdown to the Ostlake Military Games, one of the nations biggest sporting events and the largest competition of its kind on Mundus. The games feature a combination of sports such as rugby and football, while also including military competitions such as drill, rifle shooting and the Ostlake Challenge, a team event where each leg is added together to give a final time. One person will swim 10km in Ostlake, another will complete a 15km Combat run and the final member will cycle around the Lake, a distance of around 110km each person must then fire at 10 targets 50 meters away with the EMRAC-10 within one minute of them finishing their event. Over the last four years foreign teams have been invited and this year that tradition will continue with the 9 East Moreland teams being joined by forces from Neu Uburzis, Mountjoy and a yet to be confirmed nation. An invitation has also been extended to individuals from Seaforth and while he has not officially been part of the Seaforthian military rugby player Rollo MacAllister, currently doing his national service in the Royal Artillery, has asked to represent Seaforth in some events.

Princess Freya appeared on EMTV to discuss the games, likely to see over 1million people attend live events during the five days. She also spoke about several other issues while launching the promotions campaign #BeEpic

EMTV - What are your thoughts on this years Ostlake Games, who are the team to beat?

Freya - I love the games, its just as important a social occasion as it is competition. Its not often the Legions get together for any reason other than being in combat so to get to meet friends from other units, enjoy some friendly competition and have a laugh is a great thing. I'm excited that Seaforth are back and wish them all well. I know its a long shot as he has much on his plate with 7 days notice but it would be nice to see Joshua Rhodes back as we've both unsettled business from a few years back. As always the team to beat in the military events are Red Legion, they are an elite but then again always hamstrung by being the smallest pool to select from and being the most deployed. I think beyond that the Air Force are always a tough team to beat as they seem to have most time to prepare as always operating from home generally. The overseas teams are also a tough one as they have a huge selection pool.

EMTV - What do you think about Mountjoy and Neu Uburzis being the overseas teams so far and who do you think the third will be?

Freya - Mountjoy honoured my brother and our military with an award a few weeks back and so to return that respect is lovely. I know very few people from Mountjoy but will make a point of changing that over the next few days. Neu Uburzis extended great hospitality to our nation and again we now seek to repay that. I know they have a young Emperor who my brother spoke fondly of after his coronation and I would like to think he may at least get here for some of the events to cheer his men and women on. As for the third team there is obviously the CNN allies, but with only one place to spare inviting one and not the others may seem odd. I'd personally like the Alanders to come as they have worked alongside many of us in recent months but I'm sure that surprise will be kept for a special announcement.

EMTV - Will you be competing for Pegasus Legion again this year?

Freya - I've competed for many years, I've missed two games, last year I had broken my ankle during Red Legion selection and so had to sit watching from the sidelines and then I missed out when I was 21 because of....well discipline issues shall we say. This year I've tried out for the Combat Run and some of the shooting events but I'm yet to hear back. Pegasus Legion selection will be announced in two days and I'll be keeping my fingers crossed. I know competition for places is tough but I think I'm as fit as when I tried out for the Red's so that means I have to be in with a chance.

EMTV - Will you have a 2nd go at joining Red Legion?

Freya - That decision is for the future. I'd love to say I had the requirements to be one of the greatest soldiers on Mundus, to be counted among the most elite operators but I only have one chance left and you can fail for so unlucky reasons. One twisted ankle and thats it, the timing has to be right to commit to the selection process again. That timing must be perfect for yourself but more importantly the military.

EMTV - Why Be Epic as a tag line for the Games?

Freya - This year the coverage will be bigger than ever, several nations are picking up TV coverage of some of the sporting events. We've also expanded the Games out, last time veterans suffering life changing injuries could compete in a handful of events. This year we're opening up even more events for what we're calling The Legionnaire Legacy Games (LLG). There you'll see real warriors, we've a guy in Pegasus Legion who technically died three times while being medivaced from Royal Seleucid during the Genocide, the fact he's alive makes him a legend in my eyes, to then know he's coming here to compete in power lifting amazes me. The man is epic and he inspires me and other to try and be just half as epic. Even my brother will be competing in the LLG with Pegasus Legion Rowing, while he tries not to admit it I know his lower back hurts him on a daily basis, yet he doesn't let it stop him being an excellent father to a very active Rhiannon, nor does it stop him doing his duty, that too is Epic.

EMTV - It was announced this morning that Rokkenjima have cancelled the Tri-Partite Treaty. What are your thoughts?

Freya - I leave matters of State to my brother. I'm sure he'll be concerned, Rokkenjima and ourselves have done many things together and I know that despite what Empress Beatrice has said in her statement Morelanders were still co-operating on a range of activities with Rokkenjimans. Some of these matters of great importance for Mundus, sadly this rug being pulled out from under our feet means they have to stop and essentially for the Empress determining issues surrounding her are issues that East Moreland can't work around. That frankly is ridiculous as our issues with her have been going on for many months yet it hasn't stopped close and trusting partnerships to continue. Those must now be sacrificed because of ego. I would not rule out meeting with Rokkenjiman representatives myself if they have some issue with my brother but rather than seek alternative avenues they went instead straight to the media. We shall continue to now work with those nations that value co-operation to ensure the future prosperity, peace and security of anyone willing to work with us.

EMTV - What do you have to say about the rumours of your brother and his romance with Lady Stasya Pelagiya?

Freya - My brother is a single man, he's wealthy, handsome, powerful and well dressed, all things that attract ladies, and if Gossip Daily is to be believed Vaguzian Kings. The media will always be interested in who he is dating, I experienced the same interest before marrying Alex and I suppose its natural people like to speculate. I can categorially say Erin Osman knows nothing about our family and wouldn't trust her as far as I could throw the whole Osman family. I've meet Lady Stasya, she's a nice lady and if she was dating my brother I think they'd make a nice couple, but at the moment my brother's main concern is Rhiannon's end of year school tests and her fencing Junior Bronze badge.

EMTV - Are you and your husband considering children?

Freya - At the moment we're trying to adopt Evie, the six year old who Alex rescued from the Mhorish. She is as far as I am concerned my daughter and I love spending time with her. We just now need to convince the courts to sadly declare her biological parents, whom no one has seen for two years, as legally dead and then we can adopt her. I'd be so happy to call her daughter and I am so proud of her. Evie and Rhiannon are great friends and already act more like sisters, but to think they'd officially be cousins would make my day. Having biological children can wait until we've solved this and my military career is settled.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 29, 2018, 11:47:25 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/441330167223156746/451139696790208512/richiegrayweb.png)

BIG NAMES HEAD TO OSTLAKE MILITARY GAMES
6 DAYS TO GO

The East Moreland military has always been a breeding ground in the Kingdom for sporting excellence with sporting stars having to do their national service just like any other citizen however usually they find their way into the Physical Training Instructor roles, yet some have seen front line service on a more and more regular basis. This means the Ostlake Games has always produced oppurtunities to see great Morelander athletes in action and this year shall be no different. Today we take a look at some of the great sports men and women on show at this years games.

(https://i.pinimg.com/236x/a0/3c/4e/a03c4e805b2113961f763d6e60ba5601--rugby-league-rugby-players.jpg)
Rollo MacAllister (Rugby 7's for either Seaforth Guest Team or Hunter's Legion)

Currently rugby world cup winner and boyfriend of Archduchess Sophie is serving with the Royal Artillery, his 6ft 9in, 20stone frame being put to use handling heavy artillary shells rather than opposition back rowers. He has however announced he would like to play at the games for Seaforth who are sending a small contingent, with the Games being outside control of the International Rugby Board this request may be granted, that being the case this years only professional rugby player in the games would be lining up against his military buddies. Rollo has said, "I am not sad I have represented East Moreland at all. I've been welcomed with so much love by this nation and everytime I pull on the HoneyBadger jersey I am proud to play for a nation that took me in when they didn't have to, that's a debt I can never repay. Growing up however I dreamt of playing for Seaforth, chances are I'll never do that professionally so the Ostlake Games are my only chance so I hope the powers that be see fit to grant my request. With the Northfort Royal's lock forward on board you should expect either Seaforth or Hunter's Legion to go far in the rugby.

(https://image.jimcdn.com/app/cms/image/transf/dimension=313x1024:format=jpg/path/s529e885b90acb415/image/i588eb142394d2055/version/1513871998/image.jpg)
Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside (Women's Triathlon, 10km Cross Country, Combat Run, Great Ostlake Challenge for the Royal East Moreland Air Force)

Often battling it out with Daisy Greechan for the claim to be East Moreland's greatest athlete of all time she was the first woman to win gold in both the Summer and Winter Games, rowed across the Mhorish and became the first to trek across Hrothgar. Therefore it is impossible to question the woman's endurance sport credentials. However the triathlon is a new one but with Daisy Greechan as a friend it is unlikely she won't be fully prepared. She is currently serving as a Dog Handler with the Air Force and video footage of her training alongside her Husky Bandit indicate she is in peak physical form. "I'm excited, I am before every event I've never tried doing three so different events in such a short space of time and it'll be fun to see what I can do."

(https://i.pinimg.com/236x/8d/5c/60/8d5c608f73d402d13968d984e63ec64c--pellegrini-swimming.jpg)
Daisy Greechan (Women's Triathlon & Assault Course (Mixed) for the East Moreland Royal Naval Service

Currently classed as East Moreland's greatest athlete of all time she has a total of 13 Mundus Games medals and while swimming is not a discipline in itself at the Ostlake Games she has shown to be a strong sports woman after completing the row across the Mhorish with Archduchess Sophie. She has been serving in the Navy since the age of 18 as a rescue diver and has amassed over 150 rescues including several in dangerous conditions during refugee operations in the Mavrosia Crisis that saw Alex Redfern missing for over a month. She is a tough competitor but having to run and cycle will take her out her comfort zone. "The Assault Course is fun, I love using that back at base as its a good way of preparing for scrambling over stuff on boats when we head out to calls. The swimming means I've good cardio and quiet strong upper body so I think I'll be a real asset to the team. I hope to bring back some big points but the level of competition at Ostlake is immense." The 25 year old was romantically linked to King David several months ago but according to the sporting legend, "It was clear our lives were not going to put us in the same room often enough for our relationship to go any further. I have tremendous affection for King David but I wasn't about to pursue something with no legs. It was better for him, me and Princess Rhiannon that we parted as friends and I wish him well."

(https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/825991740591054848/k52i4mME_400x400.jpg)

Eddie Hall (Powerlifting & Men's Tug of War, People's Legion)


Possibly the strongest man Mundus has ever seen the Royal Engineer mechanic is holder of the World Deadlift Record after becoming the first person in history to lift 500kg, a lift that nearly killed him. He has competed at the Mundus games in Shot Put and Discuss as well as holding the title of East Moreland's Strongest Man. Despite being a well known face in Strength Sports he has never actually competed in Powerlifting, "The Ostlake Games will be interesting, as its done as a ratio of weight lifted to body weight I have to shift a lot of plates on the bar to stand a chance, but thats fair. The lifts we're doing, Squats, Deadlift and Bench Press are ones we do for Strongman so I could be on, I know I'm lifting the most in terms of the Deadlift for a start, but most of the competitors will be half my body weight. It'll be a fun day out, I think though our Legion will dominate the Tug of War, I'm used to pulling trucks on my own but now I'll also have a team around me. It's going to be a Tug of War massacre."

The Royal Engineer Sergeant has also claimed that this year he will break the record for the Overhead Log Lift having narrowly missed out on it a few months ago while struggling with an injured ankle.





Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 31, 2018, 10:19:23 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/451848013665533983/unknown.png)

KING SENDS BEST WISHES TO KING ANDREW III

King David today used his time in front of the Representative Assembly to formally pass his best wishes onto the newly named King Andrew III of Seaforth. The King who has only just recently returned from humanitarian operations in Seaforth was giving the Assembly an update of the situation as well as taking his monthly questions from the Assembly Members. The King, who was keen to finish early to get to Ostlake for the upcoming Military Games said. "I am a little shocked that Joshua is not the King of Seaforth, it will seem odd but I know Andrew is a capable man. The Rhodes family are blessed with many suitable leaders and I know King Andrew will be a superb choice to succeed Joshua. It is my hope that the new King will formally visit East Moreland soon as there is a need to rectify formal diplomatic treaties between us. With the descruction of the original Tri-Partitite and the CIS there is no formal tie between us. In my eyes however those ties have never ceased to exist, I therefore formally announce that with immediate effect the old scenario of tariff removal and visa requirements be restored, furthermore as Seaforth starts to rebuild 1/4 of our foreign aid budget ($12.1bn total budget) will be diverted there to be used on improving the standard of life for all civilians. I also ask the newly crowned King to indulge me in a small favour that I wish to see become a tradition. When every Morelander child is born they are nominated a sword and shield mother and father by each parent. Six years ago I used my selection to choose people who in hindsight were bad choices. Now my daughter Princess Rhiannon does not have the full compliment, that is a situation I must rectify, with the former King of Seaforth holding the title of Shield Father I am in need of a new Sword Father, I therefore ask the new King of Seaforth to show the world we are still allies by accepting this role."

The King did not require a vote on the matter of naming a new Shield Father however he did ask for the Assemblies approval, 92% of the Assembly approved, a 2nd vote on the aid budget saw 89% approval. Prime Minister Henrietta Quinn stated, "We had a large number of Seaforthian's come this way when the tragedy struck them. They have been good neighbours to us all and I think the strong bonds between us where seen today in the vote.


(http://sportmag.bigbenweb.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_main_img/public/449heroes.jpg?itok=0jc2wsSL)

LEGIONNAIRE LEGACY AT THE GAMES
4 DAYS TO GO

Last year the Ostlake Military Games saw the first events for injured veterans when teams competed in rowing and hand-biking, this year the events for the Legionnaire Legacy Games, which will run alongside the main games, will see many more. King's Cross Medal winner, former Royal Marine Commando Seregant Joe Townshend gives us a run down of the five sports featured this year.

HANDBIKING

"Does exactly what it says on the tin, its cycling but for people with no legs. Its the event I compete in and I'm looking forward to representing the Navy once more. The sport puts a lot of strain on the upper body and rhythm is the big key, lose it and it can take valuable seconds to get it back. We'll be competing over the distance of 10 miles so at some point lactic acid is going to hit those muscles and then it becomes a battle of just how well you can handle pain. The winner will be the person best able to grit their teeth and keep the rhythm.

ROWING

"This event will see King David competeing after his back wounds. I understand he's just back from Seaforth so it'll be interesting to see just how prepared he is. The distances will be some 3000meters and a lot of them will face similar problems as the handbikers when it comes to lactic acid. There is a much wider range of disabilities in this with each competitor being given a rating 1-10 depending on their mobility, crews will have to fit in with a total score for the crew depending on the race. The event can be impacted by the wind and Ostlake gets a lot of it.

WHEEL CHAIR RUGBY

"I looked at competing in this, then found out its called Murderball as well and so chickened out. The sport is face paced and high impact which means you're likely to see a broken bone of two. Its a sport where you're more likely to need a mechanic for the damaged chairs as you are a physio for the damaged bones. The teams that do well are more likely to be the ones where they are able to handle injuries the best. It'll be a crowd favourite as the sound of the clashing metal always brings a few "oohs" and "aars".

SWIMMING

"They'll be a whole swimming programme this year and its one of the most popular sports used for rehabilitation, expect to see these medals fiercly contested by a whole host of abilities. I began trying to get involved in swimming following my injury, the level of competition was so high that despite hard work I got nowhere near it and so settled for hand-biking. I've heard rumours a few world records could also be under threat so if you catch any of the Legionnaire Legacy games this will be the one."

WHEELCHAIR MARATHON

"Another event I looked at, tried and found it wasn't for me, this is the most demanding wheelchair event I can imagine and the shoulders of the people who win it will be things of mechanical excellence. This will be the final event for the Legionnaire Legacy games this year and I want everyone to get down to the lakeside and watch those competing do their thing. I'll be there cheering on the Navy but its a wide open race and likely to be settled in the last few hundred meters.


The Games will be shown live alongside the Ostlake Games and Princess Freya, one of the Patrons of Legionnaire Legacy says, "We've pushed for even more events next year. It seems odd as we've not even had these ones yet, but we sold out tickets within hours for the rugby, handbiking, rowing and swimming. I know the people of Ostlake will be out en mass supporting the Marathon events and I hope the weather stays clear for it. The Legionnaire Legacy programme is something I'm very proud of being part of and very thankful for it existing. My brother found himself on the receiving end of their support and it helped us all through worrying times, the veterans having their own games shows that they are still battling and for that we can be very proud."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 01, 2018, 05:39:56 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://www.a-gentlemans-row.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/johannes-huebl.png)

KING APPEARS ON EMTV MORNING NEWS

In response to the statement given by Empress Beatrice (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=8.msg6741#msg6741) to her own nations media King David III of East Moreland made a surprise appearence on the EMTV Morning show. The hour long chat appeared to be unplanned however it did bring up many talking points

Quote from:  On the Collapse of the Tri-Partite

I did not sign a treaty with Empress Beartice. I signed a treaty with Rokkenjima. One day myself and the Empress will be dead, the documents we sign live on, therefore when I put my name to anything I always write King David III of East Moreland, and I make sure the words East Moreland are bigger than my name because I am the person privledged to sign on their behalf. It is important to note that despite my personal lack of confidence with the Empress we never stopped co-operation with Rokkenjima. In her statement she said her people are "working with LISA and allied partners in "eradicating any lingering subversive elements" Whether she admits it or not much of that information they will be using has been generated by the outstanding work of the East Moreland intelligence community, some of which in the last few weeks. If we had lost trust in Rokkenjima would we have put our assets at risk in order to help them? That's the question the Empress needs to think about. Unlike her I have put my personal feelings aside because I know that the average Rokkenjiman is a nice person who just like the Morelanders wants a stable world to live in, to have opportunities for their children and be able to put enough food on their table. One day I'm gone and my daughter will be Queen of East Moreland and she too will respect the people of Rokkenjima, mainly because they have in her opinion the best strawberry shoe laces on Mundus and she likes the Cherry Blossoms, her personal feelings with Adrianna I hope will be positive, but that matters little because at some point her child will take the crown and so on. Us rulers are mere dust eventually, our nations last forever.

Quote from:  On the released documents

The supposed collaboration with Borlanders was the straw that broke the camels back, lets assume for a moment we trust these documents, even if we do the camel may not have a broken back buts its got a serious case of severe slipped disks. The East Moreland and Rokkenjiman relationship has been on a downwards trajectory for a while and the Empress has now sent this into a vertical nose dive. Let me explain. During the Marseille conflict Henry Cole asked CTO to put forces under his command, and we did, we sent thousands of combat soldiers into a warzone under the command of a Rokkenjiman.  During that whole conflict which saw Morelanders fighting and dying as they fought on the ground to push into the capital to link up with Alanders and Real Marseille, meanwhile the sum total of Rokkenjiman combat operations was Rokkenjimanstrikes on targets included the munitions storage facility, barracks, and two remote sites utilized in the launch of missiles. Fast forward to the Cultist genocide in Royal Seleucid, Rokkenjima voted in favour of establishing a no-fly zone (http://w11.zetaboards.com/Independent_Order_NS/topic/11681155/1/) , shortly after Tim Carpenter risked life and limb to bring  a dossier of evidence of a widespread genocide (http://w11.zetaboards.com/Independent_Order_NS/single/?p=8417268&t=10107143). How many Rokkenjiman planes took to the skies to help with that.....none. Meanwhile East Moreland and Achkaerin were undertaking the most complex air bridge operation Mundus has ever seen, East Moreland planes flying 11,000km, refuelling multiple times from tankers who had refuelled multiple times just to make their rendezvous. Yet 7,000km sat Rokkenjima. While East Moreland, along with allies Achkaerin, conducted the most complex and ambitious military operation  mundus has ever seen an alleged ally, who often boasts of ruling the seas, contributed not a single ship. Instead they were floating them around the Illumic while their allies died protecting innocent cultist's in Royal Seleucid. That does not sound like someone acting with honour. The use of rokkenjiman bases could have decreased flight times by 50% allowing double the number of flights which in turn means more lives saved.  At that time we see Nettie Taylor say "Given present controversies (investigations into the Andean Genocide) it was believed that refraining from involvement would better allow East Moreland to conduct operations without any opportunity for accusations of misconduct to be made." putting their misfortune above the needs of thousands. While every part of our government was busy rescuing civilians and children being gunned down what was the Rokkenjiman government doing? They were using the might of the Rokkenjiman dipolomatic service to challenge  a CTO Resolution (http://w11.zetaboards.com/Independent_Order_NS/single/?p=8420303&t=9605997) that instigated investigations into the Andean Genocide (http://w11.zetaboards.com/Independent_Order_NS/topic/11665609/1/). This is a track record that has gone on for many years now and has seen Achkaerin withdraw from the CTO. I would have followed but I gave my word that we would use the CTO to stand for those who can not defend themselves, and we have time and time again, even Uppsala, a non CTO member, it was us that lead a CTO force into the region supported by more non-CTO nations than CTO ones in order to again do what we hope was the right thing. We stand by our word again and again, when  Rokkenjima withdrew its embassies (http://w11.zetaboards.com/Independent_Order_NS/single/?p=8227623&t=10640170) in Transvaal it was our own embassy which welcomed any and all Rokkenjimans with open arms. Yet meanwhile the Tri-Partite agreement was always rather one sided. We had several times where Rokkenjima took action in the Illumic without informing us (http://w11.zetaboards.com/Independent_Order_NS/single/?p=8235450&t=10640170) before they informed the press. Yet still we did not walk away because we had given our word and that means something.


Beatrice says I may wish to paint her as a devil. I've not done that, you see I know a little about Christian mythology, the devil is a great powerful creature in possession of nearly as much power as their God but he chooses to do evil actions with it. I have two reasons for not believing Beatrice is the devil, first she does not do evil, the second because she takes no action with her power. Beatrice is therefore focusing on the wrong thing, this is not about one incident, its the sum total of a growing distrust, growing feeling that we shoulder an unfair burden.

This is nothing personal against Beatrice, she has in the eyes of East Moreland through her inactions and her words failed to live up to what I would consider someone of good standing to have. Once upon a time my sister acted in a way that we believe was not befitting someone of good standing, what happened then? I sent her to serve in Blue Legion, a unit our army once had that provided those who had lost their honour to redeem themselves. If I did that to my own sister then why would I go any easier on Empress Beatrice?


Quote from:  On the future of East Moreland & Rokkenjiman relationships

We shall stand by as many of our obligations as we can, I expect Rokkenjima to do the same. We shall continue to work on a scenario where East Moreland will make decisions about what we do based on the Code of Canley, in he future that may see us having to co-operate with Rokkenjima and when that time comes I will gladly do so. There may be times when we disagree with Rokkenjima, it's happened in the past. When those days come I will once more do the right thing for our nation and the people the situation will impact. For the next 360 or so day the Empress needs no visa to visit East Moreland, she is therefore free to open any avenues of diplomacy she see's fit with our nation.

Quote from:  On the future of the CTO

The organisation is probably dead. We don't really need it anyway. There have always been coalitions of the willing. Since I have been King our nation has stood up and done what needed to be done. Safraen experienced tragedy and we pulled off the longest airborne assault Mundus has ever known to make sure innocents were supported. Backed by Achkaerin and Dijel we held the capital against USR advances while re-establishing law and order. The willing stepped up. Then again when Safraen was targetted by the Soviets the same nations pushed back those who wished to see Safraen become Communist, we pushed them clean out of Safraen and when we reached the border with Meche what did our forces do.....they crossed that border to open a second front (http://w11.zetaboards.com/Independent_Order_NS/single/?p=8227778&t=10550093) to where CSTO forces were engaged[/url], no need for a request we just pushed over the border and carried our drive on. We, and nations like Ui Cenneslaig, Achkaerin, Mountjoy, and many many others will continue to do the right thing when the times come.

Quote from: When asked if Beatrice colluded with Borlanders

Probably not. I know first hand lots go on in government behind closed doors. The issue is simple though, assuming she did not collude as the documents say, why wasn't more done to support us. Beatrice will have know the exact location of various Borlander assets as such as those working for Ms.Hadley would have known things, that should have been handed over quickly, and to allow Princess Adriana to keep a teddy bear of the Borlanders was a move that is always going to cast doubts. Should Rhiannon of ever walked through the door with a teddy bear dressed as Stalin during the times of rivalries between Rokkenjima and the USR it wouldn't have lasted longer than 10 seconds.

I never say people can't change, I believe Beatrice has good intentions, but good intentions don't get things done. If she does have good intentions then I hope she looks carefully at the relationship between our nations, realises its not about the relationship between me and her, and then looks at our nations track record, even moving Mundus to try and free her daughter.....giving up an oppurtunity to kill Kyle Barren because our forces would have had to kill Adriana, and we'd given our word to do everything possible to bring her home. I'd ask her bearing all this in mind what exactly has East Moreland done to break the Tri-Partite because I can't think of any other nation on Mundus, including Dartfordia whom is connected by marriage to Rokkenjima, that will have done more to support them.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 03, 2018, 10:28:26 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://i1.wp.com/emcfl.co.uk/uploads/480/marvelous-emile-magazine-il-a-ans-najat-vallaud-belkacem-for-cabinet-popular-and-style.jpg?quality=80&strip=all&w=900)

HIGH PRIESTESS PLANS SEAFORTH VISIT

The High Priestess of Helus,Skye Maddix, the highest ranked member of the Priesthood within the Cult of Helus, has announced today that she is planning to visit Seaforth. The 40 year old succeeded Joanna Ironside to the position two years and has focused on building up a strong youth programme in East Moreland as well as dealing with religious maverick Jinny Denman. Since inheriting the position she has overseen each Temple establish a youth programme similar to the Scout organisation and over 500 of these youth clubs have been set up. It was while visiting the Temple of Jekar at Ostlake prior to the games that she spoke.

Quote from: High Priestess Skye Maddix

The various youth groups across East Moreland are keen to help Seaforth, I've seen groups collecting funds, tins of food, donations of blankets and various other items. One Temple in Keepton had managed to collect together hundreds of educational books, boxes of pens, paper and the like, I was very very impressed. I've spoken with many of our young people and they see the tragedy of Seaforth as a way of them beginning to live out the Code of Canley, something that for a 12 year old to do is a challenge. I'm proud of them wanting to do the right thing. What we must now investigate is how we get all this stuff over there and to the people who need it. To do that we need people on the ground and I wouldn't be much of a leader if I sent people where I would not go. I'll be speaking to the authoritse in Seaforth in the coming days to arrange a visit, not some pomp and ceremony one, I intend to turn up in trekking gear, a rucksack and sat among crates of the donations our youth have collected. This will be a working visit as I don't wish to take away the valuable time of the Seaforthian government. I've never visited Seaforth, how can I represent the people of the faith if I don't get my hands dirty in their homeland."


The exact dates of the visit have yet to be confirmed but it is likely Maddix will be keen to go sooner rather than later as the Feast of Rolaf falls on the 29th of June leading many to think she may make the unpresidented move of conducting prayers in Seaforth this year. One Priestess in Keepton said, "The feast of Rolaf is a day to remember the dead, Seaforth going through this tragedy means sadly they have a great deal of remembering to do. As such there can be few better places for the guide of our faith to be."



(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/0b/98/f7/0b98f72910e17a6fb37a39413076e4e4.jpg)

EKRA BADGER SPRINTS FOR TSUNAMI STRUCK ISLAND


Minister of Defence, Sir Harry Samuelson, has confirmed that following reports of a tsunami in the Mhroish, which is likely to have hit the island of Barnacle/Nursashima that the Ekra-Badger has been dispatched. The Ground Effect Vehicle which is equipped as a rapid reaction vehicle and has capability to deploy as a field hospital is likely to arrive within a few hours and will be the first of what is expected to be many CNN vessels to arrive. The Minister also confirmed that the CNN rapid deployment exercise has been cancelled and instead, "nations have been encouraged to continue the journey towards the Mhorish and prepare to aid in efforts that the islanders may need. There is likely to be significant damage and some people may be in the need of evacuation, experience tells us time here is critical and the Ekra-Badger means we can land at the islands, gather up casualties, head back to the mainland and then get back to the island before any other boats have turned up."

It is expected that a large contingent of the East Moreland Navy will be making their way from Portworth the the scene in the next day or so. It is also expected that once the initial observation of the situation has been carried out that the King will formally ask JET to launch their humanitarian operations.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 06, 2018, 11:00:02 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://i1.wp.com/www.usmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/608060790_katee-sackhoff-zoom.jpg?crop=82px%2C0px%2C1749px%2C1749px&resize=800%2C800&ssl=1)

PRINCESS FREYA TO HOST 2nd ADRIANA VISIT

It was announced today that Princess Freya will once more host a visit by the Rokkenjiman Crown Princess Adriana. The 14 year old Princess was a visitor last year after she undertook a pilgrimage following a scandal where she was seen with a Borlander attired teddy bear. The visit comes in the wake of recent deterioration in relations between the two nations following Rokkenjima cancelling the Tripartite treaty between East Moreland, Rokkenjima and Dartfordia followings claims that East Moreland declared Empress Beatrice guilty of some crime, this was according to Rokkenjiman news behind the  "decision to terminate relations". In statements following the Empresses announcement King David indicated that East Moreland remained co-operative with Rokkenjima in a number of fields but that this would be under review. Recent YouGov polls in Rokkenjima have indicated a desire for the Tripartite to continue, a statistic however not shared in East Moreland where support of an agreement such as the Tripartite is not supported. A recent poll said 67% would be happy to see an end of the Tripartite while 22% believed the Tripartite had been a fair agreement. It is therefore unlikely the visit from Adriana is likely to be seen as highly productive.

One Morelander who was interviewed about the Crown Princesses proposed visit said, "This is rather insulting, Rokkenjima are essentially sending a child to determine the future of relationships between our two nations. What if the talks go late into the night? Will they be past the Princesses bedtime?" The move was also seen as another sign of disrespect by Chief Councillor Thomas More of the National Traditionalist Party saying, "Any foreign treaty from our nation must be endorsed by the King, we now have a child coming who couldn't even vote in her homeland coming to potentially determine foreign policy, if she's not politically savvy enough to vote then why is she politically savvy enough to handle what have become very sensitive talks between our nations. I understand the King was the person their request was addressed to, however he is currently very busy and I would have advised in cabinet sending a lower ranked official to match the political weight of the Crown Princess.....I believe my teenage niece is at a loose end."

Others however have welcomed the visit, including Youth Minister Amelia Merriman, "We've seen young people taking on a more active role in politics. I personally don't believe any deal or agreement should come of this visit. After all the Princess carries no authority in a legal sense as far as I am aware. What can happen however is she can be shown the human face of the nation that her future Empire seem intent on throwing away. Many Morelanders feel the East Moreland and Rokkenjiman relationship to have been one that at some times was one sided, and other times  taken for granted. Statements made complaining at the Office of Tripartite affairs about Rokkenjima making press announcements ahead of even our own ambassadors have been frequent and then we had statements about relative contributions to the CTO. All these things have been filed away by many Rokkenjimans and now we do have a royal who must address them."

The visit is likely to take place at Silverhills and use the Duke of Silverhills estate. The Duke is a long time friend of the Ironside family and a major supporter of the Cult of Helus. The Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker explained the reasons behind the choice of venue. "Crown Princess Adriana is coming as one who understands Moreland culture having been one of few foreigners to undertake a traditional pilgrimage, as such the big formal welcome may be unneccessary, furthermore the glare of media attention on places like the Palace in Northfort, or the Royal Retreat at Rockhampton may overwhelm a 14 year old girl. She has been sent with a rather large responsibility and that will require her focus. We do not wish to overburden her and as this meeting could not possibly produce a formal agreement it seems more appropriate to move it to a more informal and relaxed venue to help put the child at ease."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 10, 2018, 05:11:40 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/431128302783299595/unknown.png)

PORTABLE VLS SYSTEM HAS SUCCESSFUL "DEPLOYMENT TEST"

The Land Portable Vertical Launch System (LPVLS) which is being developed by a range of different companies across the CNN alliance yesterday had its first successful "Deployment" test. The concept behind the weapons platform is to be able to deliver highly accurate missile fire quickly by battlefield units. The system is essentially a scaled down version of a ships VLS system but can be carried on any military specification truck. The system is also capable of operating independently of any data input giving front line units the ability to have a self contatined system capable of giving significant firepower.

The "Deployment" test was intended to see just how portable the system was. One of the six prototypes was taken from Technology City in East Moreland to the Ecclesiastical State following a refuelling visit in the Unified Iwi. The 16,500km journey then saw the system handed from the Royal East Moreland Air Force to the Ecclesiastical States Army who took the system to a test firing area and successfully fired a salvo of eight missiles. The whole process from leaving Technology City to the final missile launch was just over 19 hours. Martin Dawson of SmartWar, one of the contributors to the programme said. "We've shown the amount of firepower we can deliver to a front line unit in a short space of time. The aircraft used could have carried 100 of these plus one extra salvo per system. Essentially then we have the ability to put 1600 highly accurate missiles into the hands of any front line unit to any point on Mundus in less than 24 hours. That is quiet a capability for our military to have."

The system is likely to begin tests with the military in September following further rounds of tests with companies in Lodja, East Moreland, Ui Cenneslaig, The Iwi and Ecclesiastical State. Each system is likely to cost just under $1million.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 12, 2018, 08:30:28 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/456171339880071258/world-nuclear-weapons-free.png)

EAST MORELAND COMMITS TO MAKE ALBA KARINYA FIRST NUKE FREE CONTINENT

King David has today announced the 2nd Phase of the "Kilotonnes to Kilowatts" project which has been turning part of the East Moreland nuclear arsenal into fuel for a nuclear power station. As part of the announcement the King has confirmed that he intends to have all East Moreland's nuclear weapons decommissioned by the end of 2021. The announcement means that Alba Karinya will become the only continent on Mundus to be confirmed free of nuclear weapons. With only East Moreland, Achkaerin and Rokkenjima being in possession of nuclear weapons it also means East Moreland becomes the first nuclear power to commit to ending its arsenal. The King made the announcement at the Represenatative Council saying. "Alba Karinya is the only continent on Mundus that does not see a non-native military presence. We are therefore fully in charge of our own destiny. At one point there was a time when we feared the threat of the USR and nuclear weapons helped keep them at bay, that shadow has now gone and the only reason to keep our nukes would be to target any enemies around us. East Moreland has none, especially on our island continent. As such we must set an example to our fellow AKO members by showing trust in them, we therefore commit ourselves to complete and verifiable disarmament within the next three years."

The move was welcomed by some, including High Priestess Skye Maddix who said, "Weapons of Mass Destruction are horrid and have no place in a civilised world. We live in a day and age of high technology that creates super accurate weapons. The threat of indiscriminate killing brought by nuclear weapons and other WMD's should be eradicated and I am proud that my homeland is leading the way. It is my hope that other nations now commit themselves to ensuring they remain nuclear free." The High Priestess went on to say "The Code of Canley says we should protect those who can not protect themselves, therefore nuclear weapons are as anti-code as it is possible to be."

However Chief-Councillor Thomas More said, "East Moreland have always prided ourselves on developing cutting edge military technology. As such we should not be giving up our military advantage so easily. I will be asking the Council to vote in an attempt to stop this programme. It is my hope that should that be successful the King would reverse his decision seeing it as the will of the people for our nation to be properly able to defend itself against any and all threats."

Should the disarmament actually take place it would produce as much nuclear fuel as East Moreland would need for the next 30 years. The King has also not ruled out selling the nuclear fuel produced to "trusted, respected and close neighbours". The King also said, "It is my hope this move we are making today is supported by the nations of Alba Karinya who will continue working with us, and each other, to keep Alba Karinya the only continent on Mundus fully looking after its own security." 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 26, 2018, 08:56:31 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/441330167223156746/459812989185294346/image.jpg)

OSMANTECH COMMISSION "REFUGEE PLATFORM"

OsmanTech today announced that they would be commissioning a Seaforthian dockyard to produce them a 15,000 TEU capacity cargo ship. The move was announced by the companies CEO Joanna Osman and is thought to be costing around $150million. The daughter of Lord Lucas Osman, explained the decision saying, "The vessel is a test bed for some new technology we are developing, we'll be converting the vessel into a floating town of sorts. Instead of cargo containers carrying goods they'll be turned into homes for staff or voulenteers as we try out new ideas for sustainable living. We also have in mind that during crisis of kinds we've seen at Uppsala we could sail the vessel down there empty of people save for the crew and use it as temporary refugee accommodation for the most needy, forming part of OsmanTech's commitment to supporting East Moreland's humanitarian efforts."

It is understood that the vessel will be in situations such as a new Uppsala crisis would be handed over to the Navy for operations and OsmanTech will receive tax relief as compensation. 15,000 containers could be stored onboard and it is expected some 5,000 container homes may be built similar to ones built in Technology City for young workers and students. These have been a great success in getting youngsters onto the property ladder. The remaining space will be set up for labs, entertainment, health facilities and educational hubs. Joanna Osman hopes that the floating city will first be used to test out new green electrical and water filtration systems. "What we hope to do is take onboard young graduates with an interest in science and technology and give them a chance to contribute to the programmes we run. They'll get a chance to travel Mundus for three months, given a living allowance and access to some work experience, hopefully many can be found jobs in our company or they will go on and establish their own research once back home. Its an exciting project and I look forward to when the ship is finished"

It was announced the vessel will be named the MV Prince Caspian after Joanna Osman's deceased nephew and the son of King David. The Royal Press Officer Malcolm Tucker said, "This is an exciting project. Prince Caspian loved swimming and the water so for the Osmans to name such an important project after him is rather nice. The King sends all involved in the project his best wishes."



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 29, 2018, 10:43:11 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getasset.aspx?itemid=73821)

EMAC ONE STEP CLOSER TO MILITARY FLYING CAR

Following the issuing of a military requirement two years ago EMAC have today demonstrated that their "Flying Car" concept is one step closer to securing the contract. The Army put out a request for concepts that were able to complete "Light military patrols" as well as "fly medical evacuation missions" , in essence a car that could turn into a helicopter. The concept was explained by General Katie Yacobs. "The need to get casualties to aid within what we call the Golden Hour is essential. Often it can take valuable time for ground troops to get a helicopter in and take a wounded comrade out, this concept can in theory half that time as they will have the helicopter on the ground with them." Two projects are underway, the EMAC "Flying Car" and the joint Henley/SmartWar "Black Knight" project. So far the "Black Knight" has completed a successful basic flight test where it flew without onboard passengers a set route having driven to the test area. This was also completed by the Flying Car two weeks later.

The 2nd stage test was to successfully demonstrate an ability to "evacuate one casualty a distance of 1km using air capabilities". Yesterday EMAC pulled ahead in the race to win the contract when they demonstrated their prototype being loaded with a weighted medical dummy and its combat equipment and then flew it a distance of 2km.  EMAC CEO Sir Alan Maybury said, "This is an important project for us as it can go a long way to saving lives. We today satisfactorily completed this test but we know there is still a lot of work to do. The vehicle must get heavier, slightly bigger and faster before it becomes anywhere near reality. An improvement on any one of those factors impacts the others and so we must proceed at a pace that allows us to keep jumping through the Armies hoops but safely."

Henley/SMartWar have not been drawn on when their prototype will conduct a similar test. The teams have until 2020 to prove that they can fulfil all criteria set by the military and show they are the better option of the two. Sir Alan Maybury added, "This contract has the potential to be huge, currently the Army has over 1,000 mobility vehicles, if we won the contract to eventually replace just half of them then it'd create many many jobs. I think there will be many nations watching this competition between ourselves and Henley/SmartWar and the winner could see thousands of sales overseas, even the runner up could find a rather large export market.....who knows both could even enter service with the East Moreland Army, from what I've seen we're both coming at it slightly differently and the end results will be fascinating."

The EMAC "Flying Car"

Henley/SmartWar "Black Knight"
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on July 08, 2018, 06:45:40 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.shropshirestar.com/resizer/QlSeqfOmjAwkmS0iPRrT2JlzF2w=/1000x0/filters:quality(100)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-shropshirestar-mna.s3.amazonaws.com/public/EYDKKMEOY5AQNMZ3E5RX5Q6B4I)

THREAT LEVEL "UNMOVED" SAYS SAMUELSON

Minister of Defence, Sir Harry Samuelson, today spoke about the cryptic twitter messages seemingly coming from the account claiming to belong to Kyle Barren, the self proclaimed King of Borland. The former Red Legionnaire instructor said, "We are currently at Bikini State[1] Black Amber, what that means essentially is we are at the highest threat level short of having a foreign army engaging our forces. We have been at that state here in East Moreland for the last three years and haven't been down to Green in ten years. This is a situation Morelanders are used to and are prepared for." There has been a noticable increase in the number of Army patrols in major cities and tourist sites across the nation. Several Red Legion SUV's have been seen around the Temple District and at Princess Rhiannon's school. The Minister of Defence is no stranger to anti-Borland operations and said, "We practice for these situations all the time, we've people paid to think outside the box and have plans in place for things I didn't even think are conceivable. Lets remember that every person in our nation who is able bodied and aged over 25 has had some basic military training, including in first aid, it is my hope that should something happen on Tuesday or any other time all Morelanders who can will do whatever is required to look out for each other.

The King has also appealed for the nation to remain calm during an appeareance at a art fayre where he was accompanied by royal artist in residence, and former rumoured girlfriend, Jocelyn Hopkins. The King took time out from viewing the work of artists aged 16-21 to say, "Here in East Moreland the Borlanders threats are a daily concern, we shall do what we always do which is be vigilant, be prepared and be about our business. Things do not stop because some deluded guy living in a cave claims he's the King of us. I urge everyone to remain aware of suspicious activity, report it to the authorities but otherwise go about their day the same as they would any other Tuesday."

Duke Legion have been mobilised with the Legion cancelling leave and moving forces into all cities.
 1. Threat indication levels, goes White - All Good, Green - All good but be watchful, Black - We've a threat but its unlikely to do much Black Special - We've a threat that may do something, Black Amber - We've a threat but no specified target, Black Amber Special - Specific target and imminent threat , Amber - We're getting ready for actual war , Red - War.....what is it good for....absolutely nothing.....HUH!!!....Say it again
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on July 09, 2018, 10:20:40 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/430073882146242571/unknown.png)

EKRA-BADGER 2 TO UNDERGO ENDURANCE TRIALS

EMAC have today announced that the descendent aircraft to the nations Ground Effect Vehicle known as the Ekra-Badger is to undergo endurance trials. The Ekra-Badger 2 will travel from East Moreland to Port Hunter in the Unified Iwi and then return. The journey is designed to show the Navy the ability of the aircraft to respond quickly. The CEO of EMAC, Sir Alan Maybury explained the usefulness of the design. "The Ekra-Badger showed the benefit of rapid reaction vehicles in the Illumic. It has allowed teams of Red Legionnaires to carry out quick strikes against pirate bases and has intervened in humanitarian operations far quicker than any naval vessel. The fact that it can carry six anti-ship missiles means its also a potent strike vessel, thankfully that role has yet to be tested in a real life situation. The Ekra-Badger 2 is likely to be a pure logistics vessel. The beauty of these ground effect vehicles is that it can cover large distances very quickly while giving many of the advantages of a boat, add to the fact it can refuel itself at sea and we have a long range high speed boat."

The new Ekra-Badger is likely to be able to transport over 100 troops, two tanks and supplies and travel at close to 300mph. It is likely to be armed with heavy machine guns allowing it to give fire support.



(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/4288/production/_84323071_84322816.jpg)

FOREIGN MINISTER SPEAKS OF TAMORA AND MORE

Foreign Minister Edward Tamana today addressed the Representative Council and included among his topics the Tamora situation.

"In the recent days we have seen a propaganda machine only rivalling that of Kaitaine. The best propaganda however has a grain, no matter how small, of truth to it. We currently have a nation who still have slavery, something I find abhorrent and wish to see end. What we must recall though is change is gradual, five years ago our nation was isolated from global affairs, much the way Tamora was. We have seen our society change and I am confident Tamora will too. I will not be promoting a boycott but I will urge the people of East Moreland to think twice before buying goods from Tamora. We as a government will not be making any purchases from Tamora unless they first permit my Office to inspect the factory or supplier and reassure ourselves that no slaves were involved in the product. We believe that in the case of criminals slavery can be a fitting punishment although even then I believe there are better alternatives. What worries us is people being born into slavery, it is my belief this is merely punishing the child for the sins of their parents. I would urge Tamora to end the practice of having children born into slavery, these children have so much potential and are being wasted."

The Foreign Minister went on to address the Tamoran presses assertion that one day our nation will "make Lodja a protectorate and put their house in order."

"Tamora should recognise a simple thing about East Moreland, we never have been, are not and never will be imperialist. It is our belief that the God Helus roamed all of Mundus but saw the lands of East Moreland as the most bountiful and most beautiful. As such to Cultists East Moreland is seen as the holy land and we have no desire to expand it. We've had oppurtunities in the past should we have wished, we could have held onto territory in Safraen, Academica could now be a province of East Moreland yet it isn't. We had the ability should we have wished to take control of Uppsala but there are no Morelander troops on the streets there. We are a nation that are as far away from being Imperialist as you can imagine."

Tamana was then asked of the tsunami response in Barnacle.

"Our stance over the chain of islands has not changed, should the people there wish to be Heyran then we'll support that, should they wish to be Himeyaman we'll support that too. Our nation has a reputation for successfully running referendum's on behalf of nations wishing to be seen to be transparent and also international organisations. We would wish to help ensure the people of these islands get their voice heard. The situation there is currently changing, I believe that the Himeyaman sections have been hit hard, and along with their mainland things are in need of attention. We'll support that but my understanding is the Himeyamans have all but withdrawn from the islands, this may change the situation radically. Once relief operations are done we shall take a barometer of the publics views there and support that view.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on July 20, 2018, 09:52:30 AM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/About/General/2012/1/11/1326296100336/Brigadier-Nicky-Moffat-007.jpg?w=300&q=55&auto=format&usm=12&fit=max&s=01e52702748f7b647862f78095af7990)

GENERAL YACOBS BORLAND BRIEFING MADE PUBLIC

One of East Moreland's highest ranking military officers has been briefing the monarch on the recent situation and in a unique step the General's briefing has been partly given to the media.

Quote

The Borland attacks show evidence of having been planned months ago. There is no way that attacks of this nature could have been planned, resourced and carried out in the three day time frame given. The nature of the attacks show a high degree of technical sophistication and therefore show that they likely had been on going preparation for at least six months.

The fact that the Borlanders seem to be in possession of Richard James, a former member of the SmartWar company who are a highly technically advanced company, shows that they have likely coerced his participation in their attacks. Richard is a former member of the Royal Engineers unit in the East Moreland military where he undertook his national service six years ago.  He has an outstanding military record and was ear-marked for officer training had he elected to stay on. His innovation was described by former business partner Martin Dawson as being "years ahead of my (Dawsons) own". The fact he is now, probably through coercion, being forced to work with the Borlanders should be a high concern.

It is highly likely that the Borlanders have prepared for these attacks outside East Moreland as well as their usual Alpine home. The ability to place devices on cargo vessels shows that they have access to ports around the world as many of the ships involved have not passed through ports in East Moreland in their history.

The Sarin that was used in East Moreland is suspected to have originated from with Lakhzovia. Their is a significant match with that Sarin used by the Khalinz Brigade which was used to attack troops from Ui Cenneslaig and civilians. This therefore leads to the belief that the group have contacts with this militia group.

The explosives used in the attacks feature the use of many over the counter chemicals and household products. As such nations should be on the look out for any bulk purchases of these type of products.

The IP addresses of various messages, videos and other communications used by the Borlanders during these attacks have come each time from a different country. This is either due to them using sophisticated proxy systems or by actually having operatives within different nations. 

Some of the attacks have used relative low key technology combined with ultra modern technology. This and the fact they are placed randomly around the globe also indicates that the Borlanders have infiltrated many nations across Mundus.

As the Borlanders have had access to their target countries for many months it is likely that the agents there are well integrated into society there. Likely they will be there as students or on long term visiting visas. All nations are suggested to contact their local East Moreland embassy for support analysing East Moreland travel documents such as passports. As an added security measure any East Moreland citizen leaving our nation will now be required to take with them their birth certificate or certificate of nationality. This will be presented on return to East Moreland along with their passport. We therefore urge nations to make use of this as an added check when dealing with passengers who are Morelanders.

For those Morelanders already out of the nation they should expect additional security screening upon their return.


At present the East Moreland military have been relatively quiet about the situation, leading many to suggest that a Red Legion operation is underway. A former member of the unit said, "Its the typical way, the Borlanders strike and the media has lots of reports of attacks and the military have a lot to say. Suddenly the military go quiet and that means the Red Legionnaires have been dispatched enmass to the Alps. I wouldn't be surprised if in a few days time reports come in of a large scale arrest or number of deaths. You can rest assured there is a lot going on behind the scenes."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on July 25, 2018, 09:17:49 AM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://static.timesofisrael.com/www/uploads/2018/01/F170831WHFF10.jpg)

DAWN RAIDS SEE THREE DEAD AND TWO ARRESTED

This morning in the city of Silverhills members of the East Moreland Armed Forces, lead by Red Legion, raided two properties in an exclusive apartment complex. During the raid a fire-fight broke out that resulted in three dead suspects and two arrested, two Red Legionnaires were wounded in the exchange of gunfire and are described as stable. The raid follows almost a week of attacks by Borlanders across Mundus which have resulted in close to 500 deaths making them among the most bloody terror incidents in the history of Mundus.

Eye witnesses who live in the Faraday Complex, an exclusive walled complex of apartment blocks and leisure facilities, said the first they knew was when a loud explosion echoed through the complex as the Legionnaires made explosive entry to the apartments of the suspects simultaneously. There was then an exchange of gunfire in one of them as Red Legionnaires cleared them room by room. Members of the Logistic Corps aided the operation by ensuring civilians stayed in their own apartments. The team reappeared five minutes after the explosion with two of their team members of stretchers and two people in handcuffs. Once the site was secure the Police were given control of the site which has been on lockdown since with residents being questioned by police.

One resident, Mary Self (Aged 45) said "We've been told we can move around the complex but can't leave until police have carried out their investigation. This is a breach of my civil rights and I will be taking appropriate action" meanwhile other residents including Simon Faulk (Aged 29) believe the move is needed, "Here in East Moreland we face daily threats from Borlanders, if we're inconvenienced for a day to ensure no one else gets hurt then I'm cool with that. Who knows there could even be other Borlanders here. We had no idea those people were as they seemed just like anyone else. We had a big party here for the Festival of Greenflowers and they were out enjoying the day just like everyone else, seems very strange if they hate our nation."

Police later confirmed that they have a man and woman in custody both of whom will be charged with terror offences including kidnapping which lead many to believe they may have been part of a conspiracy which has seen Richard James, former owner of SmartWar and a leading engineer, become a hostage of the Borlanders. The identities of those held and the deceased has not been confirmed.

Brigadier Kelly of Red Legion was at the scene and said, "We acted on accurate live intelligence and over the last few days formulated a plan to execute what could have been a complex and dangerous raid. To come away with the success we have is a testament to the skill and dedication of the unit and I am, as always, proud to command them. The world should realise that we shall not rest until the threats to our nation have been removed." When asked about a potential strike on the "Principality of Northern Borland" within Zimalia the Brigadier said, "Red Legion don't attack targets of no value." When pressed about Rokkenjimas statement about potential attacks they could carry out he added, "If Rokkenjima want to waste tens of millions of dollars blowing up random shipping containers then they are welcome to."



(https://cdn.images.dailystar.co.uk/dynamic/1/photos/860000/620x/pennycock-413049.jpg)
"KING 50% THERE" SAYS DENMAN

Religious leader, Jinny Denman, has today spoken of the relationship between King David and Lodjain Lady in Waiting Stasya Pelagiya. The news of the relationship was first broken by a Seaforthian papparazi who caught the couple embracing by the pool of King David's Hearthstone estate there. It was later confirmed by Lady Stasya and then by Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker who said, "The King is single, Lady Stasya is single. This is a non-news story if ever there was one"

The news however was picked up on by the leader of the Sisterhood of Helus, a splint er group of the mainstream Cult whom many see as heretics for their belief that Helus was female. Denman, who titles herself High Priestess of the Sisterhood which has over 1million members, has long demanded that the King remarry in order to protect the blood line many believe stretches back to Raimond Unasson, the most beloved of humans. In the past she has been critical of the King's first marriage to Matilda Osman because he had choosen a wife who was not noble. Denman has also tried using her political influence to push for a Law that insisted the King's wife be picked by the Representative Council but this was defeated. When King David was in a relationship with swimming legend Daisy Greechan she was again critical and lead a campaign against the swimmer. In the past she has also called Princess Rhiannon a "mudblood" and "unworthy of the throne" and has called for the King to remarry and have more children of "Purer" blood.

Upon hearing the news of the King's latest romance the outspoken Denman used her weekly podcast to address the issue saying. "The King this time is 50% there. Stasya Pelagiya is of fine noble birth, her family can trace their lineage back to former Queens of Lodja and the Dukedom her family posses has been theirs for over 400 years. With breeding such as that I have no issue with the nobility of her blood, and as I understand one day she will become a Duchess and thus add to her husbands titles. I still think this relationship though is a mistake even in the modern day of equality women still raise children, and a Queen will be primarily responsible for that. Lady Stasya is a follower of the Sessifet faith and as such unfit to raise a future King or Queen of East Moreland. Now, should she wish to learn more about Helus I would be happy to offer her lessons so that she could embrace our faith. If that happened I would be the first to say she is a perfect future Queen, clearly elegant, clearly of noble birth, beautiful, healthy and I pray one day she will become a child of Helus."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on July 29, 2018, 11:33:46 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/473253511979728896/unknown.png)(http://www.newsfig.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/mug-shot19.jpg)

BORLANDERS APPEAR IN COURT

The two Borlanders who were arrested during the raid in the Faraday Residential complex in Silverhills have today appeared at a special court arranged at Ostlake North Military Base. The two men were named as Simon Watts (Aged 22) and Jason Steenson (aged 40) and both have been charged with offences relating to terrorism including murder, attempted murder, possession of explosives and treason. If found guilty the pair could face the death penalty. Minister of Justice Darren Bone explained the location of the court. "Usually we hear cases of this nature at Northfort Crown Court, essentially with the high profile nature of this case and the potential for people trying to carry out revenge attacks we made the decision to have the court case on one of Ostlakes military bases therefore ensuring the security. We shall permit a selection of pool journalists to witness the court case however members of the public will not be admitted.

Little is known of the two men beyond the fact that Watts had recently graduated from Technology City University with a degree in Chemical Engineering and had in the last three months had an application to work for EMAC turned down. Meanwhile Steenson has served time in the past for possession of drugs which it is now believed where part of a Borland network which is used to help raise funds for the terrorist organisation. The trials are likely to begin in a few weeks time and could last several months. In accordance with East Moreland law the death penalty may only be given if the guilty verdict is unanimous. The last person to be executed by East Moreland was the self proclaimed Queen of Borland, the illegitimate wife of Kyle Barren, Elizabeth Barren. She was hanged on sixteen counts of murder during terrorist attacks and died just two weeks after giving birth.  In the past there has been international pressure for the King to show clemency but he has already come out and made his view on this case clear. "Should the evidence I have seen secure a guilty verdict I will in no way consider commuting a death sentence. A guilty verdict means these men have aided one of the most ambitious terror attacks in the history of Mundus and as such they have waved their right to exist."

Both men appeared to have suffered injuries during their arrest, with Steenson defiantly refusing his police photograph.



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 01, 2018, 10:30:00 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://osmangroupbd.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/osman_logo.jpg)
(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/640x360/p01grhnc.jpg)

CEO OF OSMANTECH MAKES STATEMENT

Joanna Osman the eldest daughter of OsmanTech founder Lord Lucas Osman and sister of former Queen of East Moreland Matilda Osman has today made an announcement to the media relating to recent reports of food poisoning and reactions to over the counter medicines. Joanna Osman took over the company almost 18 months ago following a scandal where it appeared Lord Osman was breaking laws on genetic modification of human embriyos , thought to be an attempt to help his daughters not pass on the MPS gene which effected Matilda's son with King David, Prince Caspian, as well as her second child with racing driver Sam Halliday.

The statement was made from the companies HQ in Portworth.

"It has been brought to our attention that our company may have been infiltrated by the Borlanders as part of an elaborate plot. Major outbreaks of salmonella have been reported globally, an indication that it was caused intentionally as a form of basic, but effective bio-terrorism. We have seen an increase in sales of immodium following this which was to be expected. What we have also received however is enquiries from across Mundus about our version of the drug as many people have been admitted to hospital with reports of temperatures, hallucinations and increased heart rate. Having had a chance to examine some of the pills taken into hospital with some patients we have determined that low doses of LSD have been present in the medicine. We urge members of the public to throw away any OsmanTech immodium immediately and should they have already taken any and exhibit any abnormal behaviour or sensations contact a health care professional immediately. We ask all stockists to throw away any stock of immodium made by ourselves.

We have closed production of this line of drug at all our facilities while we review security and have already put in place new scrutiny methods at locations producing other medicines which have not been tampered with. We will be co-operating with the East Moreland security services to get to the bottom of this and will be doing everything possible to ensure that our company supports those effected by this attack upon our company and the people of Mundus. We wish everyone well. May The Gods Watch Over You and Your Family be safe."


The crisis saw share prices of OsmanTech fall however the company is 70% owned by the Osman family and so is unlikely to see any mass panic sales. The production lines at Technology City and Portworth both saw members of Red Legion appear soon after the announcement by Joanna Osman.


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/474324597030912011/unknown.png)


ARCHDUCHESS TO MAKE GAMES COME BACK?

Today a post on Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironsides instagram started rumours that she will be once again competing in the Mundus Games. The 21 year old is currently serving as a Pilot Officer in the Air Force where her duties are as a dog handler. The King's niece is the 2nd most successful East Moreland athelete of all time after Daisy Greechan and is already considered a sporting great becoming the first person to win medals at both the Summer and Winter Games. The Archducess started off cross country running while living in care before being discovered to be the daughter of the late Princess Joanna Ironside, former High Priestess of the Cult of Helus. She won national titles at junior level and won her first Mundus games medal at the age of 17. After her initial success which saw three medals in her first games she switched to the ice rink where she took up speed skating winning an impressive haul of six medals. She also became close friends with rival athlete Swimmer Daisy Greechan and the two became the first to row the Mhorish before the Archduchess took on the challenge of a solo trek to the North Pole. She missed last years games in order to take on these two charity challenges which raised over EM£ 1million for the MPS Charity and Legionnaire Legacy.

The Air Force usually release elite athletes for competition so long as "it has no impact on operational needs" and many of East Moreland's top sports men and women have competed while also doing military service. The post this morning however was not at her usual Air Force base at Rockhampton but was outside the HQ of the East Moreland Institute of Sport in Northfort, a place where she has often trained for speed skating and where East Moreland's elite athletes train. This time however she was dressed in running gear which sparked the debate as to whether she will compete. Ironically it was Daisy Greechan, who has 11 Mundus Games medals in Swimming, who responded first saying, " You stalking me? #BattleForTheGOAT" . Greechan will be competing in the games this year but is thought to have scaled down what she will compete in focusing more on long distance than her usual expansive list of entries. Later in the day Greechan was asked about her rivalry with the noble and said, "You don't win nine medals by accident, you don't accomplish what she has by chance. She's already a sporting great and who ends up with the most medals is unimportant. The media make a lot more of this rivalry than we do. If anything it helps, we both would love to have the media say "Most Successful Moreland Athlete ever" and that helps push you on knowing the others working just as hard."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 04, 2018, 08:47:40 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/475376194766897152/unknown.png)

KING ANNOUNCES NEW CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

Having returned from Lodja where the King signed the latest sets of amendments for the Mundus Convention of Universal Rights the King has triggered a debate in the Representative and Executive Council over the nations constitution. Speaking while visiting the Northfort Grand Prix track ahead of the coming East Moreland leg of Formula Mundus the King said, "While in Lodja and seeing just how compatible our constitution is with the MCUR a few issues came to light, ironically not connected to the MCUR." The King plans to table amendments regarding language in the country. "When we created the nations first written constitution we lived in a nation trying desperatly to keep the Morelandish language alive, in just four short years we've already turned a corner and the language has gone from being a largely religious and ceremonial one to back to being a living breathing language. We have to thank the youth of our nation for this as they have grasped the language and used it all over social media. It's exciting." The Morelandish language is today already being taught in every secondary school however the constitution labels English as the main language. The King intends to place an amendment changing the nations official language from English to Morelandish. "We already insist on all documents we sign being in Morelandish and English, from now on that will change and all treaties we sign will have a copy in Morelandish, that's my hope"

The second amendment again is placed on language and will drop English as a requirement in secondary education replacing it with Morelandish. One member of the National Union of School Teachers said, "This is going to have a minor impact, by law we've all had to teach English and an additional language so we've all been teaching Morelandish for that. I suspect what will happen is we'll now have Morelandish as the main language and English will be taught as an additional language. Its more a paper exercise I think but at least it doesn't create a major issue."

The two proposals will be debated by the two Councils and requires 3/4 of each Council giving their approval. The move has already been meet with warm words by Chief Councillor Thomas More of the National Traditionalist Party, who control 48% of the Representative Council. "Our party wish to keep alive the spirit of the culture and traditions that make our nation great. Our language is a key part of that, it experienced several hundred years of isolation because of the King Paul Properchy and as such is very different to that of the rest of Alba Karinya, we adopted English because most struggled with our language and as such it nearly died. Our Kings father, King Sven, began to push for its rebirth and I'm proud of the work our King and his supporters have done to revive it. These amendments will have my full backing."

No party has yet said whether they intend to push for other amendments to be debated, any that are would require 3/4 approval of both councils and the Kings approval. There have been rumours that some more left wing members of the National Traditionalist Party who have sympathy with some of religious zealot Jinny Denman's ideas may table an amendment about the spouses of the monarch. The debate will take place on Wednesday and unless other amendments are tabled is likely to take 24 hours to reach a vote.


(https://www.themilitarytimes.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/05/3b1342_2908c744846e49d48b2156eea7281c79mv2.jpg)

BORLANDER TO PLEAD GUILTY

One of the two Borlanders arrested for the recent attacks has changed his plea on charges of creating "Materials for acts of terrorism".  Simon Watts (Aged 22) was arrested by Red Legion in a raid that saw several Borlanders killed, originally he had intended to plead not guilty however he has now changed his mind which indicates that a likely bargain has been struck. The other man arrested, Jason Steenson (aged 40) , is not at this point intending on changing his plea according to court spokesman. It is likely that by pleading guilty to one of the charges that Watts is likely to avoid a death penalty if found guilty of some of the other charges.

It was also announced today that several bank accounts will be freezed as they have been shown to have connections to Borlanders, Minister of Justice Darren Bone also said, "We have also followed trails on money to several other countries and will be asking for their assistance in helping close down the operations of these terrorists. We would take a dim view of nations who either intentional or by accident permit the Borlanders to pass money through their nation. It is vital the world do all we can to close down these terrorists. While in the past the people of East Moreland have been the target it is now a global issue."

In relation to the recent terror attacks which have even seen rather bizarre attacks such as LSD in immodium OsmanTech have announced that they will be taking legal action against the government of Quintelia. Joanna Osman, the CEO of OsmanTech, explained, "We have withdrawn these drugs as they are not fit for purpose. To hear that the government of Quintelia are still considering selling the drugs is horrifying. Should someone have a reaction to these drugs or worse harm someone while on a hallucinogenic trip it would be us who are liable. As a minimum we demand the Quintelian government give us an indemnity from any action and take full responsibility for any deaths, injuries or damages caused because of these drugs. In our view they should be destroyed with immediate effect."



(https://www.geeky-gadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Swarm-of-Nano-Quadcopters.jpg)

SWARMBOTS GO AIRBORNE

Following the success of the SwarmBots which went to Lunar and took part in several tasks on the surface of the moon SmartWar have announced they have further developed the technology. CEO Martin Dawson posted a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQIMGV5vtd4) on line of a version of flying SwarmBots. The video showed them flying and hovering in close formation as well as flying through a window and reforming. A video was also posted of three of the bots carrying a net between them and playing Catch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyGJBV1xnJI). The 28 year old businessman and designer said, "These bots communicate their position to each other and can follow pre programmed routes or navigate for themselves, for example if you tell them to fly from A to B and suddenly walk in front of them they will manoeuvre around you. These bots are the next step in the evolution of these and we have begun considering a real life challenge for them such as those we sent to the moon. In effect these are Hope, Solo and Blinkies little brothers and sisters and there is a world of opportunities ahead for them."

SmartWar opened a special Facebook page for the bots which have been called the SwarmChoppers, on it they asked for suggestions of a "mission" for them. One leading proposal was for them to be involved in the Festival of Sails opening ceremony.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 08, 2018, 08:47:48 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.hellomagazine.com/imagenes/healthandbeauty/hair/2017101843310/outnumbered-karen-actress-unrecognisable-new-hair/0-220-887/outnumbered-karen-actress-now-t.jpg)

KING JOINS "TAKE YOUR KID TO WORK DAY"

Today marked the annual "Take Your Kid to Work Day", the fifth time the event has run. The idea was put forward by the Ministry of Education as an attempt to expose children to the world of work and get them to consider a career from a younger age. This year however marks the first time that King David has joined in the event as his daughter Princess Rhiannon joined him hosting an event for athletes preparing for the Mundus Games as well as making her first speech in the Representative Council. Princess Freya also took part by taking foster-daughter Evie to a day with the 2nd Light Scouts. Princess Freya explained why she took part in the event saying, "Days like today are special in terms of allowing children to see what their parents do and gain an appreciation. Take Your Kid to Work Day, or as they call it in Rokkenjima everyday, is becoming an event many parents look forward to."

Princess Rhiannon was photographed trying out a wide variety of sports along with the Mundus Games team including some sparring with the Medeival MMA team. One of the leading competitors and Gold Medal prospect Will Renshaw said after, "The Princess had an excellent control of swordsmanship for someone of her age, she's got great controlled aggression and is sneaky, I think we could have a future champion." Meanwhile the Princess said, "I liked getting to watch a proper sword match, I want to do that one day but I'm too small yet."

The six year old later became the youngest person to address the Representative Council when she preceded her father's weekly statement.

Quote from: Princess Rhiannon's Speech

Thank you for letting me speak here today. My Daddy said that I should talk about something that I want to get better in our country. What I would like to see get better is school dinners. We had mashed potato yesterday and it was yukky, I described it to Auntie Freya and she said it sounded like wall paper paste. I don't think wall paper paste would be very nice to eat and probably isn't safe as it'd glue your insides together. Most of the time at my school we get dinners that don't taste of anything, my friend Evie, she's my best friend agrees. When I was writing this with Miss Meadows, my teacher, she said I needed some facts. I asked my class and 20 of the the 25 don't like school meals. Some days there isn't enough either as the good stuff goes first leaving lumpy mash and sausages like rubber. I therefore ask you all to do whatever you can to give us nice school dinners. My favourite thing you could get us is burrito's, we had them once in a restaurant and they tasted amazing. After we get burritos we should chocolate cake, but not too much cos that makes you fat. I hope that the Council will help me get burritos and chocolate cake for every school. Thank You.


As is tradition when a royal speaks in the Council the Chief Councillor is permitted to respond, Thomas More leader of the Traditionalist Party thanked the Princess for bringing the state of school dinners to his attention and promised that he would, "Try and make sure chocolate cake features on the menu more often." Following the meeting of the Council he added, "It is important our future monarch gets to see what the job involves. While the Council deal with serious issues it is nice to see that we can occasionally smile at speeches as a six year old lectures us on cake. 

The King during his speech stated that there had been talks between East Moreland and Rokkenjima when Princess Adriana had visited and spoken with Princess Freya. He said that various agreements had been proposed but that "as a child was sent to negotiate we must now wait for any counter proposals from their government. I think Rhiannon made more progress towards her agenda for reform than Adriana did." The sending of a 15 year old Princess to deal with some of the most delicate talks between East Moreland and Rokkenjima ever was seen as insulting by many including Chief Councillor Thomas More who at the time said, "We have historically placed a great deal of trust and friendship in Rokkenjima and to have them believe that the best way to restore that friendship is to send someone with no actual legal authority to sit with our government is insulting. Had we had a chance in Council to discuss this then I would have voted against her being permitted to meet with anyone other than a junior minister"

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 10, 2018, 10:39:35 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/476464935774322699/477572713838280714/unknown.png)

THOMAS MORE PRESENTS CONSTITUTITIONAL REFORMS

Following the first day of debates surrounding the constitution changes proposed by King David covering the inclusion of the Morelandish language instead of English as the official language of the nation. The two articles concerned with this received almost unanomous support, with only members of the Workers Party opposing it instead wishing the language to both be recognised as the nations official language. Polls of the general public show a large amount of support for King David's amendment, with around 80% of those polled wishing Morelandish to be the official language of the nation while around 15% wish it to be jointly English and Morelandish. A vote on the amendments is to take place in the Representative Council tomorrow morning and it is likely the Executive Council will have added their vote by the end of the day.

The last hour of Council business today allowed Representative Councillors to present their own proposals for amendments. For any to be considered they required 1/5th of the Council to have signed a petition for their inclusion, a number of proposals from Thomas More, the Chief Councillor, managed to reach the number.

The following are expected to be debated in the coming days.

* "4.21 The worship of Helus is the state religion and enjoys the full protection of the State; other religions are entitled to practice their creeds and to hold religious service to the extent consistent with morality and public order."  Thomas More wished this to specifically say the Cult of Helus is the state religion. He said the entry into the political arena of the Sisterhood of Helus lead by religious radical Jinny Denman means there is a need to draw a line between just believing in Helus and following the traditional teachings of the faith.

* The removal of "7.3 The nation will not send a person for trial where death is a possible sentence unless it is for treason. The two exemption to this are people tried under military law which is dealt with in the Military Crimes Act (2014), the second exemption is for the crime of treason. In both these cases the judge may only order the death penalty with the majority approval of the jury. " Thomas More claims that while the intent of this was fair at the time it does not reflect current situations. He said, "We live in a time where genocide has not become a rarity, as such there are crimes associated with this evil that are not treason and we would now limit the chances of such people being brought to justice. We should instead deal with them as we would any other extradition request. "

* In the appendix of the constutution it states when discussing non-standard inheritance of the crown "The Monarch may circumvent these Articles if they inform both the Representative and Executive Councils in writing of his choice of heir. The Monarch must also lodge this declaration with the CIS and have it witnessed by any two nations ambassadors. Should any of the situations described in Article 1.2-1.5 take place the written circumvention will be ignored unless a period of 14 days has expired. "  Thomas More explained, "Clearly this is now redundant, as such I believe that we should change this to it being lodged with two nations we have treaties with, this will give wide scope and allow us to go forward without worry that certain organisations may not be around in years to come." Additionally Thomas More wanted to reword the final clause in the appendix which currently reads, "3.5 The Monarch must be a follower of the Religion of Helus. Should the heir not be they will be removed from the line of succession." He explained "This needs clarifying, the monarch should not just follow Helus but the Cult of Helus, the true faith of the Lord of Gods. We will also be seeking an additional clause that states the monarchs consort must also be a member of the Cult of Helus. The faith is vital to our nations culture and way of life. I would hate to see one of those religious nut jobs from the Sisterhood gain the throne or worse a foreign faith such as Odinism, Christianity or worse the Bene Gesserit."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 13, 2018, 11:48:42 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/478689939085852672/unknown.png)

KING ACCOMPANIED BY NEW LOVE INTEREST AT FESTIVAL OF SAIL

Lodjain Lady in Waiting Stasya Pelagiya was announced as the co-host of this years Festival of Sail alongside King David. The pair have been said to have been in a relationship a few months now having been spotted spending time together at an estate belonging to the King in Seaforth. The 22 year old Lodjain made her first appearance with the King as he opened the Festival of Sail and received his sword by a pack of SwarmBots. Traditionally the monarch always opens the Festival and is joined in hosting the festival with their consort. Since assuming the throne King David has been joined by his ex-wife Matilda Osman, who was Queen at the time, and in the two years since their seperation first by his niece Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside and then last year his daughter Princess Rhiannon. This year however the Archduchess was in the parade of boats leading it in a row boat along with Daisy Greechan with whom she crossed the Mhorish, meanwhile Princess Rhiannon was spending the day with her Mother but was spotted waving and pulling faces at her father.  The couple where seen later walking hand in hand through the crowd and eating ice cream on the Lodjain Queen's yacht which was open for tours to the general public. One bystander who saw them on the Lodjain yacht said, "The pair looked very happy, she was dressed in a stylish summer dress and the King looked very handsome in his military uniform. I think the pair of them would make a very beautiful couple."  Some however did not approve of the King's new relationship saying, "This Lodjain woman isn't a member of our faith, if the worst comes to the worst and he marries her and they have kids how can we be sure one of our future royals wouldn't worship this Sessifet nonsense. "

As always the Festival will feature several days of nautical themed fun in and around the city of Portworth, the largest city in East Moreland. Several hundred thousand tourists are expected to flood the city in which hotel prices have risen around 200% for the period of the event.  The Festival will end with a state dinner which will be hosted by King David and Lady Stasya at a yet to be confirmed location. The news that the future Duchess of Pelagiya will be staying in East Moreland for the duration of the event lead bookmakers to lengthen the odds offered on the identity of the Kings next wife. Swimmer Daisy Greechan and historian Professor Maddie Howard had been front runners at 4/1 however they have now moved to 25/1. The biggest shift however was for the future consort being King Leonard of Vaguzia who moved from 25,000/1 to 100,000/1.



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 14, 2018, 07:32:54 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://www.iranpeople.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/mag-iran-arts-doctor-guilty-in-kiarostamis-death-sentenced-by-court.jpg)

WANTED SELEUCID DOCTOR FOUND IN BORLAND RAID

Following an early morning raid on an address in Freestone a female Borlander terrorist and a Seleucid citizen were arrested. Red Legion affected entry to the house of a small cul-de-sac at 6am and no shots where fired however several small bangs were heard. Brigadier Kelly, the commander of the nations elite unit said, "My men had placed the residence under observaton for 48 hours and were certain that this raid could be carried out with little risk to life, both of our own men and the suspects. The fact that we have two people in custody for the Police without a single shot being fired is a reflection of the skill and dedication of the Legionnaires." Police took the two into custody and both where charged with offences relating to terrorism. As soon as the police had taken away the two the Logistics Corps moved in in order to "Make safe rouge substances" which was later confirmed as being precursers to "makeshift chemical weapons."

Later in the day the two were taken to court and named as Helen Bowman (Aged 40) and Imran Gamal (Aged 60) both where charged with crimes relating to the recent Borland attacks as well as producing chemical weapons in contravention of the Uppsala Convention. As Gamal left court it was announced that an official extradition request had already been filed after it was revealed that Gamal had worked at a prison camp in The Iwi during the Seleucid occupation, according to reports he used prisoners as test subjects for experiments on manufacturing chemical weapons. Foreign Minister Edward Tamana explained, "We have treaty obligations with The Iwi and I personally feel that those responsible for the horrific actions that took place in The Iwi must be brought to justice. Once we are shown evidence of the man having a case to answer we shall comply with our treaty obligations and have the gentleman on the first avaliable plane to the Commonwealth of The Iwi.

The news also shows a link between former Seleucid military officers and the Borlanders which has been suspected in the past. Minister of Defence Sir Harry Samuelson said, "The actions of the Seleucid regime in The Iwi during the occupation saw a vast array of crimes and inhumane actions unbecoming of any soldier. As such we should not be surprised that these are exactly the kind of people that the Borlanders would get into bed with. The Borlanders have become experts of hiding in plain view and if I was a Seleucid I'd be wanting to do exactly that. The Borlanders are therefore exactly the people they need to show them how to do that. I hope this Gamal guy gets executed for his barbarian acts."



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 18, 2018, 09:13:21 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/480462238340087823/unknown.png)

LPVLS SUCCESSFULLY TESTED

The joint CNN Land Portable Vertical Launch System that is being developed was yesterday successfully tested at the Ostlake Proving Grounds.The system was flown into Ostlake West which sits across the lake from the Proving Grounds which make up part of the Eastern base, it was taken just 200meters from the transporting aircraft and a salvo of three missiles were launched at tanks soon to be decommissioned. Two of the three missiles achieved what assessors called "clean kills" with the third landing within twenty meters of the target. The test was witnessed by General Yacobs who seemed impressed with the demonstration, "We've seen an ability to establish an impressive amount of firepower with deadly accuracy within three minutes of an aircraft touching down. The aircraft could have carried twenty of these systems without much of a squeeze, that gives us the ability to put 160 missiles on targets rapidly. Essentially the capability of putting a naval destroyers firepower onto any spot on Mundus."

The test is now the third successful test and the system is coming closer to being given the go ahead for mass manufacture. It is expected East Moreland will be acquiring 30 of these systems which are land portable using a small flatbed truck from which it can be operated. The next test is likely to be done in a few days time when three of the systems are to be air dropped to an infantry legion based in the Alps. Should the test be a success it will give the nation the ability to provide cut off ground forces with a significant amount of firepower in a short amount of time. 

The system is being co-built by companies in East Moreland, Lodja, The Iwi, Ui Cenneslaig and the Ecclesiastical State.


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/480466279833141299/unknown.png)

NOBLE CLASS TO PATROL HEYRA EEZ

Following a request from Heyra to patrol their Exclusive Economic Zone the King has offered to send two of the nations new Noble Class (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_055_destroyer) destroyers, along with various other assets to help patrol the sea lanes. Along with the pair of destroyers, one of the nations drone carriers and the Ekra-Badger II prototype will be deployed. The decision was explained by Admiral James Thompson, commander of the Royal East Moreland Naval Service, "This is an oppurtunity to test out new equipment in a real life scenario. These new vessels are yet to be given a dedicated mission and the Ekra-Badger II is still on advanced testing. A simple patrol task should not be an unrealistic ask of these assets but they will be backed up by our Naval Rapid Reaction force which can respond almost instantly to any issues. Our Navy will, as always, ensure good order in the areas of our local waters and that of our MICA allies."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 20, 2018, 10:52:03 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/481206689513603072/unknown.png)

KING SUPPORTS TECHNOLOGY CITY FOR INVESTMENT AS EMAC DROP BOMBSHELL

As King David visited the annual "Transportation Expo" at Technology City he spent time exploring stands dedicated to various East Moreland companies as well as a selection from overseas. The King is known to enjoy cars and looked rather impressed as he posed for photos with Jones Automobiles latest concept and was said to be "considering placing an order." The King also made an announcement that Technology City Stage 3 will soon open with a further series of ready built "flat pack" trading units ready to be set up on. "Technology City was always intended to be a hub for advancing our technological industries and its worked. We've seen companies like EMAC and OsmanTech get stronger. It helped SmartWar become a dynamic global player and other start ups have found so much help here they've done wonderfully. We've done well attracting investment from overseas, Bugatti have a prescence here, as do Riverie Corps and we have begun hearing rumours Abstergo are looking at the place for a new HQ." The City was purpose built as a high tech industry base centred around a new University specialising in sciences, engineering and other related subjects. The city also boasts adapted tax rules rewarding those who support the University, its students and start up entrepreneurs. The King has recently been in Sirinisi and has said that he is hopeful of some East Moreland companies making moves there too.

One of the highlights of the Expo was Rytol-EMAC's stand which saw Sir Alan Maybury make an announcement. "In the coming months Rytol will be taking a step back from Formula Mundus. The team was set up many years ago by Ryan Toller and he has left a legacy in racing both here and abroad which is unparalleled. The team always kept the Toller family close and now with Ryan's son Simon leaving the team for new challenges there will no longer be a Toller involved, as such EMAC have agreed to take over full responsibility for the team. We will retain the Rytol name as part of the new organisation thanks to Ryan and Simon it has become a global power in motorsports and we hope we can live up to their legacy. In addition it is our hope next year to run a 2nd team and as such in one of the Junior Formulas we'll be running Pelagiya-EMAC having linked up with Pelagiya Enterprises. We will provide engines for both teams however both will run very different packages beyond that as we see them as a chance of testing new ideas about aerodynamics, materials and various other systems. It's an exciting time for us and hopefully motorsport."  Later in the day it was revealed that Rytol-EMAC plan to end their formal relationship with a bang. "At the end of the season we're going to unleash the TollerBadger. In testing in 2005 a race car of the type used by Formula Mundus today hit 372.6 km/h (231.5 mph), we're putting together a car that conforms to all Formula Mundus rules and that can beat that."



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/481210989023330323/unknown.png)

PETITION BY YOUTH MINISTER HALTS CONSTITUTIONAL VOTE

With a packed Representative Council in attendance Youth Minister Amelia Merriman presented a petition which halted the process of amending the national constitution. By Council rules of processes any petition with more than 100,000 signatures presented by a Minister takes priority over any vote. The 22 year old waited until the speaker was about to begin reading the first of a series of items to be voted on when she stood and presented the document which has 120,000 signatures. As she stood the grand-daughter of scholar Professor Marcus Merriman, said. "While we sit about to determine the official language of our nation a greater problem exists. Dilara Haghighi, is a 16 year old girl who has been sentenced to die because a bias court found her guilty of insurrection, treason and human trafficking. She is a child and I'd suggest incapable of at least two of those crimes. Slava Lavosk are a nation we have allowed to have our Roboguard to protect their border and I urge against giving them any other hardware while the execute someone I believe is still a child. Dilara should be at home studying and preparing for a future, not fearing that she will soon die. I thereby have asked the people of East Moreland to join with me and call for her execution to be commuted. I also ask that should any Morelander with expereince of the SLava Lavosk legal system be willing I will personally help support financially an appeal in court to help Dilara."

A 30 minute debate ended with the question "Should East Moreland condemn the sentence of death on Dilara Haghighi?" 117 Councillors voted YES, while 34 voted No. Around 250 Councillors exited the chamber before the vote, according to the Traditionalist Party spokesman "in protest to the derailing of the constitutional reform". Meanwhile Merriman's own party leader Civic Democrat Parties Clayton Rollins said. "We're delighted to have such a hardworking Councillor as Amelia, we may be a minority Party but she navigates her way through politics like a veteran. Today she may have done nothing more than send a symbolic gesture but she has shown that the CDP will do all we can to help our nation live out is founding principles."

The constitutional vote will now take place tomorrow meanwhile the condemnation of Haghigi's death sentence will be debated before the Executive Council tomorrow and if passed by them will be in front of the King by the weekend.


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/481215652951097366/unknown.png)

FREESTONE DUO ANNOUNCE "THINK GLOBAL, ACT LOCAL"

Freestone natives, Tim Carpenter (Twice CTO Secretary-General) and Melissa Lusk (Current CTO Refugee Council Chair) have refounded the Freestone Abolotionist Society ((FAS) (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=993.msg8168;topicseen#msg8168), an organisation that campaigned to end slavery in East Moreland nearly 300 years ago. The refounded organisation hopes to support the abolition of slavery in Tamora and have called for an international boycott of goods made in Tamora. The duo today however have announced a project they hope will allow companies trading without slaves to continue to do business.

The 24 year old Lusk, who has just returned from Lakhzovia, announced the creation of Freestone Mark. "In the history of the slave trade in East Moreland the Freestone Mark was a giant pottery plaque made and handed out to those who can prove they didn't use slaves in their industry. At first it was something that simply looked pretty but as abolotionsits raised its profile it took hold, people felt they could make a concious decision about the origins of their purchases and this empowered people to make the right choice. We live in an age when people buy products for a while range of reasons and many make ethical choices, whether its free range eggs over battery farmed or picking to buy toilet roll from sustainable trees, our buying habits have an impact. People need to realise they think global but act local."

The Freestone Mark that they are introducing will see companies in Tamora voluntarily allow inspectors to assess their business and award a Bronze, Silver and Gold Mark depending on the companies relationship with slavery. To earn a Bronze the company must prove they do not use any slave labour. "We can't force people to do this but it our hope consumers across the world will do the right thing and when they see the words "Product of Tamora" they take ten seconds to simply look for the mark. It is my hope we can make this a global campaign and we're looking for ways to help those with the Mark gain advantages in other ways but its early days."

Tim Carpenter was not at the launch as he was "out of the country" however his exact whereabouts were unknown leading some to suggest he was in Tamora. He did however take to Twitter and said, "Its a simple rule folks, no Freestone Mark, leave it on the shelf"



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 21, 2018, 07:23:25 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.wien.info/media/images/parlament-innen-reichsratssaal-3to2-1.jpeg/image_gallery)

STI DAH QUTLCUH PATLH SOVMO[1]

In a speedy display of administrative organisation the amendments to the constitution today passed three hurdles. At 10am the Representative Council voted on several amendments which have been debated over the last few days. The first vote was on whether to replace English with Morelandish as the official language of the Kingdom. All the votes where attended by nearly all the Representative Councillors, only Samuel Green (currently hospitalised with tonsillitis) and Karen Butler (Naval Reservist on aid operations in the Mhorish) failed to cast their votes. The result on the official language was 476 for with 22 against.

The decision on whether to replace English with Morelandish as a compulsary study at school was then voted on and again was passed by a large majority with 432 voting for change and 66 against. Ironically one of those voting against was the Education Minister Rosa Meadows who said, "The idea is great in principle but it does not put in place a timeline or method for this change and I fear that this puts an unnecessary level of confusion among the educational establishment. I feel it would have been better to remove this article completely from the constitution and have a separate Educational Language Act."

The third change put forward was to change the wording of one Article from stating the Worship of Helus is the state religion to specifically saying the Cult of Helus was. The article still maintained religious freedoms by keeping the phrase "other religions are entitled to practice their creeds and to hold religious service to the extent consistent with morality and public order." This article saw some discussion as a small minority of the Representative Council are avowed members of the Sisterhood of Helus. This bill passed with 336 for and 162 against. One of those who voted against was Sarah Kennedy, a follower of the leader of the Sisterhood of Helus, Jinny Denman. Kennedy, a member of the Liberal Party said, "The Code of Canley is why we base the consitutions stance regarding religion on the worship of Helus. Our views in the Sisterhoods lines up almost identically with those of the Cult, therefore I believe the old wording was fine." Meanwhile other Councillors such as Eric Richards, also of the Liberal Party believed there should be no state support of religion.

Finally the other successful vote was to remove the restriction on extraditions involving the death penalty. This was passed 287 in favour and 211 against. One of those voting against was Amelia Merriman, the Youth Minister and member of the  Civic Democrat Parties, "I don't oppose the death penalty but I do think we need to be humane with it. I remember the way the Iwi executed one of those involved in the Maori Genocide by clubbing him to death. I believe the man deserved to be executed but the manner in which it happened was unacceptable. I therefore believe we should not automatically extradite."

The only amendment put forward to not pass was one put forward by Sarah Kennedy which would have forced the monarch to gain approval of the Council before a marriage. A similar Act of Council had been suggested earlier in the year and was also defeated. This vote saw 408 vote against it and 90 for. As soon as each vote was tallied in the Representative Council it passed to the Executive Council which is half selected by the Representative Council and half by the Monarch, they agreed with the decison on each of the Articles and by 6pm the amendments had been sent to the Palace where the King signed them.

The debate on whether to support the condemnation of Slave Lavosk put forward by Amelia Merriman was postponed after Edward Tamana, the Foreign Minister asked the Speaker via written communication to hold the debate next week after he returns from an overseas visit. With the condemnation falling under the umbrella of a Foreign Affairs issue the speaker agreed to a postponement which allowed the votes on the constitution to take place.



(https://pmctvline2.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/matthew-broderick-a-christmas-story.jpg?w=620&h=440&crop=1)

CONSERVATIVES PUSH FOREIGN AGENDA.

Mark Thompson, the leader of the Conservative Party has today called for a switch in the nations foreign agenda. Speaking after the votes in the Representative Council the successor to May Beckett said, "We have many new pots to stir out there. We have talks with Sirinisi, Bakkermaya are a nation we should be much much closer with and then we have nations like Paracambi whom have made a great impact on their regional affairs. At present however we seem to have shrunk back to our old connections, Seaforth, the CNN and even meetings with the Work Experience Department of Rokkenjima. We now need to be what we once where, a nation that spread our net of friendship far and wide. There is much we can offer nations out there as friends and we can gain from them in agreements of mutual support."

The Conservative Leader was also critical of the recent talks with Rokkenjima. " Normally the visit of an heir to a throne is a great occasion for both parties. I don't get that impression with the latest visit. We have a child sent to discuss matters with Princess Freya, a woman who has ran East Moreland as regent during the King's illness, yet nothing has come of it. We saw her depart almost two weeks ago and in that time we've seen them be able to appoint a new foreign vice regent, suspend ship building deals with Heyra, make all manner of statements, reversals and counter statements on Barnacle and even visit Tamora. Some time ago Empress Beatrice herself said about the termination of the Tri-Partite that "If adversity is the test upon which bonds are proven true or hopelessly shallow we shall see a new dawn for Rokkenjima and East Moreland." Well now we have tabled a new dawn but while we have shown commitment to fulfilling this new dawn it appears Princess Adriana has failed to hand in her homework."

The words of Thompson were supported by other party leaders including Chief Councillor Thomas More who said, "At one time the East Moreland and Rokkenjima relationship was one of the strongest on Mundus and we tried to solve many issues together. Clearly the belief that we had a relationship of importance has been weakened as we took swift action to restore good terms yet an asthmatic ant possibly moves faster than the response we've had back. Had we known it would take this long for any approval or counter arguement to come I would have urged the King not to allow Princess Freya to meet Princess Adriana."


 1. It's now officially changed (In Morelandish)
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 26, 2018, 09:37:04 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/473253511979728896/unknown.png)(http://www.newsfig.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/mug-shot19.jpg)

PAIR FOUND GUILTY AND SENTENCED TO DEATH

Simon Watts (Aged 22) and Jason Steenson (aged 40), both accused of being part of the recent Borlander terrorist attacks around the globe, have been found guilty of a variety of crimes and have been sentenced to death. Watts plead guilty to "Manufacturing Materials for acts of terrorism", a move that people assumed would see him perhaps avoid the death penalty. He was however found guilty of planning acts of terrorism, treason, attempted murder and aiding a named terrorist organisation. The jury took just two hours to come to a verdict once the trial was finished. The lawyer for the defence attempted to mitigate the death penalty by arguing that his client had aided the investigation into the attacks, this however was ignored by the judge who said, "telling people what you have done does not make right the things you did". Watts was then sent to the Northfort Military Prison where he will await the carrying out of his sentence. His legal team have announced that they will seek to appeal the death penalty and this is likely to delay the carrying out of the penalty.

Meanwhile Jason Steenson was found guilty of the same crimes as Watts but also of recruiting for a terrorist organisation and murder. He had pleaded not guilty but the majority of his defence was that the court was not a legitimate one as he did not recognise the authority of King David. The jury in that case took less than an hour to reach a guilty verdict and the judge said, "Steenson is a life long committed terrorist who is now known to have spent the last five years murdering across Mundus, there is then the ten years previous to that which we know he was involved in the Borlander cause. The man has no chance of redemption in this world or the next." His defence team have yet to file an appeal.

In 14 days time the King will issue a decree permitting sentence to be passed unless there is a successful appeal or the appeal process is ongoing. The King does have the ability to commute the sentences to one of life imprisonment however this is unlikely to happen in these cases. Two more suspected terrorists remain in custody, Helen Bowman (Aged 40) and Imran Gamal (Aged 60) are due in court in the coming days, however it was today announced that Gamal will be extradited to The Commonwealth of the Iwi after his trial regardless of the verdict. The Minister of Justice Darren Bone explained, "We believe it highly likely Gamal will be found guilty of similar crimes as Steenson and Watts, what we also believe having viewed the evidence is that he is also likely to be found guilty of the involvement in the genocide of the Maori. As such it is only fitting that they have an opportunity to also have justice. We have an agreement that should The Iwi not find him guilty or pass a lower or equal sentence as East Moreland he will be returned to us for carrying out sentence."


(https://cdn.iflscience.com/images/2640e789-ab54-53e6-a384-a4881563b65d/extra_large-1535036168-cover-image.jpg)

OSMANTECH DISCOVERY A "GIFT FROM THE GODS"

During recent excavations at the Forge of the Gods in Portworth a new medical discovery considered to be "extremely important" has been made. The Forge is the place that historically is considered to be the place where Jekar forged the first ever sword and taught Raimond Unasson how to use it and is part of a larger network of caves which are considered to be some of the oldest dwellings in Alba Karinya. During excavations a blue tinted clay was discovered and has since found to have medical uses after a sample was given to OsmanTech for analysis. The clay was found effective at killing bacteria that have become drug-resistant. The effectiveness has up to now only been demonstrated in the lab but the research is according to an OsmanTech spokesman "encouraging as it was shown to be effective against common pathogens such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. This included tough-to-kill strains like carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)." The reason for this is still being examined but according to the company, "This shows that we could be capable of tackling some killer infections without drugs. This is good news as it means we can hopefully tackle the issue of drug resistant bacteria and virus."

The High Priestess, Skye Maddix, has also spoken of the discovery stating, "The Gods Forge is a special place for mankind, it saw us given the ability to defend ourselves from a great threat to humanity, the Underlords. Today millenia on disease is one of the greatest threats to mankind and we shouldn't be surprised that once more the Gods have come to our protection. I look forward to OsmanTech's work revealing this gift from the Gods."



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 28, 2018, 11:01:37 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/484108146705694730/unknown.png)

FORMER QUEEN VISITS NEU UBURZIS

Matilda Osman, former Queen of East Moreland and founder of the Wild Mundus Organisation (WMO), is visiting Neu Uburzis in the coming days to help open a new Aquarium. The former wife of King David is a Professor of Marine Biology and prior to being Queen worked as a researcher with Dolphins at the Portworth Marine Institute (PMI_. Following her divorce she has returned to work on a part time basis and often leads initiatives to help the Institute engage with the general public, especially young people. It was only six months ago that "Bobby" a Dolphin who had resided at  PMI after being found half blind and with whom Matilda had spent most of her career working died and a "funeral" saw several hundreds who had enjoyed seeing the Dolphin for educational  talks attend. Miss Osman spoke at the funeral saying, "We share this planet with so many interesting and incredible creatures. We are fortunate enough to be what you could call the planets Alpha species and as such we have a responsibility to maintain this balance." She will be spending a few days in Neu Uburzis and will be accompanied by her daughter Princess Rhiannon and another VIP. It is understood the zoo at where the aquarium is located held an event where children could bring their pets and as such Princess Rhiannon will be taking her Fennec Fox, Goldie.

The six year old Princess spoke at Northfort Airport where she was seen carrying Goldie in a small carry cage. "Me and Goldie can't wait. He's never been out of the county and I we're going to have some adventures. I've not been to New Hubziz before and neither had Goldie, I hope we can make some new friends." Matilda elected not to take 18 month old son by Formula Mundus driver Sam Halliday explaining. "Oliver has specific medical needs that can make it difficult for me to be able to work and give him the attention he deserves. Trips such as this are a double edged sword. Oliver gets to spend quality time with his grandparents but I miss him. I hope he'll one day understand the need for me to do this work."




(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/484112503996022799/unknown.png)

TECHNOLOGY CITY TO BUILD VERTICAL FARM

Matthew Lamb, the mayor of Technology City, has today announced that they have given planning permission for a massive vertical farm building. The farm will be operated by a combination of SFR, Terilium and SmartWar and is thought to cost something in the region of $150million. The project will see SFR provide the green energy on the site from a variety of solar panels and hydrogen produced through electrolysis powered by solar panels. Meanwhile Terilium, a large agricultural investor will manage the day to day crops leaving the vast array of computer technology being utilised to be deployed by SmartWar. The farm will see its crops grow on six-metre vertical poles, using hydroponics and LED lights. No soil or pesticides are used. Infrared sensors monitor how the crops are faring so that the system can adjust light, heat and water flow accordingly. It is thought to be the first farm of its type in the world.

Mayor Lamb said, "I've learnt quiet a bit about the Vertical Farm project in the last month or so and its another example of the cutting edge work going on in this city. I've seen other vertical farms but they tend to just see horizontal racks of crops grown, essentially creating more floorspace by piling on layers. If this works we'll literally have living walls of crops and use far less resources." It is understood that if the project goes according to plan the farm can  grow up to 350 times more per square metre than outdoor field farms. It is expected that the farm will begin planting its first crops in January of 2019.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 29, 2018, 10:15:54 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/484440674586984448/unknown.png)

DANGER OF "DILUTION OF EFFORTS" SAYS KING IN RESPONSE TO IMPERIAL ADDRESS

Following the annual Imperial Address of Rokkenjima King David used his time at the weekly Representative Council appearence of the monarch to give the traditional East Moreland response.

Quote from: King David to the Representative Council

As we do every year we have today received the content of the long anticipated Imperial Address of the Rokkenjiman Empress. The address marks a significant moment in the diplomatic calendar as it dictates for many the future direction of one of Mundus most influential nations. The last twelve months have been a see-saw for Rokkenjima for many reasons and so this years will be poured over with much debate by political analysts globally. As always the Council ask me my view of the address and so as I have in prior years I shall endeavour to use this time granted to me by the honourable council to do exactly that. First though it is worth reminding ourselves that while Rokkenjima have been in many senses AWOL on the international scene they enjoy a long history of attempting to bring about endeavours for the greater good of many and this years address hopefully signals a step back towards that direction.

As usual there is much we as Morelanders can look at in this speech and think "yes that's something we can get behind" or "Yes thats another ally on this goal" but as always there are things we disagree on. The Empress said,  "yesterday is meaningless when tomorrow is the day we are faced with" and while I believe this is a fine sentiment it does not bare out in reality. Nations and people around the world make decisions all the time about what is the best course ahead, that decision is based not soley on what you can or are offering but on the actions of the past. I firmly believe yesterday is the foundations that tommorrow is built upon and as such this means a slate can not automatically be wiped clean. The memories of past actions influence our views and judgements on today and tommorrow, we must now forge a path that slowly begins to show the mistakes and mistrusts of the past are being eroded, that comes not through words and simply saying tommorrow shall be better, it comes slowly and gradually as we show the world that today is different to yesterday. A God much wiser than me wrote "Do actions agree with words? There's your measure of reliability." We have today heard the words of Rokkenjima but the past actions do not meet up and thus Frossaj would judge them unreliable. It is my sincere hope that Rokkenjima of late can be the Rokkenjima of old and match its words and deeds.

Rokkenjima once more speak of the Illumic. This in the past sends a shiver down every Morelander and Seaforthians spine, it has been a much debated area between the nations. I am on the record more than once speaking of Regional Determinism, the right....and the responsibility of each region looking after its own backyard. We of the Illumic, and the Mhorish too, are more than capable of doing this and the creation of organisations such as MICA have only strengthened that position. Rokkenjima have been in the possession of a proposal by my sister to further ensure Regional Determinism becomes a reality of the day to day life in the Illumic and I call for all those nations blessed to have shores touching that water to stand with us to make those waterways the safest and most welcoming of all Mundus. As such we have seen in recent days our navy begin operations in the EEZ of Heyra to ensure the waters stay safe and open to all good natured traffic. This shows our dedication to making the Mhorish and Illumic our responsibility and as such we will offer support to any nation needing it and co-operation to all.

It is however from these waters that my biggest concern comes in recent days. We have seen Rokkenjima become the target of a media campaign by Heyra after the mess that is the Mhorish Island issue reached its current point. We have seen muck slung on both sides and I would urge both sides to tone down the rhetoric and focus on what matters, the lives of those in the Mhorish. That being said I am deeply troubled by the practice of Heyra releasing recordings of diplomatic phone calls and meetings. It has always been my belief that what is said to me in diplomatic meetings is said in confidence, between the people gathered in that room. I am aware in the past of diplomatic talks that have seen highly sensitive information exchanged that would impact nation security, Heyra's practice now of recording and releasing talks means I fear that we may not be able to share such things through normal channels or in the normal way. We have had diplomats such as my sister sit in talks with Heyra regarding the AKO, what concerns me is whether those meetings where recorded by the Heyrans as we gave no consent for them to be and should that have happened we see a breakdown of trust in a region that was beginning to see unprecedented levels of co-operation.

My final thoughts take me back to the Imperial Address. The Empress announced a  Social Interest Service something that would " direct funds, resources and manpower to existing institutions to ensure a multi-pronged approach which brings assistance to the places it is needed in those times it is needed." This is welcome news, we see such institutions as the Global Childbirth Initiative, the Refugee Council, Mundus Health Organisation, Joint Emergency Team and various other organisations all at strecthing point at times and having a dedicated Service directing manpower towards these should be welcomed. What concerns me howver is that we do not see a dilution of efforts, it is no good having these multi-national organisations if one nation then goes off pushing its own version of them. By standing together and uniting with common purpose we achieve great things. Look at the Uppsala Crisis, East Moreland, Achkaerin, Lodja, The Iwi, Ui Cenneslaig and Kaedwen responded and along with the Alanders prevented not one but two great humanitarian disasters escalating. Had each nation gone it alone and offered support I am sure this would have failed, I therefore urge Rokkenjima learn from this lesson and that of the past. The greater prestige comes not from having ones name as the headline but from the sure and certain knowledge that there are people alive who would not be save for your actions.While a nation my be bigger, richer or stronger on paper they alone can not achieve what those nations who unite will. Unity is a beast in itself. If a wolf sees two little boys playing in the woods on one side, and a big strong man on the other, he will go to the one who stands alone.



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/484445291836342272/unknown.png)

PRINCESS AND HUSBAND TO BE PARENTS IN A WEEK

A Northfort court today confirmed that Princess Freya and her husband Major Alex Redfern can adopt a six year old Mavrosian refugee in a weeks time unless any family come forward. The six year old was shipwrecked with Red Legionnaire officer Alex Redfern after he attempted to rescue refugees in the Mhorish and was washed away and believed to have died when a body with his jacket on washed up on the coast of East Moreland. The Major had infact given the jacket someone to stay warm while he aided rescue efforts and infact Redfern and two other adults found themselves on a remote Heyran island with the six year old. Redfern ended up building a raft and sailing the four towards what he believed to be home after one of the castaways began running out of diabetic medication. The raft was found by a Seaforthian Naval vessel and Evie refused to be parted from her saviour.

Almost three years later the girl has been living with Redfern and his father and more recently Princess Freya, she also attends the same school as Princess Rhiannon and are in the same class. Redfern has twice attempted to adopt her but been refused, the first time for not being able to provide a long term stable home for her and the second for not being able to prove Evie's parents are deceased. It was on this third occasion a judge ruled, "In effect because of the efforts made by the Refugee Council of the CTO and other bodies I am confident that if no one has come forward by now they are sadly likely dead. I therefore see no reason why Major Alexander Redfern and his wife Her Royal Highness Princess Freya Ironside should not become Evie's legal parents." It is not yet confirmed whether the girl will be given a title if adopted but is said to be "just like a niece" to King David.


(https://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/images/news/jerome-d-ambrosio-given-custard-nickname-by-virgin-mechanics-30937_1.jpg)

LINDLEY SHUTS OUT HALLIDAY AND COOKE FOR RECORD SEAT

Having announced that at the end of the season Rytol-EMAC will attempt to break the speed record for a Formula Mundus style car the team today announced that former driver and current test driver Mark Lindley will drive the TollerBadger in the record attempt. No images of the car have yet been released but many imagined current World Champion Sam Halliday or his team mate Matt Cooke would be selected for the attempt which would need to hit 372.6 km/h (231.5 mph). The attempt will see, if successful, another speed record broken by EMAC who are leading the effort.

EMAC CEO Sir Alan Maybury joined Lindley for the announcement and said, "We want Sam and Matt to focus on the Championship, there are lots of points to be had and we'd love to see the Toller families official association with the team end on a massive high point of a retained Drivers Championship and a Constructors Championship, but a triple crown of a speed record would make it an incredible farewell to the Tollers who helped catapult this style of racing into a global event." It was father and son duo Ryan and Simon Toller who got King David involved in the push to make a world open wheel championship which saw East Moreland host the very first Formula Mundus event. The pair are leaving the team they set up in order to focus on "new exciting projects in other fields". The name Rytol will still be used by the team that will be EMAC controlled as Sir Alan explained, "Ryan Toller, and more recently Simon, will always have a special place in East Moreland motor sport, as the only Morelander team in the pinnacle of the game it is fitting the name is carried proudly forward."

The record attempt is being carried out after the final Formula Mundus race of the season as driver Mark Lindley explained. "Essentially I'm going to have to get some laps in and then nail it on the straight, we've worked out the more rubber that gets laid down the better and so once the final race is over it'll be caked in the stuff and then thankfully they'll let me have a go. We'll be praying to the weather Gods." This means the record would be broken on home soil as the final race is at Silverhills.


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/484440194221735976/unknown.png)

ARCHDUCHESS LEAVES IT LATE FOR GAMES SQUAD

With the deadline for submitting teams for the Mundus Games the nine times medalist, Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside, has qualified for the Cross Country team as well as the marathon. The 21 year old niece of King David competed in the Aldcliffe Bridge run, a marathon run over the cities 20 bridges and meet the Mundus Games qualifying time despite finishing fifth behind guest competitors. By meeting the qualifying time she is eligible for the squad and the Air Force have consented to her being issued leave for the duration of the games. This could see her total medal haul raise to eleven which would equal that of Daisy Greechan, the nations greatest sports person, however Greechan has the chance to win a suspected four more medals at the Games.

Speaking to the media leaving the Bridge Run the Air Force Pilot Officer said, "I'm excited to be going again. I was 17 when I went to my first games and I didn't really take it in. I've now been to two winter games and I'm much more comfortable in myself at championships. I'm looking forward to seeing if my legs are still up for the long runs as despite the cardio being there from the speed skating I'm not sure the legs are exactly the same. I've been doing a lot of running having just done basic training and I hope this will put me back into contention for the medals."


Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 05, 2018, 09:17:34 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://static.designboom.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/technicon-design-ixion-designboom011.jpg)

EMAC BEGIN WORK ON NEW ROYAL PLANE

The East Moreland Aircraft Company were today announced as the winners of the contract to build the new royal aircraft. The current aircraft is a twin propeller pusher plane and is probably one of, if not the smallest government aircraft in use by any nation. The new design however appears to be much grander and will feature many cutting edge technologies. The current Ironside One has eight seats which can be folded down into beds as well as a small kitchen and bathroom. The aircraft carries a specialist pod which is almost identical to that carried by many of East Moreland's fighter aircraft allowing it to dispense chaff and flares in case of attack. Former Ironside One pilot Wing Commander James Norton flew the aircraft for three years and explained, " The aircraft has many advantages over the traditional bigger aircraft used by many nations, its small, agile and the positioning of the engines makes it hard to spot with IR. It was a fun aircraft to fly."

The newer model will be windowless and include solar panels as it is likely to feature semi electrical engines. The concept also shows that it will be much bigger, perhaps reflecting the changing nature of East Morelands involvement in world affairs from 15 years ago when the current model entered service. Sir Alan Maybury of EMAC explained the new design. "The windowless nature means we can be more streamlined and therefore more fuel efficent, furthermore it allows us to use a material that makes it more radar absorbent for security. Images will be relayed to virtual windows via a digital feed. The engines will use traditional fuel to reach altitude and then switch over to electrical drive to conserve fuel. All considered the new Ironside One should make the other look like a piece of junk despite it being already state of the art." It was confirmed that there is likely to be a scaled down lower tech version for the civilian market.  The Royal Palace announced that the first of two aircraft is expected to be delivered sometime in 2024.


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/486976276528234529/unknown.png)

GREECHAN RELAXED ABOUT GAMES

East Moreland's greatest athlete, Daisy Greechan, yesterday spoke about her upcoming chances at the Mundus Games and seemed relaxed. The Naval Rescue diver who serves normally aboard REMNS King Robert, the nations flagship, stands able to become the greatest athlete in the history of the games during the next two weeks. The swimmer however is downplaying the chances of adding to her already impressive haul of 11 medals. "It gets harder every year but while I enjoy competing I know I've still got a chance. This year I've had several active duty tours which have eaten into my competition schedule but I feel fresh and strong so I think I have a chance."

The Freestone native competes tomorrow in two events, the 400meter Butterfly and the 400 meter freestyle. It is however in the 800m freestyle and medley and then the 1500m where she stands a better chance in the pool. "I started off as a sprinter, my first games saw me never swim more than 100 meters but now I prefer the distance events, its more in tune with what I do day in day out at work and that's normally open water which is very different to the pool. I'm excited though." She will also compete in what is now her favoured event the Open Water Swim, however it has emerged she is also on standby for the relays. "My first games saw me compete in every discipline in the 50m and 100m events as well as one of the relays. I'm used to the demands of multi eventing. I also get several calls a day sometimes at work for rescue dives and so again I'm used to going and then later in the day repeating it. I won't be  blaming over eventing if it goes wrong."

The former girlfriend of King David also stated, "The games village as always is fun, I like getting to hang out and not scrub the decks of a ship for a change. Its good to catch up with my team-mates and also the friends I've made in other countries." 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 08, 2018, 08:59:37 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.ouest-france.fr/sites/default/files/styles/image-900x500/public/2018/01/04/ps-najat-vallaud-belkacem-n-est-pas-interessee-par-la-presidence-du-parti.jpg?itok=29M_744G)

"HUMAN LIFE NOT A CORPORATE ASSET" SAYS HIGH PRIESTESS

Following recent announcements in the Heyran press of corporations either adopting children in large numbers or now creating them through IVF the High Priestess of the Cult of Helus, Skye Maddix, has spoken out on the matter. When attending a seminar on ethics at Royal Northfort University she was asked what her opinion was on the Heyran situation. In response she said, "Human life is not a corporate asset. A child should experience pure love from its Mother and Father. I can accept adoption, it is an act of true selflessness and any parents adopting a child are in my view very special people. What worries me though is that a corporation adopting them does not have that love in its heart mainly because it is not a human and therefore had no heart. The same, if not worse can be said for IVF, to take advantage of surrogates merely to swell artificially a population is a horrid thing. We live on an overpopulated planet and to artificially bring a child into the world simply to attempt to maintain a standard of living is tragic. There should only be one reason to bring a child into existence and that is love."

She was then asked whether she would support organisations such as OsmanTech carrying out mass adoptions or a similar IVF project in East Moreland to which she said. "Here in East Moreland the Cult has no say over law. We trust that King David would do the right thing as a descendent of Helus most beloved human, Raimond Unasson, and that would mean that he would forbid such a cold act. It should be that we look at Heyran children with pity in our hearts as if they view children as a resource rather than a treasure they are undervaluing their youth."

The Royal Press Office has yet to speak on the matter beside saying, "Once more His Majesty is honoured in the faith the High Priestess has in his following of the Cultist Code's."


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/488072915263160340/unknown.png)

RYTOL-EMAC UNVEIL THE TOLLERBADGER

Today at the Silverhills GP Track the East Moreland based Formula Mundus team Rytol-EMAC unveiled their ambitious speed record which will take place at the final race of the season. The TollerBadger is being designed to comply with all current Formula Mundus rules and aims to beat the current record of  372.6 km/h (231.5 mph). The car is being driven by Rytol-EMAC test driver Mark Lindley who was present at the unveiling and said, "We have some major advantages over the teams in the pits, we're not having to design a car to take on hundreds of different twists and turns over the season, we have to deal with maybe three bends at most. As such we can literally run right on the edge in terms of downforce. We don't have to worry about the fuel load changing as we'll literally have the smallest fuel tank known to mankind and we also don't have the same issues with breaks overheating so we don't need to consider airflow there. It's going to be an engineering miracle."

Sir Alan Maybury the CEO of EMAC said, "We do these projects to create excitement about engineering, to keep the profile high of our own business but also of the work of engineers and designers. We've seen a 300% increase in applications for jobs at EMAC since we started doing these little vanity projects, this means the standard of our already excellent team has increased. It's like we can almost take the pick of the litter." Sir Alan also indicated that in the coming days EMAC would be unveiling a new youth related project.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 09, 2018, 07:11:20 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.swimbiz.it/portal/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Federica-Pellegrini_0.jpg)

GREECHAN TAKES GOLD

Swimmer Daisy Greechan today won her 12th Mundus Games medal, making her the most successful athlete in the history of the Games. Taking victory in the Women's 400m Freestyle see's her move onto 12 medals making her the Greatest Athlete of all time according to some. She pulls ahead of Achkaerin cyclist Sammy Lawson. Later in the day Greechan missed out on another medal when she came 5th in 400m Butterfly. Speaking after the medal ceremony the Freestone native said, "I think all the talk about who is the best is a little redundant. We've myself and Sammy who compete in events with multiple medal chances and then we have (Archduchess) Sophie (Harrison-Ironside) who I think should really be considered the greatest athlete. Me and Sammy compete in one discipline, I swim, she cycles. Meanwhile we've seen Sophie become the first to take medals in both sets of games in two completely different disciplines. That takes some real skill."

Greechan still has chances for medals in the 400m Medlay, the 800m freestyle and medley and then the 1500m before finally competing in the Open Water swim, potentially taking her total tally to 17. Other medals came when Greechan's Naval colleague John Salmon took gold in the Mens' 200m Freestyle before his younger brother Simon took gold in the 400meter version of the event. Silver and Bronze came in the 400m Men's Butterfly while Eddie Hall took silver in the weightlifting.


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/488397369805766666/unknown.png)

KING SENDS "COURTSHIP REQUEST"

It was confirmed today by the Royal Press Secretary, Malcolm Tucker, that the King has sent an official request to form a relationship with Lady Stasya Pelagiya in accordance with Lodjain tradition. It is expected that anyone wishing to form a romantic relationship with any of the Lodjain Queen's four Lady in Waiting must seek the Queen's permission. The King had been criticised in Lodjain media for not following this protocol and it had seen East Moreland Ambassador to Lodja, Sir James Fitzroy, formally summoned by Queen Klara. It was also Sir James who presented an official letter from the King to Queen Klara which, "requested Her Divine Majesties permission for Lady Stasya to be courted by His Majesty King David." Tucker explained, "The King deep down is a man who loves history and traditions, he finds this rather sweet in a way and hopes he has not caused Lady Stasya any dishonour."

It was later revealed that Queen Klara accepted the letter personally and will "give it due consideration."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 17, 2018, 09:53:40 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/491334266924433409/unknown.png)

CARPENTER LAUNCHES FREESTONE PARTY

Today in the city of Freestone the former two time Secretary General of the Commonwealth Treaty Organisation and the nations first Chief Councillor, Tim Carpenter, has announced that he is founding his own political party. The city of Freestone has always been one of the more politically active cities within the nation having been the birth place of a large women's rights movement in the late 1700's as well as the founding home of the nations campaign for same sex marriage. In more recent weeks Carpenter along with support from Melissa Lusk, another native of Freestone, have established an anti-slavery pressure group known as the Freestone Abolitionist Society. Carpenter launched the new party in a rather low key manner via YouTube. During a 10 minute announcement the 33 year old said, "East Moreland is a nation that has always tried to do the right thing and is heavily guided by our ethical code. My concern is that we've seen parties like the National Traditionalists go too far nationalist, meanwhile we've seen the Liberal's go too Liberal. We have very little in terms of an effective party that represents the best of both. The Freestone Party will stand for what Freestone always has, doing the right thing to make East Moreland a great nation. We intend to fight to make sure everyone in East Moreland enjoys the freedoms and rights everyone should enjoy, meanwhile there has to be a managing of responsibilities to the Nation and each other. We shall pursue polices that give people a chance to both flourish as an individual while helping their nation do likewise."

Carpenter has yet to release any policies or details of any other members of his fledgling party. Carpenter currently does not hold any place on the Representative Council and there are no upcoming elections for at least two years. This has lead to speculation that perhaps the party already has recruited several Representative Councillors one of whom may be willing to stand down to allow Carpenter to re-enter the Council. His parties new page on Facebook reached 10,000 members within 24 hours.


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/491342342461194270/unknown.png)

EMRC TO PUT BULLETS ON A DIET

The East Moreland Rifle Company has today announced it has reached a deal with the Ministry of Defence for the Army to test out a new style of ammunition. The company which has supplied most of the nations firearms and Army munitions since 1840 has been developing Telescoped Caseless Ammunition (TCA) for the last two years and believes it is now at a point where it is ready for deployment on a limited scale. A tradition round of ammunition features a metal casing, usually made out of brass which contains a propellant which when ignited pushes a projectile down the barrel of the gun, the vast majority of the weight carried is in the form of the brass container, which is often ejected and discarded.  TCA however sees the projectile encased within a polymer tube completely surrounded by propellant and a plug in front that provides a gas-tight seal to drag the shell along. As a result the ammunition is lighter and can contain more propellant making the round fly further and faster producing more stopping force.

ERMC have to date been using light squad machine guns to test the rounds which have been belt fed using rifles that needed slight modification. The modified Light Support Weapon weighs 14.5 pounds, compared to 21.8 pounds for the traditional version. Meanwhile carrying 1000 rounds of TCA ammunition saves 20lbs compared to the traditional belt fed brass version. The company have now however developed a magazine that would work with a slightly modified version of the current infantry front line rifle. Should the ammunition prove effective it would mean the average soldier deployed in the Alps would carry around 40% less weight for a multi-day operation. The EMRC CEO Derek Brown stated, "We have high hopes for the future of this ammunition, our tests show an average soldier would benefit from a 41 percent weight reduction and 12 percent volume reduction compared to conventional ammunition. There is also less chance of a round being cooked off in the barrels as there is no radiation of heat to new rounds. We also save a great deal of money making the ammunition, the process can be effectively done by something very similar to 3D printing and requires no manufacture of casing separate to the projectile."

Mr.Brown also revealed that a team of ex-Red Legionnaires have been testing the weapons and ammunition with excellent results. "Our testers have fired 5,000 rounds of ammunition and discovered the 5.56 CT System achieved a 20 percent tighter shot grouping at 150 meters and required 30 percent less ammo to accomplish fire missions over the existing Army light machine gun. " One barrier however to introducing the new ammunition comes from the fact that weapons need slight modifications and that the nation only recently changed assault rifle in 2013. The extra cost implications may see the new ammunition take around 10 years to become widely used although it is likely special forces units may utilise the CT rounds sooner than that.

(https://hips.hearstapps.com/pop.h-cdn.co/assets/17/29/1500582662-ctsammo.jpg?fill=320:282&resize=320:*)


Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 28, 2018, 11:49:23 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.autoeurope.com/default/assets/image/2017/03/Munich-Oktobefest-fair-grounds.jpg)

NATION PARTIES FOR THE HONEYBADGER

The nation today came to a stop to celebrate Honeybadger Day, a festival to commemorate the introduction of the Honeybadger into East Moreland in the 18th Century. King Nathan had read about the creatures in a science journal and believed from what he had read they were the perfect embodyment of what a true Morelander should be, tenacious, brave, intelligent and willing to lay down their life for their loved ones, as a result he had four brought from Paracambi and kept as pets on the royal estate at Northfort. He found the Honeybadgers to be fascinating and soon ordered 1000 to be brought and released into the wilds, the animals also become fashionable pets for a while and several hundred escaped their confinment on private estates and joined their wild siblings. Today it is estimated that some 10,000 Ratan's run wild today mainly in the woods around Ostlake and up into the Alps.

The nation has always celebrated the event with big street parties, feasts, BBQ's and fun fairs. This year, as usual the royal family spent the day in People's Park in Northfort where a large music festival takes place every year. As usual Princess Freya was spotted in the VIP section front of stage dressed as a Honeybadger, this year however she was joined by adopted daughter Evie and niece Rhiannon. The concert was headlined by 2Cellos whose finale saw a fly over by a squadron of Air Force fighters just before midnight. Meanwhile the athletes taking part in the Mundus Games hoisted an effigy of a giant Honeybadger outside their accomodation block and the teams usual red and white tracksuits were swapped for Honeybadger onesies. There was even a parade round the village by the team who handed out cookies baked in the shape of the national animal.

Embassies across Mundus also celebrated, rumours are that Sir James Fitzroy, the ambassador to Lodja hosted a function on the Island of the Goddess while in Bakkermaya a garden party was thrown with a real Honeybadger as guest of honour.

As evening fell on East Moreland the King took to TV to give the usual Honeybadger Day address which typically is a simple thanks to the armed forces, security forces and veterans of the armed forces before calling on all Morelanders to keep the spirit of the Honeybadger alive. "As a nation we have always clung to the Code of Canley as closely as we could, the Honeybadger is the embodyment of that, fierce in defence of its home, willing to place its family above all and if need be lay down its life to protect its children. The Honeybadger is a true warrior of Helus and I am proud our nation sees the noble beasts wander freely in our forests. Long live the Ratan."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 30, 2018, 09:43:10 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/496048138549985281/unknown.png)

HALLIDAY INTERVIEW CAUSES ROYAL RAGE

Comments made by Formula Mundus Champion, Sam Halliday, in a recent EMTV interview have caused King David to become "enraged" according to some sources in the Palace. In an interview for the weekly Formula Mundus Show on the nations broadcaster Halliday covered a whole host of subjects from his performance so far this season, to the retirement of the Toller family from direct involvement with the Rytol team and also his family life. Halliday began a relationship with former Queen, Matilda Osman, after her split from the King and the pair have a one year old son, Oliver, who just like Prince Caspian is a sufferer of Hunter's syndrome. During the interview Halliday was asked how he has adjusted to being a father following a rather fractious start during which he and Matilda split briefly and he demanded a DNA test on Oliver. The 27 year old racing driver explained in the interview. "I was at a point where I was struggling to come to terms with the challenge of competing for a world title while also having a relationship with the most influential woman in East Moreland. It was crazy and then the devistation of seeing Oliver with that condition that I know killed Caspian was heartbreaking. We've worked through things and are now a solid family unit." What caused the controversy however was what came next when Halliday said, "I really enjoy being a father now, and while I know I don't get to be there 24/7 I love all the time I can with my family. We've a really solid bond and its great being Rhiannons other father."

It was this last statement that caused the King to apparently lose his temper. A Palace insider stated, "The King heard the interview, after all he is a big supporter of the East Moreland Formula Mundus community, he hosted the first ever Formula Mundus race and has a keen interest in the series. When he heard Halliday call himself Rhiannons other father the King was very angry. I'm sure I even heard him smashing things in his office." King David is known to be very guarded with his daughter and has Royal Press secretary Malcolm Tucker conrol the media's access to her at all times. The King was essentially a single father for the first year of his twin children's life as the then Queen Matilda first suffered severe blood loss during childbirth and was in a coma for over a month before suffering minor damage to parts of her brain controlling short term memory and mobility, something she has now largely recovered from. The King even took six months away from running the country handing reigns of power to his sister Princess Freya.

Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker was asked about the matter when he briefed the media at the weekly press conference. The media veteran stated, "Princess Rhiannon has one father, that's King David. Yes Sam Halliday is the boyfriend of her mother but he will never be her father. There is an unshakeable bound between the King and his daughter and anyone who sees them together knows that."



(https://www.japantimes.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/p14-mcneill-justice-d-20160117.jpg)

EXECUTION GETS GO AHEAD

The executions of convicted Borlanders Simon Watts (Aged 22) and Jason Steenson (aged 40) will take place within the next 48 hours. The pair who were partly responsible for the series of Borlander attacks that even saw Rokkenjiman Naval bases attacked claimed hundreds of lives across the globe. One of their co-conspirators is currently facing trial in the Commonwealth of the Unified Iwi where the Seleucid national faces genocide related charges. The execution of the two Borlanders was today given the go ahead following unsuccessful appeals and the King informing the commander of Northfort Military Prison that he does not intend to commute their executions to life imprisonment.

This will mark the first execution since that of Rebekah Barren, a supposed "Queen of Borland" who gave birth to the terrorist leader Kyle Barrens child some three years ago. There have been several human rights groups already call for protests outside the prison and a petition for the King to use his powers of clemency has reached 2,100 signatures. The King has in the past stated that he will not use his powers under the constitution to grant mercy as Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker explained. "The King permitted James Clusky to escape execution under international pressure when he was still an inexperienced monarch. It is a move he today regrets and has no intention of allowing another Borlander to escape justice. As long as a legally recognised court of East Moreland gives a sentence of execution and the appeals process is followed the perpetrator will be executed in accordance with our laws."

It is expected both men will be executed on the same day marking the first double execution in over fifty years.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 08, 2018, 09:47:39 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/473253511979728896/unknown.png)(http://www.newsfig.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/mug-shot19.jpg)

BORLANDERS EXECUTED

Simon Watts (Aged 22) and Jason Steenson (aged 40), the two Borlanders responsible for the most recent burst of Borlander terrorist activity, have now been executed. The two where hanged yesterday at Northfort Military Prison, the only prison used in East Moreland for executions. The pair had been found guilty of a variety of crimes connected to terror offences and despite Watts largely "co-operating" with investigators he was still sentenced to death.

It was confirmed by a press witness that Watts was executed first at around 8am and that he declined the presence of a Priestess of Rolaf. He said no final words before the trap door was opened and he fell through, dying instantly. This was followed at around midday by the execution of Steenson who again declined the use of a Priestess. He did briefly address the gathered witnesses which included members of victims families who are routinely invited. The convicted terrorist said, "While we may die our bodies will be buried in a soil that is forever Borland" His execution went off without incident as well. Following the execution both bodies were, as is routine, cremated and will be kept for 30 days for next of kin to collect, should they not be collected they will be spread on the river Ost.

While the pair were being executed there was a gathering of Human Rights protesters outside the prison, their leader was Representative Councillor Simon Calladine who represents Tech City West. He spoke to the crowd saying, "We live in a society where bloodshed is no longer a daily occurrence, what we have going on today is nothing but state sponsored murder. Yes these men have committed crimes but they are essentially at this moment defenceless, tying them to a rope and breaking their necks is therefore not neccessary. Justice is ensuring they can not commit the crimes again, to protect society from evil. Behind those walls contained in a box for the rest of their natural lives they would not be a problem to society." About an hour into the protest however Tim Carpenter, former Chief Councillor, Secretary-General of the CTO and founder of the newest political party in East Moreland arrived. Carpenter is a well known campaigner for various rights and a native of Freestone, a city devestated by Borlanders four years ago.

Carpenter spoke to the media in favour of the death penalty, "When I was a teenager I was idealistic like Councillor Calladine, but I had family killed in two incidents by Borlanders. What we are dealing with are people who clearly do not respect human life and therefore don't deserve their life being respected. I've seen enough bloodshed in my life to keep me awake at night, the people who campaigned against James Ironside when he tried to take the throne, the missile attack on my hometown and then the genocide of Cultists in Royal Seleucid. What is clear is one thing, there are people out there who do not respect the special nature of human life and that in my eyes makes them Underlords, people who like our God's enemies wish to cast our world into darkness. Jekar showed us how to deal with people who bring the darkness, you rip them apart, you remove them from the world and you do not shed a tear over their demise. As long as the Borlanders don't respect humanity I hope we keep hanging them." Carpenters words took many by surprise due to both the seemingly violent nature of them as well as the use of religious imagery.

One of Carpenter's former political colleagues is the now retired Foreign Minister Robert Kennedy, now confined to a wheelchair because of MS, "Carpenter always used to be a rather peaceful person. I know he's been through a lot in his last few years, being at the centre of the Cultist Genocide will have exposed him to things beyond what I can imagine. I think this new less pacifist Carpenter is going to only increase his appeal, particularly among younger Morelanders who seem to be experiencing a bit of a cultural rebirth compared to their parents. I think King Sven (King David's father) expected East Moreland to become less traditional in terms of its world view, however I think perhaps what we see under King David is someone keen to preserve the traditions and heritage of our nation and try and impose them on the way we interact with the world. A politically active Tim Carpenter in that aspect could be a valuable ally for the King and the firebrand does have a large youth backing."

So far no-one has come forward to claim the ashes of Steenson and Watts, nobody has claimed the ashes of the last three Borlanders executed, including that of "Queen" Rebekah, the former mistress of Kyle Barren, leader of the Borlanders. Those have been spread on the River Ost and would have been washed out to sea.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 13, 2018, 07:48:38 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://www.defenceweb.co.za/images/stories/LAND/iai%20jumper.jpg)

LPVLS "GRADUATES" FROM ACADEMICA

The joint CNN developed Land Portable Vertical Launch System was confirmed to have yesterday been used for the first time in anger. The system which will allow flatbed trucks to transport canisters of precision munitions to any place on a battlefield is capable of firing a range of highly accurate Surface to Air and Surface to Surface missiles usually found onboard naval vessels or carried by aircraft. The idea behind the platform is to provide ground units with a highly accurate and highly mobile platform capable of either giving an air defence umbrella or provide close support for ground operations. The canisters can also be air dropped making them a highly versitle piece of kit. With the providnce of Academica currently still under East Moreland protection it was determined to place one of the prototypes there to provide air defences in the short term. Sir Harry Samuelson, the nations Minister of Defence has however confirmed that it was used by a Red Legion unit in the Alps who were pinned down by a Borlander force.

The Minister told the press, "A four man team on a routine intelligence gathering patrol were ambushed and as standard practice dictates called in air support, an enterprising technician realised that the LPVLS could have fire on station slightly faster than the Air Force could and so a barrage of two missiles were released using information given by a laser target designator. The salvo did the trick and the Borlanders were either killed or captured. This goes to show the value of the system and I think we can safely say today it graduates." It was expected that the prototypes, of which each nation has two, would be assessed in the next few weeks but this first confirmed kill is likely to show the system is ready to be deployed. Minister Samuelson explained, "We intend to purchase around thirty of these and assign them to infantry units when they deploy. This system will we hope make them safer while arming them with precision offensive firepower."


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/500056465709465600/unknown.png)

PRINCESS WARNS AGAINST "TERROR SCHOOL"

Following news that Seaforth have given permission to the Bene Gesserit to open a boarding school Princess Freya has issued a warning. "King Andrew is new to global affairs, but I would hope he would be aware that the Bene Gesserit are a faith with four, now soon to be five boarding schools across Mundus. They make no secret of the fact that the train girls under the age of 18 to be soldiers, many from the age of five, with the sole intention of sending them to fight a war in Kaitaine. We consider these child soldiers and have provided in the past evidence of this to the world. Furthermore we see them as a group that sent a highly trained, because of their schools, commando force to steal nuclear waste from a convoy in East Moreland. We have yet to hear anyone of any authority within this alleged religious Sisterhood explain what the target was or take responsibility for these actions. As such we view the faith as terrorists in the exact same way we do the Borlanders, a group they know the wrath of only too well. If they are intent on this school opening then they need to keep a very watchful eye on this terror school."

The Princess went on to explain that East Moreland are currently looking at identifying a number of leading members of the Bene Gesserit faith and taking actions against these people. "We are aware this Niklaus Corrino, a Cenneg businessman is a high ranking member of their faith and so will be exploring any financial connections he has to East Moreland. We shall also be looking at trying to prove any criminal activity he is involved in and if any is found using the CNN charter to demand Ui Cenneslaig hand him over. What interests me the most though are the females of this organisation as they seem to hold the power. We shall especially target any assets of these Chapterhouse Schools."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 16, 2018, 09:46:19 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/media/images/79821000/jpg/_79821829_jackreuter.jpg)

DECORATED RED LEGIONNAIRE WANTED FOR TREASON

A decorated former Red Legionnaire has today been named as a wanted fugitive on charges of treason. Liutenant James Gillespie was awarded the Military Medal for his actions in rescuing hostages from the Borlanders in Morton during a siege there in late 2016. His citation for bravery states that he "hold an exposed position alone to maintain covering fire allowing his comrades and hostages to withdraw across open fields. His actions drew fire on himself rather than civilians and despite being wounded in the process he maintained his covering fire until all hostages had been rescued." However it was now confirmed that almost a year later he helped a captured Bene Gesserit Truthsayer escape custody following attempts to steal nuclear waste. Gillespie was a former member of the Royal Engineers and joined the elite military unit in 2013. It was confirmed that he had seen action if Royal Seleucid, Meche and Seaforth.

The Military Police have been searching for Gillespie for almost a year now and have so far no leads beyond knowing his real first name was Nathanial. His current whereabouts are unknown however the East Moreland intelligance agencies are working with those from Kaitaine as it is suspected he may be in Seitch, a city in Western Kaitaine under rebel control. A reward has been offered for information leading to his arrest. Brigadier Kelly, commander of the Red Legionnaires said, "To have a man we trusted and considered a brother to desert us this way is beyond imagination. To have someone live among us with the sole purpose of betraying us for a group of terrorists saddens me. The only thing that could have been worse was if he was a Borlander." It was also confirmed that should he be arrested he would face a military tribunal and be charged with treason, aiding terrorism, desertion and planning terrorist activities, all charges that could carry the death penalty. Legal experts however suspect he would not be executed with one saying, "This man may have run away to help a foreign terrorist organisation, but lets not forget he did help save lives in Morton and he served the military for many long years helping serve his country. This may have been a front but he did do some good and I believe any judge would take that into account when he is finally sentenced.


(https://cdn.iflscience.com/images/840475fc-b7f4-59cc-be02-f1452d416ae6/extra_large-1539627043-cover-image.jpg)

FLOUR TO BE FORTIFIED WITH FOLIC ACID

In order to reduce the rates of serious birth defects, all flour sold in East Moreland will now be fortified with folic acid. The government announcement represents a hard-won victory for the many medical organisations and children’s health  groups who have been lobbying for such a policy for decades.Folic acid also known as vitamin B9, is an essential human micronutrient involved in the metabolism of amino acids. In pregnant women, a lack of B9 can interfere with the formation of the fetus especially the tissue structure that develops into the brain and spinal cord, thus leading to several lethal or permanently disabling disorders such as spina bifida and anencephaly.

It has been shown that B9 supplementation during pregnancy can reduce the risk to babies by up to 70 percent, but much of the critical development phase occurs very early in gestation, meaning that many women may not even know they are pregnant until after the damage is done. Minister of Health, Rufus Marsden said “I am delighted to hear the news  that flour will be fortified with folic acid in order to prevent the birth defects spina bifida and anencephaly. This means we are taking an important step in preventive medicine, and helping to avoid disability or termination of pregnancy,”
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 19, 2018, 10:55:08 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://assets.simpleviewcms.com/simpleview/image/fetch/c_fill,f_jpg,h_605,q_65,w_1200/https://media.newmindmedia.com/TellUs/image/%3Ffile%3D8A971E1DB2AA2EAE5D83A954F83C16FDA97BF02C.jpg%26dh%3D450%26dw%3D800%26t%3D4)

RED BASE AGREEMENT EXTENDED

It was announced yesterday that Red Base, an East Moreland run military training establishment in Nya Aland, is set to be extended. The facility, an old fishing village, was acquired three years ago and was used primarily by Red Legion as a training facility for their operations however it has since been used to help the Huscarls, Nya Aland's elite military unit, in their training. This has seen the Alanders train alongside Red Legion for a number of exercises and on one occasion a rescue mission during the Uppsala Crisis was mounted from the facility when a group of Red Legionnaires evacuated Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside while she was on school exchange. The news means that for the next five years the facility will remain under East Moreland management.

The news was welcomed by Red Legion commander Brigadier Kelly who said, "The importance of Red Base can not be underestimated, it allows us to do exercises we couldn't do in East Moreland because such conditions and possibilities don't exist. We've essentially a small town at our disposal whereas in East Moreland we can replicate only a small village environment, add to it the fact we've got access to the Alucard and it means we can practice literally any scenario that comes to mind. We all enjoy working with the Alanders and it is our hope over the next few months to gain permission for Lodjains to also come here and sharpen their skills."

The base is commanded by a Red Legionnaire Captain while a detachment of 20 Royal Engineers keep the place maintained. On a day to day basis there are usually no more than 50 people on the base and the former fisherman's homes are used as barracks as well as potential targets during exercises. One Royal Engineer who can not be named said, "It's strange, you can sleep in what appears to be a lovely quaint wooden house all lovely and warm with a roaring log fire, then the next minute a Red Legionnaire is using a shotgun on the house opposite to blow the doors off its hinges. It's a place that certainly keeps you on your feet." At its most busy the base has hosted 200 soldiers in one go. The base is around 50km away from the next nearest settlement meaning the isolation replicates the spirit of Aldfield back in East Moreland.

(http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Willie+Apiata+RSA+2018+Poppy+Appeal+National+CwabNGEaepQl.jpg)

KING SUPPORTS IWI'S "RESULTS NOT METHODS"

King David today announced that in future he would continue to support the extradition of alleged criminals to the Commonwealth of the Iwi for crimes against humanity despite the apparent brutal method of execution. A former Seleucid army officer was found guilty of using the Maori as guinea pigs for chemical and biological weapons and sentenced to death which was carried out by strangulation, following which the man's body was dissolved in acid. The King was informed of the sentence prior to it being carried out. Gamal, the accused, was also suspected of being a supplier of chemical weapons to the Borlanders however it was determined he should be handed over to the Iwi for trial on more serious charges.

The King was asked about potential future extraditions and said, "I think terrorists and murderers should be executed. It is clear Gamal was a evil man who saw human life only worth it according to race, he was willing to butcher the poor people who fell into his lap. I think you have to support the results not methods of the Maori but there is something almost fitting about the Muru method of justice. The way you live your life is the way your own ends, its not something I will see brought into East Moreland as I believe the execution of a life is no trivial matter and impacts just as much the executioner, the easier we can make it for them the better. I can only imagine what strangling another human being to death will do to a person's nightmares. I will not however deny King Piripi and his people justice to spare a criminal and terrorist their punishment." The King did admit that he understood other nations would oppose the Iwi's methods but he urged them to not refuse to bring those who committed genocide to justice.


(https://d3gbf3ykm8gp5c.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/2017/03/28162008/1022.6666666666666x767__origin__0x0_Richie_Gray_Toulouse.jpg)

BIG NAMES DELIVER ON "FAB FRIDAY"

With three of East Moreland's biggest sporting names in action today always seemed to bring about the chance of medals and there was not any disappointment. The day started with the return of Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside to summer games action following success in speed skating at the winter version of the games. The Air Force officer returned to her original event the Cross Country and managed to lead the team to a silver overall as well as an overall silver for herself. This now means that the King's niece now has ten medals to her name across both versions of the games. Speaking after the medal ceremony she said, "It was fun being back in action on the biggest sporting stage on Mundus, I've the marathon to come and that's a new experience too, it may be running just like cross country is but the conditions and nature of the event make it a whole different challenge."

Later in the day East Moreland's Greatest Athlete, swimmer Daisy Greechan, took her 15th medal in the Games taking gold in the 10km Open Water swim. The games legend said after being given her medal, "I'm exhausted but happy. Its where i feel most at home and felt a little like being back at work with the Navy. I can put my feet up for a while now before joining back with the crew of the King Robert in a months time." EMTV showed her crew mates celebrating onboard while the ship is on routine patrol in the Illumic. The Captain of the fleets flagship said, "Daisy is an incredible asset to our ship and every single one of us is proud of what she's done." It was then confirmed that one of the vessels landing craft was renamed The Greechan in her honour something she described as being "Nearly as good as a gold medal."

It was then in the evening that the HoneyBadger Seven, the nations 7-a-side rugby team took the gold against the Iwi in the final match of the tournament. Having seen his girlfriend take silver in the mornings cross country the 6ft 7inches tall Seaforthian refugee turned Morelander helped steer the team to a 3 point victory. The Northfort Royals flanker was a key element in the victory his defensive work helping turn the ball over a number of times. MacAllister is currently completing his national service in the Royal Artillery and as a year left to serve. Speaking after the final whistle MacAllister said, "Being a Honeybadger brings great pressure no matter what version of the game. I think anything less than a gold would have been seen as a failure so I'm glad we got the job done against the tough Maori boys. I'm also thrilled that at least in some small way Seaforth get a gold medal." It is rumoured that after completing national service MacAllister will seek a move to a club in Seaforth for at least a season as he has always talked about helping his homeland in some way.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 28, 2018, 10:21:30 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://i1.wp.com/thenewsrep.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Phil-Campion-Blog-SAS-selection-picture9.jpg)

RED LEGION TO BECOME TOUGHER

The East Moreland Special Forces unit known as Red Legion, also one of the oldest military units in the world, has today announced that it is making its notoriously tough selection process even tougher. Any potential Red Legionnaire must have already served five years in the East Moreland military before being invited for selection. Those invited to begin selection face a rigourous 32 week selection course which includes a 65km navigated route march to be completed in around 20 hours and a week long escape and evasion simulation. Today however Brigadier Kelly, the current commanding officer of Red Legion, announced the changes. The 32 week selection course will now be extended to 40. We will include a week based in Nya Aland dealing with the cold conditions there, there will then be a 7 week long "21st Century Warfare" course. This new course will include aspects of cyber warfare, use of drones, mini drones and various other new technologies. Its important that our forces are prepared for all modern situations yet most situations a Red Legionnaire finds themselves in still entitles them to infiltrate a target area, get rounds on target and get out. We can't compromise the core mission and so instead selection will be extended."

The news was welcomed by ex-Red Legionnaire and head of the Court of Canley Sir Charles Townsend. "Red Legion always kept one step ahead of the game even back when I wore the Red beret, now we're seeing that remain the same. Its still challenging but by the end of the selection process the course is more like a training course anyway." Those attempting Red Legion selection will still only have two attempts before being banned from ever attempting selection again and as Brigadier Kelly explained, "Attrition on selection is high, we want it that way, generally speaking though everyone who gets past Stage 5 tends to pass the remaining two stages. Those who fail will leave Aldfield as better soldiers, their fitter, stronger and more competent in terms of their military skills. What other nations may see as a selection process we view as higher level training, that way skills cascade down to those they rejoin if they fail."

It is also expected that those Red Legionnaires still serving will also sit training of the 21st Century Warfare section of selection.



(https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/men/2016/01/22/KnightSergey_trans%2B%2BaxhR1vC4M3eHXTZuhDlJp4tOgz775vOKisOVyGXjBAo.jpg)

FORMER RED LEGIONNAIRE BRINGS HOME "NATIONS GOLD"

37 year old Louis James, a former Red Legionnaire and the nations Heavyweight Swordsmanship Champion has won the first Mundus Games Gold Medal in the event dubbed "Medieval MMA". A former Captain in the Red's James left five years ago to pursue his sporting dream and with a fight record of 37 fights with 35 victories, 1 loss and 1 draw he is considered one of the best to have ever competed. Speaking after receiving his medal Louis said, "I felt the pressure of a nation on this one, we invented this sport, its in our blood and our people are obsessed with it. I even hear Princess Rhiannon is beginning competing in her age category. The support we had here was out of this world, the Red and white was everywhere and I could hear the crowd screaming throughout the fight. It was like having a whole army at my back. This is the nations gold and I can't wait to show it everyone back home." The match was commentated on by Tom Ridge, the only man to have defeated Louis James when the two meet in January and Ridge took the Swordsmanship World Title in a match watched by 60,000 in King Robert Arena. Ridge broke his hand a month before the games in a training accident but was cheering loudly throughout the match and after he said, "The final was the 2nd best possible final, of course Morelander V's Morelander would have been best but the Bakkermayans are good so the fans, many who have never seen Swordsmanship fighting before got to watch a brilliant match." James knocked his opponent down in the 4th Round of five and the Bakkermayan was unable to beat the count.

The day got even better when 24 year old Caitlin Lewing added to her unbeaten record of 19 fights. She forced her Seaforthian rival to yield in the 3rd round following a fearsome barrage of attacks to the arm. The Silverhills native took up the sport three years ago in order to "get in touch with my nations heritage and get fit at the same time." Now she has a Mundus Games gold medal and is expected in December to challenge for the women's world title on the undercard of Louis James next fight against much fancied youngster Richard Oakes who was also competing in the games. Lewing said following the fight, "I can't wait to get this back home. This medal, this event is what our nation has yearned for since we first entered the games. I'd like to thank everyone who pushed for our sport to become part of the Mundus Games, I now hope this sport goes global."

Shortly after the medal ceremony Henry Forster, the Chairman of the Council of Sporting Swordsmanship (CSS), the organisation which sanctions most title fights and has the largest global market, announced that they would be taking the fights to two new countries. "The sports got a lot of viewers during the games, we're taking a fight to Lodja and we've got an eliminator for the Lightweight title going on in Nya Aland soon. They should be great additions to the sport and I hope we'll get several other nations wanting to host events in the near future."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 02, 2018, 09:48:16 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/201533878043672588/506594605769293864/nintchdbpict000250089032-e1467848972842.png)

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE TO PROBE TRUTHSAYER WEAPONS

Following the release of a news story about the Seige of Seitch in Kaitaine the Ministry of Defence have started a probe into how the Truthsayers, a recognised terrorist group, obtain their weaponry. In one of the pictures (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=670.msg9378#msg9378) that accompanied the propaganda article showed a group of female soldiers carrying assault rifles that looked identical to those used by the East Moreland military. This prompted an investigation by the nations Intelligence Agency who have worked in co-operation with the weapons manufacturer East Moreland Rifle Company. Today a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence confirmed the findings of that report. "The AR-1's we see in that picture have been identified using photographic analysis. We can sadly confirm that they come from a batch sold to the Lodjain Ministry of Defence in early 2017 and have been found to be "missing" once we made enquires with the Lodjain Ministry of Defence. There are presently 429 AR-1 rifles missing in Lodja, something our review of the armed forces highlighted as an issue." It is likely that these weapons were part of a scheme devised by the former heads of the Lodjain military to sell military assets for a profit and therefore it is likely these weapons found their way onto the blackmarket because of this and somehow then into the hands of the Bene Gesserit.

Minister of Defence Harry Samuelson made a statement later in the day, "It is clear from the evidence that the Bene Gesserit are using the black market to purchase weapons. Our nation has never permitted weapons to be sold to unless the purchaser is a signatory of the Uppsala Convention. We have today found that policy has failed as the very weapons we hoped to keep out the hands of the terrorists are now being used by them. We must do all we can to ensure that the terrorists and their criminal contacts do not profit from these weapons. It is important that we now stop the train of weapons reaching the Truthsayers, every rifle they buy helps fund criminality and makes Mundus a less safe place."

It was later confirmed that an East Moreland intelligence task force is going to be working with counterparts from Kaitaine in order to identify smuggling routes into Kaitaine in order to help shut down the criminal gangs responsible. Minister Samuelson also announced that EMRC would be releasing their serial numbers list to any nation requesting in order to help them confirm the identity of the rifles.



(https://www.ilpopoloveneto.it/giornale/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/fede-1-640x400.jpg)

"NEXT GAMES MY LAST" SAYS GREECHAN

East Moreland sporting legend and 2nd most successful Games athlete of all time, Daisy Greechan, today announced that she will only compete in one more games series. Upon the return of the East Moreland team Greechan spoke with the media about the games. "These were a strange one, as always the conditions for athletes was great but it didn't feel like the last few games, its hard to put a finger on but there was just an edge to them. It's not what the games should be like." Greechan was then asked about her future plans and the rivalry with Sammy Lawson of Achkaerin to be the most successful athlete of all time. "As far as I'm concerned there is no rivalry, I don't know Sammy, I've never really spoke to her. That's not because of this so called rivalry, we're just in different events and our paths don't cross. I'm sure she's a lovely person and I wish her well. I just focus on doing what's in front of me." It was then that Greechan made the unexpected announcement. "I'm going to give it one last go at the next games, maybe I'll come out on top maybe not but the next games my last. The years of training and competing take a toll on the body and your lifestyle. When my friends go out to the bar I can't because I'm competing, when family have events I'm often away. I've missed the last five Feast's of Helus because I've been away from home competing. Eventually it has to come to a end."

Greechan then confirmed that another reason for her retirement was a change in career path. "I've spent the last few years as a rescue diver onboard the King Robert. I've loved doing it and I honestly think its helped me achieve what I have. I want to progress though and I've got the backing of my commanding officer to go through officer training. I'm hopeful that I'll pass the interviews and selection tests and that I can earn a King's Commission."

The team where welcomed back to Northfort by King David, former boyfriend of Daisy Greechan, who said, "Once more our atheletes have done us proud. I look forward to hosting the annual ball for their homecoming and getting to speak with old acquaintances and our raising stars." One of those was 21 year old Isabelle Rogers, a young Royals Signals Officer who won the Women's Sabre and a silver in the Epee. The Keepton native, who was a former student of Sir Charles Townsend the same sword tutor currently teaching Princess Rhiannon, played down her moment in the spotlight. "People are saying I'm the next Daisy, its insane to say that. She's achieved so much and I'm just out of my first international event. I've a long way to go but I'd like to thank the nation for their support."

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/508033470916984843/unknown.png)
Isabelle Rodgers
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 09, 2018, 10:11:15 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/632F/production/_104219352_e1fae03d-d3f0-49f6-84cb-c91c3ec85d12.png)

OSMANTECH MAKE MUSHROOM ELECTRICITY

A team at OsmanTech's Technology City HQ have today announced that they have produced electricity using Mushrooms. A team in the companies Carbon Neutral Team have been examining ways of using a bacteria known as cyanobacteria to generate electricity. The bacteria are able to convert sunlight into electrical current however they have a short life span when grown on artificial surfaces. The team used a specially adapted 3D printer to imprint a spiral of the bacteria onto the Mushroom. Previously  the team had used an electronic ink to embed graphene nano-ribbons on to the surface of the fungus to collect the current. While the amount of electric produced is minute it is the first in a series of steps intended to develop the technology.

The team explained, "Previously the bacteria had a life span of a few hours which made experiments very difficult, now we have a lifespan of about a week. The next step is to attempt to produce a genetically altered version of the bacteria to survive longer and even create large fungus farms where the bacteria grows naturally. It is our hope then that these large farms can generate usable electric that can help cut down our worlds carbon foot print. In an ideal world the mushrooms would also be edible and we can kill two birds with one stone." The team have investigated a large number of different techniques ranging from solar panels, power kites and biofuels.



(https://pp.vk.me/c622629/v622629117/3f776/cV83t1WsQ60.jpg)

BIGGEST KNIGHT FIGHT IN HISTORY SIGNED

With Medeival MMA making its Mundus Games debut the sport has gained global interest. Council of Sporting Swordsmanship (CSS) is the biggest governing body of the rapidly expanding sport and the authority behind the various world titles. At the Mundus Games it was the World Heavyweight Champion Louis Blanche who took gold while fellow Morelander Tom Ridge, the only person to have defeated Blanche watched on from the sidelines nursing an injury.  The fight that everyone wanted to see at the Games never took place, however on 2nd January 2019 the King Robert Arena will host the biggest fight in Medieval MMA history. The two Morelander heavyweights will contest the world title in a rematch of their 2017 fight that saw Ridge win in a final round stoppage having knocked Blanche down twice. This fight came before Blanche became World Champion and the Mundus Games Champion is keen to gain revenge. "I need to take Tom on again. He's the only man whose got a W against me and as World Champion I can't let that stand. I probably wanted this fight as much as he did and I'm going to give him his first defeat."

Ridge meanwhile is looking forward to fighting in front of the largest crowd in the sports history. "We get great viewing figures in nations like East Moreland and Bakkermaya, but the numbers we've talked about here is incredible. When me and Louis fought the first time we each got paid about $400,000, a nice earner. We've signed contracts today that see me making $4,000,0000, that alone makes it worth fighting him but to get his belt too will be the icing to a tremendous cake." Pay Per View Sales in East Moreland have already reached new records while there has also been major interest for the fight in Bakkermaya and Nya Aland. There had been rumours that Blanche's next defence would be against young hotshot Richard Oakes, however his military rotation means he is unavaliable for that date. It is expected however that he will fight the winner of Blanche V's Ridge.

The CSS has also announced that its December Main Event will take place in Lodja, the first major event outside East Moreland. The Pelagiya family are providing the funding for the event and its headline bout will see Mundus Games Women Champion Caitlin Lewing take on World Champion Sarah Pembroke from Bakkermaya. The 24 year old Lewing is undefeated in her career of 19 fights. "It will seem strange fighting abroad outside the two main MMMA nations but if we're making the sport global then we have to make sure we take it new places. Lodja put up the money so I'm happy to go."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 11, 2018, 07:36:21 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/201533878043672588/510556014832123905/unknown.png)

KING USES ROCKHAMPTON ADDRESS TO "PUT RECORDS STRAIGHT"

Today marked the beginning of the Rockhampton Craft Festival, a month long celebration of the various art forms, cultural heritage and traditions that make up East Moreland. The city is hosting the 300th Festival which see's everything from musical performances, blacksmith competitions and over 1000 different food stalls throughout the city. The first weekend of the festival see's the King host a banquet in the cities old Town Hall and also gives an address which in the past has focused on domestic issues, this year however the King used the speech to address more international issues.

Quote from: King's Speech

Ladies and Gentleman, this year I am afraid I will be using the media coverage this events generates to put records straight. We currently see Mundus sat in a precarious situation and a whole host of hot heads are looking to once more split us wide apart. That may sound odd, we have recent news from Lakhzovia that the conflict there is over and that  should be cause to celebrate. For us however it is not, Hunter's Vale, a former military base in East Moreland, is currently home to many displaced people from Lakhzovia and my concern is that I have yet to hear anyone speak of them. During the conflict with the Hand of Elmet the East Moreland forces held a safe haven open in the North of the country along with our Cenneg allies. East Moreland Air Assets created an air bridge between East Moreland and Lakhzovia taking out several thousand who faced being caught up in an ever collapsing pocket of conflict. During this operation we lost an air crew of 5 members of the Air Force, 32 Legionnaires, 10 Marines and around 82 civilians due to an air accident, meanwhile more forces lost their lives attempting to keep the Hand of Elmet securely away from these areas. What concerns me however is that we have Rokkenjima now cosying up with Lakhzovia once more and speaking of Human Rights, yet at no point have Lakhzovia sought to do anything to support these citizens of their nation, nor has any Rokkenjiman come to speak with them. I have visited Hunter's Vale and heard tale from some of those there of the Lakhzovians being as equally brutal as the Hand of Elmet. I am not naive enough to not rule out the fact these people may well be Utmen with little sympathy for Lakhzovia but you at least lift up the sheets before getting into a new bed.

It is this sudden concern for once more talking of human rights that in many ways angers me. Today we hear of a "MCUR Plus" proposal. I was present when the amendments to the MCUR were being drafted, during that time there were many heated debates, especially around the premise of Gender Identity, I can tell you I learnt a lot about science that day. However our host Queen Klara of Lodja ran a fair conference that gave every nation a chance to vote on every amendment, some nations such as Neu Urburzis did what I would consider the principled thing, they voted against an amendment and then when it was passed gave their apologise and left. However Rokkenjima never voted against a single amendment. Also Rokkenjima just like every nation present had a chance to put forward new proposals for inclusion, Rokkenjima made one proposal and that was to make access to clean water a human right, that is now on the document. If you are going to try and portray yourself as some great champion of extending human rights then that was the time to pick your battle and stand behind your arguments, not three months after the occasion. What we now face is a situation where a nation makes no attempt to raise their concerns at an appropriate time and choose to complain after the fact, you can't say a document leaves "Peoples open to certain forms of discrimination as well as a denial of their rights" when you had a golden opportunity to fight for them and didn't. Now we see them using relations with Lakhzovia to promote this yet we may see the Lakhzovians deny people their right to own property (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=214.msg9552#msg9552) by the back door. We see the Rokkenjiman government crying about a lack of human rights, making zero impact on improving the MCUR in a way they wished and now supporting a nation that may have committed attrocities against its own people and is seizing their historic property because of a paperwork issue, against the spirit of the MCUR.

We also see the tinder box of Midaranye being stoked once more with tensions increasing between Tamora and Slava Lavosk, this is a crisis that once more is sucking in resources from across Mundus. Rokkenjima have announced that they are first sending ship suited to and now a Land Based combat Destroyer. A strange choice of vessel for anti-piracy operations, meanwhile our Cenneg allies have told of little piracy action in that region. It's also clear that the Royal Seleucid Navy, Slava Lavosk have a navy of 10 Frigates and Corvettes as well as 12 patrol ships, that region is very well prepared for anti-piracy operations and throwing yet another nation, who I believe are uninvited into the mix is likely to inflame the situation as each side interprets this move differently. Changing the role of a ship on anti-piracy duties so far from home, especially to a type of ship less suited to such operations smacks of something fishy, I know it and everyone in that region does. We have seen the initial sending of a patrol ship upped military readiness levels in the region and if you now send something with many more times the firepower you are sending a message the situation is escalating. Meanwhile I am today announcing that I am suspending the licence of SmartWar to sell further services or parts to Slava Lavosk until such a time as we are reassured about events at the various camps in their nation. This means that they will no longer be able to buy systems upgrades, support packages, even spark plugs for their automated patrol systems. It has always been our stance to not permit weapons sales to nations breaching the Uppsala Convention, if the media reports are correct the military of that nation have many questions to answer.

We also have seen in the last few days the Borlanders once raise their heads, this time kidnapping a member of the Lodjain government. I would like to send our prayers to the family of Minister Anna Utkin and reassure them that we will lend the Lodjain government every support in recovering Lady Anna and returning her home. The Borlanders have shown in recent months that they are a threat to international security and peace. We are ramping up operations in our own Alps to combat their hiding places there and will also be supporting nations across Mundus who feel they could or have been targeted by the terrorists. I would urge Queen Klara to stand firm and not give in to their demands as this will only embolden their actions.

Finally I would like to make two more announcements. The first is that in the coming days I shall be asking our Ministry of Justice to establish the Genocide Investigations Department, we will seek out individuals responsible for historic genocides and push for the creation of an International Tribunal to hear cases discovered. It is my hope this will ease the current hostile atmosphere between our friends The Iwi and other nations. No one denies the Maori should be able to seek justice and that no one should protect the guilty. I will even go on record as offering East Moreland as the HQ for this organisation and that we would house all prisoners within our military prison system. I would call for other nations to support our initiative in order to try and bring this sad episode to a swift and mutually satisfactory conclusion.

My second announcement is that in the coming weeks we shall be consulting with the people of Academica to bring to an end the East Moreland protectorate there. It is my hope that by the end of 2019 no East Moreland troop will be on the ground there and that no East Moreland citizen shall hold any position implementing, creating or enforcing laws there. We have built a solid relationship with our neighbours to the North since their civil war and have in place a broad representation of different opinions from that nation in the path they wish to take. Starting in a few weeks there shall be a conference between the East Moreland presence there and the Academican representatives to first draft a new constitution and a framework for our withdrawal. Once this has been agreed we shall give the people of the nation their say on the matter and within 6 weeks of that hold elections based on the new system the people choose. It is vital we are support our neighbours and we wish them every success as they determine their own future."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 15, 2018, 10:32:07 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://uproxx.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/kateesackhoff_24premiere_evanagostinifox_.jpg?quality=95&w=650)

PRINCESS FREYA TO LEAD ANTI-BORLANDER TEAM TO LODJA

It was announced today that the King's sister, Princess Freya would be taking a team of military experts over to Lodja in order to try and lend support in the investigation of the kidnapped Social Affairs Minister Anna Utkin. The Princess is a Lt-Col in the 2nd Light Scouts unit and narrowly missed out on becoming the first female Red Legionnaire, she is an accomplished military commander having seen action in Safraen, Marseille and Academica. The Princess departed early this morning and is likely to arrive in Gaia shortly. Prior to leaving the Princess gave a short statement to the media saying, "It is vital that we offer our allies what support we can in terms of dealing with the Borlander threat. They are trying once more to convince Mundus they are some legitimate government and everyone has seen this trick used a hundred times and never once has it pulled the wool over peoples eyes. While the Borlanders say this is a trial going on everyone knows its merely some publicity stunt for some sick aim they have. I would urge all nations to recognise the Borlanders for what they are, terrorists. Our mantra is well known, we do not negotiate with terrorists, we shoot them. As such we shall not comply with a single condition put forward by the Borlanders."

It is suspected that the Princess has taken a team of Red Legionnaires with her however it was not confirmed whether her husband, Red Legion Major Alex Redfern was among them. The pair have been married for just over a year now.



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 16, 2018, 09:46:34 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://static.standard.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2018/11/08/13/pennymordaunt.jpg?w968)

"ITS WORRYING I AGREE WITH BORLANDERS" STATES RELIGIOUS OUTCAST

During a webcast on a popular religious show the leader of breakaway religious sect the "Sisterhood of Helus" Jinny Denman has today caused further controversy by stating that she agreed with one of the Borlanders demands regarding the kidnapping of Lodjain Social Affairs Minister Anna Utkin. The Sisterhood of Helus is a slowly growing religious group lead by the former Priestess which believes that the God Helus is in fact female not male like traditional teaching professes. Furthermore she also believes that Helus created a pure blood line from her own womb and that the East Moreland Royal family are its descendants. As such she believes that the King should not have married his ex-wife Matilda Osman as she is not of formal birth. Speaking on Faith Today the self proclaimed "High Priestess of the Sisterhood" stated, "The Borlanders are evil pieces of work who have no right on anything they claim. What they do however seem to realise is that His Majesty King David is the figurehead of the Helus worshipping world and as such should not be taking an active role in the practices of another faith. He has been part of a marriage ceremony in Lodja once before and now will do so a second time. The Borlanders are right he should not be part of Queen Klara's ceremony. It's worrying I agree with the Borlanders."

Denman also believes that the King should not continue his relationship with Lodjain Lady in Waiting Lady Stasya Pelagiya. The pair meet during the wedding of Queen Viktoriya of Lodja and are currently confirmed as being in a romantic relationship. Denman said, "While I believe the Queen of East Moreland should be a pleasant and beautiful woman and Stasya fulfils that criteria she is a worshipper of Sessifet and as such has no right being honoured enough to court the descendant of Helus. The King should find a beautiful young woman from noble birth either from East Moreland or Bakkermaya and have done with this Sessifetian nonsense."



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/513095227838300161/RichieGrayBarbariansvBritishIrishLionsk3FLuTwnIZsx.png)

WILL HE OR WON'T IT. MacALLISTER'S DILEMMA

With an upcoming World Cup approaching the rugby world has once again returned to a hot-topic, the international future of Rollo MacAllister, the 22 year old 2nd Rower who has a winners medal and Mundus Games gold medal in the jersey of the Honeybadgers of East Moreland. The 6ft 9 1/2 inch tall Northfort Royals player was born in Seaforth and came over to East Moreland to study at the Royal Merriman University, during which time he meet Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside and began a relationship with the niece of the King. MacAllister now has 23 caps for the Honeybadgers and is seen as one of the most effective 2nd Rowers in the international game additionally he was voted 2nd best player in East Moreland last season narrowly losing out on the Players Player of the Year Award to Danny Kare. There have however been rumours that he will seek to switch alligences back to the country of his birth.

Under International Rugby Board rules once a player has represented an international team in a competative international for which caps are awarded he may not switch nations. However MacAllister elected to play for the East Moreland team at a time when Seaforth were not playing international games and as such didn't exist as an option for him. It is therefore possible, at least according to many Seaforthian fans, that MacAllister could be given permission by the IRB to circumvent the rules and switch his international alligeance. This however has previously been downplayed by MacAllister who said he was "proud to pull on the red jersey". This time however tongue are wagging as MacAllister didn't return to East Moreland following the Mundus Games and instead headed to Seaforth where he has been seen helping coach several University teams. With the players Sporting Leave from his national service in the East Moreland military coming to an end he will be expected back in East Moreland by Monday otherwise he will be listed as being AWOL. On social media however he posted a picture of Northfort Royals training ground and the words, "Back to Work Soon." Leading many to conclude this whole rumour mill is growing merely as a taster of the drama a rugby world cup can bring.


(https://cdn-3.motorsport.com/static/img/amp/600000/660000/661000/661400/661427/s6_805309/automotive-mclaren-mp4-x-concept-2015-mclaren-mp4-x-concept.jpg)

RYTOL BADGER MAKES ITS WAY TO HAMBLEY

The hotly anticipated first appearence of the promised record breaking Formula Mundus Car, the Rytol-Badger, is to take place during the race weekend of the Hambley Grand Prix in Dartfordia. The car which is being jointly developed by Rytol Racing and EMAC is set to challenge the speed record for a Formula Mundus car which currently stands at 231.5 mph. The car will be driven by former Rytol Formula Mundus driver Mark Lindley and will go for the speed record during the Silverhills Grand Prix which will bring the curtain down on the current season. During this weekend the car will do only one flying lap but will be limited to 80% of its maximum engine power.

Driver Mark Lindley said, "We've done many laps now on the test track back in Northfort and the cars handled well. The problem with a test track however is that it is not rubbered in. Every time a Formula Mundus car does a lap it leaves a minute trace of its rubber behind, with many cars doing many laps we get a kind of rubber road on the track which helps with grip. It's that which we need for us to fully see how the car will handle. We'll let the Formula Mundus guys go out and do their stuff and then once the tracks clear we'll go and do a lap. We were offered the chance to go between a support race and the main event, however we were concerned that I may stuff it up, hit a wall and throw oil everywhere and that's not what the guys need." When asked about whether he would be returning to active racing Lindley dropped another bombshell. "Next year EMAC will be involved with two teams, Rytol and the new Lodjain based Pelagiya Racing, I'm already learning Lodjain and so I hope my race radio banter will be entertaining."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 22, 2018, 07:08:48 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)


EMAC TEST SILENT PLANE

One of the lagrest complaints of people living near airports is the noise however today EMAC may have developed the answer. The Ion Driven Aerial Vehicle (IDAV) is only in its infancy however the team behind it demonstrated anidek with a wingspan of 5m, which flew a distance of 55 metres at a speed of 4.8m a second. While this is yet to come anywhere near standards needed for the design to go into mass production it was the first time an engine with no moving parts has been used to power an aircraft. Instead of engines, it is powered by a system comprising two main sections. At the front of the plane sit a series of parallel electrodes made up of lightweight wires that produce an enormous voltage - +20,000v - supercharging the air around it and splitting away negatively charged nitrogen molecules known as ions.At the plane's rear are rows of aerofoils set to -20,000v. The ions automatically move from a positive to negative charge, dragging with them air particles that create the so-called "ionic wind" to provide the aircraft with lift.

Sir Alan Maybury, the CEO of EMAC said, "The design can be scaled up a great deal in a short time and we hope to have a manned version by the end of May 2019. We also envisage the propulsion system being able to be placed on the fuselage of existing designs meaning that the aircrafts body could be used to cut down the amount of engine power needed for lift. The applications of this could be huge." It was confirmed that the system was originally part of EMAC's military division who were looking at ways of cutting down infared signatures of planes however the civilian arm believed it could have more immediate impacts on airliners.

Sir Alan said, "The idea of a gentle buzz, a blue light and a moving aircraft may sound Star Trek but we've took a step further into that arena and we shall keep striding towards the final frontier."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 01, 2018, 10:04:06 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://photos.wikimapia.org/p/00/01/46/68/11_big.jpg)

IRONSIDE MAUSOLEUM TO GET $10MILLION RESTORATION

The Ironside Mausoleum which was constructed in the 1300's to house the funeral urns of the Ironside family is to undergo a restoration project lead by Professor Maddie Howard of the Royal Merriman University. The circular building has undergone a variety of different remodellings and refurbishments in its history and the latest is "unlikely to change the cosmetics of the historic site" according to Professor Howard, who at one time was rumoured to be romantically involved with King David. The masoleum is home to the remains of all but three monarchs of East Moreland and many of their family members. The only monarchs not interned there are Kieron The Spineless (1437 -1439) whose own brother cast his funeral urn into the Illumic.  Kieran urned the nickname the Spineless after an assassination attempt on his life he gave territory around Keepton to the Borlanders and gave an annual payment to them in order to pay them off from attacking East Moreland. This saw taxes increased on those in the North and this made many nobles angry. In 1439 Kieron's brother Alfred launched a rebellion of his own and almost every Legion switched to give allegiance to Alfred. Kieron committed suicide by leaping from Ostlake keep before he could be captured. He is today the only monarch of East Moreland without a Royal Naval vessel named after him. The remains of King Jasper are also not contained within the roundal as he left in his will the decision to be buried in the Alps and has a shrine in Keepton.  The final unaccounted King is Paul the Explorer, the most enigmatic of Moreland monarchs, however his Achkaerin wives remains are contained within the Maousoleum. As Dr.Howard explained, "The search for the remains of Paul the Explorer will continue for many years, Dr.Merriman has exhausted what I believe are most leads and as such we've not much to go at for the time being. Things can change though."

The refurbishment is set to be in the region of $10million and will include a new vault for remains which will be climate controlled and have an air purification system. The cost of the work will be covered by the Ironside family from personal funds. The King will also spend this weekend at the building marking the anniversary of his son Caspian's death. It is reported he will be joined by his ex-wife the former Queen Matilda.



(http://beertoday.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/doomlions0617.jpg)

HONEYBADGERS TO GET "DOWN TO BUSINESS"

The East Moreland national rugby team, the Honeybadgers, have departed for Bakkermaya for the opening ceremony of the Rugby World Cup. The Honeybadgers are the defending world champions and are strongly fancied to retain the trophy. The team have been drawn in Group B where most games will take place in Paracambi where the team will be based initially. The team are lead by Eddie Johns who lead the team to victory in the last world cup and the majority of the squad are retained.

One of those selected amid much speculation was Rollo MacAllister who was rumoured to be considering an appeal to play for Seaforth who lost in the opening game to hosts Bakkermaya. MacAllister said, "I'm a Honeybadger, I've 24 caps for them, a world cup winners medal and loads of happy memories. Being in Team Honeybadger once more gives me the chance to be a double world cup winner and that means I'm one of a very select band if it happens." Several of the current squad already hold a winners medal including captain Will Greenward who will likely win his 100th cap during the tournament.

The team features three uncapped players, Kyle Sinclair, Jack Noelle and Joe Cockersonger, all of whom Head Coach Eddie Johns says "are primed and ready to set the rugby world on fire. Wearing the Honeybadger jersey brings a rather unique pressure and if you can't cope with that you get nowhere near it. I've every confidence that Kyle, Jack and Joe will add to the legacy of the red shirt and fingers crossed bring home another world cup victory for a rugby loving nation."

One unique moment of the World Cup would come if the Honeybadgers win as Martin Jonson, the current Forwards Coach of the Honeybadgers would become the first person to win the trophy as both a player and a coach. Jonson lifted the trophy in the inaugral World Cup but retired straight after at the age of 35 having won 102 caps for the Honeybadgers. Jonson said, "I love the game and need to be around it. To think I may once more get my hands on the trophy is why I left the Keepton RUFC set up when Eddie offered me this chance. We've a great team spirit as you'd expect and I can't wait to see the lads do their bit."

Another unique story could be if Lodja win the tournament, the team are rank outsiders but are coached by former Honeybadgers coach Sir Clyde Windward who lead the team to their first World Cup win. Speaking from the Lodjain teams HQ he said, " With my homeland in Group B I'll be keeping an eye on them and cheering them on. I know rugby is a growing sport in Lodja and we've a mountain to climb if we're to emulate East Moreland but stranger things have happened in sport, I mean Northfort United have got the the Champions League final twice, maybe Lodja can be the rugby equivalent and we'll work hard to make them proud. It'll help having some home support with hosting some of the games and we've a good young squad keen to learn." Should Lodja do what many believe is the impossible Sir Clyde would become the first coach to win the tournament with two different nations.

TEAM HONEYBADGER

Forwards:- Joe Marlow (Prop), Dan Coals (Prop), Jason Leeonard (Prop), Kyle Sinclair (Prop), Dillon Hartlee (Hooker), Tom Young (Hooker), Brian More (Hooker), Rollo MacAllister (Lock/Flanker), Joe Lunchberry (Lock), George Cruise (Lock), Courtney Law (Lock/Flanker), Chris Robsure (Flanker), Richard Hills (Flanker), Sam Overhill (Flanker), Mick Skinner (Flanker) Ben Murgen (No.8), Nathanial Hughes (No.8)

Backs:- Danny Kare (Scrum Half), Richard Wiggleswart (Scrum Half), Toby Floods (Fly Half/Centre), Jon Wilkins (Fly Half/Centre), Will Greenward (Centre), Elliot Daily (Centre/Wing/Full Back), Mike Tindale (Centre), James Daniel-Simpson (Centre/Wing), Joseph Jonathon (Winger/Centre), Jack Noelle (Winger), Jonny Mahy (Winger), Mike Braun (Full Back/Winger) Joe Cockersonger (Winger/Full Back)

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 08, 2018, 08:32:45 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://3dwnh01icn0h133s00sokwo1-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Optimized-Konza-Plan2.jpg)

TECHNOLOGY CITY TO CHANGE NAME

It has been determined that the nations specialist hub for high tech industry will have its name changed. The city was founded as a planned settlement centred around the Royal Institute of Technology which is a centre of excellence for skills such as aerospace engineering, biomedical sciences and many other specialist fields. The city is also a dedicated trade zone where companies pay no tariffs on imports and tax rates are lower than the national set ones. The city however has always been called Technology City and it has now been granted a new name. The city will from January 1st 2019 be called Chamwick, the name was selected by local history teachers one of whom was Mary Scott, "The name translate literally as Farm of Technology, the word Cham being the Morelandish word for Technology and Wick the word for the produce of a farm.

It was further revealed that the name change will also herald in another two changes. Olivia Cole, the nations Minister for Science and Technology, stated "In the new year we will launch Phase Two of the project. A new airfield will open this one unique for EMAC it will also be made avaliable to others who wish to make use of it. At present we've an airport being shared between EMAC and commercial flights. We will also have two office complexes set up, the project is now a city of 200,000 people and growing, originally it was designed for 150,000 people. As such we now need to start providing much more in terms of health care, education and retail services. As such we'll be opening up for more investers from both East Moreland and overseas."

The second change will be that a new Duchy will be created as a Duke of Chamwick will be created, many have speculated that this will be Alex Redfern, the King's brother in law who currently holds no official title.



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 09, 2018, 08:33:29 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://api-static.eventsip.com/portals/files/15681/fit/1920x1080/eventsip-mice-espa-c3-b1a-convention-26-exhibition-centre-feria-valencia.jpg)

FIRST CNN TECH EXPO DUE TO START SOON

The first CNN Technology Expo is due to start next week in the newly named city of Chamwick. The festival of science and technology is likely to see some of Mundus biggest names unveiling new projects and advances as well as giving investors from across Mundus a chance to see the latest in small scale opportunities. While the vast majority of exhbitors come from the CNN alliance there are some from outside this group also showcasing their latest projects. Among the presentations from East Moreland there will be EMAC giving a talk on "The Future of Speed" while SmartWar will be presenting work based on new developments in SwarmBots. There are a large number of foreign investors also giving talks including Lodja Maritime Concerns who will be talking about large scale drones while Dalton Motors will be presenting about some mobile research rovers.

The Expo is also set to feature a visit by King David III who will officially re-name the city in a short ceremony at the start of the expo. The King has been a large scale supporter of the technology sector of East Moreland and is often a visitor to companies such as EMAC. The Royal Press Secretary, Malcolm Tucker said, "I know the King is rather excited for what EMAC are bringing, he was onboard with SSC Honeybadger from the get go and today in his office he even has a coffee table made out of various parts of the project. His daughter is also a big fan of SmartWar's SwarmBots and has visited their exhibit in Northfort several times. Rest assured this kind of showcase will have large scale support from the royals here and I hope around Mundus."

It is expected that several deals may be done during the week long show as non-CNN nations get a chance to visit and explore the technology being developed within the Alliance.



(https://www.automobilsport.com/uploads/_neustart6/march-12-2015/loic-duval-dragon-racing-e-prix.jpg)

HALLIDAY ARRIVES IN ACHKAERIN BRUISED

Rumours of a test crash filled the paddock at the Valkyria Grand Prix in Achkaerin as World Champion Rytol-EMAC driver Sam Halliday arrived with a black eye (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=543.msg10031;topicseen#msg10031). The 27 year old driver was seen testing at the EMAC track midweek amid reports of the car experiencing some "back end twitching" according to some sources following an upgrade package. While no crash was seen there appears to be the evidence of one on Halliday.

The Rytol-EMAC team principle, Simon Toller, the son of team founder Ryan Toller spoke during the teams arrival press conference saying, "The car is as good as always and ready to go. Sam and Matt are in good shape and we look forward to yet another good hard race."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 14, 2018, 08:48:55 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/V-Yl9JHN-0YbeqQy_5DVHv-EPWU=/0x0:4200x2870/1200x800/filters:focal(1764x1099:2436x1771)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/53386571/shutterstock_191702171.0.jpg)

"EMIS MAY HAVE AIDED IWI RAID" SAYS LEAK

A disgruntled member of the East Moreland Intelligence Service has released documents that may suggest that the recent rescue of Maori slaves in Tamora recieved support from our nation. The source leaked a series of e-mails between the EMIS HQ and the Iwi in which it is suggested that East Moreland assets be used to help prepare for the operation. This aid included providing photographic reconnessance, satellite imagery and electronics surveillance. It is also suggested that the Ekrabadger was in the region at the time. The e-mails were leaked by an individual said to be "fed up with the way the Service promote on name not on talent" and who felt "risky operations by those wishing to make a name for themselves are putting our people at risk. The nation needs to know the gambles they are taking often without the King's say so."

Sir Harry Sameulson, the nations Minister of Defence was asked about the leak but simply stated, "Our forces of all kinds have a long established routine of sucking in informaion from many sources across Mundus. As such they don't bother telling me every tiny piece of data we have on file. I ask EMIS to find something out for me and moments later it appears. It's their job to know stuff and find stuff out. Did that information get passed on to The Iwi and help them with their operation? That's not my place to discuss. As for the Ekrabadger it is enroute to Nya Aland for routine exercises with Red Legion. I suspect several East Moreland ships were in the Kyne when this went down, so are we suggesting each of those was involved?" The Minister went on to say, "I can't blame the Maori for doing this and I wish those now in a new home all the best."

The King too played down the situation saying. "I know as much as the world does about all the ins and outs. All I know is the MCUR recently was amended to give every person on Mundus a nationality, to make them a citizen of a nation and give them the protection that status carries out. The ethnic Maori of Tamora are not Tamoran citizens and therefore must belong somewhere. Ethnically their Maori so I suppose the Iwi has as much a right to call them citizens as anyone. If a nation was holding Morelanders in servitude you can bet your ass it'd take Jekar himself to stop me doing everything I could to bring them home. Its a delicate situation and while millions remain in servitude I hope these kind of raids are not to be the norm now."

TITLE "BACK HOME" SAYS LEWING
(https://scontent.fman3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19060100_10211072073530370_2467791837904744908_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&_nc_ht=scontent.fman3-1.fna&oh=01cda96ce6095a848d3076581ae758aa&oe=5CA4CD3F)

Mundus Games Gold Medalist for Medieval MMA, Caitlin Lewing is today celebrating winning the Council of Sports Swordsmanship World Title. The 24 year old extended her record to 20 wins in 20 fights after stopping World Champion Sarah Pembroke from Bakkermaya in the second round. The fight was the first world title fight and first major event of the CSS to be held outside East Moreland or Bakkermaya following the Pelagiya family organising the event in Lodja. This now means all the world titles are currently held by Morelanders something Lewing describes as "the natural order" in a post match interview, "East Moreland founded the sport, we made it grow and we live and breath it. This is like trying to take away whiskey from Seaforth, heavy metal from Rokkenjima or food from Nemerie. The titles belong in East Moreland and I'm just happy that the title is now back home."

The fight was a rather brutal one with both Lewing and Pembroke leaving the ring limping following the fight, it later turned out Pembroke had a stress fracture in her foot while Lewing has simply sprained her ankle. The fight saw 35,000 in attendance as well as around 5million Pay-per-view orders from East Moreland. The Pelagiya family, whose daughter Stasya is currently dating King David of East Moreland, put up the fighters purse which is thought to have netted Lewing a cool $800,000, which would be the largest purse by a female fighter. After the event Tobias Pelagiya, the patriach of the family and Ambassador to Alba Karinya said, "I have seen the sport many many times in East Moreland and it is exciting, it looks dangerous and that brings something new to the crowd. It is my hope we can get more Lodjains competing and more events here."

It is likely Lewing will defend her new title in a rematch against Pembroke in February when the CCS put on an event in Ostlake. The CCS President stated, "As custom a contract for a title fight gives a losing champion the right to a rematch within six months. I'd expect Pembroke to use that and the most obvious time would be at Ostlake, for some reason should she not take up that clause then we'll be looking at Gillian Murphy to challenge for the title." The next major event for the CSS is the hotly anticipated Men's Heavyweight fight between World Champion and Mundus Games Gold Medalist Louis Blanche and challenger Tom Ridge, the only man to have defeated Blanche. This takes place in the King Robert Arena in Northfort on January 2nd an event that sold out within 3 hours with 80,000 tickets sold.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 16, 2018, 09:14:29 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.deseretnews.com/images/article/hires/1820254/1820254.jpg)

DENMAN OPENS TEMPLE IN SILVERHILLS

Breakaway religious leader Jinny Denman has today opened her sects latest Temple in Silverhills, this is the Sisterhood of Helus' 2nd temple after the first opened in a Northfort suburb some 6 months ago. The second one is much larger than the first something Denman explained is because of "the rapid acceptance our faith is gaining as we get more and more publicity." The Sisterhood differs from the Cult by believing that Helus was in fact female and not male and that Raimond Unasson, thought to be the ancestor of the Ironside family was born from Helus thus meaning the Ironsides are a direct descendent of Helus. A crowd of a few thousand attended the opening where Denman , the self styled High Priestess of the Sisterhood gave a sermon which included criticism of the King's current relationship.

"I know I have said this time and again but as a descendent of Raimond Unasson the King of East Moreland has a duty to protect the bloodline of the Gods. We have already seen one disasterous marriage, the first of a Morelander royal to a commoner and sadly his sister Princess Freya followed his example soon after. Time is not against us however, the King is in good health and could produce more children and should. He should find a nice Moreland noble woman who is as dedicated to Helus as she is to him and produce a proper heir." There was controversey however as several accounts proporting to belong to followers of the Sisterhood have been stiring up hatred against former Queen , Matilda Osman, as well as the legitimacy of Princess Rhiannon in succession to the throne. Several tweets with comments of "#Mudblood #NotMyPrincess " have been circulating following an incident in Neu Urburzis where Princess Rhiannon is rumoured to have been involved in an incident involving "Crocodiles"

Denman responded to the abuse saying, "Princess Rhiannon is from the blood of the King and sadly this makes her the heir to the throne. We need someone of purer blood though to lead our nation once King David has gone. This however is not the fault of the child. I am sure Rhiannon will make an excellent envoy of the Ironside family when older but she has no right being Queen." Denman went on to suggest that the daughter of Lord Jenson Matthews, 24 year old Abigail (https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1049258095887745024/nInLJNr4_400x400.jpg) would be the perfect Queen. "She is a follower of the Sisterhood, just graduated with a degree in Veternary Medicine and the Matthews family are old and prestigious. She is much better candidate than this Lodjain Lady who while she is noble is no follower of Helus."

Denman also went on to explain that she intends to build a temple in Bakkermaya in the coming months.



(http://bupublicpolicyblog.blogs.bucknell.edu/files/2014/04/National-Survey.jpeg)

NORTHFORT 2018 SURVEY PART ONE

The Northfort News 2018 Survey has been completed and the results are being poured over by the nation. Over the next few issues we'll explore some of the responses and what they reveal about East Moreland.

One of the first questions was about whether people still support the Monarchy, 59% either strongly supported or supported the monarchy while a further 11% were neutral in their opinions. This is down slightly from other years where the King enjoyed the support of around 62% of the nation. One explanation for the decline was given by one respondent who said, "The King seems a good guy but at the moment he's let us go quiet, the nation was a leading light at one point but we've started to become rather inward looking and limiting ourselves to working with a handful of nations. We've had very few national projects to make life better for the Morelanders, we need more things like when we had Carpenter as Chief Councillor."

The second question focused on the Representative Council where Chief Councillor Thomas More enjoyed only a 42% approval rating the lowest in his two year tennancy in the position. Many put this down to his losses in the CNN Referendum campaign as well as what one respondent described as "A lack of leadership charisma" One other respondent stated, "He's a clown, he let the youngest Councillor run rings round him and now is essentially a yes man to the monarchy" With elections two years away though it is highly likely that More will weather the storm.

An annual series of question focuses on East Moreland's foreign relations. The nations ranked as the Top Three Useful allies were 1. Ui Cenneslaig 2. Seaforth 3. Achkaerin, a change from last year when Achkaerin ranked second thus maybe highlighting the nations focus on security in the Illumic rather than wider global affairs. When asked to rank the nations as closest allies the order came out as 1. Lodja 2. Seaforth 3.Ui Cenneslaig, the Kings relationship with Lodja being a key reason for their high ranking while the personal friendship between the Ironsides and the Rhodes being a key in their position. When asked to rank the nations with which relationships were worst the order came in 1. Royal Seleucid, 2. Zimalia and 3.Rokkenjima. Rokkenjima making the bottom three comes after heated words earlier in the year from Empress Beatrice which saw the Tripartite collapse. One respondent said, " We see our King put aside personal feelings all the time for the sake of our Kingdom, what we saw from Rokkenjima was their Empress essentially saying she is Rokkenjima, we cant trust her so we can't trust their nation." Royal Seleucid remained as the lowest ranked mainly due to its involvement several years ago in the Cultist genocide.

In a new question the public where asked about the relationship of the King with Lady Stasya of Lodja, 36% approved of the relationship while 32% stated they didn't have an opinion. 32% however said they disapproved with one respondent saying, "The Queen of East Moreland should be a Morelander. Yes she's hot but there are plenty of sexy single Morelanders who'd make much better Queens."

Next issue we'll bring further responses on a range of subjects including foreign policy, military matters and the economy.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 17, 2018, 08:40:13 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://medias.unifrance.org/medias/205/160/172237/format_page/jamie-bamber-griffith.jpg)

REDFERN REFUTES "ROKKENJIMA NONSENSE"

Following a reported leak by the Free Mundus Network (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=214.msg10150#msg10150) it was left to Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker and well respected military man Alex Redfern of Red Legion to give East Moreland's response. The pair found themselves doing a hastily arranged tour of the various news programmes in what Tucker described as "a fire-fighting operation designed to put out the smouldering mess of fake news." Free Mundus Network reported that "An anonymous source familiar with the Rokkenjiman intelligence community has tied Morelander covert operations with the deaths of a number of Rokkenjimans abroad." If proven it could land the East Moreland intelligence community in hot water.

It was left for Major Redfern, who worked in the East Moreland Intelligence Service for a short time on secondment from the nations elite Red Legion to answer the accusers. "I can categorically state that these deaths have nothing to do with EMIS. Lets look at what we have, a Rokkenjiman Intelligence community that's about as water tight as an old sieve. Now yes we have been handed a list of the names of what we're calling rouge agents and should any have been discovered by ourselves in East Moreland then we'd have arrested them. Yet the very fact this has come from a leak shows there are countless ways this information can have spread to Helus knows who. Now picture the scene, you've a list of rouge agents out there and you've been running them. You know that sooner or later they're going to get caught and then talk, so what do you do if your their handler? You cut down your list of agents and in the world of rouges that means a bullet between the eyes if your lucky. We had no reason to kill them. Our operations are secure and I'm confident we have nothing to fear from Anauša angry at their Empress or whatever. We've been here with these black op assassination mumbo jumbo before, Princess Serenity in the past has accused us of operations in Safraen and not a shred of evidence exists except Borlander propaganda. It now seems this Rokkenjiman source is also taken in by these conspiracy theories. Frankly I'm flattered that people think we're capable of hitting potential enemies at any point on the globe so easily."

Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker also questioned the leak. "We all know from time to time leaks happen as a way of getting information out to the public in such a way as people get their hands clean. Here we see the Rokkenjimans doing nothing to mop up the mess that this leak is causing, instead their content to let it just sit out there gaining momentum. Its another case of Rokkenjima using the media to discredit someone who doesn't see them the way they see themselves."

Redfern concluded by saying that the leak highlights a more serious issue. "The FMN article states they picked up "increased chatter amongst Republican sympathizers indicating a level of organization not seen since the closing days of the Second Patriotic War." Our source now wonders if this chatter was a component of the Morelander operations which killed a number of Rokkenjiman nationals, mostly on foreign soils. " This indicates the Rokkenjimans are somehow monitoring members of the East Moreland Intlligence Service, something that is rather alarming for our nation. Essentially Rokkenjiman appear to be spying on us. It also highlights another issue if it turns out they are not spying on us, which I believe they are, it shows us that the Rokkenjimans will buy anything. I know first hand our Intelligence Services have carried out no such operations and I know that if we did we wouldn't be chattering in any way the Rokkenjimans would know and the Rokkenjimans know that. EMIS is one of the best if not the best Intelligence Service in Mundus. Weekly they stop tens of Borlander attacks and we've limited them to pointless swipes at targets of no significance, do you honestly think we'd be dumb enough to go bragging about a successful covert black op in a manner the Rokkenjimans would know? Seriously it wouldn't happen. This is just more Rokkenjiman nonsense. I believe the Achkaerin military are conducting a deep review of the Rokkenjiman Anauša and Intelligence Services. I'll save them the time, sack them all, start again."[1]

 1. OOC- Essentially the FMN article is true but there is no evidence tying EM to the deaths. The assassinations were carried out by a group called the Nightwitches which are a highly secretive group known only to Redfern, Grace Yacobs and one small squad of Red Legionnaires. They don't "chatter" though as all communication on operation set up and conclusion is done face to face verbally
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 23, 2018, 01:37:50 AM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2018/07/Alexandria-sarcophagus-1418748.jpg)

TOMB FOUND IN PORTWORTH CONNECTED TO KING PAUL

During an expansion of an office building in Portworth Naval Dockyards a small tomb has been found. The tomb seems to have been dedicated to one individual and rather than a funeral urn a large black sarcophagus made from granite was discovered. Famed historian Dr.Marcus Merriman has briefly examined the sarcophagus and says he is "reasonably confident" that the tomb was from the 12th Century. "The various objects we've found around the granite sarcofigus point to a date of around the 12th century, we have also spotted on it a symbol which is connected with the Horseman of Jekar, its something we're very excited about." The Horseman of Jekar where a group of nobles who feared that when King Paul the Explorer disappeared for a period that he had died and went searching for him, they also helped found Bakkermaya. "The Horseman are a valued part of East Moreland folklore and responsible in a large part for creating the nation of Bakkermaya, they are closely connected to Red Legion in their history and we will be working with institutions in Edwinstowe to see what we can learn."

The tomb also had an inscription on it that read "The Raven shall swoop across the lair of the Wolf. Beneath the Ravens wing in a great might which shall put aside the darkness." It is common for ancient tombs to contain inscriptions referencing nature and the land many of these where thought to be metaphors for events in the persons life or their families future. One of the most famous ones was found on the tomb of Paul The Explorer, the tomb was empty having been built for him when he first left East Moreland and rumours of his death spread, however he then returned before going on his final journey where he disappeared. He famously sent a message back which said, "Beyond the realms of East Moreland in the east lies a danger. The Stars of the East must not come to the land of the Alba Karinyan hills" This was taken as a warning about the Ardian Empire. Dr.Merrimen spoke of the new inscription saying, "These things are always a mystery, often until we can work out who the tomb belongs to we can't work out what these inscriptions mean. Its half the fun of archaeology."



(https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/79/590x/secondary/Outnumbered-cast-Karen-Ramona-Marquez-age-2017-Instagram-1100243.jpg)

PRINCESS "FIGHTS CROCODILES"

There have been thousands of social media responses to news that Princess Rhiannon was involved in an incident at Neu Urburzis (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=324.msg10140#msg10140) where she was pictured throwing stones at crocodiles. It transpires two young members of the Neu Urburzis royal family had thrown a rabbit into the enclosure during the opening of the new Zoo where children where encouraged to visit with their pet. Princess Rhiannon was accompanying her Mother when the incident took place along with her pet Fennec Fox called Goldie. The Princess was originally criticised by Jinny Denman's religious foreigners for being "not fully noble" and some had said the incident showed "just how much her blood is polluted." However with further details emerging the full story now explains how the Princess was trying to help a local child. Alongside Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker we were allowed to speak with the young Princess and heir to the East Moreland throne.

"Daddy says that as Morelanders we should follow the Code of Canny and help people who need defending. The girls where mean to the boy and bullying is wrong, we get our dinner time taken away at school if they think we're bullies. I tried to climb in as well but my dress wasn't helping me and so I thought I'll just throw stones at them, I'm a good shot because I play Goal Attack at school in Netball. I think I got one Croccydile in the eye. Then Abby (Rhiannon's Security Agent) caught up with me because I'd run away from her, I got put on the naughty step for that. Abby is bigger than me and jumped in and saved the day. Abby is my hero because she fences really really well and fights Crocodiles."

The King was made aware of the incident and was said to be "concerned but relieved" and later in the day said, "Rhiannon needs to think sometimes before she acts. She means well and I'm proud that she thinks of others and tried to do something but she'd been told time and again about staying with adults, she's too quick and inquisative. We've had a talk and she's lost her sword lessons for a week but she has the makings of a great Queen." It is understood that the King has also instructed a review of security accompanying his daughter when staying with her mother.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 29, 2018, 01:08:35 AM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02849/Caverswall_Castle__2849764k.jpg)

TOMB TO BE STUDIED BY BAKKERMAYANS

Dr.Marcus Merriman of the Royal Merriman University has requested scholars from Bakkermaya come to East Moreland to help examine the recently found sarcofigus thought to belong to a Horseman of Jekar. The 80 year old former tutor of King David explained, "The Bakkermayans are the experts on the Horseman of Jekar, they carved out their nation and are revered even today. It makes sense for us to work together to explore the tomb and try and make sense of it." The team from the Professors University have released several images of the tomb on social media and have even been seen taking various devices in hoping to see inside. "Yesterday we found a small crack on the side that we can get a fibre optic cable inside, it's sadly revealed very little as we couldn't really manouver things around too well for fear of causing damage. Once we get it to a more controlled environment we'll open it safely and look inside." The Professor did reveal however that their glimpse inside revealed two things, "We know there is an urn inside the sarcofagus but the grave goods placed within kind of pinned us to one side of the box, we could make out some words on the inside of the lid but not enough to make any sense."

Hopes are already raising that the words could give clues as to the various destinations of King Paul's 12th century journeys. Dr.Merriman explained, "With Paul we have some of his earlier journeys and adventures well mapped, we know for example that he visited Achkaerin, took a wife and then returned to East Moreland for three months before heading off again. The Horseman once more went after him and again he disappeared but this time didn't resurface. Until word of his death emerged, perhaps those words were exaggerated, there were always rumours he'd simply been happy letting his son become King while he walked the face of Mundus. Some more exaggerated legends say he still walks ready for when we need him, but clearly thats nonsense."


(https://www.thetimes.co.uk/imageserver/image/methode%2Ftimes%2Fprodmigration%2Fweb%2Fbin%2F79705f6d-6ae3-3618-a795-fbae26d62463.jpg?crop=780%2C520%2C0%2C0&resize=685)

KING TO MEET DENMAN

It was confirmed today that the King will meet Jinny Denman as part of the new year series of meetings the King holds. Traditionally the King has spent January 3rd meeting members of influential groups within East Moreland to discuss the year ahead. Denman is the leader of the breakaway group from the Cult of Helus known as the Sisterhood of Helus which believes the mainstream Cult has misinterpreted the sacred texts and that Helus is in fact female. They have been highly critical of the King in the past and so the meeting is something of a surprise. Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker explained her invitation saying, "Denman's religious views may have major differences to the Kings but she represents 1million followers at least, this means she has some influence and as such the King is interested in her voice. It's disrespectful to Morelanders not to consider a wide range of opinions and King David has never wanted to be surrounded by yes men. It will be an interesting conversation I am sure."

Denman will be given 40 minutes alone with the King and will be free to bring up any areas of concern or give whatever advice she wishes, as Mr.Tucker explained, "These meetings are mainly the King listening, making notes and asking questions." It is thought she will bring up the King's relationship with Lady Stasya of Lodja as well as increased religious education in schools. Other people invited for meetings with the King will be the leaders of each of the six political parties, the head of each of the armed forces, Sir Charles Townsend (Head of the Court of Canley) , High Priestess Skye Maddix and several leading business leaders including Sir Alan Maybury. The King is also expected to attend an invitation to members of the public and ambassadors to meet sometime in the new year as Tucker explained. "The King has witnessed the Lodjain Queen's hold open courts for people to present ideas or requests, its something a little nostalgic perhaps but the King thinks it important to do something similar to allow the general public of East Moreland to have their voices heard."



(https://img.maximummedia.ie/joe_ie/eyJkYXRhIjoie1widXJsXCI6XCJodHRwOlxcXC9cXFwvbWVkaWEtam9lLm1heGltdW1tZWRpYS5pZS5zMy5hbWF6b25hd3MuY29tXFxcL3dwLWNvbnRlbnRcXFwvdXBsb2Fkc1xcXC8yMDE3XFxcLzExXFxcLzIxMjA1NzI2XFxcL3Nhb2lyc2Vyb25hbi5qcGdcIixcIndpZHRoXCI6NzY3LFwiaGVpZ2h0XCI6NDMxLFwiZGVmYXVsdFwiOlwiaHR0cHM6XFxcL1xcXC93d3cuam9lLmllXFxcL2Fzc2V0c1xcXC9pbWFnZXNcXFwvam9lXFxcL25vLWltYWdlLnBuZz92PTVcIn0iLCJoYXNoIjoiYjk4NTFhM2VhZTcxMTQxYjUwOTQwOWUzZTY0YWUzNzk0ZGUzMDJkMiJ9/saoirseronan.jpg)

LUSK MAKES NEW YEARS HONOURS LIST

The traditional New Year's Honours list was released today and former Youth Minister and CTO Refugee Agency leader Melissa Lusk is among those to be honoured. The Freestone native is to be inducted into the Order of the Sword for what has been described as , "Inspirational actions to help promote an end to slavery across Mundus while at the same time making the safety of Lakhzovian Refugees her personal responsibility by not only acting as CTO Refugee Agency leader but personally voulenteering as an Air Force Reservist to work on the ground in a combat zone. Her selfless acts show a great dedication to her duties, her people and her faith." Along with Tim Carpenter she established the Freestone Abolitionist Society which created a system to tell consumers which products were made using slave labour as well as encouraging consumers to avoid products which used slaves. The Freestone Mark was later adopted by several nations as a qualification for the import of Tamoran goods. When informed of her award Lusk said, "I'm glad FAS has been seen to be so inspirational, the whole team really deserve this medal. FAS wasn't new, it existed in the 1700 and 1800's to end East Moreland taking in slave made goods and was successful, we just resurrected it on a global scale. It was those in the original FAS who should be honoured." It is expected Lusk will resign her Refugee Agency role in the new year and at that point will undertake a sword ceremony as High Priestess Skye Maddix says that between her reservist duties and role with the government and then CTO she will have fulfilled the requirement to serve her nation.

Tim Carpenter, who already has the Moreland Cross, is to be inducted into the Order of the Shield, an organisation that is made up of people who are not members of the military and have "undertaken actions to defend the nation and its honour" he too was rewarded for helping establish the FAS as well as according to the King, " Making the issue of mental health an international one by publically speaking about his own condition and acting as an example for many youngsters who feel they can not discuss mental health issues." Carpenters apparent breakdown while leading the CTO saw him replaced and treated for what he has described as "a long running, ever increasing case of PTSD" the regular posts he made about his condition in the aftermath saw the East Moreland sports teams wear pink socks for matches in support of mental health charities and was copied by several other nations. The HoneyBadgers at the rugby World Cup have even confirmed they will wear Pink socks for their final group game and in the final should they get there. Carpenter is also a member of the Court of Canley, the highest honour a member of the Cult of Helus can receive. Carpenter was asked to comment on his award but simply said, "The King has my thanks, but all I did was get better. The nurses and staff at the Freestone Hospital are the ones who did this not me."

Various other awards go to members of the science community and sports world. Medieval MMA fighter Caitlin Lewing is made a holder of the Moreland Cross following her victories at the Mundus Games and also bringing the World Title back to East Moreland. The sport is growing in popularity and Lewing is part of its appeal, she stated, "A Morelander getting a medal for being good at sword stuff is nothing new. I'm proud to follow a long line of Morelanders who have done it in the past."

One of the more amusing awards is to "Bob, Solo and Blinky" the three Swarmbots who captured the worlds imagination after spending over a year on the moon before being "rescued" by an EMAC probe. They are awarded the The Royal Moreland Cross, for "showing survival skills well beyond those expected of a Morelander in hostile conditions and inspiring a nation." The award was explained by Chief of Royal Household Quinn Germaine who is responsible for carrying out the Kings awards, "This may seem a strange one, but it keeps the idea of science and technological achievement in the press, once more we're talking about the Lunar Three and that is always a good thing. These awards were established back in the medieval period to inspire people and thats what this does. "

Following consultation with the High Priestess King David is also pushing for Joshua Rhodes to be inducted into the Order of Helus, an honour given to those who have given "Meritorious Service to the Religious life of the Kingdom or to the Cult of Helus " The King explained the decision saying, "This year the nation of Seaforth has thankfully risen from the ashes. At its heart was Joshua Rhodes looking after a small band of trapped survivors making their rescue his personal responsibility. That is something the Code of Canley approves of and so do I . We realise these actions were made possible by dedicated medical staff who cared for him and they too will be investigated to see if they merit some award of a religious nature. Joshua is a Cultist convert but holds the Code every bit as dear as myself and I would be proud to see him become the first of what I think will be a long line of Seaforthians to be members of the Order of Helus."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 30, 2018, 12:14:46 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2wjCYetGmQQ/WyJxBW5KvxI/AAAAAAAAzCc/i1KaMRQB2DQipwiJsC7kYlvsqt9qTU9UwCLcBGAs/s1600/katee-interview4.jpg)

QUINTELIA SHOULDN'T "WASTE AIR FARE" SAYS PRINCESS

Following the Rokkenjiman press leak and subsequent arrest of a suspected Bene Gesserit sympathiser Quintelia (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=465.msg10298#msg10298) have announced an investigation into the death of a supposed Rokkenjiman agent in their nation. Following which their Minister of Defence said " This would leave the Morelanders to be guilty if we get to know which of their citizens did this" and then announced that they will be sending an investigator to East Moreland. It was left to Princess Freya, who is overseeing the referendum in Academica, to respond to the news.

"The Quintelian investigators should have saved themselves the air fare. They are of course welcome to come and spend their time in Northfort enjoying the nice museums, cafes and bars, but when your chasing a lie there isn't much we can do to help. Whoever they send will just find themselves wandering Northfort with doors closed to them, much the same way East Moreland doesn't negotiate with terrorists we don't feel the need to disprove fairy tales. I look forward to when Quintelia announce their investigations into the Alucard Triangle, the Yeti and lock up the tooth fairy for stealing people's property. The fact that they have brought into this myth that East Moreland has secret killers hiding in every shadow ready to deal death to our enemies is absurd and its not the first time such nonsense has been peddled. We've had Princess Serenity accuse us of it in the past and now it seems the Quintelians have been infected with the same craziness. Lets look at it this way, a woman was found dead from poisioning in a water tank following a breaking and entry and somehow East Moreland carried this out. We've some of the most skilled operators on Mundus when it comes to covert operations, if we'd have done this you'd still be looking for the body. Frankly Quintelia needs to get itself sorted and check its water supplies rather than accuse us based on the ramblings of a disgraced Rokkenjiman Bene Gesserit terrorist loving sympathiser."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 03, 2019, 01:12:47 AM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/styles/main_image_article_page/public/main-images/British%20troops%20could%20form%20part%20of%20a%20new%20Libya%20force%20%28AFP%29.jpg)

LEGIONS PLACED ON STANDBY

Minister of Defence Sir Harry Samuelson today announced that following  an incident (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=1220.msg10331#new) in Royal Seleucid's Celtic Protectorate the nations military had been placed on standby. Speaking at a hastily arranged press conference the former Red Legionnaire marksman instructor said, "The Protectorate is a potential hot bed of trouble. We trust the Cenneg to keep a lid on the pressure pot that is building but on the other hand we can not stand back and watch should the situation boil over. As such we have placed Duke and People's Legion on standby for immediate deployment as well as cancelling leave for the Air Force and Navy. We are the nation that hosts the foundation of the Cult of Helus and we shall not stand back and watch our fellow Cultists get slaughtered."

High Priestess Skye Maddix also spoke on the issue in her sermon at the Temple of Helus today, "We know only too well the suffering of those Cultists who call Seleucid home. I pray that despite the provocation they've been given in the last few days they retain cooler heads and don't lash out. Each Cultist has a responsibility to defend those who can not defend themselves. It has always been our way to do everything possible to avoid unneccessary bloodshed, do not now tarnish our faith by striking at those Seleucid who wish you no harm. Do everything you can to find a way towards a peaceful future." It is understood that some 800,000 Cultists live in Seleucid and around 500,000 of these live in the Celtic Protectorate which has a total population of around 3.2million people. Following the Cultist genocide some 200,000 or so Cultists are thought to have been murdered however the true number is unlikely to ever be worked out.

It is also expected that King David will be requesting the activation of two of the Global Pre-Positioning Ships in the coming days. These ships are large cargo vessels maintained by civilain merchant seaman and spend most of the year at sea docking at several agreed locations for resupply. Each of the ships is stocked with enough food rations, ammunition and supplies to support a Task Force of around 2000 men for 30 days. One ship is currently close to The Iwi where King Piripi is unlikely to deny docking. The other is currently moving through the Alucard heading to one of the Bakkermayan islands. Sir Harry Samuelson explained the movements, "The GPPS system was set up to allow East Moreland forces to respond to any situation on the planet at a moments notice. The ships contain military supplies of course but things such as the high calorie food packs and water purifcation systems have also in the past been used for humanitarian efforts, we are moving them constantly around the globe and as such it is no surprise that with this situation we are looking to get them into the Kyne." The nation boasts four of the vessels, one is currently in the Cenneg dockyards for maintenance while another is in currently being audited in Portworth.



(https://www.hellomagazine.com/imagenes/healthandbeauty/hair/2017101843310/outnumbered-karen-actress-unrecognisable-new-hair/0-220-887/outnumbered-karen-actress-now-t.jpg)

KING HOLDS MATILDA NOT UBURZIS RESPONSIBLE FOR PRINCESSES "TURBULENT VISIT"

Palace insiders have today suggested that King David is seeking to place more controls on his former wife Matilda Osman while responsible for their daughter Princess Rhiannon. The Princess was involved in an incident in Neu Uburzis recently where she ended up throwing stones at crocodiles after some then unknown children had thrown a bunny rabbit into their enclosure leading to Prince Augustin of Uburzis trying to rescue the rabbit. It was an East Moreland Close Protection Agent who eventually got Augustin and the rabbit out. Our source said, "The King was furious because of the backlash about Rhiannon's behaviour and how she was at risk. He's currently consulting with his security advisers about putting stricter security in place for Rhiannon's visits to her mother." Currently it is understood that Matilda Osman is reluctant to have high levels of security around herself and her family as she feels it is unneccessary and she doesn't want Rhiannon to miss out on time with the Osman side of her family because of strict security. In the past Matilda has said, "Rhiannon is first and foremost a young girl who should be free to enjoy growing up." However in the past the King has had her accompany him on small greetings of foreign guests. It is understood Matilda took her to an opening of a new zoo against the advice of the Royal Security agents.

The source also said the King didn't blame the hosts for what he described as a "turbulent visit that made our future monarch at first look like a violent thug." However the Princess, who has always enjoyed the support of the public even when criticised as being "unpure royalty" by religious leader Jinny Denman, has seen her popularity rise even more since the incident. The hashtags #OurPrincessFightsCrocodiles and #PrincessCrocKiller have featured heavily in the past few days. The King however is said to have "no ill will towards the children involved. He sees them as making very poor decisions but understands all children will make them and is certain appropriate action has been taken to help guide them." Meanwhile Princess Rhiannon was pictured leaving school yesterday early with a handkerchief under her nose. Royal press secretary Malcolm Tucker addressed the issue at his daily press briefing by saying, "The Princess had a rather severe nose bleed, it was not a crocodile related incident but did require medical attention. Last I checked she was relaxing at home enjoying hot chocolate."

However while the popularity of Princess Rhiannon is increasing it would appear her potential future Step-Mother's is declining. Lady in Waiting Stasya Pelagiya and the King have been an item for around six months now and originally the Lodjain noble enjoyed a high approval rating however following a fashion show in Neu Urburzis the 23 year old was criticised for using an image of the King in the launching of her fashion line. During the show the noble-woman walked down the catwalk in a figure hugging dress escorted by two men wearing masks of King David, at the end of the walk she passionately kissed one of them much to the amusement of the assembled crowd. The display however did not go down too well in East Moreland one commenter on social media said, "The King of East Moreland is not someone to be used to advertise your tarty clothing line" while another said, "Even jokingly kissing another man, even if he's wearing a mask of your boyfriend, isn't on. I've heard the Lodjain's are pretty liberal when it comes to romance and bedroom stuff but this is a King and deserves respect." The Palace have not commented on the matter.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 05, 2019, 05:59:32 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/720x405/p05xz79j.jpg)

LUSK RESIGNATION COULD BE DEATH KNELL FOR CTO

It was announced today that the CTO's Refugee Council Chairperson has resigned her position. Following her resignation she gave a short speech on EMTV in which she believes now the CTO will collapse. "The CTO has failed in its missions for a long time now. It was only by the force of wills of Achkaerin and East Moreland that it achieved anything, first Achkaerin went and then East Moreland remained, essentially using the CTO as a vehicle for our work with refugees. During my tenure as head of the Refugee Council we saw service in Mavrosia, Nya Aland twice, Lakhzovia and Zimalia. During that time the vast majority of staff in my department have been Morelanders and until they left Achkaerin. We are now officially flogging a dead horse. The only good in the long term that has come from the CTO is the Refugee Council and I have a plan in mind to ensure that this legacy continues."

The news was meet with a mixed response by King David who said, "Here in East Moreland we had Melissa Lusk as our first ever Youth Minister and she set a very high bar for everyone else to follow. She has been an outstanding leader of the refugee council and everywhere that she has sent staff she herself has gone, an example to anyone in a leadership role. Her remarks about the CTO are sad but true, and while our position in the CTO is under constant review you can rest easy knowing that East Moreland will support her initiatives going forward should they be along similar lines." East Moreland currently houses several thousand refugees from Lakhzovia in Hunters Vale, a former specialist warfare Air Force base converted into a refugee reception centre, it is estimated some 120,000 refugees from Mavrosia, Seleucid, Nya Aland and Lakhzovia have passed through the base in the last few years and that the majority of these people remain in East Moreland. "

Foreign Minister Edward Tamana said, "The status of these refugees is constantly on going, broadly speaking the Alanders are in the process of returning home as we speak, the Mavrosians are likely to be staying long term since the collapse of their homeland, meanwhile the conflict in Lakhzovia has only recently finished and we have heard nothing about the status of these refugees. Those from Seleucid are a different category all together and their case is likely to see a great many offered the permanent right to stay." Speaking on Lusk's resignation Tamana said, "Melissa has done an outstanding job, be it getting people to safety or her Refugee University initiative. She can lay her burden of public service down now at a very young age and people would think nothing less of her, however I know what she goes onto next will be a great success."



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 08, 2019, 11:43:22 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://theyoungtalent.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/5/9/13596405/7974241_orig.jpg)

PRINCESS IN HOSPITAL DASH

The Palace this morning confirmed that last night Princess Rhiannon, the heir to the East Moreland throne, was rushed to hospital. The six year old Princess had apparently complained of feeling ill and was taken by military helicopter to the Northfort Royal Infirmary where her condition has been described as "non-threatening" . The Princess had also been taken home from school a few days previous due to feeling ill and having a nose bleed that required medical attention, Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker however said that the two incidents are non-related before saying, "Rhiannon is the heir to the throne of East Moreland, our future Queen and as such we need to ensure she is brought up in peace and allowed to learn and develop to be as strong a Queen as her namesake Rhiannon The Fierce. That has always been the reason His Majesty has tried to keep her out of the public glare as much as necessary. It also means that we need her fit, healthy and like all children in school. The King felt her health recently has been impacting her education and wants to ensure she is fit and healthy so that she can become the Princess we as a nation need."

It was revealed that a private OsmanTech helicopter also flew to the hospital taking Rhiannon's mother, Matilda Osman, to the hospital to be with her daughter. The former Queen was seen exiting the aircraft with Princess Rhainnon's half brother Oliver Halliday, the two year old suffers from the same genetic medical condition that Rhainnon's twin brother Prince Caspian suffered with until his death at age 3. Doctors have ruled out any similar condition for Rhiannon with Royal Doctor Felicia Henry saying, "The condition of Hunter's Syndrome only occurs in males, as such we can say for certain this is not anything connected to that. We are keeping the Princess in hospital for observation and request the media keep a respectful distance from the hospital for both patients privacy and security concerns."

Recently the Princess was involved in an incident while visiting a zoo in Neu Urburzis where she gained popularity on the internet when she was seen throwing stones at Crocodiles in an attempt to help a member of the Neu Urburzis Imperial family who had clambered into their enclosure to retrieve a pet rabbit. This lead to the hastag #OurPrincessFightsCrocodiles trending on social media within East Moreland. Soon after the news was announced of Rhiannon's hospitalisation the hashtag #GetWellWarriorPrincess began trending. One social media observer ssaid, "Our royal family have always been popular, but now we're seeing a Royal Family living their lives in the public eye like never before. King David, Princess Freya and Princess Joanna grew up at a time when the royals still maintained a distance from the general public, kept their lives as closely guarded secret as the old nuclear codes. Those days are gone and now the Ironsides are becoming more and more watched through the gaze of things like twitter and instagram. Rhiannon is firmly in that gaze and has now gone from a cute little baby to a kind of fearless little girl fighting Crocodiles. It plays into the East Moreland psyche and has endeared Rhiannon to her future subjects already." Even within an hour of the news being released well wishers were dropping off bags of sweets and toys for the Princess. King David, who did not speak to the media himself, thanked the people bringing gifts for their concerns but asked them not to. In a statement read by Malcolm Tucker the King said, "Rhiannon has plenty of toys and we try and limit her sweet intake. The thoughts are beautiful but please don't come to the hospital, staff are extremely busy and sadly don't have time to deal with these gestures. I would ask if people wish to do something for my daughter they donate any toys to a local children's home or something in her name."


(http://www.ancient.eu/img/r/p/750x750/526.jpg?v=1485682214)

TOMB CONTAINS MAP

Dr.Marcus Merrimen believes that the discovery of the tomb of the almost mythical King Paul the Explorer may be close to being found. In a recent discovery of a tomb belonging to a Horseman of Jekar, a group of soldiers who travelled off to find the King when he disappeared several times in hist travel, a stone map was discovered. This map contains descriptions of a known part of Paul's journey when he ventured to Achkaerin, he returned briefly to East Moreland before heading off to Ardia again. It was at this time the nation of Bakkermaya was carved out as the Horseman followed their King. The map also shows part of the journey across what is modern day Edwinstowe, the capital of Bakkermaya, a nation named for Paul's first wife. Dr.Merriman who has in the past stated, "Finding Paul's tomb would make the 50 plus years of my life dedicated to the study of history worthwhile. This is the closest we've been ever, a soldier known to have travelled with the King, a tomb and a map. We can now start exploring those places marked on the map for more evidence."

It is understood Dr.Merriman and his team are working alongside Bakkermayan experts in Edwinstowe to explore some leads they say they are not yet revealing. "The tomb has become almost a mythical object, a kind of Holy Grail for Morelanders." Dr.Merriman explains, "Paul left us many warnings about the world, many predictions that came true. He predicted the Ardian Empire's warmongering according to some and so as such he has been raised up to an almost prophet type figure. That means wherever this tomb his and whatever is contained within it will have collectors of East Moreland historical artefacts drooling. The last thing we want are grave robbers finding it before us."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 14, 2019, 10:17:03 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://static.standard.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2017/05/25/12/armylondon.jpg?w968)

ACADEMICA REFERENDUM CLOSES IN 24 HOURS

The referendum on the future of Academica closes in 24 hours and should the results go towards one of three option then the nation could become a limited part of East Moreland. The people of the once war torn nation have been at peace for just over a year now and have been under the protection of East Moreland military, and to a lesser extent a token force of Heyran peacekeepers. The protectorate has been under the guidance of Princess Freya and has been relatively peaceful allowing the referendum to take place, locals were given the option of becoming a semi-independent part of East Moreland, restoring the Academican monarchy or forming a Republic. Once the results are in a series of measures will be undertaken to help re-establish a manner of government for the nation and unless the nation elect to join East Moreland the military prescence will be withdrawn once asked by the new Head of State. To date some 12,000 East Moreland soldiers have been based permanently in Academica and a large prescence has been seen on the streets during the process, which has however been peaceful.

Princess Freya has been in Academica with her family, Alex Redfern and adopted daughter Evie, and has been overseeing the process saying, "The referendum has seen lengthy, often heated but never violent debate. The future of the nation will be known this time tomorrow and whatever the result the people will finally know the future of their homeland. I am confident whatever the result that the Academicans will find us good neighbours as we have always been to each other." There has been much speculation as to how the Academica situation will be handled should the people elect to become a semi-independent part of East Moreland, "Should the people elect that option my brother would become the Head of State however he would appoint a governor to take over day to day management alongside a democratically elected council. Should this happen I would be honoured if my brother selected me. Academica has been my home for the last six months and I have enjoyed my time here. I hope to work with the Academicans regardless of the results to get them the future they deserve."

Exit polls have been vague giving no real indication of the upcoming result.


(http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs091/1101811920551/img/521.jpg?a\x3d1108996836951)

TOMB REVEALS NEW CLUE TO PAUL THE EXPLORERS JOURNEY

As work has continued on analysing the recently found tomb near Portworth a new lead to the location of Paul the Explorer, the almost mystical King of East Moreland, has been discovered. The tomb, which belong to a Horseman of Jekar, has revealed several new objects, one being a kind of stone map that is currently being examined, as well as coins from across Mundus. As work has now been undertaken to examine wall markings a series of locations have been discovered on a list which is explained by Dr.Marcus Merriman. "The Horseman of Jekar, and many other knights from this time period, have their battle history inscribed on their tomb, their funeral urn or some kind of resting place. They act as a similar way as battle honours do on Regimental Standards. They are useful in helping us work out where and when a person was alive and their connection to various historical events. In this case we have seen a familiar list, across to the tip of Ardia, then across the islands of what are now Bakkermaya, we then however get two new places. The first is a place we are unsure of, it appears to say Barber Booth, however that inscription is rather damaged and we are unaware of a place called Barber Booth. The second is more surprising, Phukbridge, to our knowledge we know of only one place called that and its in Rokkenjima. What we need to do now is work through CETO to be allowed to send a team to investigate the settlement and see what other closes we can find."

The announcement is rather surprising as in is letters home Paul often talked about a "Threat to the East" which many implied was the Ardian Empire and now with connection to perhaps Rokkenjima it is leading some to speculate that it was them which he was warning of."



(https://www.childstarlets.com/lobby/bios/portraits/ramona_marquez_image1.jpg)

PRINCESS MOVED TO OSTLAKE HOSPITAL

Princess Rhiannon has been moved from Northfort to the military hospital in Ostlake in a move that suggests the six year old will be having an extended stay in hospital. The Military Hospital deals mainly with injured soldiers but does have facilities to also care for the families of the military personnel based at the four Ostlake bases. The move was said to be made for "Security and Convenience" reasons as explained by Malcolm Tucker, the Royal Press Secretary. "Ostlake Military Hospital, as the name suggests sits in the middle of a military base, as such it provides better security for the Princess while making life easier for the staff and patients of the hospital in Northfort. While the Princess has been staying there the staff have had to deal with bombardment from the press, there is a large media presence outside and many are hassled going into and out of work. Add to that constant deliveries by well wishers and it created an unnecessary and unwanted issue for the wonderful nurses and doctors." The base at Ostlake West where the hospital is located have already seen some well wishers arrive with gifts but these have been turned away with Tucker once more reminding people of the King's request, "While King David is grateful for the concern he urges well wishers to not buy gifts for his daughter but instead make donations to childrens charities or local hospitals childrens wards."

Tucker also revealed that the Princess had received a "Get Well Soon" message from a member of the Neu Urburzis royal family. "Prince Augustin sent the Princess a message from him and his rabbit, the two meet when the Princess visited Neu Urbruzis and the two got on well. It bodes well for our Kingdom that even the next generation of royals are seemingly skilled diplomats building relations with other royals of a nation King David has shown a great affection for. The video will mean a lot to the Princess and we thank Prince Augustin for his thoughts."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 22, 2019, 10:40:52 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://ksassets.timeincuk.net/wp/uploads/sites/55/2016/07/2016_Outnumbered_RamonaMarquez_GettyImages-94527936_250716-1.jpg)

PRINCESS DIAGNOSED WITH LEUKAEMIA

Following several days in hospital it has been confirmed that six year old Princess Rhiannon has leukaemia. The Princess has been admitted to Ostlake military hospital after a series of medical issues in recent days following King David's return from the royal wedding in Lodja. The King was joined at the hospital by his ex-wife Queen Matilda as well as his sister Princess Freya. Dr.Felicia Henry, the royal physician stated "The leukaemia has been caught early we hope. This cancer of the blood is naturally something we are concerned about but something that we hope we can bring under control. Princess Rhiannon has always otherwise been in good health and we hope that she will soon be able to say she has overcome this horrible disease."

The King has refused to speak to the Press however Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker has made a statement on behalf of the family saying, "The Ironsides and Osmans are pulling together to support the Princess. We have seen in recent weeks that Princess Rhiannon is a strong and confident young girl, I mean what kind of six year old takes on Crocodiles. Doctors are confident that she can beat this and will be doing everything they can in the next few days to put together a care programme. The King will be moving to Ostlake until further notice and will be delegating a lot of his day to day duties to Prime Minister Henrietta Quinn.



(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/b4/64/bb/b464bb19e64387633d79d666a271a733.jpg)

CETO EXPLORATION DISCOVERS MANUSCRIPT IN REMOTE OUTPOST

Dr.Marcus Merriman and his CETO backed team have spent the last week working in Rokkenjima exploring avenues of investigation brought about by the discovery of the Horseman of Jekar tomb in Portworth. The team had been exploring the remains of what is believed to be a temporary 12th Century defensive works when in wax sealed packet was discovered containing a 20 page manuscript. The document is currently being explored however it is believed that Dr.Merriman will request permission from Rokkenjima to have the document sent back to Northfort as initial reports show that the document appears to be in Morelandish.

Dr.Merriman said, "The manuscript while being in Rokkenjima is clearly not of Rokkenjiman origin, its got several words in Morelandish on the front cover and the two languages are about as far removed from each other as can be. There is no chance that this is native and so I think the articles of CETO would mean we have a good case of Rokkenjima needing to hand it over. I hope however they'll agree and we can have the thing in Northfort within 24 hours." The document so far has not been identified by author nor dated to anything in particular but it is hoped to shed evidence on the travels of Paul the Explorer which now seem to extend to Rokkenjima.




(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T4mQt6LBiQE/WrP0oVpMU1I/AAAAAAAAQ54/JlV_hGpRaaM9lnignjRtVYSIwwG9iKBnQCLcBGAs/s1600/Screenshot%2B2018-03-22%2B15.51.44.png)

CARPENTER TO BECOME AMBASSADOR TO THE CELTIC PROTECTORATE

The Foreign Minister, Edward Tamana has today confirmed that East Moreland will re-establish their embassy in Royal Seleucid, however rather than being in the capital Ipsus it will be in the Celtic Protectorate, he further announced that they had persuaded Tim Carpenter, former Chief Councillor and Secretary-General of the CTO, to become the Ambassador. The announcement comes amid growing tension in the region and Tamana explained the move as being "Neccessary to show solidarity to our fellow Cultists in the region. The embassy shall ensure that the people have a place to go and seek support if they need it. With tricky times ahead it was important that we get someone in position who can work well under pressure, maintain a caring response to those on the ground and stand by the Code of Canley. Mr.Carpenter has done that time and time again in his life and so I am confident that here we have the right man for this tough job."

Carpenter is expected to arrive with a staff of twenty or so tomorrow and made a statement via his social media saying, "I was once Governor of the Protectorate and have fond memories of working with the Celts and the people there. I'm excited to be going back but know large challenges lie ahead, we must get them right." The King has also requested that the Joint Emergency Team head to the Protectorate and support people lacking food there but at the time of going to press no response from other members has been received.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 24, 2019, 09:22:05 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://scontent.fbhx3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12650782_1057923800941733_7285063416713880563_n.png?_nc_cat=105&_nc_ht=scontent.fbhx3-1.fna&oh=37ef2ebf81f6b60d401cb93627ec5c1c&oe=5CFEE755)

KING SENDS MESSAGE TO WMRA

Following the terrorist attack which killed the King and Queen of Vaguzia the King has left Ostlake Military Base  for the first time since his daughter Princess Rhiannon was diagnosed with leukaemia. The King visited the Temple of Rolaf in the city to offer prayers for the two royals. As he emerged later the King said "The people of Vaguzia and the family of King Leonard have my thoughts and prayers. This however is not worth a great deal as it will not bring back a good man and woman. Vaguzia have always been good neighbours and we shall do all we can to help them through this difficult time. The WMRA have carried out this attack and then had the audacity to seek to use my faith as a way of justifying their actions. I have tried over the course of my reign to stay away from religion in my statements as it is for High Priestess Skye Maddix to guide the faithful. Today however I shall change the habit of a lifetime. I am the descendent of Raimond Unasson, the words that the WMRA spoke refer to my ancestors actions against an enemy that no one alive can comprehend. The WMRA are not standing against an ungodly horde hell bent on the destruction of the human race, they are not outnumbered and seemingly doomed to die. They should remember the words spoken by Helus himself. " Be mindful of your deeds for when your time comes you shall stand before me and a horde of your ancestors. You must look each squarely in the face and tell them how you left your family name in a better place than you found it. " The only place you have left your family name is the gutter. Those associated with this deed are cowards, they do not work in the name of Helus and they make me feel sick using the word Moreland in their groups title. A true Morelander is a person who does not seek war, does not seek the death of good men and women. A Morelander does deeds that better the world not cause grief. From this point forward I will be instructing our military to double patrols along our border and take pre-emptive action against even the slightest move of aggression by WMRA, they want to talk about doing the work of Jekar, no-one does that better than the East Moreland military and we will do everything possible to destroy these wannabe Cultists."

Later in the day Skye Maddix herself spoke out saying, " Any individual found to be a member of the WMRA will be struck off from the Register of Swords at any place we find them, they shall not be permitted a Cultist funeral and they shall be until eternity known as Lackblade." The High Priestess went on to call for those in the area to do their "duty" as a good Cultist by, "handing over any WMRA member they know of, hiding a terrorist is as low and dishonourable as it can be, the Code calls for loyalty and that is exactly what the people should give their nation. The WMRA are merely establishing a situation where our faith is made to be seen as violent and uncaring for their neighbours, something I would not wish any Cultist to be."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 05, 2019, 11:04:15 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://www.kkltrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/bone-marrow-donor.jpg)

BONE MARROW DONOR REGISTRATION "THROUGH THE ROOF"

Across the nation the number of people signing up to be bone morrow donors has rapidly increased since Princess Rhiannon was diagnosed with lukhemia recently. Several hospitals have been putting on extra staff to deal with the increased number of people giving samples to go on a national register. Sadly however no match has yet been found for the Princess who is having treatment at Ostlake Military Hospital. The search for a donor has seen all members of the Royal Family give samples as well as the Osman family. The surge in voulenteer donors has also been seen in other nations as Neu Urburzis ran an animated TV advert on the subject clearly playing on the blossoming friendship between Princess Rhiannon and the younger members of the Imperial Family. Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker said, "The King is clearly keeping himself at Ostlake at the moment, as such he has asked me to pass his thanks on to everyone who has signed up as a donor no matter what nation they have done it in. For a young royal of a foreign nation to be so thoughtful and do such good is highly commendable and speaks volumes about the young man's character."

It is expected that the wave of new potential donors will see the search for a match for Princess Rhiannon extended beyond the Ironsides and Osmans. Dr.Felicia Henry the Royal Physician says, "Princess Rhiannon is responding well to what is a rather major treatment. Her biggest fears are not being at school or having her fencing lessons. We are hopeful of finding a match in the next few days."



(https://rouviere.com/resources/stock/mingTomb_bricks-preview.jpg)

CETO DISCOVER HORSEMAN BURIALS OUTSIDE PHUKBRIDGE

While investigating the recent manuscript that lead the joint Bakkermayan and East Moreland archaeological team to Rokkenjima a young student has discovered an interesting lead. A 22 year old Postgraduate student of the Royal Merriman University was out taking some elevated pictures of the fields around Phukbridge when he glanced at a farmers brick wall and noticed a familiar inscription on a brick. The inscription turned out to be the name of a Horseman and his steed meaning the brick probably came from some kind of tomb. Traditionally the horseman who died on campaign had a small tomb built which had a bricked up door with their names on and seemingly this is where this chance find came from.

Dr.Merriman and his team soon descended upon the farm and after speaking with the family who owned it they discovered the wall was built by the family some time in the early 1900's and the bricks had been taken from some, "dumped workings" at the foot of the hill. Dr.Merriman explained, "It is not uncommon for these old tomb doors to collapse, they were made in haste and usually by the Horseman and not skilled artesas, in East Moreland we've seen several of these structures collapse under the weight of the soil placed on them and then walls made from what remains so we shouldn't be amazed that a family in Rokkenjima have done the same." The name was discovered to be that of Sir Richard Thammers a little known noble from near Silverhills. He was the fifth of six children of Duke Stephen Thammers who at one point during the reign of Paul the Explorer was the Guardian of the Royal Mines. Dr.Merriman explained, "In medieval East Moreland only the first son was guarenteed to inherit anything, as such the younger sons often dedicated themselves to military service in the hopes of gaining patronage and land of their own. Some even more adventurous men took up the call of the Horseman and now we seem to have found where young Richard was laid to rest, or at least the vacinity."

Later that day a combination of aerial photography and ground radar showed two seemingly rectangular underground structures which the team are hoping to begin excavating tomorrow.



(http://www.talkingrugbyunion.co.uk/images/e-011196/dean-richards.jpg)

JOHNS CONTRACT ENDED BY "MUTUAL CONSENT"

East Moreland's Rugby Football Union today confirmed that Head Coach Eddie Johns contract has been ended by mutual consent. The announcement came just an hour after the team returned from Bakkermaya following a disappointing World Cup where the former World Champions lost to Lodja in the Quarter Finals. It was left to EMRFU President Andrew Robb to make the announcement saying. "Eddie has been a loyal servant to East Moreland rugby throughout his career. The World Cup campaign was a disappointment and while we believe Eddie is a great coach he believed that perhaps now was a logical time for a fresh hand on the rudder as we seek to build towards the next World Cup. Fans will always have a place in their heart for Eddie who brought us our second world cup success and I hope the Honeybadger fans join me in wishing him good luck in his next endeavours."

Bookies have already suggested that Sir Clyde Woodward, who masterminded Lodja's victory over his home nation, may be persuaded to return. Sir Clyde was the Head Coach of the Honeybadgers during their first world cup success but has spent the last two years transforming the Lodjain national set up. The Lodjian head coach spoke about this saying. "I feel I may have to sneak back into East Moreland, I felt a very definite pride and embarassment that day. Proud that the Lodjian lads had managed to overcome the dominant force in world rugby but also as a Morelander ashamed that our boys hadn't been victorious. While Lodja have come on leaps and bounds and fully deserve their 4th place finish I was shocked. I know people will talk of me making a return but in some ways I feel Project Lodja is unfinished business. I'll sit down on Monday with the Lodjain RFU and see what we all think."

It was also confirmed that the Lodjian team are to visit the Island of the Goddess where some believe Sir Clyde could even be given some Lodjain honour as one expert said. "Queen Klara is keen to promote sport in her homeland and no one expected the Lodjains to even get out their group, to mastermind a 4th place finish is rather amazing and I think she'll be keen to capture the nations imagination going forward and in Lodja that means someone gets a high honour, why not a Morelander?"

Several senior players have said they will be making announcements on their future career in the coming days. One player whose future however has been confirmed is Rollo MacAllister. The giant second rower has announced via Twitter that he is quitting the Northfort Royals for Keepton Harlequins, a second tier club. The 23 year old boyfriend of Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside said on a video he posted, "My military service now kicks in, my unit are based in Keepton and the Quins are the only club in the city I'd dream of playing for. Keepton RUFC are the Royal's biggest rivals and the Royals became my family when I moved here from Seaforth and I don't betray family. I'll spend at least the next two years at the Quins and I hope to be able to be part of the amazing project their establishing here. As the Honeybadgers face a period of rebuilding and reassessment it seems fitting to take on a bigger challenge. Sir Clyde told us it was our duty to leave the red jersey in a better place than we found it, this year we failed and so I have to now go and make sure the Quins jersey ends up in the Premier League and not the second tier." It is yet to be confirmed whether MacAllister will still be considered eligible for selection as Johns had implimented a strict policy that he would only pick players based in the East Moreland Premier League.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 13, 2019, 08:36:53 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.childstarlets.com/lobby/bios/portraits/ramona_marquez_image1.jpg)

RHIANNON STILL IN HOSPITAL

Princess Rhiannon is yet to leave Ostlake Military Hospital where she has been receiving treatment for leukaemia. It has now been nearly two weeks since the diagnosis was released and while a search of potential bone marrow donors has begun none have yet been found. Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker stated, "The search to find Rhiannon a suitable donor continues, we've had a huge number of people come forward to offer samples and it takes time to process all the data, we are clearly keeping our fingers crossed. The nation of Neu Urburzis deserve special thanks, they too have been very active looking for a donor leaving no stone unturned, for that we thank them. " The nature of the search in Neu Urburzis has yet to be fully described but a TV advert supported by the royal family has been run.

The Princess was supposed to be taking part in a junior swordsmanship competition this weekend however she has been withdrawn. Tucker said, "The Princess is in good spirits all things considered, naturally she is frightened but the whole Ironside and Osman family are present and hoping for a positive outcome."



(https://www.baesystems.com/en/download-en/multimediaimage/webImage/20180411154614/1434611563922.jpg)

SPEARHEAD THREE UNVEILED

EMAC today have unveiled their latest development of the Spearhead Missile. The innovative multi platform missile has now undergone its third re-design in this case becoming a dedicated anti-ship missile. The latest redesign utilises light weight materials designed to absorb radar and is shaped to deflect the incoming radar waves. The missile also has reduced the size of the warhead and totally removed two unique kinetic impactors which will allow the missile to double the range of the Spearhead II. Sir Alan Maybury of EMAC unveiled the missile at Portworth Docks saying. "We have been asked to develop a missile capable of engaging shipping at extreme long range. To date the Kaitaine Zircon probably has the longest range of any ship killing missile, our beauty may lack the Zircons speed but we believe its stealth capability and its unique towed transmitter will allow it to get the drop on many air-defences and we have matched the range. Add to this its tracking software then I think we have a potent weapon that will allow us to protect our fleet to a greater extent."

The missile is to undergo testing in the next few weeks and at present is only capable of being launched from an aircraft. "The missile would fit in a ships launching system however the materials we've used wouldn't be suitable for the conditions of a vertical launch, at present an aircraft is required but that actually means aircraft carriers in the East Moreland fleet can extend the range of their defence out to a much greater distance." It is hoped the missile will enter service in early May should testing go to plan.



(https://c8.alamy.com/comp/D1RYTP/bronze-age-burial-urn-decorated-with-grooved-lines-excavated-in-the-D1RYTP.jpg)

BURIAL URN FOUND IN PHUKBRIDGE

The CETO team have today uncovered a burial urn in the town of Phukbridge in Rokkenjima. The urn was found largely intact at the beginning of a passageway that leads towards a kind of small chamber. The team which is being lead by Dr.Marcus Merriman discovered the urn following a series of leads which have seen them follow the passage of a group of the Horseman of Jekar who appear to have been searching for King Paul the Explorer. The medieval King is one of the most mysterious monarchs in East Moreland history as he lead a campaign of hunting down Borlanders across the globe, his onw burial place is unkown however many of his letters and musings have been found hroughout East Moreland following him sending them back to his various wives and children. Paul was married to two East Moreland women, one dying at the hands of Borlanders the day he became King and the other being his final wife in the last few years of the reign, however he spent very little time in between in East Moreland. It was discovered a few years ago that Paul also had a previously unknown wife from Achkaerin during his travels. Her grave was discovered two years ago and her remains brought back to East Moreland ready to be reunited with her husband if his remains are ever found.

Dr.Merriman said, "The urn we have found needs cleaning up and analysing but its in very good condition and while we do not believe it to be a King's urn it is clearly of someone of high standing in society. We also have a chamber behind the debris of the first dig and tomorrow we hope to get into that as fibre optics suggest there is more to be found there."






 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 15, 2019, 09:31:48 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/a/r/n/4/0/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.710x400.1arn2d.png/1459753238521.jpg)

SIR JACOB SAYS "PUT UP OR SHUT UP" IN UNIVERSITY SPEECH

Sir Jacob Longe, one of East Moreland's most respected diplomats today addressed students of politics at Royal Northfort University. The 79 year old diplomat and former Prime Minister was asked to address students with his thoughts on the current international situation during which he urged nations to start taking action having made comments to do so.

"I have recently stood in the CTO for what could be our final meeting. A motion currently sits on the floor of that organisation that if it is successful would make us all unemployed. I sit in a very awkward situation, at the age of 79 years of age many say I should retire and so if the CTO goes maybe so will I, after all who is going to employ a man approaching 80,  but I still enjoy the excitement of the debating chamber and so for maybe selfish reasons I wish to see the organisation remain. It is however an organisation in ill health, what with a lack of engagement from many around the world, overinflated opinions of certain nations roles within the organisation and promises of action that never come it is highly unlikely that the CTO will survive this final challenge. The notion of the CTO however is a noble one, to get nations sat around the table discussing matters for the good of all involved rather than grabbing the rifle. The CTO has however been ponderously slow and that has seen debates still rage while others have taken action thus hamstringing the beast. We have now waited quiet some time for the CTO to be presented with proposals apparently in hand from the Empress of Rokkenjima, now is the time for these to be presented. If the Rokkenjimans are wishing to try and keep the CTO alive they need to do two things, first recognise that the organisation has actually been able to carry out operations successfully around the world without them, and then present their motions rather than leave the world waiting. Its time to put up or shut up. I have no doubt should the CTO cease to exist East Moreland shall continue doing what we have alwas sought to do, help those in need but if the CTO is disappearing then we need to know so we can make other plans.

It is not only here we see international politics at a critical cross point. LISA stands on a knife edge, three supposed allied nations unable to work together. We've seen it in the past, our own Triumpherate fell apart for similar reasons, however this time its different. The Seaforth-Rokkenjima-East Moreland arrangement was weak because of breakdowns in communication, then Seaforth were replaced with Dartfordia and still it seemed not to work, but never did Rokkenjima and East Moreland threaten to fire upon each other. We see in Midaranye a situation of unreasonableness. One nation unwilling to work as a partnership and forging its own way in a situation, meanwhile the others creating what I must call an impossibly awkward situation by demanding a bubble in the Kyne. For me LISA should dissolve and each nation needs to look at itself long and hard and think exactly what does it offer an international partnership as the Midaranye LISA situation should serve to all you students here as a way of not to do things.

Meanwhile I have seen a lack of understanding of global situations in LISA too. A recent report by the Rokkenjiman media on a speech made by Princess Evanthe describes the CNN as an example of a " large accumulation of military might". The CNN charter features 51 articles, four of which relate to CNN military endeavours, that's 7% of the CNN Charter. There are in the charter five articles relating to Education, six to Science and five to emergency aid. It would therefore have been more accurate for Princess Evanthe to be concerned in the CNN regard of it being a large accumulation of scientific might, or educational might. We have even seen the combined militaries of the CNN get smaller in recent times. Ui Cenneslaig have decomissioned several ships from their navy, Lodja have cut the size of their army while at the same time also losing several naval vessels, East Moreland has committed to rid itself of nuclear weapons and the Ecclesiastical State have withdrawn completely. It would therefore be logical to say the CNN has in fact decreased its military might since its inception. The CNN is a case study for the world on how an international organisation, alliance call it what you will should be run. It was formed not because of a desire to be a military force, but a friendship between nations, the thing started life as a rugby tournament after all. It however features nations willing to stand by the charter for which they agreed and pull their weight. The CNN have just recently hosted one of the largest showcases in science and technology in recent years welcoming exhibitors from across the CNN and even non member nations. The CNN in my view is not something Mundus need worry about, it is something supportive of measures taken to support the citizens of its members. I believe that the CTO should take a good look at just what can be achieved.

Mundus stands on a powder keg in the shape of Midaranye. A genocide is likely to happen with a perfect storm of religious differences, famine, police brutality, change in government and international stand offs. People have lost sight of what is important here, and that is the lives of the ordinary people. Everyone is too invested in being the big shot and projecting power that they have lost sight of this. A humanitarian and peacekeeping fleet ran by East Moreland is all that is needed in Midaranye. The crucifixion of Dilara was appalling but nations sending fleets there in response is going to achieve nothing other than further bloodshed. All international fleets sabre rattling does is make people dig their feet in. People need to oppose the slavery in Tamora by means of pushing the future of the Freestone Mark. The camps in Slava should be first inspected and then if found to be what we all believe they are, racist detention camps, Slava should find themselves isolated economically and politically until the people freed. Instead we have jumped straight for the war button on all sides and this time potentially millions are in the firing line. I would urge each of you here today to use social media, traditional petitions and protest marches to tell the nations involved what we think and show them what we want them to do. After all never forget old grey haired men like me work for you, so do your Kings and Queens, Emperors and Empresses. Make them accountable, make them be the reflection of the will of the people."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 18, 2019, 12:11:28 AM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MtdKyYUwDig/UKmRca7-09I/AAAAAAAAUxE/KDXng8TAjHY/s1600/Israel's+Iron+Dome+anti-missile+defense+fired+action+system++%D7%9B%D6%B4%D6%BC%D7%A4%D6%B7%D6%BC%D7%AA+%D7%91%D6%B7%D6%BC%D7%A8%D6%B0%D7%96%D6%B6%D7%9C,+kipat+barzel)+Rafael+intercept+destroy+short-range+rockets+artillery+shells+fired+of+4+to+70%C2%A0kmGaza+Strip.+Operation+Pillar+of+Defense+(9).jpg)

MISSILE DEFENCE TO BE SENT TO MIDARANYE

Following suggestions that Slava Lavosk are potentially developing nuclear weapons the CNN have put in place a number of measures set to try and reassure Midaranye and calm the situation down. Measures include monitoring of Slava Lavosk as well as requests for international inspections, further East Moreland has offered to loan its defensive missile system to Midarnaye nations. The move has however drawn criticism from Slava Lavosk who have described it as a "decleration of war" something that Minister of Defence Harry Samuelson described as "ridicoulous." Speaking at a press conference the former Red Legionnaire marksmanship instructor said. "The system we are sending is being deployed purely for self defence. We have a region where Cultists are living and we are asked where our code is? We are acting under the code. Nuclear weapons are the most devastating weapon mankind has ever invented, not only that they are they most indiscriminate. Our nations technological path has seen us try and develop weapons with unrivaled accuracy to avoid that level of indiscrimination. To use nuclear weapons means killing innocent people, there is no ifs, no buts, no maybes. As such protecting nations from nuclear weapons is exactly what Helus would have us do. The fact a weapon which has zero offensive capability is defined as an act of war is ridicolous. However I understand Slava Lavosk will need to rattle the cage with their propaganda. Let me therefore assure them that those weapons will remain under East Moreland control, will be taking orders from East Moreland only and will only fire on missiles suspected of carrying nuclear warheads."

It is likely a maximum of three systems will be taken to Tamora, two to Royal Seleucid and if requested one to Socram.



(http://archju.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Cryptic-Code-On-Medieval-Sword-684x424.jpg)

EXCITEMENT AT PHUKBRIDGE

A new chapter in the life of Paul the Explorer may be centred around the Rokkenjiman town of Phukbridge. Several days ago a burial urn was found and behind it a small passageway and now it has been excavated a sword was found behind it in the floor of the passageway. The sword bore two inscriptions, one on each side of the blade. The first stated, "A gift from your King on becoming a Horseman of Jekar" the other however is what has got Dr.Marcus Merriman excited. The aging head of the East Moreland CETO contingent explained, "The fact we've found a sword which seemingly was presented by King Paul himself is what we came here for, however the fact that we also have this message of "1140. Qij-Joh" which translates as the Black Prince. We believe therefore that we may have found another bloodline stemming from Paul. We know he had mistresses during his travels and acknowledged two daughters in Bakkermaya we will now investigate this potential new lead."

CETO have also officially requested today that a team of six Red Legionnaires joined by six Horseman of Jekar be permitted to join the dig team in order to provide a ceremonial guard to any human remains found. Brigadier Kelly commented saying, "We see the Horseman as like our little brothers. Any Horseman or Red Legionnaire are our brothers in arms. We have always done our best to use Red Legionnaires off active duty to form honour guards when needed. As I began asking our non-active Red's to volunteer we had lots of phone calls coming in as word got out what had been found. We now just need local permission as after all this is a squad of soldiers." Traditionally wounded Red Legionnaires still capable of ceremonial duty had undertaken duties including mounting ceremonial guard at the Ironside Mausoleum, attending veterans funerals and various other events. It is expected that Prime Minister Henrietta Quinn will personally write to the Rokkenjiman government in the next day or so.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 21, 2019, 12:02:19 AM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://biblewalks.com/Photos150/SistersNazarethUnderground40s.jpg)

AMAZING DISCOVERY IN ROKKENJIMA

Today the CETO team from Bakkermaya and East Moreland being lead by Dr.Marcus Merriman have made what has been described by the Professor as "The most significant find for East Moreland's history this century." The team have been celebrating finding what has been described as a "family tomb" which was being guarded by the burial urn of a Horseman of Jekar who had been named only as "The Black Prince." Traditionally medieval family tombs have had a burial of an urn from some respected family member at the entrance. This however is only the start of the amazing discovery.

Dr.Merriman spoke over Skype to students and media outlets in East Moreland and Bakkermaya as he said, "What we have here is the most concrete map of Paul the Explorer to be found in the last 25 years. We found traces of him in Achkaerin but we never had the details other than the family connection that was discovered there. Here again we see that Paul tried to assimilate himself into local culture. The tomb contains three urns as well as that of the "Black Prince. Each of the urns has a name inscribed on them, the first is Elise Koul. This urns inscription shows she died at the age of 26 in child birth and had three children, they are not named however we have been able to work this out from other evidence in the tomb. One of the pieces of evidence are the other two urns, one of a Edwina Koul, she is called the Black Princess on the urn and lived to be in her 60's, it also says she was a Mother but the tomb gives no other clues. The final urn is of David Koul who according to the urn must have been the child that was born to Elise and died at the same time as the mother. We then have lots of inscriptions in the tomb and these are even more exciting, in several notches cut in the tomb are panels giving details of the family and what has us excited is that Elise Koul's full title is listed as "Royal Mistress of East Moreland", a title given out only twice in history before now, and both to the lovers of the King. We believe we have found a new branch of the family of King Paul the Explorer. What we now need to do is trace this new family, there may be some more clues as we tidy up things. We also however have several inscriptions giving us details of the tombs construction, a timeline of it being ordered to be built by Paul under the command of the Horseman of Jekar, meaning some kind of Cultist presence once stayed in Rokkenjima, probably as a means of the Horseman moving across Ardia in support of Paul's journey of vengeance against those who killed his first wife and child. The insciptions also include mention of The Black Prince, whom we still have no first name for, returning to oversee his "Fathers orders" from Lodja this is the first confirmation that Paul was there. We are contacting King David as these urns will be some very distant relative of his and as such just like we did with Paul's Achkaerin bride provision to place the urns in the Ironside mausoleum may be an option."

A request has been made to the Rokkenjiman government to allow a Red Legion Honour Guard and a group of Horseman of Jekar to enter the country to help with ceremonial handling of the artefacts such as swords and the Urns. Minister for Culture and Tradition, Katy Garrett has stated, "We've been in touch with the Bakkermayan government and they will not make any challenge to East Moreland claiming the artefacts, we have an agreement that some of the goods will be put on display in Fernwood if possible and that modern day Horseman will be involved with any ceremonial occasion we have. I'd like to thank the Bakkermayans for this gesture. It is hoped that Rokkenjima will not put barriers in place for us to bring these artefacts home as the CETO charter does encourage the repatriation of cultural artefacts. At present there has been no confirmation from Rokkenjima.



(https://cdn-media.rtl.fr/cache/9tDNLKV4_4qOF2OMrwshnQ/880v587-0/online/image/2014/0905/7774122842_najat-vallaud-belkacem-invitee-de-rtl-le-5-septembre-2014.jpg)

HIGH PRIESTESS CALLS FOR "REFLECTIVE" FESTIVAL OF HELUS

The High Priestess of the Cult of Helus has called for people to perhaps change their attitudes this year during the Festival of Helus. Speaking at a press conference launching a new online teaching resource for those thinking of becoming a Priestess she said, "The Festival of Helus is one of the key events in the calender of our faith. It is important on that day that we give thanks to the God of Creation and our protector. This usually sees us gather in large numbers, stuff ourselves with his bounty, make our sacrifices and celebrate wildly. I do not want to curtail the fun and enjoyment of the day. I've already seen the Cultists in Vaguzia planning a large celebration and I wish them well. What we must do however is be reflective of the world we live in. While those of us in East Moreland, Bakkermaya, Seaforth and Vaguzia among others celebrate our victory from evil the Cultists of Royal Seleucid will have their mind filled not with celebration but on where their next meal will come from. We've seen nations begin to step up and take food in but our brothers in sisters there will not be enjoying the feast we here in Northfort can. As such I will be fasting during the day, a show of solidarity with those in Royal Seleucid, be them Cultist or not. I know people in Seleucid may be tempted to make their sacrifices with what little they have, I commend them for doing that, but if that thought has crossed their mind I would ask them to do something different. I would ask them to take what food they would have offered Helus and give to someone in need, give it to a neighbour, be them Cultist or not. Marissa, the lover of Helus said "One who has no love in his heart will try to possess everything for himself. One who has love in his heart is ready to sacrifice everything, including his own body, for the benefit of others." If you feel the need to make a sacrifice this year then let it be for the benefit of others and not Helus. The Lord of all Gods knows your heart, when you die and stand before Rolaf he will ask you what did you do to honor Helus and the Code, anyone doing this will be able to say I gave the food from my table to feed the needy, and even knowing you on one occasion did not make your sacrifice to Helus, Rolaf will be proud of you and welcome you to the home of the Gods. Those of us that that belong to what some have begun calling the Eldest Sons, the Lost Sons and the Born Again Sons of Helus have a responsibility. We must ensure the rituals take place, we must remind Helus of the sufferings of his Children in Seleucid and we must do what we can to help them. I know many families across the nation will make donations of money this day to good causes to please Helus, I would urge those doing so to donate their money to JET, GCI or a similar charity carrying out work in the famine hit areas. It is my hope that soon the food will flow into Seleucid and the people's hunger will disappear. May The Gods Watch Over You and Your Day be Joyous."

She was asked by the media her thoughts on the tensions in the Celtic Protectorate and said, "I trust the Cenneg government to make provisions to protect Cultists as well as they can. I have asked previously for the Cultists there to remain calm and take no action to inflame tensions. So far I think its working and the people have been remarkably restrained all things considered. I hear food is now beginning to get into Seleucid and I pray more will get there everyday ending the crisis."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 22, 2019, 10:45:03 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/548610991944892486/unknown.png?width=435&height=630)

KING SPENDS FEAST AT OSTLAKE

For the first time since 1983 there was no royal prescence at the Temple of Helus in Northfort for the Feast of Helus celebration. With Princess Rhiannon ill and in hospital the Ironside family spent the day at Ostlake where the Princess is being treated in the military hospital there. The most high profile attendee at the Temple of Helus was Prime Minister Henrietta Quinn who carried out the various rituals usually carried out by King David. Following the ceremony which saw gifts laid on behalf of the people of East Moreland, each branch of the military and the children of East Moreland, the Prime Minister said "I enjoyed being able to carry out the offerings today and address the crowd, distributing gifts on behalf of the royal family. Its a shame I had to do it though and on this special day I hope Helus will grant Princess Rhiannon with good health."

Later in the day as the nation took to the streets for street parties, gathered in Temples to share banquets and otherwise enjoyed the joy of the day the King did make his traditional address.

"Today I wish I was at the Temple in Northfort however as you are aware this year it is not possible. I wish everyone across East Moreland, and across Mundus all the best on this joyous occasion. Today marks the day that Helus lead humanity to a new future, today is the day that the greatest evil that ever faced us was defeated allowing mankind to rebuild ourselves and flourish into the civilisation that is now exploring the stars. How far have we come since those dark days at the beginning of humanity. It is however a shame that today we have not been able to use all this progress to ensure we live in a world where the peace won for mankind that day is enjoyed by all. We here in East Moreland know that our day will be one of spending time with family, eating wonderous home cooked meals safe in the knowledge that they and their family are safe to enjoy their day. I hope we will all spare a thought during our offerings to day for those that are not. The Cultists in Royal Seleucid are facing an uncertain future and we must be ever vigilant to support them. Not only that but they have the spectre of war hanging over them, trapped between the nation of Tamora and the allegedly nuclear developing Slava Lavosk. This region is one that is of deep concern and decisions regarding it have been hard to make. I wish to ensure that the people of Midaranye are safe, I hate the prospect of war and fear this is one that is coming about because of senseless pride and one up manship. Any war will effect the Cultists there and rest assured I will do everything we can to protect Cultist lives, as such we will provide the region with as much of a nuclear missile defence umbrella as possible. This had seen me come up with a plan to place Jekar's Shield Systems in Tamora under the command of the East Moreland military. This is a measure I can not now authorise. In the recent days Tamora have recognised the Free Theocracy of Kaitaine, a people who not long ago tried to steal nuclear waste, killing our citizens and then evading justice in the process. These people are terrorists who have attacked us without provocation. We knew little about them, we are an open welcoming nation and had they revealed their prescence to us we would probably have welcomed their people in our nation, instead they hid, infiltrated aspects of our society and then stabbed at us from within. This is something that is hard to forgive. I do not tar all Bene Gesserit with the same brush, however the leadership of this faith has many questions to answer and has come nowhere near answering them. We can not therefore in good concious place Jekar's Shield in a nation that is entertaining support for terrorists. I would try and reassure the people of that region that we will however be loaning two systems to the Ui Cenneslaig military who will place them in the Celtic Protectorate meaning that parts of Tamora will still be under its umbrella. We will still do what we can to prevent nuclear weapons once more becoming a spectre of Mundus. We once opened that Pandorra's box ourselves and now have realised the horrific cost those weapons bring and soon we can declare ourselves to be nuclear free, I had hoped that statement would extend to the whole of Mundus, making us safe from the evil, just as Helus wished us to be. Slava Lavosk however may be endangering that future and that can not and should not happen. I would ask the President of Slava Lavosk to work with the international community to bring about the dream of a nuclear free Mundus. Midaranye is a major area of concern for the world. As such I will today be signing the following orders for our government, security forces and military. First, that only humanitarian aid is permitted to be given to Tamora, no goods or services other than those required to relieve human suffering may be sent. In terms of imports from Tamora only goods bearing the Freestone Mark may be brought to East Moreland. There shall be similar measures on Slava Lavosk, until such a time that we see assurances supported by some form of international observation by a mutually appointed nation, that they do not possess and are not developing nuclear weapons, until that time only food stuffs and medical equipment may be sold there, additionally no products from Slava Lavosk may enter East Moreland. A Midaranye that is free of slavery, religious intollereance and nuclear weapons would be the dream of Helus and we must work to try and bring such a thing about.

Helus taught us that our actions are what we are judged on. We must display our intentions in actions and not words. As such I have issued instructions to help Pheubra by funding international aid organisations such as JET, GCI and various others. The Code of Canley talks of helping and protecting those who can not do so for themselves. It is my hope now the horrors of war have ended there that the people of Pheubra can rebuild, much in the same way the people of Nya Aland did. We shall stand beside them in peace and help them become a nation that meets the needs and dreams of its people free from evil.

While this talk of war looms over us we have much to be grateful for on this feast day. We have seen that nations will come together for great deeds, we see Neu Urburzis, our good friends, leading measures to create a database for bone marrow transplants, a matter close to my heart as my family struggle to find our own donor. I hear however the numbers of those willing to donate, to anyone not just my daughter, has increased. This is the living embodyment of the Code of Canley, one human being using their own body to protect and defend another human being. If you are one of those who has donated bone marrow, signed up to do so or even taken the time to research it then you have my deep appreciation and admiration. You are standing against an evil almost as deadly as the Underlords and just as Helus did we shall be victorious. Once I have seen to the health of my daughter I shall be contacting Emperor Orion personally and I believe East Moreland should fully support the actions of this young monarch. I believe between the two of us we can create an organisation that can tackle all forms of cancer and make a stand that Raimond Unasson would be proud of. We have improved our technology to destroy way beyond our technology to do good, it is time we right that wrong.

Finally today see's me rediscover a part of my family. Paul the Explorer is someone who fascinated the history nerd in me. I remember annoying my sisters Freya and Joanna growing up demanding our father tell me tales of the semi-mythical King. We always knew he was a man with a very unconventional past. We now know he had three wives, two Morelanders, and a Achkaerin bride, now we also know he took a Mistress, something today that would cause scandal but in the context of his time period not a surprise. We also now know their is a branch of the family somewhere out there maybe. With this in mind I would like to once again remind the people of Rokkenjima our nation bares you no ill will and now I hope we will be permitted to explore this shared past.  It shows that in our past, before we became paranoid the Cult spread far and wide across Mundus, integrating successfully in many nations beyond the traditional homes of the Eldest Sons and the Lost Sons, we have in recent years been joined by the Born Again Sons of Seaforth, we have almost lost our link to what I shall call the Resolute Sons of Royal Seleucid and then of course there are the Northern Sons in Achkaerin, and the Neighbouring Sons in Vaguzia the great centres of the faith in terms of numbers. Our faith lost its way slightly when East Moreland withdrew inwards. We now need to move outwards. As such I am proposing to fund five Universities across Mundus, the locations to be determined. They shall not be in the traditional homelands and will be specialist humanities and also technological institutes, they shall help share culture, and they shall be run on the lines of Cultist culture, but will not be exclusive to the faith. If our faith is to remain relevant it must do more globally. Helping people learn is a great way of doing this. I therefore look forward to seeing nations, towns and cities across Mundus take advantage of offer to build a University. Helus wanted us to come back from the darkness, knowledge illuminates the world and we shall work to seek that.


I wish you all a joyous and safe Feast of Helus.

May the Gods Watch Over You and The Light Bless You."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 25, 2019, 10:06:17 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/549687572490878977/unknown.png?width=538&height=630)

LODJIAN MINISTER RESCUED

It was announced this morning that Red Legion have rescued the Lodjain Social Affairs Minister Lady Anna Utkin. The Lodjain noblewoman was kidnapped by the Borland Sepratist terrorist group, allegedly with help from a rouge former Lodjain military commander. The Minister was then put through an internet streamed trial where she was found guilty by the Borlanders of "terrorist charges" and "sentenced" to death only for wanted terrorist Kyle Barren to "commute" her sentence. Her whereabouts had been unknown during this however acting on intelligence passed on by their Lodjain counterparts the East Moreland Intelligence Service tracked her down and Red Legion made a rescue attempt late last night.

Brigadier Kelly, the commander of Red Legion said, "I am not at liberty to disclose details of the operation however it was a hastily arranged operation that was pulled off with the exceptional levels of skill I have come to always expect from the men under my command. It was a dynamic operation with ever changing variables that saw four Borlanders killed and the Minister rescued. She was airlifted to Ostlake where she is currently being debriefed and given a medical check out. Unfortunatley a Red Legionnaire was killed in the rescue attempt. I have contacted their family but as is the case with the Red's operations names and details are not released outside the chain of command."

There were however a few eye witnesses of the operation which took place on the road between Rockhampton and Keepton. Thomas Macauley is a 17 year old rugby player who was travelling back to Keepton with his team following a youth rugby tournament in Rockhampton. "We were just heading down the road when all of a sudden a pair of cars zipped past us, they sandwiched a car in front, one in front and one behind, then as everyone came to a stop men got out shouting and screaming and we saw guns being fired, a helicopter landed on the empty road ahead and more men jumped out. It was all over in about a minute and then we saw someone being pulled out of the car boot as bodies lay everywhere. Someone just slung this woman over their shoulder and ran to the helicopter. The thing could only have been on the ground two minutes." Other witnesses said how the Police then arrived and began searching the car, "We were sat on a closed off motorway for a good 90 minutes once the soldiers had disappeared.

Princess Freya commented on the operation saying. "Once again we have shown that we will not negotiate with terrorists and that we will not let them simply go to ground. We will follow every lead and leave no stone unturned to fight these terrorists and I am now thrilled Lady Anna is safe and sound. We hope she can soon return to her people and continue the good works she is respected for."



(https://voiceofeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/shutterstock_731088745-e1531859830832.jpg)

EAST MORELAND FOOTBALLERS HEAD FOR WORLD CUP
[/center]

The East Moreland national football team today left Northfort for the World Cup in Krimeon. The 23 man squad lead by coach Gareth Northgate will represent the nation in the World Cup for the fifth time and will hope to emulate some of the past successes of the nations leading club side Northfort United who have reached two Mundus Champions League Cup Finals. The team is made up for the first time in the nations history of more professional players than amaturs as investment in the game has seen the vast majority of Premier League clubs go full time, something that gives Northgate hope. "In the past we've had to be reliant on being well organised and a spot of luck, now we've guys who dedicate their life to the game and I think that means we can start relying a bit more on skill and fitness levels. Often we'd blow up in the last ten minutes or so and see teams come back at us having nicked a goal early on. I think we've still a long way to go developing the game in East Moreland but I think we could do reasonably well."

The squad includes James Goddard, the 20 year old wonderkid who left Northfort United last season to go and play for Champions League winners IFK Krokom. The young playmaker has scored 8 goals this season in Nya Aland in 32 games and has spoke warmly of his time in Krokom. "I've developed a lot in the last 12 months, I used to mix time in the military with playing football and so I was fit but lacked some of the more technical aspects of my game. Playing with world class players each day and testing myself against quality opposition means I've had to mature and I hope I can now bring that experience to the East Moreland team."

The team will be lead by captain Andy Cullen, a former butcher who only quit his job a month ago to become full time. The AFC Roberton Centre Back said, "Its got to be a more serious world cup for us. Last time we all said that we'd be happy if we got out the group stage, now we're getting paid so we better up our game so I'll be setting my expectations out to everyone in the next day or so."

The full squad is below

GOALKEEPERS:- Peter Shillton, Russell Holt, Martin Tailor

DEFENDERS:- Nick Pickering, Andy Cullen, Rob Hindmarch, Andy Commin, Simon Coalman, Darren Wozzel, Jacob Lawson

MIDFIELDERS:- James Goddard, Gary Micklewait, Trevor Hebard, Paul Walliams, Lee Homes, Tom Hoddlestone, John Harks, Robbie Sevage, Will Hooges

ATTACKERS:- Dean Surridge, Paul Kitsun, Marc Wilkinson-Bridge, Mick Hardford
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 26, 2019, 11:30:26 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://www.navyrecognition.com/images/stories/north_america/usa/exhibition/SNA_2016/news/Lockheed_Martin_LRASM_anti-ship_missile_SNA_2016_news.jpg)

SPEARHEAD III SUCCESSFULLY TESTED

The first test firing of the new EMAC Spearhead III missile was declared a success today following a demonstration of the missile at Ostlake. The new version of the Spearhead missile is designed specifically for anti-ship warfare and will utilise what Sir Alan Maybury, the CEO of EMAC, has called "stealthy misdirection" to attack targets as far away as 1000km. The missile takes the existing design of the missile, has removed some of the warhead, uses lighter materials to achieve the impressive range. The test firing however was only over a distance of 15km and was considered a "total success" by the EMAC staff. The missile will in the coming days be taken to the Mhorish where it will be evaluated in a variety of different scenarios. Sir Alan however did indicate that improvements still need to be made. "We've not seen the performance we want to achieve with the towed transmitter and some of the guidance data wasn't to the standard we expect." Later in the day Sir Alan confirmed that EMAC where now going to work with SmartWar to perfect these systems.

It is expected that the should the new systems be successfully adapted then the 2nd round of testing will take place in mid March with full range testing happening in early April.


(http://household.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/107.jpg)

"LOST ROYALS" TO BE BROUGHT HOME

A group of Red Legionnaires and Horseman of Jekar today took custody of three funeral urns in Rokkenjima. The honour guard were dispatched to bring back the remains of what has been confirmed as a mistress of King Paul the Explorer,  he also appears to have three children before now unknown of. Inscriptions found at the site confirmed a son whom we have yet to discover a name of and is being called simply the Black Prince. This Prince was also a member of the illustrious Horseman of Jekar, a group of travelling knights protecting the wanderings of King Paul and Cultists who followed him. Additionally an urn indicated King Paul had a daughter called Edwina with his Mistress called Elise, who died in childbirth. That child died soon after and is known to have been named David. Elise, who was officially named "Royal Mistress of East Moreland" belonged to a family known as the Koul family, something Dr.Merriman who has lead the dig stated explains the reason for the family being named Black Prince and Princess. "The name Koul generally is used commonly to refer to charcoal, or swarthy. We know of several families using the surname who ran businesses manufacturing charcoal or owning land where lots of woodland was cleared for this industry. It doesn't give us much of a clue as to this families future beyond the time of Paul. What we do know however is that Edwina lived to be 60 years of age and very well could have married, had children and done many other things in life. What I'm interested in now is finding out more about Edwina, this could give a clue as to the next destination of Paul the Explorer. We'd high hopes of what we would find in Rokkenjima, however this has been a magnificent find."

It is expected that the urns will be returned to East Moreland at the weekend and a ceremony undertaken to place the remains in the Temple of Helus. Dr.Merriman confirmed that he has asked for time to study them in more detail before a decision is made as to whether intern the urns in the Ironside family mausoleum.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 02, 2019, 08:17:59 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://st.depositphotos.com/1007373/5016/i/950/depositphotos_50165919-stock-photo-people-on-the-streets-of.jpg)

HIGH STREET SHOPPING GETS BOOST

In recent years there has been a trend towards more and more on line shopping meaning that some high street retailers, particularly smaller ones have been struggling. The Minister of Finance, Stephen Finn, today announced a series of measures designed to help those on the high street. Speaking at a conference of small business owners the 44 year old former economics professor said. "Deals done with the CNN and various others have ensured good deals for consumers, however we need to also take measures at home to keep local businesses competative and appealing." The first measure he announced was a reduction in Sales Tax, "Currently sales tax sits at 15%, we will be reducing this to 12%. While this cut may not seem a huge decrease it will make a difference to businesses as they trade with each other.

The Minister then announced that business rates will be reduced by and various "Relief" measures introduced. Finn said, " Our nations business rates are paid on profits and on a silding scale. We will be reducing the rates people pay and increasing the thresholds, people will be able to keep more before paying a form of tax. We will also offer further reductions to companies in certain circumstances such as employing less than 100 people, being located in a rural area, or a traditional business. It is hoped that this will mean companies will have more disposable income meaning they are capable of making further investments into their business."

Minister Finn also announced that eight East Moreland cities will be part of new Enterprise Zones. "We have identified eight locations which see an abnormally high number of empty shop fronts. As such we are going to bring in a scheme to allow first time business starters to access these sites at very affordable rates, as such we hope that they will see new blood on our high street."

The measures however were criticised by Chief Councillor Thomas More who said, "I have seen some of the plans for Keepton's Enterprise Zone, these old traditional artisans shops are probably going to be turned into bars, coffee shops and discos. The high street will still be empty during the day as they only offer a role to the evenings. Beside we already have enough pubs and clubs and adding more is likely just see our city centres become full of drunks. Our cities are among the most beautiful on Mundus, old medieval buildings well preserved stand alongside tasteful and well thought out contemporary buildings which complement each other. Now however we'll see these buildings wasted."





(https://thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/5a9SDYdExydwLC8tv012tEvWawM=/1072x500/filters:focal(1850x1410:1851x1411)/https://public-media.smithsonianjourneys.org/filer/5b/c8/5bc8eec1-709c-4656-9c8b-0a1b25092dc5/met_opera_auditorium.jpg)

OSTLAKE FILM AWARD VOTING BEGINS

With the Ostlake Movie Awards, more commonly known as the "Ozzies" due to take place in four days time the voting has been opened. The Awards which will take place in the Ostlake Opera House will this year be hosted by Alander actress Krista Rosendahl-Sunbrek and East Moreland band 2Cellos. Rosendahl-Sunbrek has been spending the last six months in East Moreland filming a documentary on the troops who undertook two humanitarian operations in her homeland and was invited to host having worked with the band on a music video. Stephen of 2Cellos said, "As a kid you'd wait for the Ozzies and see the best in East Moreland handed out each year, the past few years though I think its got better as we've seen things from abroad slowly get involved, so why not the host."

Rosendahl-Sunbrek says she has a deep connection to East Moreland after spending her honeymoon here as well as being a volunteer translator with JET during their deployment to Nya Aland. "The Ozzies are among the most prestigious movie and film awards on Mundus, I still hope to win one some day but until then being asked to host is just as good." It is expected that the award for best Domestic film will go to yet another adaptation of the King Paul story with the discovery of a new set of descendent being recently discovered. Actor Simon Gatteridge who plays Paul in the film "The Wandering Horseman" said, "It was some of the best publicity we could ask for, even though the discovery did mean our film was out of date. The problem with the Paul story is so many different theories exist so we have so many versions of the film, I suspect maybe 18 months from now you'll see our film being surpassed by something new and more up to date."

Various film professionals across East Moreland will now be casting their votes with the winners being kept secret until the night.



(https://www.wwe.com/f/styles/gallery_img_l/public/all/2017/11/002_Fitness_Dublin_11032017ca_103--607beb84f47bddb129791d66730c06dd.jpg)

JUDO STAR STARTS RED LEGION SELECTION

Kristin Forester will become only the 2nd woman since the 16th Century to be part of Red Legions selection process. The almost year long selection process for the elite force is considered one of the most demanding on Mundus and the failure rate is exceptionally high, generally each year 200 potential Legionnaires begin selection with only around 10 making it in an average selection. The 32 year old Forester follows in the footsteps of Princess Freya who withdrew from selection two years ago because of injury and has not ruled out making her second and final permissable attempt. Forester is already held in high regard in the military having won a Judo Gold Medal at the Mundus Games in 2017 as well as having dominated the Armed Forces MMA Championships for the last three years. She is currently serving in the Royal Hussars, a regiment more at home to using Infantry Fighting Vehicles than special operations. She will be reporting to Oldfield Barracks in a weeks time to begin training and hopes to make history.

"Red Legion is a unit that if you become part of it everyone knows your the best. I like a challenge, that's why I wanted to go to the Mundus Games and bring back gold, I achieved that and I hope to achieve my next ambition. I understand there is every liklihood I'll not make it but you've got to be in it to win it and I'll be working hard to show them what I can do." The news of a second woman being admitted onto selection was welcomed by Princess Freya who upon hearing the news stated, "I wish Sergeant Forester all the best. Its not a competition and I'll be thrilled to see her, or anyone else, achieve their dreams especially if it means serving East Moreland. I've not ruled out a second attempt myself and who knows maybe we'll serve together in the future."

Brigadier Kelly was asked his opinion on women in Red Legion while attending a meeting at the Council Chambers, the commanding officer of Red Legion stated, "I don't care whether they are male, female, transgender, no gender, ratangender, if they can pass the selection process then I'm happy to have them onboard. No one gets any favours in Red Legion and as such if they make it past selection they deserve to serve." 





(https://greentransportation.info/ev-charging/range-confidence/chap8-tech/img/BSS_Exit1.jpg)

BETTER AUTO TO INVEST IN PORTWORTH

East Moreland's innovative electric car company Better Auto are to open thirty drive through battery exchanges in Portworth. The move comes following news that the city council plan to make the city emissions free within the next five years. The company have located thirty "brown" sites which means they are currently unused or underused sites that have been avaliable for at least three years. Simon Fadden of Better Auto said, "We've found sites ranging from a former drive in dry cleaners, an old fast food restaurant and a car wash in a multi-story car park. We believe we can convert these relatively easily and be operational in a short period of time. The battery exchanges will allow the people of Portworth to reliably use their cars without fear of having to find a recharge point."

Better Auto set up an innovative system whereby its cars are sold with a subscription to a battery exchange programme. The car drivers simply enter the exchange after swiping their membership card and park in a similar manner as they would at a drive in car wash. A robotic arm then removes their old battery placing it on charge for another user meanwhile replacing it with a freshly charged on. The whole process takes around two to three minutes and gives the driver a fully charged battery. The scheme has already been popular in Technology City where Better Auto first rolled out the system.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 06, 2019, 08:08:15 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://pmcwwd.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/isabel_lucus1.jpg?w=640&h=415&crop=1)

ROSENDAHL-SUNBREK ANNOUNCES THE OZZIE WINNERS

In a star studded evening at the Ostlake Movie Awards the Alander host Krista Rosendahl-Sunbrek announced the international awards, becoming the first non-Morelander to hand over one of the prestigious awards. The 34 year old actress, producer and documentary maker presented the awards alongside East Moreland's favourite classical music / rock star duo of 2Cellos.

The first of the foreign films was the Best Animated Short, this went to the Krimeon made film called "The Present" making it the first film from that nation to win any kind of award at the Ozzies. The film portrays a young boy who sits at home playing on his computer and is given a puppy that transforms his life thanks to them sharing a disability. The second award of the night went to Achkaerin, a nation that has over the last few years had a whole host of winners and nominations. This year the film "Be Yourself" ,  an inspiring short documentary about following people following their dreams at different stages of life took the award for Best International Documentary. The Achkaerin attendees soon found themselves another success when "Lego Camping" took Best International Short Film with its in vogue stop motion lego based approach to a family camping holiday.

The highlight of the evening however for the foreign attendees is the Best International Film, this year the politically charged and often harrowing film from Tamora took the best award. The Silence tells the story, if from a somewhat nationalistic view point of the executed young woman Dilara Haghighi. The film mixed both black and white, colour, authentic and fictional footage to make a gripping story. The award also marks the first occasion an Ozzie has made its way to Tamora.



(https://www.awsfzoo.com/media/IMG_3078-740x568.jpg)

LEAKED HOSPITAL NOTE ON FOXES FUTURE

There was outrage and concern today when a leaked note written by Princess Rhiannon was published by a internet gossip site. The note which was photographed on a mobile phone and showed the chart on Princess Rhiannons hospital bed appeared for several hours and was reuploaded across the web. It sparked concerns about the health of the six year old Princess as well as anger from the Ironside family. Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker took to the airwaves on a series of interviews saying, "The Princess is a child in a grave situation. She is in need of support medicially, emotionally and we would have expected that to come from this nation. The King has always accepted he and his family will be the focus of the media, and to some extent he has co-operated with them by allowing pictures to be taken, Princess Rhiannon even once giving an interview. In return he would expect privacy at key moments, and this is most certainly one of them. Thanks to some of the worst media decisions immaginable the Ironside family can no longer place their full trust in the very people who are supposed to be key in the treatment of Princess Rhiannon."

Hospital spokesman have said, "We believe a civilian member of staff working at the hospital was responsible and actions are being taken to establish this beyond doubt, at which point rest assured appropriate action will be taken. Meanwhile it has now been determined only military nurses will work with the Princess and we hope this will ensure her privacy is assured. We apologise to the family and will do all we can to support them through this difficult process."

The letter appeared to be written saying what she wanted to happen to her belongings when she died. One visible part of the letter talked about giving all her toys to the school she goes to, meanwhile she also wrote, "when I'm with Caspian I want Goldie to go to my friend Augustin but he has to promise not to eat him." The Princess recently returned from Neu Urburzis where accompanied by her pet Fennec Fox Goldie she spent time with the Imperial Family, the trip also saw her involved in an incident where she threw stones at Crocodiles to help protect a child who had fallen into their enclosure. The letter however would seem to indicate that the Princess is not getting better as a search for a suitable bone marrow donor continues despite global searches.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 09, 2019, 10:01:54 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://images.immediate.co.uk/volatile/sites/3/2018/02/MARCELLA_EPSISODE1_38-2e6482d.jpg?quality=90&lb=620,413&background=white)

REDFERN STANDS IN FOR KING DURING COUNCIL

With King David at the bedside of his ill daughter it was left to his brother in law Alex Redfern to deliver the King's monthly address to the Representative Council. The husband of Princess Freya read the speech prepared by King David and then answered a series of questions from the various Representatives. He briefly addressed the media as he left the Council building addressing the recent leak of a letter written by Princess Rhiannon. "The sensationalisation of a young girls medical condition is abhorent and I condemn any media outlet that prints the letter. The King has repeatedly co-operated with the press to allow them an insight into the Ironside family, now he needs the press to return the favour and allow Rhiannon her privacy."

In the address to the Council Redfern addressed a range of factors including the recent changes to various tax rates, the arrangements for the upcoming Feast of Jekar and the recent alleged chemical attack in Kaitaine. Redfern, a Major in Red Legion, said "There is naturally concern, we are in constant touch with the government of Kaitaine as we have an intelligence sharing arrangement following the discovery of sleeper cells within East Moreland. As a nation we, especially King David, co-authored the Uppsala Convention and we stand by it. We have sought assurances from the KDF about the incident and have been informed that the chemical used was Endosulfan. This is an insecticide that until 2014 was avaliable to buy over the counter in our nation. Many of us would have grown up consuming food that had been sprayed in it. While it has issues surrounding Bioaccumulation it is not in a single dose damaging to human health, despite the panic the Tamoran government are trying to create. Farmers who were exposed to the chemical on a daily basis have reported occasional isolated rashes which is why we have stopped using it in East Moreland. We will however be seeking confirmation of it being this chemical, we will until that point be suspending the intelligence sharing operation."

Redfern went on to also address the situation in Tamora stating, "It is my understanding that the food crisis there is being alleviated, the food stores we have donated to JET have been funnelling in through the Celtic Protectorate and it would now appear the situation regarding the accusations against the Cultists there are calming. The situation has been fast changing and has been confusing, I wish to pass on best wish to the new King and we are buoyed by the fact that the Cultists Priestess was involved in the coronation, something that would seem to show the Seleucid Cultist citizens are being made to feel part of their home nation. The East Moreland fleet will remain in the Kyne for a further week until we are confident the food crisis is in hand. At which point the ships there will make their way to Nya Aland where they will be involved in a small scale  exercise with some Red Legionnaires at the Red HQ there as well as elements of the Aland military. The ships will then head back to Portworth via Bakkermaya."

Finally the former Chief of Royal Household confirmed that the recently found funeral urns from Phukbridge in Rokkenjima will be interned at the Ironside masouleum on the day of the Feast of Jekar on the 19th of March. Representatives from the Horseman of Jekar will be part of the ceremony along with the traditional Red Legion honour guard. Redfern also said, "Should the blood line of the Koul's be discovered we'd also naturally wish to invite them however that is now a challenge for academics in Rokkenjima."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 11, 2019, 10:31:41 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tardis/images/2/22/Alec_Newman.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20180709111149)

FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER DIES

Sir Robert Kennedy, the former Foreign Minister, yesterday passed away after a battle against Motor Neuron disease. The 44 year old retired from public duties three years ago and was replaced by Edward Tamana who today paid tribute to his predeccessor. "Robert was a gentleman who served two Kings of East Moreland most loyally. He first came to prominence under King Sven as a rather forward thinking young ambassadors aide and then a Junior Foreign Minister. It was when King David took the throne he took the full portfolio and helped guide the King in the early years of his reign as he sought to end the nations isolation. In short time King David had negotiated us into several key agreements and had helped shape global policy through helping author CETO and the Uppsala Convention, two documents that will not bare the name Robert Kennedy but whom the King constantly sought the advice of. Even in his illness he did what he could to help the nation, always being a willing sounding board for those of us less experienced with foreign matters. The man could have been a colossus of global politics had he not been cut down in his prime. I know this evening there will be people across the Kingdom and across the globe who will be praying for him."

The King made a short statement as he left Ostlake to return to Northfort for the afternoon saying, "Sir Robert was not only a friend of mine he was also a loyal subject, a wise teacher and a devoted servant to East Moreland. I pray the Gods welcome him now that he leaves us. To his family they are in my prayers and I thank them for supporting him through his work and the tremendous battle with his illness." The former Foreign Minister is set to be honoured as King David has put aside funds for Royal Merriman University to name their International Relations facilities after Sir Robert.


(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/554785737891905722/unknown.png)

DENMAN CAUSES CONTROVERSY

Out spoken religious leader Jinny Denman has today once more stoked the fires of controversy. The self proclaimed leader of the Sisterhood of Helus, a breakaway branch of the Cult of Helus, was giving a speech at an educational conference for her organisation when she spoke about Princess Rhiannon's illness. During a speech about the importance of religious purity in family life the 46 year old said, "It is always sad when a child becomes ill and dies early. We sometimes however have to look at the parents and blame them for the childs suffering. Take the case of the King's children, his blood is as pure as possible and that should mean his children are healthy and strong. That is not the case, one child born with a genetic disorder and now the others unpure blood is killing her. Had the King not married into the Osman family and produced children there then Caspian and Rhiannon would have been born perfectly strong."

Denman went on to cause yet more controversy by stating, "Some nations media has started talking of an Empire of Helus, I think that would be a marvellous idea. Imagine it, a world were people lived true to the most perfect code ever created. A place where no evil was allowed to flourish. We would truly have banished the Underlords forever the day the only religion is that praising Helus. I would if I was King David unify with Seaforth through marriage, I believe Harper Rhodes is unmarried and she would make an excellent Queen, then West Moreland should be annexed, at the point of a sword if neccessary. Finally Bakkermaya I believe could easily be brought under the Imperial banner through simple negotiation. This would be a glorious start."

The self proclaimed High Priestess of the Sisterhood once again called for the King to consider his remarrying. "Lady Stasya is a beautiful noble woman but not a Cultist. Should she willingly and truthfully convert I would call upon the King to marry her tomorrow and produce many pure blooded children. If she doesn't however then I believe the King should leave her bed and find himself a useful wife."



(http://snaplap.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/11083042/loic-duval-cap.jpg)

HALLIDAY DENIED ENTRANCE TO OSTLAKE HOSPITAL

Formula Mundus driver Sam Halliday, who is romantically involved with former Queen of East Moreland Matilda Osman today announced on social media that he has been denied entrance to Ostlake Military Hospital where Princess Rhiannon is currently being treated. The former World Champion has been in a relationship with Matilda Osman for two years now and the pair have a son called Oliver who has just celebrated his second birthday. Oliver Halliday-Osman suffers from the same genetic condition that shortened the life of Prince Caspian and it is a gene carried by the women in the Osman family. Matilda Osman has been a constant visitor to the hospital over the period since Princess Rhiannon was diagnosed with leukaemia however following the recent media leak of what some are claiming is the Last Will and Testiment of Princess Rhiannon the racing driver has been banned from the base. Halliday has a very active social media presence and has often fallen foul of King David's anger because of including details about the time spent with Princess Rhiannon when Matilda has custody. Last year he found himself publicly criticised by the King when he called Rhiannon his "daughter".

Halliday used Facebook to say that he felt it "unfair that I can't see a child I care for, that I have bonded with and whom I wish to give support to during her illness. She's family to me and I'm being denied my right to see her." The 26 year old spoke further to the media during testing of the new EMAC-R Racing teams car when he said, "I'm consulting a lawyer to see if this is legal. The MCUR talks about a right to family life and the King is denying me this, I've not ruled out going to the courts."

Malcolm Tucker, the royal press Secretary stated, "As much as he uses terms like daughter, family, bonded, Halliday is not and will never be part of the Ironside family. Princess Rhiannon shares not one drop of DNA connected to Halliday and as much as he makes these claims he's talking non-sense. He's shown time and again that he does not value the privacy of this small girl and uses her to advance his own public image to earn sponsorship money. The King has every right to stop strangers visiting his daughter and every right to stop people setting foot on his military bases."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 15, 2019, 11:03:07 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/image_data/file/14560/MOG_v_-2013-018-TA_Sandhurst_Parade-199g.jpg)

NORTHFORT MILITARY PARADE FOR FEAST OF JEKAR

The military today confirmed that despite the suspected abscence of King David in Northfort the annual military parade for the Feast of Jekar will still take place. The parade is usually one of the highlights of the day and smaller parades take place across the nation. General Yacobs is expected to take the salute in Northfort in the abscence of the King. "The parade is a real spectacle and the men and women taking part enjoy the occasion. We do our best to ensure those parading are Northfort locals giving them a chance to march through there home town as well as spend the remainder of the day enjoying the festivities with their family."  Among those in the parade this year will be Rugby superstar Rollo MacAllister who is currently undertaking his National Service in the Army. The giant 2nd rower will be taking part in his first parade saying, "This is exciting. I converted to the Cult after escaping here from Seaforth. I just fell in love with everything about the Cult and life here. Of course I still feel the beating heart of a Seaforthian inside and I'm delighted that people back home are accepting the Cult."

The Feast will also see several sword ceremonies. Among them perhaps will be Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside, the 21 year old multi-Mundus games medal winner is currently serving as a dog handler in the Royal East Moreland Air Force and has now attained all four standards expected for a sword ceremony. The King's niece however may not ask for the ceremony, as far as we are aware she has not asked the Priestess of Jekar in Northfort for a ceremony as is usually expected of a member of the royal family. The Archduchess would likely have had her uncle King David and aunt Princess Freya involved however as the Ironside family go through a family crisis with the health of Princess Rhiannon it is unlikely they would be able to attend. Sword ceremonies can happen at any time so many believe the Archduchess will wait until all her family can attend.

Across the globe Embassies in allied nations will celebrate the Feast of Jekar by hosting a formal dinner for injured veterans, while in nations where there is no formal treaties members of local uniformed youth groups will be invited. Last year the Embassy in Krokom saw members of the Mjolnir, Alander Special Forces, who fought alongside the East Moreland military in Marseille attend the event and it is likely this year that will be repeated.



(http://afflictor.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/inflatable-space-hotels-from-boeing-and-bigelow-aerospace.jpg)

CNN SPACE STATION EXPERIMENT BEGINS

Today the first of two launches for the CNN Space Station has taken place. The launch took place at Technology Cities Space Centre and sent East Morelands most experienced astronaut Rachel Dixon back to the Mini Station (https://images.theweek.com/sites/default/files/legacygeneric/space_creepy.jpg) which will become the base of a unique experiment which could change the nature of space exploration. Prior to blasting off for the forth mission of her career Dixon said, "The CNN Space Station is going to look at putting four of SmartWar's inflatable compartments onto the existing Mini Station. These things will cost only a fraction the price of an existing space and  station, will take up less space on the launch vehicle and will, we hope, be easier to get into orbit. If it works we could see these things being put into orbit around other planets to act as bases of operations for long term exploration. Its an exciting prospect."

Joining the Morelander astronaut is Cadoc McDougall, a Cenneg astronaut, who is making his second space mission. The pair will dock with the Mini Station and set up the first of the inflatable compartments. If all goes according to plan they will be joined by another two astronauts, one from The Iwi and one from Lodja, on Monday. The four astronaut team will run a series of experiments and drills before Dixon and the Lodjain return to Mundus on Wednesday. The Cenneg and Maori astronauts will stay on a week longer before hopefully leaving the station in a functional state ready for future missions. Should the mission go according to plan the station will become home to a team of twenty Swarmbots in mid April before hosting a long term team of three astronauts for a mission lasting from May through to July later in the year. 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 19, 2019, 10:09:20 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://secure.i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02224/parade4_2224463b.jpg)

FEAST OF JEKAR SEES HUGE PARADE

Around 12,000 members of the East Moreland Armed Forces, past and present have paraded through the streets of Northfort today to celebrate the Feast of Jekar, the scared God of War in the Cult of Helus. The sight was replicated across East Moreland as thousands of other troops joined local parades, the Feast was even celebrated in space as astronaut Rachel Dixon made an offering of "Space Ice Cream" out of the mini-space stations air lock. The seasoned astronaut will return to Mundus tomorrow but from the CNN Space Station Experiment she said, "I wish everyone back on Mundus celebrating a joyous day. I'd like to thank every member of the Air Force who paved the way for me to be where I am. Their dedication to duty and their missions enabled us to achieve what we have so far and I hope Jekar will allow me to pave the way for future generations." The images of Dixon, an Air Force officer, making her offering started off the parade which saw representatives of all branches of the military as well as veterans groups.

The traditional royal salute was taken in Northfort by Princess Lily Ironside, the cousin of King David III who was at Ostlake making the most of the day with his daughter Princess Rhiannon. The 24 year old Princess also presented the 5th Royal Lancers, a mechanised cavalry unit, with a new Regimental standard which bore the battle honour Academica for their efforts there during the civil war that rocked that country. Minister of Defence Sir Harry Samuelson and Prime Minister Henrietta Quinn stood on the steps of the Temple of Jekar in the Temple District of Northfort accepting the offerings of passing units of soldiers, these ranged from traditional offerings of swords, shields, flowers, food and various other objects. The annual address which is usually given by the monarch was this year given via video link from the Celtic Protectorate by Tim Carpenter who is currently the ambassador to Royal Seleucid.

Quote from: Tim Carpenter's Speech

Today those of us who believe in the Cult of Helus believe that a God called Jekar, determined to beat the evil of the Underlords sat at a forge in Portworth and crafted a new weapon. That weapon was the sword, he learnt how to master this new weapon and then taught the first human, Riamond Unasson. This discovery turned the tide of the war against the darkness of the Underlords, and as Unasson and Jekar began to teach more and more humans how to use this weapon they taught them to the Code of Canley. It is our belief that these rules have helped mankind resist the evils sent to try us. The year ahead is yet another chance for us to commit ourselves to the service of the Gods, we must redidicate ourselves to ensuring that evil, no matter what form it comes in.

This year I am honoured to address you, I would rather not. I would rather know my monarch, a man I respect greatly , could be giving this speech but sadly as his daughter fights her own evil it falls to me. Princess Rhiannon is a young girl who should act as an example to us all. The press who have sadly invaded her privacy, showed us that despite her illness she is thinking of those she loves, her little fox and her friends from a far. She is putting their needs before her own and at such a young age. Be it fighting cancer, or fighting Crocodiles she has set a high bar for all of us, and we must now strive to meet it.

The year ahead is one that provides great oppurtunities. As we sit here on Helus' creation of Mundus we have four intrepid explorers above us. Four people of four different nationalities, four faiths. They are the perfect example for what we on Mundus should strive for. They are living, working and succeeding together. They are working to bring about a better understanding of the universe, and methods we can use to explore it. All people coming together for the betterment of humanity is exactly what Unasson and Jekar did so so long ago. It is my hope that the rest of us can begin to work towards creating an equal harmony here on Mundus. Jekar welcomes fallen warriors who have followed the code, it is my hope that if we are more like those four astronauts then the God of War will have a lean year, something I know he will welcome.

To those this year who have made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the East Moreland military I offer my prayers, my thanks and my respect. Small tokens but ones that must be given. They have gone willingly into the worlds most dangerous zones, be that Academica, or to protect refugees in Lakhzovia, never once thinking of refusing, never once considering the wisdom, just dedicating themselves to the ultimate part of the Code of Canley, protecting those who could not protect themselves. My own military experience was short lived and limited, yet long enough for me to know that these men and women who are the tip of East Moreland, and some would say Mundus' spear are heroes. On this day we dedicate it to them, to their families and to pray for each and everyone of them. On behalf of King David, East Moreland, and myself I thank you for your service.

Across Mundus the various embassies hosted events, in Nya Aland members of the Alander Armed Forces who served alongside East Moreland in Marseille joined the ambassador for a dinner. In Bakkermaya the embassy staff joined locals for the festivities and then hosted a party in the embassy grounds. It was also confirmed that Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside has been granted permission for a sword ceremony however has elected not to have it on this day preferring instead, "To have my Sword Day at a time when all my family can be present"


(http://photos.wikimapia.org/p/00/01/46/68/11_big.jpg)

KOUL REMAINS INTERNMENT POSTPONED

The funeral urns belonging to the companion of Paul the Explorer and the children they had were expected to be placed inside the Ironside family masouleum today. This ceremony was however postponed because of the illness of Princess Rhiannon and the discovery that the Koul family mentioned in the inscriptions is likely to be the fore-fathers of the current Cole family from Rokkenjima. This connection was discovered by Rokkenjiman experts and has since been confirmed by Dr. Marcus Merriman. The decision to postpone the ceremony was explained by Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker.

"The funeral urns are a vital part of the history of East Moreland and there is no doubt they rightfully belong in the Ironside masouleoum. What we must remember however is that this is also the great-great, and so on, grandparents of the Cole family. As such they will get a chance to attend the ceremony and would be welcome to pay their respects to their ancestors. The ceremony will therefore be postponed until such a time as the Cole's have responded to this invitation and Princess Rhiannon's condition has improved."

While no member of the royal family has yet said anything there is also a fresh hope for Princess Rhiannon's condition as this connection is effectively a new branch of the Ironside family.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 24, 2019, 08:54:55 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.scified.com/articles/breaking-noomi-rapace-has-officially-joined-alien-covenant-shaw-will-return-29.jpg)

DIXON HAILS CNN SCIENCE DEVELOPMENT

Astronaut Rachel Dixon recently returned from her latest space mission having seen the East Moreland mini space station greatly enlarged. The mission saw her and a Lodjain astronaut return home having successfully added a series of inflatable, collapsable compartments to the existing orbiting space lab. Currently a Cenneg and Maori astronaut remain on the station for a few more days. Dixon spoke about the mission before praising the CNN for helping expand scientific understanding. "The CNN Space station has been successful so far, we have space to run a vast number of experiments now as opposed to the one or two in the mini station. We can also provision the thing for much much longer missions meaning longer term experiments can take place. We're lucky that the CNN has allowed this to take place, probably only the Cenneg could have done this but they lacked the SmartWar pods, pulling together our logistics and funding means quicker results and more consistent missions. I think the CNN has been painted as a military alliance and yes of course it contains a provision on that matter, but it also promotes, funds and encourages science and its study."

Dixon is set to embark on a tour of East Moreland Universities to promote science studies and to assess various experiments that have bid for their experiments to be taken to the new enlarged station. It has also been confirmed that plans are being considered to place an inflatable pod in orbit around the Moon. Dixon explained, "The Cenneg believe that it would be possible to put a series of these pods together in orbit around the Moon. We could essentially undertake a series of missions seeing numerous missions to the surface before returning to these pods for resupply. If this system works then there is the possibility of sending these to further out planets, effectively provisioning them for future missions and making deep space exploration more of a possibility." There has however been no confirmation of this yet but the idea has been voiced previously.


(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article5291157.ece/ALTERNATES/s810/Chuka-Umunna.jpg)

FOREIGN MINISTER SEES "RISK AVERSE" CTO AS FULL OF "BLUSTER"

Foreign Minister Edward Tamana has today urged the King to withdraw East Moreland from the Commonwealth Treaty Organisation. The move comes after Sir Jacob Longe, the ambassador to the CTO, gave notice of an impending referendum on the nations membership. Speaking to Shelly Coe on her weekly political interview show the Foreign Minister said. "The CTO started off well, but it became to risk averse, too many nations failed to commit when required and wouldn't stick their necks out for the good of peace and security. Take for example the Uppsala Crisis, the CTO pass resolutions calling for help, more non-CTO nations responded than CTO nations. Even when Secretary General Carpenter wanted to get ambassadors to go there and show CTO support his move was thrown out because the CTO had concerns over safety. If you want peace and security then at times your going to have to actually do something. East Moreland has been a workhorse of the CTO. We are the only nation to have taken part in every debate, every vote and every sanctioned operation. It has seen over five hundred Moreland Legionnaires lay down their lives, countless others suffering life changing injuries. We hear of nations making proposals to "save" the CTO. What was needed was to get rid of the bluster that the CTO is full of yet that has continued. I will in the coming days be making recommendations to His Majesty for us to leave the CTO and for provisions to be made to ensure Mundus has something that sees the spirit of the CTO continue in a much better manner. Nations like Rokkenjima have asked for time to make proposals, that has now gone of for a long time, the clock is ticking away its final seconds."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 30, 2019, 08:38:09 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://images-ext-1.discordapp.net/external/diuwASTc3HLu3bZ0jGjCdDEB_6UnHigqxgP8yuM0CxI/https/upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/27/6_Squadron_RAF.jpg/225px-6_Squadron_RAF.jpg?width=223&height=300)

CAN OPENERS UNDERTAKE ALPINE STRIKE

It was confirmed this morning that a series of air strikes have been carried out by the Royal East Moreland Air Force squadron affectionatly known as the Flying Can Openers. The unit operated the Dragonbane II and is understood to have engaged a large number of targets in the region of Stoneton close to the border with Cyprix and Montsarre. The attack was confirmed by Minister of Defence Sir Harry Samuelson who briefed the media saying, " Last night 10 aircraft from the 6th Squadron engaged a convoy believed to be transporting weapons for the Borland Seperatists. In addition to this a warehouse in an former mining complex and an old gas storage tank were also attacked as they were believed to contain caches of smuggled weapons. The targets where confirmed as viable by multiple sources of intelligence and the strikes were assessed by ground forces as being totally accurate and successful."

It was also confirmed that around eight Borlanders were killed in the strike. Local residents heard the strike and a few caught the explosions flashing over the hills on camera. One resident of Stoneton stated, "The first we knew about it was when the ground began shaking, we were about 10km away from the attack and as we looked out our window we could see flashes of light, I think it must have been the vehicles exploding. We then heard the aircraft flying over head as they returned to base. Its worrying to think the Borlanders were so close."

The Army have arrived in Stoneton early this morning to begin more patrols and reassure the people of the city which has a population of around 200,000 people.


(https://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/60723000/jpg/_60723093_airfield1997.jpg)

ASYLUM SEEKERS REVIEW TO BEGIN AT HUNTERS VALE

The former REMAF Base known as Hunters Vale was converted into a refugee reception centre and asylum seeker centre three years ago and its combination of barracks style, family home and even an underground converted Nuclear bunker has housed some 40,000 people at any single time. The centre was used as a reception centre before sending people onto various other settlements and is now being used as a centre for the reviews of around 85,000 refugees who had claimed asylum.

East Moreland took refugees from Nya Aland, Mavrosia, Lakhzovia, Academica and Safraen in recent years and the Foreign Office now believe that the time has come for some to return home. Foreign Minister Edward Tamana explained at a recent visit to the centre. "We've given people fleeing some of the worst situations on Mundus a home, all be it not the most comfortable or luxurious, but at a time of crisis a warm bed, good food and a roof over your head that isn't likely to get bombed at any moment Hunters Vale served a purpose. We've tried building a school system there, we've even a small hospital and places of worship, but you can only sustain such a place for so long. In the coming few weeks we shall begin calling those from areas we believe are safe to return to and inviting them to either return home or present a reason why they should be permitted to remain. Each case is unique and shall be treated that way. Nya Aland should be perfectly safe to return to for example, however should someone make a convincing case for being allowed to remain in East Moreland we'll give them a fair hearing."

Melissa Lusk, who was responsible for getting many of the refugees out of their respective danger zones has also offered to help with the process. "At the CTO Refugee Agency we never planned these moves to be permanent and tried to put in place steps to help people return home. Should my government ask for help I'd be delighted to." Lusk also helped establish the Refugee University which has around 2,000 people in East Moreland enrolled. "I'm thrilled to see the success of the University and hope those enrolled will continue their studies wherever they end up."

Foreign Minister Tamana however says there may be some issues, "We've got some nations that are still a mess, some that the governments have not really taken an interest in the refugees, such as Lakhzovia. This may see the people involved caught up in an extended process but we shall do our best to get the best possible outcomes for those involved."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 04, 2019, 09:42:37 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/563442458294353920/unknown.png)

KING SEEN BACK IN NORTHFORT

King David was today seen returning to the Royal Palace in Northfort following spending almost two months at Ostlake Military base where he has been at the bedside of his ill daughter Princess Rhiannon. The return to Northfort sparked rumours that the Princess had received a bone marrow transplant and was beginning her recovery. This was confirmed later in the day by Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker who said " The Princess has been found a match from a donor from Rokkenjima following the work by Marcus Merriman there which identified a new branch of the Ironside bloodline. She was given the procedure several days ago and so far she is comfortable but remains in hospital as her immune system is compromised. For her safety she is still in a highly isolated ward where she has been for several weeks."

Dr.Felicia Henry, the Royal Physician, says "With fingers crossed the procedure will be a success. We will need to keep an eye on her for around the next six weeks until her blood cells hopefully return to normal levels, then she can begin returning to her normal routine. Naturally we'll need to ensure that she is kept away from infections and other problems for perhaps up to a year as it can take some time for her white blood cells to return to normal." It is likely that the Princess will not return to school in the short term and will be educated at home until her father is convinced that all is well. The Princess' mother, Matilda Osman, remains at Ostlake however Mr.Tucker explained that she will be permitted short term lodgings at the Palace while Rhiannon recovers. As Mr.Tucker explained, "The King has normal custody over the Princess because of an agreement between the parents. The King has always done as much as reasonably possible to allow Miss Osman access to her daughter on a very regular basis and this time is one where the more support the Princess has the better." Mr.Tucker however refused to be drawn on whether Matilda Osmans long term partner Sam Halliday is permitted to the Palace. The King and Halliday have clashed several times over the way in which the former Formula Mundus Champion has talked about the Princess being his "daughter" and various other issues.

It is thought likely that King David will begin recommencing his royal duties after the upcoming Feast of Melanor.


(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/24/Uxv_combatant.JPG)

REMNS BORG TO BE LEASED TO LODJA

The Ministry of Defence today confirmed that the drone carrier REMNS Borg will be leased to the Lodjain Navy for the next eight years. The ship was one of three that entered service in 2015 designed to be a multi-purpose platform able to operate in  a wide variety of mission profiles. The ships featured a small number of guided missiles capable of engaging targets in the air or on land, torpedo launches and the ability to launch a variety of unmanned water and air vessels. The ships have seen active service during the Seaforth Eugenics War, the Marseille Crisis and both Safraen missions among others. The government have however indicated that with other naval developments and other military commitments the need for three of the vessels is now rather redundant. The decision was explained by Sir Harry Samuelson the Minister of Defence. "The three ships have been a vital backbone of our navy however they were commissioned at a time when it was believed that the East Moreland military would be isolated and have to stand alone. That has been proven not to be the case and as such we have looked now at making our navy more capable of being able to hold its own in naval combat. This means we are top heavy on amphibious style warfare vessels. The Lodjain navy is in need of help, we need to save some money in our budget and so this seems like the perfect arrangement."

The agreement will see the vessel under the command of the Lodjain military for the next eight years with a fee being paid each year. All maintainence will be carried out in East Moreland ports or by East Moreland technicians with the cost being absorbed by the Lodjian military. The ship will for the first 6 months be manned by a crew made up of 25% Lodjains, this increasing to 50% by the end of the first year, after 18 months just five Morelanders will remain onboard. For the final six years of the agreement the ship will be totally crewed by Lodjains. It is also part of the agreement that at the end of the eight year arrangement there is a possibility of Lodja purchasing the vessel outright should the East Moreland Navy consider it still surplus to requirements. The vessel will however come without any of its aerial drones which may see Lodja use helicopters instead.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 15, 2019, 12:10:42 AM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn-02.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/article34863242.ece/abf41/AUTOCROP/w620h342/2016-07-07_new_22618562_I1.JPG)

KING DEFENDS SIR HARRY

Following an apparent leak of weapons system schematics and e-mails between Minister of Defence Sir Harry Samuelson and SmartWar the King has seen fit to intervene in the situation where the Minister is under fire from people both at home and overseas. Following statements on East Moreland based news channels calling the leak "a disaster for national security" while others have called on him to resign saying that he has failed to "protect the nation from serious overseas threats." The Tamoran media have even commented on the leak attacking the former Red Legion marksman instructor over his question about the possibility of developing small scale nuclear missiles for the Land Portible Vertical Launch System. The King took time out from his daily visit to Ostlake to speak to the media over the situation and to offer his support for his Minister of Defence. The King said, "Sir Harry has been a servant to East Moreland since he was 18 years old. He served in the Army, then in Red Legion. Even when retired from front line service he remained an instructor at Red Legion before becoming a government adviser and our nations first Prime Minister forming an outstanding team alongside our first Chief Councillor Tim Carpenter. I firmly believe that whatever Sir Harry does is in the best interest of the nation. What people must remember is that I have the final say over our nations defence policies. I have firmly stated that East Moreland will be the first nation to have nukes to remove them and we are not far from that goal and by the end of 2019 all our devices will be installed in power stations as fuel. The tag line Make Tea Not War may be a light hearted way of describing our objective but the truth remains, that is exactly what our nuclear weapons will be making, cups of tea. Sir Harry is permitted to ask whatever questions he feels need to be asked but before any decision is made it will be Sir Harry presenting his findings, his opinions and his assessments to me in order to allow me to make the decisions  and my decision is that East Moreland shall not be a home to nuclear weapons."

The recent leak comes from a source that claims to be supporting the former self proclaimed Empress of Alba Karinya, the incarcirated Clarissa. The then 15 year old lead a rebellion against the government of Academica claiming to be a Goddess sent to ensure that Alba Karinya was returned to its rightful people and under the command of her. She is currently serving a minimum 25 years in prison in Academica. The source calling himself "Trajan" claims there will be further leaks in the coming days and that these are designed to "Bring Mundus to its knees surrounded by chaos."


(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.munich.travel/var/ger_muc/storage/images/_aliases/teaser_medium/3/4/7/5/265743-1-ger-DE/film-schloss-03-foto-redline-enterprises-sm-3000.jpg)

PALACE TO GET NEW RESIDENTS

It was announced today that Northfort Royal Palace is set to welcome a series of new residents. The first will arrive on Tuesday in the form of a group of eight Otters. The rivers and small lakes that are dotted around the Palace, its woods and extended estate used to be home to Otters until the 1970's when the last one was seen, experts believe the Queen at the time, King David's grandmother Queen Phillipa, wanted to create a undisturbed fish stock for her husband to use as he was a keen angler. King David often spent time with his grand-father Archduke Joseph in the woods learning hunting and fishing however in the King's own words, "I can hunt and fish but its not something I see as a hobby the way my grand-father did. To me I prefer to just enjoy walking and experiencing the countryside than utilising it." It is believed that the lack of regular fishing by members of the royal household or their guests has seen fish stocks become too large. Head of Royal Household, Quinn Germaine is overseeing the reintroduction and stated, "The otters used to be part of the ecosystem of the Palace grounds and the rivers that flow through Northfort. We've sadly seen them dwindle in terms of numbers and so what better place than to return them than the centre of the Kingdom. We've allowed ecology experts to come in and set up artificial habitats to help them get started and we hope in years to come they will flourish." The Royal Palace is home to a number of species of wildlife as the sprawling estate plays home to a varied ecosystem of grassland, moor and woodland as well as the large lakes and rivers that dominate the entrance to the Palace that visitors see upon arrival.

The second new arrival at the Palace will be Princess Lily Ironside (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=91.msg249#msg249) the cousin of King David. The 23 year old Princess has just recently completed a Masters degree in Biological Engineering and will be starting to undertake more royal duties in the coming months. She has been given one of the old hunting lodges on the estate as her private residence just a few hundred meters from Princess Freya's private residence which she shares with her husband Alex Redfern.

The final new arrival will be moving into the Palace itself. It was confirmed by Queen Klara of Lodja recently that former Lady in Waiting Stasya Pelagiya had been given a title of nobility in her own right and given the role of a Royal Envoy. The new Baronetess has selected to live in East Moreland, a decision that has come as no surprise as the 22 year old has been romantically linked with King David for almost a year. The Chief of Royal Household confirmed, "Lady Stasya will be given private rooms within the Palace. The East Moreland ambassador to Lodja has their own private rooms on the Isle of the Goddess and this is our opportunity to return the hospitality.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 17, 2019, 08:04:02 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://tracyanderson.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/olivia-palermo.jpg)

FORMER QUEEN REQUESTS KINGS LOVER KEPT AWAY FROM DAUGHTER

A report from the royal palace indicates that former Queen of East Moreland, Matilda Osman, has requested that King David's new partner, Baronetess Stasya Pelagiya, be kept away from visiting Princess Rhiannon in Ostlake. The 22 year old Lodjain former Lady in Waiting has recently been appointed as a kind of envoy to Queen Klara and is to be stationed in East Moreland. Almost immediately she was invited to reside in the Royal Palace in Northfort, leading to speculation that soon an announcement of a royal wedding could be coming. The news however was not welcomed by all as Matilda Osman is believed to be upset that Baronetess Stasya will be seeing Princess Rhiannon on a daily basis once she returns from Ostlake. The potential new Mother-in-Law has also apparently requested to visit Princess Rhiannon at Ostlake and it is this that has caused Matilda to seek to deny her that chance. It is understood that the King banned Matilda Osman's partner, Formula Mundus driver Sam Halliday, from visiting the hospital after a series of controversial social media posts. The move therefore to halt Baronetess Stasya from visiting is likely to be seen as tit for tat.

The formerly married couple have always generally got along reasonably well since their divorce and amicably agreed that because of her future role as monarch of East Moreland that the Princess should remain living with her father however many people believe this new development and the manner at which the Princesses treatment has been dealt with by the media that Matilda may seek to gain residential custody of the Princess so that she does not grow up in the public light.



(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/909B/production/_106491073_gettyimages-909260196.jpg)

OSMANTECH "REVIVE" DEAD PIG BRAINS

Following last years experiment (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=150.msg6084#msg6084) success the biologists at OsmanTech have once more succeeded in effectively keeping brains alive outside of the body. In total 32 pigs brains were collected from an abatiour 4 hours after the pigs had been killed, the brains were transported to the OsmanTech labs in Technology City where they were connected to a state of the art system which pumped various drugs, chemicals and blood around the brains. This process continued for six hours while various readings were taken. The team, which was personally lead by Lord Lucas Osman the founder of OsmanTech made many important discoveries. They found that they were able to stop brain cells from dying and in some cases restoration of blood vessels, in around 50% of the brains they also observed brain activity. The brains absorbed medication at the same rate as a normal functioning brain as well as consuming the same amount of oxygen. Crucially there was no sign of the brain-wide electrical activity in an electroencephalogram (EEG brain scan) that would signal awareness or perception.

The experiment was hailed as a great step forward by Lord Osman who explained, " We've discovered several things that will change the way we think about the brain. For a start about how long it takes for a brain to die and the manner of death. It shows some of that process can be halted or in some cases reversed this could see a significant change in patient care in some circumstances. It also allows us to have better experimental conditions for testing drugs for conditions such as Alzheimers or dementia. Its a promising step forward." As with last years experiments however their are ethical issues with some calling the ability to keep brains alive cruel but Lord Osman assured people that there was no consciousness. It is expected that Lord Osman and his team will publish their findings in several journals in the coming weeks.



(https://tribzap2it.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/carrie-preston-true-blood-season-7-gi.jpg?w=750&h=422)

SISTERHOOD OF HELUS APPOINT FIRST PRIESTESS OF NORTHFORT

The breakaway religious sect known as the Sisterhood of Helus has today named its first Priestess of Northfort. The Sisterhood believes that the Cult of Helus has made several mistakes and most importantly the God Helus is infact female. The sect was set up by former Cultist Priestess Jinny Denman who uses the title High Priestess of the Sisterhood which makes its headquarters in Silverhills currently. The sect recently purchased an old school building just 200meters from the Temple District and intends to raise funds to convert it into a fully functioning Temple. The new Temple will be run by one of Denman's first converts among the Cults Priesthood, Samantha Lawley a 52 year old former Priestess of Frossaj will be in charge of the new complex. Denman explained, "Our faith is growing, we now have close to 1.1 million people following our faith and it is important we now have a base to preach from in Northfort and I can't think of anyone better than Sam in order to make it a reality." The faith has been highly critical of several aspects of East Moreland's Royal Family and the announcement today saw an olive branch offered. "As her first official duty in East Moreland I would like to invite Baronetess Stasya to come and visit our new Temple. She currently shares the bed of our King and while a woman of fine breeding and great beauty she does not share our faith. This is a chance for her to learn about Helus, and by that I obviously mean the truth of Helus. I would hope then that she would welcome this truth into her soul and so she could be a better companion to our King." No comment on the invitation has been made by the Lodjain envoy yet.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 26, 2019, 11:57:53 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2017/12/10/22/israeli-embassy.jpg?w968h681)

FAILED TERROR ATTACK IN NORTHFORT

On the eve of the Feast of Melanor a busy underground station in a suburb of Northfort has witnessed a failed terror attack. Alarms were raised when a explosives sniffer dog working the crowd alerted its handler to the prescence of a suspected device left in a waiting room. Army bomb disposal teams rushed to the scene and upon inspection there was a belief that the device could have been attached to some kind of chemical substance however this turned out to be a false alarm. The station at Byron Street was evacuated as a Red Legion Rapid Reaction team reached the scene to secure the area, the whole process went according to a military spokesman "smoothly and without incident. Terror threats are a regular part of everyday life in East Moreland and most people are very familiar and well prepared to respond to military instructions. The fact that almost without exception every citizen has experience of military service is also a great help." The station was closed for three hours and commuters had to make alternative arrangements to get home as other stations received visits from military teams as a precaution, with only one other station turning up any devices. The station at Titchfield was discovered to have a ball bearing bomb placed in a bin with a timer set to go off at 6am tomorrow morning. Both devices were neutralised and disposed of by the security forces without loss of life.

The Minister of Defence, Sir Harry Samuelson, made an announcement later in the day saying, "It is clear that this was another attempt to try and create fear in East Moreland. Such tactics do not work here. We've had military missiles destroy parts of cities, we've had mortars fired at us, attempts at mass poisonings and countless others yet each time we bounce back. Today has highlighted the measures we put in place for day to day security work and the response was in every way appropriate and perfectly carried out." At the moment no one has claimed responsibility for the attack however Sir Harry stated, "We never rule anything out, after all the attempt to steal nuclear material was the Bene Gesserit and not the Borlanders, however they do remain prime suspects as always. My fear is other terrorist organisations may think that as we have constant threats from the Borlanders our security and intelligence services will miss other groups plotting against us. Today shows this is not the case and rest assured when we discover who is responsible there shall be action taken."

Both stations are now open and normal services resumed. Passengers are reminded to remain as vigilant as ever and reminded not to leave belongings unattended.


(https://www.hellomagazine.com/imagenes/healthandbeauty/hair/2017101843310/outnumbered-karen-actress-unrecognisable-new-hair/0-220-887/outnumbered-karen-actress-now-t.jpg)

PRINCESS HOME FOR FEAST OF MELANOR

As tomorrow marks the Feast of Melanor the Goddess of Life the King has announced that Princess Rhiannon has left hospital and has returned home. The Feast is used to symbolise new starts and new life as it is believed that it was her breath that gave life to the humans Helus had created. Her Temple is located in Freestone where people believe she made a heroic stand against a horde of Underlords and tomorrow will see thousands of pilgrims visit. This year the King has confirmed however that he will be celebrating the day in Northfort with the Princess. The King has however given his traditional Melanor Eve speech to the nation.

Quote from: King's Speech

The Feast of Melanor is the time of year those of us within the Cult celebrate new life and give thanks to the Goddess for our very breath. This year I am grateful to give special thanks to the Goddess as I am blessed to finally get my daughter home after her victory over leukaemia. For that I have to, as many Morelanders do, thank the wonderful medical staff that work in our nation. Their skill, dedication and hard work have given me my daughter back and I know countless others around our nation owe these amazing people a debt of gratitude for helping our loved ones. With this in mind I am pleased to announce that in the coming year East Moreland will be establishing the Melanor Fund. This will be a pool of money that will allow any independent researcher from any nation in the world to carry out research into one of four life threatening illnesses, HIV/AIDS, Cancer, Malaria and Diabetes. It is my hope that by funding more researchers we will be able to find new treatment methods to help combat these killers. It is my intention that $2million will be given to each of the four diseases and that within six months the first grants can be given out.

The Feast is also a time we think about the environment. Across East Moreland families will plant new trees, usually one for each person in their family and circle of friends who has passed away. This year we have seen a close neighbour King Leonard die in tragic circumstances. Vaguzia are a nation we consider friends and I hope that under a new monarch this continues. It is now an important time that our nation continues to seek out and encourage friendships with other nations. We are currently in talks with the Alucard nations to open up a trade deal and it is my hope that once this is completed East Moreland will have access to more trade blocs than any other nation on Mundus. It is my firm belief that barriers to trade being removed help everyone involved in trade and by being members of MICA, the CNN, the AKO and having trade deals with the CSU and soon TUNA we will be able to see the benefits of a truly global trade. What started with Vaguzia and our other Alba Karinyan neighbours is now spreading and that's exciting. We must not forget our neighbours in these new exciting futures. In order to show Vaguzia that we have not forgotten them we will on this feast day be planting a new grove of trees in the Alps on the border with Vaguzia. This woodland is one I hope will be added to each year until it flourishes into a forest of its own. This forest shall be given the name of Leonardhurst and will be among the first things anyone driving from Vaguzia into East Moreland sees.

The Feast is also a time when people make new starts, resolutions that many of us keep for a week, to go to the gym more, to stop eating chocolate or to lose weight. These new starts are important, they are us setting targets for ourselves and seeking to change our lives. If we fail that is fine, at least we've tried, but there are some measures that we can not afford to fail in. The environment is one such measure that we must not fail in, we must succeed in making changes that allow our nation, and the rest of Mundus to have a future. I seriously thought months ago that I would lose my daughter, now I have her back and must ensure that when she becomes an adult I leave her a world worth living in. As such East Moreland has signed an international environmental treaty, this shall be the minimum we must achieve. With that in mind I have today issued funding for an expansion of the use of the Solar Roadway Panels. We shall not be building major roads systems using them as was originally designed but we shall be making use of them in many urban areas. Plaza's, pedestrianised areas and outdoor hard sports courts will be among the places we target for the innovative solar panels. There shall also be a commitment that the military shall no longer waste a morsel of food. Any food unused will be given to homeless charities in order to provide food for the most needy in our nation. It is hoped by doing this no Morelander shall go hungry and that other institutions will follow. It is also my intention to ensure that all vehicles used by the Royal Family run on either electric power or biofuel by the end of 2019. The environment is a gift from Helus and must be protected, we must fight to save it as we would fight the Underlords.

Finally the Feast is a time to remember those no longer with us. This year has been a special time for that for my family. We have discovered a new branch of the Ironside family long lost through time. Our elusive monarch Paul the Explorer fathered children in Rokkenjima and now those descendents of the semi-mythical King are returning home. The people of East Moreland shall welcome back the blood of King Paul, we shall be joined by the people of Bakkermaya and I hope the Cole family whom it would appear are distance cousins of a kind of mine. These global connections however bring out of death a new start. For East Moreland that shall be a start outside the CTO. Today I have instructed our ambassador there to vote NOT to disband the organisation. I firmly believe that its purpose is noble and that should someone believe they can make it work they should have that opportunity. While it may appear strange to vote to keep an organisation in existance but then lave it there is method to this madness. East Moreland has suggested multiple paths forward and highlighted the problems we see however these have repeatedly not been addressed by others clearly showing that views are not aligned. The best chance therefore for the CTO is if those nations who do have aligned views work through how to make it work, and for that to happen East Moreland shall step aside. For the time being it is my belief a global organisation such as the CTO is doomed to fail as it is too unweidly, too slow and too unaware of the way it is perceived by the general public and those around the world. I have now taken the view that regional groups such as the AKO and rather impressively of late the Ardian Assembly are the way to go. Local figures leading solutions for the local region is the future and I commend Grand Duke Hugo Lascelles for his mediation of the recent crisis in Ardia. It is important the world has figures such as him acting in a manner reminiscent of our dear lost friend Willa Sunbrek-Rosendahl and I believe the Grand Duke to be a great friend and a great statesman.

I now wish everyone a joyous day for the Feast, enjoy the time with your family, your friends and your neighbours.

May The Gods Watch Over You and Your Life Be Long.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 28, 2019, 06:09:42 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/07/8a/21/078a2129a5ac5aa8652b3e06e0d50255.jpg)

BARREN DENIES TERROR ATTACK. MAY BE TELLING TRUTH

In a statement released today the self proclaimed "King of Borland" the terrorist leader Kyle Barren has distanced himself and his Borland Seperatists from the terror attacks foiled yesterday. The fugitive leader said, "The Borlanders are not people to leave their weapons in bins. We are innovative and successful in our attacks. We also do not attack on days designated by the Gods as a time for prayer and reflection. While I wish at every oppurtuntinty to see East Moreland and those sheep like Morelanders who follow David Ironside destroyed I would not do it on a day designed to reflect life." The Borlanders have been carrying out attacks against East Moreland on and off for several hundreds of years in an attempt to restore the Barren bloodline to the throne following King Robert the Unifier, a disinherited brother of the Barren family, leading an uprising against tyrannical King Niall. In all that time the Borlanders have never carried out an attack during the day surrounding any of Cult of Helus' Feast Days. This along with forensic analysis lead to the nations Intelligence Services this time believing that the terrorists may be telling the truth.

A Intelligence Service spokesperson explained the reasons for this belief. "In the past the Borlanders have been very effective at making explosives that have not been discovered. There is a constant battle between them and us, we develop new ways to discover their devices and they develop new ways to try and hide them. This was a very basic attempt at hiding a bomb, something that someone who has engaged in this game of cat and mouse with us wouldn't do. We have also had an oppurtunity to inspect the device and it is clear that this was not done with the level of sophistication the Borlanders have done in the past. This lead us to conclude this is either some new off-shoot of the Borlanders or more likely a threat not usually seen. This is rather concerning as it would mean we are now targets of multiple groups, however we are a nation that is highly security conscious and highly alert and prepared for such threats."

The Borlanders have so far carried out around ten attacks this year with only a handful being successful. They have in the past acquired military grade missiles via a corrupt Achkaerin dealer which helped kill several hundred people in Freestone, as well as using improvised mortars to attack military bases in Dartfordia and Rokkenjima. The usual method of attack by this group is either armed ground units or the use of technology to gain an element of surprise. This latest attack however seemed merely to place a bomb in a bin. This did lead some experts to question whether the Borlanders are getting desperate. "The group are always looking for new ideas but the net is squeezing ever tighter around them." Explained Minister of Defence Sir Harry Samuelson. "Perhaps what we are seeing is a group devoid of new ideas and oppurtunities to reverting back to old fashioned methods and now they've been caught out seeking to distance themselves from the failure." The Minister didn't however rule out foreign involvement. "Lets face it, our stance on helping friends around the world has created some enemies. We've seen the Gungnir attempt to attack people who are friends with Nya Aland and we do have a group of Red Legionnaires there training, they've been very vocal about wanting "outsiders" gone. Then of course we have this latest group from Academica as well as issues with the former Seaforthian Catholic Church. We as, as always, ask people to be super vigilant."


(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/21/58/2c/21582c3714f5e98bd7aa6d66d3a08967.jpg)

"FUTURE QUEEN" TAKES GIFTS TO TEMPLES

The woman many are tipping to be the future Queen of East Moreland today caused a little controversy during the Feast of Melanor. Baronetess Stasya Pelagiya has been in a relationship with King David officially just over a year and recently was made a Lodjain Royal Envoy opting to reside in East Moreland for her duties, a move many are seeing as Queen Klara allowing her ex-Lady in Waiting to spend time with what bookmakers are saying is her future husband. The 22 year old noblewoman was seen taking large bunches of flowers, a typical offering to Melanor, into the Goddesses Temple in Northfort just after sunrise. While many had suspected she may make her first official public appearance with King David she did in fact arrive alone wearing a rather dull black business suit not some stylish dress as she is often seen sporting. She spent around half an hour in the Temple where it is said she spoke briefly to some worshippers as well as with the Priestess of Melanor in Northfort Bree Jenning. Priestess Jenning said after the visit, "We were rather surprised, we knew Baronetess Stasya is dating our King but didn't expect her attendance without him. She seemed interested in the feast and rather knowledgeable out our faith. She asked questions about the day and left a beautiful bunch of flowers for the alter. She wished the worshippers a happy day and then left."

Several hours later she was seen arriving at the Sisterhood of Helus' first official temple in Northfort. While the Temple dedicated to Helus is still being converted from its former life as a school it is open to worshippers and has shrines to each of the eight dieties. The controversal sect of the Cult of Helus attains that Helus is in fact female and its leader, Jinny Denman, has been openly critical of the King and his former marriage, the Sisterhood is seen as heretical by some hardline Cultists. Baronetess Stasya was seen taking in an identical bunch of flowers and left an hour later. The Sisterhoods representative at the Temple is Priestess Samantha Lawley who informed us, "The Baronetess was lovely. She came and asked if she could leave some flowers and naturally we agreed. She had many questions about the Sisterhood and our differences with the Cult. I know our High Priestess has been critical of Stasya in the past and if she is to be our future Queen then she must embrace the truth of Helus, I think she is on that path judging by her questions today. It is my hope that she will become a frequent visitor to our Temple once converted and then with her beauty, fine bloodline and the true faith in her heart she would make an excellent Queen."

Baronetess Stasya however explained her actions later in the day saying. "I am a representative of the Goddess Sessifet. I believe however it is my job as a Royal Envoy to show respect to the nation I now live in. The people of East Moreland have made me feel very welcome on every visit and I thought today I was showing appreciation for that. I understand 1.2million people follow the Sisterhood, they may be a small number of the total but they have been just as warm in their welcome as the Cultists and so I did not wish to discriminate." It is understood that later in the day the Baronetess joined King David at the Palace where symbolic trees were planted by the Ironside family. Princess Rhiannon however remained indoors as she continues to recover from her recent bone marrow transplant.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 05, 2019, 11:20:52 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://images-ext-2.discordapp.net/external/Ukk6ChlgxWxqoWTDjfxpV5SK2wR6yCDMFnAjUdirL5I/https/upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Justizzentrum_W%25C3%25BCrzburg.jpg/1200px-Justizzentrum_W%25C3%25BCrzburg.jpg?width=1033&height=631)

CHARGES LEVELLED AT LAKHZOVIANS

It was confirmed today at the Northfort Crown Court that three Lakhzovian refugees are to be charged with multiple offences connected with terrorism. The three men were arrested at Hunter's Vale following a leaked e-mail indicating that Lakhzovian government officials were aware of impending attacks yet did not inform any nation. Several home-made explosives devices were found around Northfort in the proceeding 24hours. The three men face charges of attempted murder,  manufacturing explosive devices and carrying out acts of terror. If found guilty the prosecution could call for the death penalty as the crimes are connected to terrorism. For that to happen the jury must unanomously grant the judge permission to use the death penalty, something that has never been permitted in a case involving a foreign citizen. Minister of Justice, Darren Bone believes however that if guilty a death sentence should be used. "We have in the last few years seen a number of terrorists belonging to the Borlanders executed for crimes these men are accused of. If these men are convicted I firmly believe that a message needs to be sent that regardless of your nationality, background or other characteristic terrorism in any shape or form will receive the harshest penalty."

It is expected that the trial of the men will start at the end of next month. The East Moreland Intelligence Service have interviewed the men and believe that there may be other Khalinz Brigade members in the nation. A spokesman said, "To find a single cell would be very odd. Also if the leaked e-mail stating that the Lakhzovians knew of potential threats would indicate this is a problem beyond three people. It is vital now that the Lakhzovians hand over any and all information linked to these three individuals. At the moment their is a bankruptcy of trust. The Lakhzovians have shown little if any interest getting their refugees back, the various leaks from this group lead by "Trajan" have so far checked out as being accurate and the existence of this cell would also seem to back up "Trajans" e-mail leak. The Lakhzovians must now be eyed with caution."



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 10, 2019, 11:23:20 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://image.jimcdn.com/app/cms/image/transf/none/path/sa6549607c78f5c11/image/id5715922f9bbddee/version/1472727543/prague.jpg)

SILVERHILLS BECOMES 2nd LARGEST CITY

Following the most recent data collection by Silverhills City Council it was revealed today that the city had overtaken the capital city of Northfort in terms of population. As of the end of April 2019 Northfort had a recorded population of 756,333 however following the recent review by Silverhills they have a population of 768,344. The increase in population from just over 700,000 in 2013 has been fuelled by investment in the cities service industry as well as the creation of several new suburbs aimed at drawing younger people to the city. The city of Silverhills was traditionally an old medieval mining community and became vastly wealthy based on the wealth of the silver, gold and iron ore discovered in the hills which gave the city its name.


The mayor of the city is Paul Telfer who has lived in the city for almost 40 years having first arrived to study at University. "Today I'm rather proud that people are choosing to make Silverhills their home. The city has worked hard to present oppurtunities for all. We've still a reputation for being the playground of the rich and famous and the money things like the film industry and music industry bring into the city is always welcome. What's started to happen however is we're becoming a tourist centre, a place for insurance companies to set up and seen some really innovative little tech start ups. We're proud to support new entrapernours."

The city however isn't completely taken on the new increase in growth. The Duchess of Silverhills, Kelly Cooper, has been critical of the rather rapid expansion of the city. "The city wasn't ready for this. Our schools have seen an increase in class sizes, I remember visiting schools five years ago and seeing 20-25 kids in a class, now I was in one a week ago and it had just over 30. That's not good for our young people. Add to that health care, we're struggling to get everyone registered with a doctor. We need to attract more health care professionals to the city but that will come, we're a city that earn roughly 10% more than the national average so we should be able to find the money to entice them. My biggest concern however is much of the city is made up of old medeval streets and that can be hard to move around. We need to come up with some kind of way to preserve the cities heritage but also allow the modern citizens to live a successful life. I believe now that we must impose some kind of population control for the next few years." the suggestion by Duchess Kelly has been meet with support by some others who have claimed relaxation of visa requirements has seen an increase in people living in the city however some believe that this may have artificially inflated the population of the city. One such example would be Baronetess Stasya from Lodja, the 22 year old partner of King David has purchased an appartment in the city yet spends most of her time in Northfort residing in Silverhills only at weekends. Many richer Morelanders are seeing the city as their get away from their daily homes and the city is becoming a kind of honeypot for the nations nightlife scene.

The growth of cities in East Moreland has in the past been rather slow as the largest city, Portworth, only has 1.3million residents, making it much smaller than many other cities across Mundus in nations often with smaller populations. The situation has been ascribed to the fact that traditionally Morelanders have lived off the land and therefore a lot still have small holdings, hunt and gather wild food in the woodlands and meadows. This however is beginning to change with younger Morelanders who are becoming more disconnected with the traditional methods of acquiring food. In a recent study it was revealed that only 32% of Morelanders aged 18-30 would know how to gut and skin a rabbit compared with 62% of those aged over 50. This "loss" of practical skills is something Youth Minister Amelia Merriman has said should be addressed, "Games consoles, mobile phones and the like are killing are nations skill base. I know my grand-father (Dr.Marcus Merriman) often talks of his students walking around like zombies with their phones and recreationally that is the case too. People are addicted to screens. We need to start finding ways to get young people back to the wild and I hope to work with various organisations to sort this in the next day or so."



(https://29secrets.com/wp-content/uploads/olivia%20palermo%20cover.jpg)

FORMER QUEEN OFFERS TO BUY WHALES

Matilda Osman, the ex-wife of King David, has today made an offer to Nya Aland in order to buy a total of 90 Belugae Whales, 16 Orcas and 12 pilot whales which were kept at a "Whale Farm". The animals were discovered by animal rights protesters and the Alander government stepped in and has closed the operation while now working on what to do with the animals. It was announced in the Alander press that the government are considering euthanising some of the animals however an orca and two Belugae whales have been sold to various nations for water parks. The daughter of Lord Lucas Osman, founder of OsmanTech, is a Marine Biologist who meet King David while working as a researcher at the Portworth Marine Institute where she worked with Dolphins, she is also the founder of wildlife support group Wild Mundus Organisation. Matilda Osman made the announcement that she has offered to buy all the whales while visiting her former work place. She spoke briefly with the media saying " My fear is the Alanders need to get this things shut quickly because of the bad publicity. As such they'll simply open the pens to the sea for some while euthanias others not immediately capable of returning to the sea. I appreciate not every one of the whales will be able to go home but we can give them a chance with the right care, but that takes time." She has also put forward a call to voulenteers from WMO to go to Nya Aland, if approved by the government, to care for the whales until their future is determined. "I want to make sure they get the care they need while in captivity, we need to do what we can to keep their pens free from ice, ensure they are fed well and able to move as much as possible. I'm not confident locals will give it the time required because of publicity concerns."

The Queen has once more spoken out about the up coming whale hunt saying, "Animals are taken for food all the time but needs to be done in a humane way. Whales such as the pilot whale are a species we are still learning about. The manhandling and bloodletting is evil and should be stopped." In previous years Matilda Osman has organised attempts to disrupt the hunt however these have ended in failure as Alander naval patrols have been active in the area.

The Palace were contacted for statements on the situation and Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker said, "We wish Miss Osman well in her attempt to protect these animals but remind her that she must act within international law and respect Alanders sovereignty. We also wish to remind her that she is acting as a private citizen and not a spokesperson of the Kingdom of East Moreland."



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/576510041088196639/unknown.png)

"SWORDSMAN" MISSILE DECLASSIFIED

An EMAC made "Kinetic Strike Weapon" codenamed the "Swordsman" has today been declassified. The missile which is capable of being fired from all East Moreland combat aircraft is unique in the fact that it does not carry an explosive warhead instead it gets its killing power through a series of deployable blades. The missile is guided by laser designation or remote operator and when close to the target deploys six razor sharp blades which deliver a killing blow to the intended victim. The missile has now been confirmed as being responsible for the deaths of two Borlanders in the Alps when fired from Dragonbane II aircraft operated by the squadron known as the Flying Can Openers.

General Katie Yacobs, head of the East Moreland armed forces, stated "East Moreland has always looked at ensuring our weapons systems give us the ability to limit our risks to innocent civilians. Occasionally we have to strike targets in built up areas and while we have the variable yield and shape charged Brimstone Missile that can occasionally create collateral damage. The Swordsman missile creates damage kinetically and therefore limits damage to structures and therefore the risk to people around targets. We've worked with EMAC for quiet some time to produce this and we're proud of how its done. I'm confident it will prove another superb string to our bow."

The Ministry of Defence explained the weapon was kept secret originally as there were discussions internally about whether the weapon was humane. Sir Harry Samuelson explained. "We're hitting a target potentially 20km away with blades, when I heard of the concept I was not satisfied it would bring about instant kills and would leave an enemy combatant lying bleeding to death for a substantial period. Something I wasn't confident about in regards to the Uppsala Convention. We carried out extensive tests and in live operations that has not been the case. I'm confident that this weapon is every bit as humane as a Brimstone Missile." It is expected that the missile will now enter routine service within the next month.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 12, 2019, 08:29:21 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/06/24/article-2666820-1F11837900000578-128_964x636.jpg)

GLASTOMUNDUS BEGINS TO GET READY

The annual Glastomundus Music Festival is beginning preparations for the upcoming extravaganza. The music festival is one of the biggest if not the biggest on Mundus and regularly sees 180,000 people enjoy three days of music. As usual bands and acts from across Mundus will be in attendance playing across three main stages located in the countryside near Silverhills. In the past the festival has seen headline acts such as The Who, Queen and Billy Joel entertain the crowd. The Eaves family who host the festival on their farmland have confirmed that this year the festival will "attempt to get back to its roots." By that 27 year old Emily Eaves explained, "When my grandfather started the festival it was one stage playing guitar based music, bands and acts that struggled to find other places to play. In the last few years we've started to see international artists coming over and we've become a bit more mainstream. I'm hoping this year that we have the old fashioned ethos return." Traditionally in the last few years there have been several acts from Achkaerin holding down the quieter Sunday afternoon spots with older style music and show tunes which has been relatively well received as Emily explained. "People do like to join in and songs from Disney or the like allow that. It wasn't what we had in mind when the festival began but you can never predict what happens."

It is hoped the weather holds this year as last year the festival witnessed heavy rain which saw festival goers caked in mud for the duration of the event, medical staff even reported having to deal with cases of hypothermia and trench foot. It is hoped this year measures in place will prevent that as Emily explained. " We've put in extra drainage, set up boarded walk ways and we'll be providing more facilities for people to get clothing dry and more indoor areas." The headline act for the year has not yet been confirmed however Emily did confirm that the Saturday night Main Stage headliner will be an act from East Moreland. It is also expected that a large overseas presence both in terms of acts and visitors will be present with around 35,000 tickets believed to have been sold overseas.



(https://uncrate.com/p/2017/04/embraer-manhattan-jet-1.jpg)

NEW ROYAL JET TO ENTER SERVICE BY THE END OF MAY

The EMAC have completed work on the new Royal Aircraft which is expected to enter service by the end of the month. The aircraft has been under development for several years and has finally been nearly completed. The new aircraft is considered to be needed for several reasons as Head of Royal Household Quinn Germaine explained. "When the previous aircraft was comissioned the royal family effectively only really travelled around Alba Karinya or across the Mhorish, lengthy cross globe flights were not on the agenda. Now King David regularly visits foreign nations and so something more fitting was needed." It is thought the previous Ironside One aircraft, which was also made by EMAC, is likely to have made its last overseas flight as the King has recently visited Nya Aland to spend time with Red Legion at their training area there. From Krokom the King is flying to The Orphela Imperium for East Moreland's first official diplomatic contact with the nation. It is expected that once back in East Moreland the old Ironside One is likely to be handed over to the Representative Council for use by Ministers and Councillors heading overseas on official business.

The new plane is around twice the size of the old one and will feature five unique cabin areas, a master suite with a queen-size bed and a walk-in shower,  dining room, office, kitchen and lounge areas. The aircraft also features several security features including an electronic warfare suite, integrated missile warning systems along with the ability to deploy missile countermeasures. The aircraft also features a coating on the fuselage designed to help absorb radar making the aircraft more difficult to track on radar by missiles or enemy aircraft. EMAC gave selected media sources a guided tour of the aircraft which saw  a lounge (https://www.poandpo.com/hs0114/lineage_1000e_2v.jpg) with wood finish and white leather seats. The King will also have a private bedroom (https://www.poandpo.com/hs0114/lineage_1000e_3v.jpg) onboard which will allow him to arrive at meetings refreshed. The usual seats on the plane for staff and advisers can also fold down into beds ensuring everyone can get a good nights sleep on long flights.

The aircraft is expected to make its first official flight with the King when he visits Ui Cenneslaig to visit Morelander staff at the CNN HQ in the beginning of June.



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 18, 2019, 09:28:36 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://media.treehugger.com/assets/images/2014/06/save-whales.jpg)

MATILDA TRAVEL BAN "NOT OUR PROBLEM" SAYS TUCKER

It was announced yesterday that former Queen of East Moreland, Matilda Osman, has been refused entry to Nya Aland because of "national security" concerns. The Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker today stated, "The fact that Miss Osman can not visit Krokom is not our problem. She is not a member of our government nor does she speak on behalf of the Kingdom of East Moreland. There are avenues for any East Moreland citizen denied entry to Nya Aland to pursue and that is what Miss Osman must now do." The Alanders believe that Matilda Osman, who is also a patron and founder of the Wild Mundus Organisation, would be likely to cause disruption to the annual whale hunt which takes place in two remote Nordic villages. In previous years she has helped fund boats to sail in the area using several methods to try and disrupt the hunt by scaring away the whales or causing difficulties for those taking part in the hunt.

Instead of leading protests in Krokom the middle daughter of Lord Lucas Osman has been attending protests outside the Alander embassy in Northfort. The protest has seen around 200 people gathering outside the embassy and distributing leaflets as well as attempting to gather names on a petition calling for King David to take action against the Alanders regarding the whale hunt. Several people also arrived at the embassy with a giant inflatable whale which they then poured red paint over to symbolise blood. The Alander ambassador has yet to respond to the protest while the Royal Palace has simply said. "People are free to protest against whatever they feel is appropriate as long as they do not threaten anyone safety or break any of our laws." So far the Police have made one arrest and that was in connection to an outstanding warrant for a protester who had been connected with breaking into a livestock farm several months ago.


(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cXw4G1afC8c/WJiLt-BOInI/AAAAAAAAFRU/kSmxYf--XdE3B3QEj3OvfjAeUo4dHBCBgCLcB/s1600/Yeti%2BSighting%2Bcaught%2Bon%2BCamera%2B2017_%2BPiegrande_Bigfoot%2BSighting%2Bcaught%2Bon%2BTape.jpg)

ALPINE GHOST SPOTTED AGAIN

Hikers near the city of Roberton yesterday snapped an image of a strange looking creature moving swiftly through the foothills of the Alps. The group where out taking photos as part of a group of University student when one of them spotted the all white shaggy looking creature. According to one of the students, "It seemed to be crouching behind some rocks and then it stood up. That was when we began trying to get our cameras out, some us managed to get blurred images of it hurrying away. It was like we frightened it or something."

Stories of the "Alpine Ghost" began in 1703 when Sir Charles Renshaw wrote about it in a book supposedly being a collection of diaries of a 18th Century scientist living in the Alps. While the work was a piece of fiction the Roberton based author did say it was inspired by real life events and this lead many people to begin claiming that the Alpine Ghost is a real thing. Some people believe that it is a kind of genetic missing link of some kind while others believe that it is a minion of the Underlords who somehow escaped being cast down by Helus and now wanders alone in the Alps searching for its fallen brothers. Several years ago motion capture cameras caught a strange looking white creature feeding on a sheep in a similar area and while at first everyone claimed it was a hoax several people have checked the footage and have verified it was not altered in anyway.



(https://c1.thejournal.ie/media/2019/01/ny-sophie-turner-at-ny-comiccon-2-752x501.jpg)

YOUTH MINISTER LIKELY TO BE REPLACED

Tradition dictates that the nations youngest elected Representative Councillor is named as the Minister for Youth and sits on the cabinet. This was a tradition that began when the first elections for the Representative Council took place and was first taken by Melissa Lusk who went on the work for the CTO Refugee Agency as their chairperson. The position is currently taken by Amelia Merriman, the representative for Freestone North, a largely student dominated electoral seat which was also the seat of Melissa Lusk. The neighbouring Freestone Wall and Bark District neighbours the North and will be having a by-election in the coming days following the resignation of Christopher Meadows, the 2nd youngest Representative Councillor. The current favourite to win the seat is the 21 year old recently graduated Sarah Andrews who is standing for the recently formed Freestone Party which despite its name is a national focused party. The Freestone Party was set up by Tim Carpenter and aims to be a "campaiging party relying on mobilising the passions of East Moreland citizens." and it was widely expected that Carpenter would contest the seat himself however Andrews was instead put forward. If she is elected she will replace the 23 year old Amelia Merriman who is the grand-daughter of respected academic Dr.Marcus Merriman.

The current Youth Minister said, "I'd be sad to lose my position in the cabinet but all things come to an end. I've been able to do a lot in my time, be it campaigning against prejudice against the LGBT community, or leading the referendum for the CNN, even attending sadly failed talks with Rokkenjima lead by Princess Freya. This experience is something I hope I can bring to use from the back benches of the Representative Council. I was encouraged to stand by fellow students and I understand the same is true for Sarah Andrews. I've yet to determine what I'll do in a years time when elections come up but if my time as Youth Minister is up, so be it."

Sarah Andrews, who will become the Freestone Parties first elected Councillor, has said, "I'm not elected yet and I will take nothing for granted. We've a campaign to see through first and then there is still nothing to say Amelia Merriman will be asked to stand down. She has done a great job and I wouldn't wish to lose her services if I was King David." The Freestone Party currently have two Councillors, both of whom left the Traditionalist Party to join in the days following Carpenter establishing the party, the first of those was Amelia Merriman and the second was the 32 year old son of former Chief Councillor Hugo McGregor, Jason.



(https://www.irishcentral.com/uploads/article/130775/cropped_cropped_GettyImages-1094190472.jpg?t=1548504667)

LUSK TO MOBILISE IRSA RESOURCES TO AID FOSHIR

Former CTO Refugee Council Chairperson Melissa Lusk has today said that following reports in Novox Public Radio (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=1396.msg12109#msg12109) she is considering looking to utilise resources of the International Refugee Support Agency. The report said there has been a " 200% increase in young homeless kids." in the city of Foshir following cuts made by a new prefect to social security. The 25 year old Lusk stated, "The Refugee Council and then IRSA was established to try and make sure that no one was forced to live in danger. Kids on the street in my view are in danger and so that means in my eyes we have a duty to try and help them. The situation is exasperated because seemingly the city also faces issues relating to anti-LGBT practices if the media reports are to be believed. I appreciate their homeland have little contact with the outside world but I think we can and must do something to try and support getting children off the streets especially when many appear to be there through no fault of their own and, again as the media report suggests, are being targeted for being members of the LGBT community." It is unknown at the moment what Lusk can do to help the situation however she does have resources from several nations donated to the IRSA at her disposal should nations agree with her viewpoint.

Lusk has a track record of supporting refugees having personally spent six months working in Krokom during the disaster there as well as a week in Lakhzovia during the recent crisis there. She established the Refugee University and was also instrumental in the anti-KasierAdolf protest that supported the LGBT community there. Lusk was also spotted yesterday leaving the office building of IRSA with rainbow laces in her shoes, a symbol of support for the LGBT usually used by the sporting community, as well as wearing a pin badge of the Pride 2.0 protest.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 23, 2019, 08:20:45 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.autoeurope.com/default/assets/image/2017/03/Munich-Oktobefest-fair-grounds.jpg)

NATION PARTIES FOR 1377th BIRTHDAY

The nation of East Moreland today celebrated its 1377th birthday as people took to the streets to commemorate the Battle of Greenflowers. The day celebrates the final battle in the five year long struggle between the Barren and Ironside branches of the royal family for control of the Kingdom. King Robert the Unifier was successful in the battle which hung in the balance but was eventually swung in favour of the Ironsides when an estimated 18,000 peasants arrived at the battlefield just as both sides had committed their reserves. The peasants came down on the side of the Ironsides largely because of King Robert's adherence to the Cult of Helus' Code of Canley and by the end of the day had helped carry him to the throne. The day of commemorations began at 6am when King David, Princess Freya, Archduchess Sophie and Princess Lilian, the descendents of King Robert, lead a sunrise memorial service at the battlefield site which is located some 100km North of Northfort. At the statue of Robert the Unifier King David laid a wreath and made an offering of bread, roast meats and ale. Following that Princess Freya laid a wreath at the memorial to the peasants memorial and was joined by Brigadier Kelly, the commanding officer of East Moreland's elite Red Legion. Following the Battle of Greenflowers the peasants plain white tunics were stained Red and as a show of appreciation for their sacrifice each was made a member of the King's Guard, a role which carried significant prestige in the 7th Century. It was from this unit that the nations elite unit evolved. As such Brigadier Kelly brought a fresh sword to lay on the memorial so as the peasants may always stand ready to defend their nation.

As the King dealt with matters at Greenfield the Temples of Northfort began to fill as people prepared for the traditional ceremony of Thanksgiving and having flown in by helicopter King David attended the ceremony at the Temple of Helus. He was joined her by his partner Baronetess Stasya Pelagiya who was seated in the front row beside the King as High Priestess Skye Maddix offered prayers for the safety of East Moreland and gave thanks to the sacrifices of those who died at the Battle. Following this the King, who is also celebrating his 37th birthday retreated to the Palace to enjoy the day with family. The people of East Moreland however had by now taken to the streets of cities across the country as street parties, music performances and fun fairs provided entertainment. One of the busiest bars in Northfort was the Roaring Honeybadger, an old cave cut pub which is run by Richard Andrews who said, "Today is our busiest day of the year, I remember the times before King David's reign and then Honeybadger Day was the busiest, but now we combine the monarchs birthday which was always huge with the nations birthday, its a landlords dream. We have to get treble a usual weekends amount of beer in and then I still predict we'll run out by 10pm."

Festivities were taking place to around Mundus as the various Embassies hosted events. Embassy staff in Bakkermaya joined small street parties in Edwinstowe, while those in Lodja hosted a ball in Gaia which saw Queen Klara make an appearence to issue Sir James Fitzroy with a gift of a glass sword to mark the day. Even the nations scientific research team in Hygelac celebrated with a feast of Wild Boer which had been flown in especially. Lead Scientist Wanda Somerton said it was "an unexpected addition to our monthly supply ship. As King David holds citizenship of Hygelac I suppose its a great place to celebrate our Kings birthday if we can't be back home."

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/581186295481761833/unknown.png)

At 4pm the King took to TV and Radio to address the nation.

Quote from: Kings Speech

1377 years ago 18,000 untrained and untested peasants made a march through the night to take personal responsibility for the future of their lands. Arriving tired and desheveled they wasted no time creating a better world for themselves and their families. In their actions they shaped our lives, our nation and our culture. As we live our lives today we owe each and everyone of those 18,000 a debt we may never be able to pay. My ancestor King Robert would not be the Unifier, he would not have been the first King of East Moreland and I certainly wouldn't be here today celebrating getting a year older. A duty falls to us to ensure that their dream of a nation devoted to the God Helus and his Code's is made a reality. We as a nation enjoy our festivals, we wear our swords and we we invoke the Gods often. But do we truly live the code? At times I have my doubts. We must do more to hold ourselves to the Code and as such I will be in the coming days authorising the creation of a new option for our young people to undertake their national service. When National Service was established in the mid 1800's it was an insular inward looking East Moreland, still gripped by our proud military culture, now we are a nation comfortable with standing on our coasts and casting eyes to the horizon, even further, casting our eyes deep into the Universe. As our nations outlook has changed, our National Service has not, this is the bedrock of where young Morelanders show they truly live by the Code, and so now is time to change this.

Today is also a day about fresh starts. I wish to thank the medical staff who cared for my daughter Princess Rhiannon for the best birthday present ever, my daughter back at home and on the mend. I appreciate this is a privledge that not all parents who find themselves in my situation enjoy and more must be done to ensure all parents have the same oppurtunity as me. No nation did more to support this than Neu Urburzis and despite his young age Prince Augustin was a rock in support of my daughter and as such I am honoured to announce that we shall be starting in East Moreland the Augustin Children's Cancer Centre, with funding provided by the Ironside family, OsmanTech and various other private donors we have raised £350million to open the centre. We have also raised a further £150million that we wish to donate to Neu Urburzis as part of the Augustin Children's Cancer Trust, a fund we will allow the royal family of that nation to administer to help support young people with Cancer. It is my birthday wish that soon we can eradicate this horrible disease and I hope the connection East Moreland and Neu Urbruzis have begun to create over this issue can flourish and together we can bring other nations on board.

I would like to finally thank the people of East Moreland, and our friends across Mundus for their birthday wishes for both myself and East Moreland. Here is to many more. May the Gods Watch Over You and Your Hangover Be Light.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 27, 2019, 09:32:55 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.allstephenmoyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/stephenmoyer-june2013.jpeg)

MAYBURY RESPONDS TO FREE MUNDUS ARTICLE

In a recent Free Mundus (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=214.msg12192#msg12192) article the East Moreland government and East Moreland Aircraft Company were part of a system were it appeared "the controls on the export of East Moreland's armaments do not fully vet to whom they are selling." In a recent interview on EMTV the CEO of EMAC responded to some of the points made as he appeared alongside Sir Harry Samuelson the nations Minister of Defence.

"You know the article in many ways is misleading. It calls us one of the largest exporters of arms, I think its safe to say when looking at our track record and our sales books that, at least when it comes to aircraft, we are THE largest in the world. As for not fully vetting whom we sell to not a single weapons platform sold by our company has been used in any incident that could be deemed to violate the Uppsala Convention, nor the MCUR. Infact with East Moreland's aircraft being the workhorses of aid operations in what was left of Uppsala, the refugee crisis in Mavrosia and Lakhzovia as well as the genocide in Royal Seleucid I think it would be interesting to see just how lives they have saved. Now I'm not sitting here painting EMAC as some hippy peace, love and understanding peddler, we make weapons of war.....among other things. I will make no excuse for leading a team that help make sure our nation is safe, and help support other nations. The article certainly made interesting reading though. The article does make issue of our nations ties to the Iwi and some raid, Sir Harry is better positioned to discuss that than me. But the only aircraft sales to the Iwi are of 10 training aircraft which certainly would not have featured in this operation nor made it possible. To my knowledge their is not a single East Moreland made item in the Maori's inventory which would have supported it. As for saying King David is involved in flooding the market with East Moreland weapons I wish the article had not said that, you see we haven't paid him a single penny and if apparently he's so central to our sales team I suspect he may pop by wanting commission. The reason nations around the world want EMAC equipment is for two reasons, one it is ground breaking , second they know we deliver an incredible value for money product that is tested by one of the best militaries in the world."

Sir Harry Samuelson then took over to address other points in the article. "The writer asked about sales to SCIR a nation that since signing their deal with EMAC has apparently got a plan somewhere for a first strike against Rokkenjima. The existance of such a plan shouldn't send anyone running for cover, I suspect somewhere in the basements of Rokkenjiman High Command there is probably a plan in place for a similar first strike against SCIR, maybe even Dartfordia. Its called worst case scenario planning. Hell I even asked whether our new missile system could be converted to fire nukes, not because I planned to, but because I needed to know what firepower we can lay our hands on if the world goes crazy. Until we see moves to actually have this plan capable of becoming a reality, or actually be used the SCIR are only guilty of having a military that has some pretty insane ideas. Now as for this Iwi raid this is old ground and as Sir Alan said not a single East Moreland asset was used in the planning, preparation or execution of that raid. I know the world love conspiracy theories but that's all this is. Now we do share information with the Iwi on ship movements in the Kyne after they were attacked by the Seleucid, was that data used by the Iwi, possibly as after all they'd need to plan when to time their attacks and a time when the patrols were absent or in a different location would be the best and we may have been able to confirm that for them because of the defensive nature of the data we provide. Now should the Iwi, or anyone else turn East Moreland made weapons against the innocent then rest assured we shall step in, and we have. Somehow, and we are still investigating, some of our weapons fell into the hands of the Bene Gesserit and have been used against the KDF in Kaitaine. We have taken steps to limit the chances of further supplies appearing there as well as share intelligence about the weapons systems and movements of key people. Should for example the Iwi start bombing Xaeth with their ten training aircraft then rest assured we would step in there as well. Lets not forget that when Verover turned weapons against Seaforth at a time when we were allies with both we had no hesitation in helping bomb the crap out of Verovian troops."

Sir Harry went on to say, "The author states that they wonder "Why should we expect East Moreland to honour its word" the answer is simple, because we always have. We promised to support the operations to remove religious extremists in Marseille and our troops lead the way in, we promised Krokom aid and we turned up, we promised to evacuate refugees from Lakhzovia, we still have tens of thousands in our nation. We promised to get the refugees out of Mavrosia, we turned up. There has never been a single case under the reign of King David where East Moreland has made a promise and not kept it and that includes putting the word given to our allies ahead of defeating our own terrorist menace the Borlanders. Now imagine that, a promise given to a then ally kept above the chance to deal the Borlanders a hammer blow, and we kept our word. Everyone who knows East Moreland well knows our motto is "Deeds Not Words." Our words become our deeds. Now as for weapons in the hands of the Bene Gesserit that represents a major security issue and the world has my word that East Moreland will get to the bottom of it and that will be sorted. As for Slava Lavosk they were given five unarmed roadbased remote vehicles to patrol their border with Tamora. Those were not sold they were loaned by SmartWar. When it became clear Slava Lavosk were not living up to the expectations we placed on them further supplies were stopped and the agreement cancelled, when word of them perhaps developing nuclear weapons came to light we even began moves to place on loan assets such as Jekars Shield into Royal Seleucid, a nation we share no great love for, and in Tamora under certain conditions. When that agreement faulted we ensured our naval assets with intercept capabilities could still provide an umbrella over a region that carried out a genocide against our faith and that permits slavery. Surely that very example shows that we shall stand by our code."

The article was written by an as yet unidentified author, as are many Free Mundus article, however Sir Harry Samuelson concluded saying. "It is a well written and thought provoking piece to be sure but as I hope we have now set the record straight the valid concerns it raised do not need to cause worry at all."

While being interview by EMTV's Shelly Coe Sir Harry was also asked about recent data from polling in Tytor that East Moreland has seen a "drop in popularity" in the Kingdom. "I must say I'm rather surprised. We're two nations that haven't really bothered each other much as of late but we do have a history of being productive together. We were both among the original members of JET and our two peoples have worked on numerous aid operations around the globe. We share little geographic or cultural similiarties but I had hoped our desire to be leading lights in helping some of the least fortunate people on Mundus would have made us get on better. So far the only explanation I can put it down to is the attitude towards us shown by Empress Beatrice of Rokkenjima, who I understand their nation is naturally close to, when she cancelled the Tripartite. I'd like to assure Tytor that our JET volunteers still look forward to working with their respected colleagues and perhaps that can be a focus for improved relations between our two populations in the future."

Sir Alan was also asked about the recent Speed Record set by an Achkaerin where a solar powered car set a new record of 58.318 miles per hour. "Its still got a long way to go before it worries the SSC Honeybadger but its an impressive bit of engineering. While I'm pleased their driver Megan Harrison came through the tests successfully I will be hoping the success doesn't follow her into the new Formula Mundus season. I think the fact we've two nations supportive of such interesting engineering achievements is a good thing for Mundus as ourselves and teams like Dawnbreaker seek to push what is possible. We're a planet in need of some radical solutions to problems and only by encouraging constant development will we get that. While Dawnbreaker was powering cars without petrol cutting emissions on our aircraft is our current priority. We hope to run a flight between Northfort and Gaia in the coming weeks using a newer version of one of our cargo planes that will have the lowest emissions per km of any conventional fuelled plane on the planet, but we know that is not enough so while we work on cutting emissions we're also working on removing them entirely."

Sir Alan then went on to offer support for another Achkaerin based project. "I understand Achkaerin are establishing the Legacy Sport Foundation, their version of our own Legionnaire Legacy programme. When EMAC were asked to support that project we jumped at the chance and as Achkaerin forces have stood side by side with those Legionnaires we feel we should do the same for the LSF. As such should they wish to accept the offer we'd be honoured to welcome the racing team their putting together to come and train their pit crews alongside ours. Additionally we would be thrilled if the team would accept our trailers from last season. In the past we've given them to our junior karting teams or converted them into hospitality however we've a full set of things like that so currently they are simply picking up dust in our car park. If it helps a team of veterans get started in this sport then they can have them."

The final word on the interviews went to Sir Harry Samuelson, the Minister of Defence who was asked about the recent CNN moon mission which saw a joint mission "bomb"the moon in order to retrieve fresh moon rocks. "I have no idea of the science behind it but it does sound impressive. I know Sir Alan here and Martin Dawson and SmartWar were both involved and as a nation we're proud of their ingenuity, as always. I hope we find something interesting out, all I know is that to hit a target that accurately from a distance of 384,400 km away gives me great confidence in what our Air Force can pull off."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 29, 2019, 09:22:06 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://static.standard.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2012/07/16/12/olympic-security.jpg?w968)

OSTLAKE GAMES BEGINS IN TWO DAYS
]

The annual Ostlake military games are set to begin in two days time. The event sees a combination of sporting and military focused events that has seen East Moreland's five Legions, the Army and Air Force compete against each other over five days, in previous years they have been joined by teams from "friendly" nations. This year however only East Moreland forces will be represented as a change to the schedule sees the annual Legionnaire Legacy games run alongside the competition. This will see injured servicemen and women compete with their performance contributing to the overall winners of the Ostlake Trophy. The news was welcomed by James Townsend who is a former Royal Marine commando who lost both his legs in Safraen, since being wounded he has competed in various sports for the Navy as well as East Moreland, he has previously won the gold medal in the triathlon at the games prior to his injuries. "The games are the highlight of a lot of people's sporting and social calendar. We've now got an oppurtunity to really show that once you've served your part of the military family for life. People who have never watched disability sports will now see us alongside the able-bodied and realise we're just as hard working, dedicated and committed to our events."

The games which take place at the military hub of the nation will see around 300,000 visitors watching events, enjoying live events and taking part in various memorials and celebrations. This year King David will return to action having missed the 2018 version of the Games. In the past King David has competed for Pegasus Legion in various running events but has never won a medal. This year he will compete in the rowing for his Pegasus' Legionnaire Legacy team. "Anytime I can pull of the Pegasus colours I do. Since injuring my back rowings been part of a rehab programme and while my back will never be perfect it has helped me cope. I look forward to winning my first medal." Another royal taking part in the Games this year is Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside who is expected to dominate the Cross-Country, the Ostlake Run and anchor her teams Ostlake Relay team. The 22 year old niece of King David was a highly celebrated runner before discovering she was a member of the royal family and has since won 7 Mundus Games medals, she was also the first person to win medals at both winter and summer games, she is currently serving in the Air Force as a dog handler. Other well known faces appearing in the games are rugby world cup winner Rollo MacAllister who will be playing rugby for Duke Legion, Daisy Greechan who is the most successful swimmer in the history of the Mundus Games who serves in the Navy as a rescue diver  and Royal Engineers weightlifter Eddie Hall who will compete in the tug of war for his team.

The games was launched by the Commander of Ostlake East, the soon to retire General Joseph Morris who said, "My final year in the military and I get to essentially host the Ostlake Games. Its a great event to bring our military community together and as life in East Moreland focuses so much on military service it has been a breeding ground for great success. Long may that continue. I wish everyone good luck and I look forward to hosting all our supporters."



(http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Jack+O+Connell+Unbroken+Premieres+London+1_fgcZY5Naxl.jpg)

RED LEGION "TRAITOR" IS IN KAITAINE

The Ministry of Defence confirmed today that it has "hard data" which places disgraced former Red Legionnaire officer James Gillespie in Kaitaine. The 32 year old officer disappeared when Bene Gesserit terrorists attempted to steal nuclear waste in East Moreland and was later tracked down to Vaguzia where he evaded capture and has not been since. It has however been long suspected that he was in Kaitaine where a male fighting force known as the Pangolin operate. The exact nature, size and make up of the Pangolin has yet to be confirmed but they are thought to not number more than 200 men who fight alongside the outlawed Truthsayers. The announcement was made by a spokesman just after the launch of the Ostlake Games when the media were told. "Gillespie, clearly not his real name, stole the identity of a Morelander in the late 1990's and at the age of 18 joined our Officer Training Cadets at Keepton University. He had an examplary military record until 2013 when he joined Red Legion. He was decorated for his actions twice, once for bravery in Marseille and then again for actions above and beyond that expected of a Legionnaire in the face of the enemy when he was part of anti-Borlander operations that saw 25 hostages rescued in the Alps. Until his change of heart there were no clues as to his true identity or allegiance."

The commander of Red Legion Brigadier Kelly condemned Gillespie but at the same time seemed to still be proud of his former soldier. "When you join a unit such as the Red's you realise you are joining a brotherhood and many times its not King, Country and Helus you fight for rather its the guys with you. Gillespie did that on many occasions and then to suddenly turn your back on them makes you one of the most wicked people it is possible to be. Your very word now means nothing. We now have the prospect of knowing the Truthsayers are not only a group of religious extremists who train children to die, they are now clearly going to be receiving significant input from one of the best soldiers on Mundus. This makes them very dangerous, Gillespie is a man who is inventive, determined and worth a platoon on his own. The fact the Bene Gesserit have so far taken two towns does not surprise me if they are listening to Gillespie. He is a marked man though and marked men tend not to grow old."

It is understood that all relevant information on Gillespie has now been shared with Kaitaine. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that it was the social media posts of several Truthsayers that lead to the discovery of Gillespies whereabouts. 


(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article11230978.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/PROD-HMS-OCEAN-Conducts-Humanitarian-Relief-on-Op-RUMAN-At-Sea-18-Sep-2017.jpg)

WHERE IS REMNS KING ROBERT GOING?

The flagship of the East Moreland Navy, the REMNS King Robert, was today seen leaving home dock in Illumic Command. The Amphibious Warfare ship had been undergoing resupply following the end of the crisis in Royal Seleucid and was not expected to leave port today leading to several media sources contacting the Ministry of Defence for an explanation as conspiracy theories swept the internet. Some believed that it was heading back to the Sea of Kyne to be prepared for actions against Royal Seleucid, meanwhile others believed that it was heading to support Lodjain search and rescue efforts. The true nature of its movement however was not confirmed by the MoD who merely said, "The King Robert is under taking a routine task that we can confirm will not be of interest to other nations. It is not unusual for ships to be assigned often menial or insignificant tasks as required by High Command. In this case the King Robert was the right ship in the right place at the perfect time."

The ship is also thought to have left harbour without its air wing something that is thought to have never happened in the history of its service.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 31, 2019, 02:56:30 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/royal-navy-responsive/images/news/ships/ocean/160820-hms-ocean/mg160004008.jpg)

THE FUTURE OF THE ILLUMIC
by King David
[/b]

Today we have bid farewell to the men and women of the Rokkenjiman Navy as they leave QAMB Naval base on the island of Rhisiri. While the island will retain some of its Rokkenjiman inhabitants they will now be part of an Illumic where the site of a Rokkenjiman ensign will be a transitory thing. That however is not something that should give them cause to worry. It is my belief that the Illumic's safest times are infact about to come and that is for several reasons.

The first is that since February 2014 the Royal East Moreland Naval Service has become more bold, more likely to venture outside our EEZ and as a result has expanded. Today we sit on a navy made up of two aircraft carriers, two drone carriers, an amphibious warfare ship, 10 Destroyers, 8 Frigates, 7 subs and numerous other patrol ships. While nowhere near the largest navy in the world it is a formidable force more than capable of ensuring the Illumic is safe. Something it has taken responsibility for on several occasions. July of 2016 saw a hugely unprecedented increase in piracy in the Illumic, at that point the East Moreland Navy was not the size it is at present and had duties keeping it in the Marseille yet single handed the problem was solved by the East Moreland Navy and maritime traffic was hardly disrupted. There was no involvement of Rokkenjima in this anti-piracy action and through constant communication with our friends in Seaforth we had contingency plans in place should the situation have become more difficult. Since that time we have developed new technologies, we have better RADAR systems, we have new aerial capabilities and as the only nation on Mundus to utilise military Ground Effect Vehicles we can put a force of 150 Special Forces soldiers and armoured vehicles at any place in the Illumic within four hours giving us the neccessary logistics to respond to any situation more rapidly than any other force. As such you could effectively say the REMNS is now all grown up and the stabilisers are off the bike.

The East Moreland Navy is now a battle proven, tried and tested machine. It sat off the coast of Marseille as an essential part of the CTOMM victory there that brought stability to that region. It has cruised the Alucard supporting aid operations in Nya Aland and it has helped evacuate perhaps hundreds of thousands of refugees across the globe. But let us know forget, alongside our cousins from Seaforth our Navy has done something unique. During the Battle of Illumic East in November of 2014 the East Moreland Navy and the Seaforthian Navy made history when captured an enemy aircraft carrier at sea. With the now failed state of Transvaal launching an attack against QAMB it was the then Tripartite forces of Seaforth and East Moreland that responded capturing the vessel with special forces after a sea battle lasting several hours. Imagine that, it sounds like a story of old when ships were regularly taken as prizes of war, in 2014 an enemy carrier being towed into Seaforthian harbour and since then the East Moreland Navy has only got better. Any nation believing that Seaforth and East Moreland are incapable of securing the Illumic should think hard on this.

The second reason why the Illumic is about to become safer is because we no longer will have to deal with outside influences. While Rokkenjima of the past were a nation that stood against the spectre of the USR that ghoul has gone. Since then its reason for this global reach has also gone. No doubt Rokkenjima has the most expansive naval base system of any nation, yet it has not served them well intervening in global issues. Safraen saw no Rokkenjiman prescence, their ships were able to operate almost soley in home waters during the Marseilles crisis and not a single Rokkenjiman hull touched Alander water. These bases across the world have become targets of critcism by many and at some points targets for attacks. We remember recently Borlander attacks on several targets across the world including the  Rokkenjiman naval base in Dartfordia. By removing QAMB we remove a target for those who do not see eye to eye with Rokkenjima. Look at the recent stand offs with SANE, demands that nations not approach the border with Rokkenjima yet here was QAMB, sat on the border of a foreign nation and bristling with firepower. Helus forbidding there is no reason why if things came to a shooting war between SANE and Rokkenjima for example that the Illumic would not become a battleground with SANE forces attempting to keep the Illumic Fleet from action.

We also have further reasons for better security in the days ahead. With East Moreland cultivating again the old friendship with Bakkermaya it means the Mhorish is going to be even more safe as joint naval patrols will ensure. This actually means more East Moreland vessels avaliable for patrols in the Illumic. At anyone time we will now be seeing 5 Destroyers, 4 Frigates, 4 submarines and a rapid response ground effect vehicle in the Illumic, as well as at least one platform capable of deploying long range air assets. Pair this with the fact that the Seaforthian Navy is treble our size and even the fact that Heyra have a navy big enough to protect their own interests then the coverage of security for civilian shipping is more than adequate. This will improve still further, with our nation seeking to construct a new X-Band RADAR platform that will be capable of tracking a baseball sized object from 4,700km awa, by parking this mid-Illumic we will essentially be able to build an amazing picture of traffic movement through the region both by air and sea. We are further expanding our Ground Effect Vehicle Fleet with the Ekrabadger II undergoing trials, add to this heavy investment into remote operated naval drones by East Moreland. This means we are constantly seeking to put our navy on the cutting edge in terms of technology which will allow for us to better police and protect the Illumic.

Now people may ask why should East Moreland be taken at their word and it is simple, when we give our word things happen. We promised the Tripartite an attack on QAMB would be seen as an attack on East Moreland and a captured aircraft carrier shows we kept our word. There has never been a time when East Moreland has failed to deliver on a promise made. Article 8.2 of the Council of Illumic Nations, an idea I pushed for, states "Each nation agrees to co-operate to keep the Illumic free of piracy." When have we not delivered on that? Meanwhile the MICA treaty begins promoting the aim of  being a place " To live in peace with their fellow Mhorish and Illumic nations" we are as ever committed to that role and now that the Illumic is made up entirely of Illumic nations I believe both these organisations can go from strength to strength and I for one look forward to a future where ourselves, Seaforth, Heyra and the many other Illumic nations can celebrate as many achievements as East Moreland has in the days since we did the grown up thing of taking responsibility for our backyard.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 01, 2019, 10:13:57 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://bhamtattoo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/2018-PWRR-Band.jpg)

OSTLAKE GAMES BEGIN

The opening day of the Ostlake Military Games saw crowds pack the various arenas across the city as the annual sporting and military games began. As expected the Rugby 7's  saw the 60,000 seater Ostlake Arena filled to the brim as the days first round of matches took place. As expected Duke Legion dominated the day winning all three of their group stage matches thanks largely to world cup winner Rollo MacAllister. The 6ft 8inch tall start dominated every game for his team and looked like he had all day to make key passes. He scored two tries as Duke Legion defeated the Air Force 36-7, with girlfriend Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside in attendance, the King's niece was even seen booing him as he scored the second of his tries. With few overseas operations going on Red Legion also did well in their group qualifying for the finals on the Sunday for the first time in five years.

The first day also saw fine performances by each units marching bands who were greeted with warmth by spectators lining the streets of the city. The competition sees the the various Legions, Air Force and Navy bands march a 3km loop of the city playing as they go with five minutes between each band. It was however the Navies band that seemed the favourite among the general public and they qualified in 1st place for the finals tomorrow which will see four bands perform a 30 minute routine on the Parade Square at Ostlake East. One Naval bandsman said, "Believe it or not the performances are not far off being as athletically demanding as anything else. Imagine trying to carry a heavy bass drum 3km while banging the hell out of it. At times we double time too so you need to be able to essentially run with it. If your playing a wind instrument you also need to be able to control your breathing. The crowd though make it fun, you play a something they recognise and they sing along, and they give everyone a warm reception."

The days events were attended by King David who competes on Monday in the rowing on the lake Ost. He was accompanied by Baronetess Stasya who was attending her first Ostlake Games. The 22 year old Lodjain said, "Its something very different to home. Very exciting. Its like a combination between what I imagine the Mundus Games are like and a street party. I have heard that in the evening their are fun events going on and look forward to meeting the people of East Moreland. Naturally I'm hoping David brings home a medal on Monday but I wish everyone the best of luck." She was asked to comment on scandals currently going on back home but refused saying, "As you know I am based in Alba Karinya now and I'm not quiet briefed on things like that."

The King has also spoken saying that his daughter was sad not to be able to attend this year but was watching on TV. "Rhiannon is still not 100%, she has to be careful particularly around crowds. We have however been told that she should be healthy enough for the Festival of Sail which takes place in July. Its her favourite event of the year and she is hoping the Alanders bring their Viking ship again."


(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/16/3d/c4/163dc4f2440267bc3b44ae5c1a619639.png)

KING CONFIRMS ORPHELA DEAL

Prior to attending today's Ostlake Games King David briefed his cabinet on his recent visit to the Orphela Imperium. It was the first official state visit by a foreign Head of State to the Imperium as well as the first official visit overseas by King David since Princess Rhiannon's recovery from lukhemia. The King informed the cabinet that he had concluded a Treaty of Friendship with the Imperium which will see a gradual decrease in tariffs, a series of school and cultural exchanges as well as the establishment of embassies. Foreign Minister Edward Tamana gave his seal of approval to the deal saying, "We believe firmly that removing barriers of trade is generally speaking a good thing for all parties. Today marks yet another trade deal helping our nations businesses make incredible deals across Mundus. The Imperium are a nation that are emerging onto the international stage and I'm thrilled they elected to start that process with us."

The King later spoke of his visit saying. "I can see a lot of parallels between ourselves and the Imperium. They have a culture that is steeped in its history and still holds fast onto its traditions. My father wanted us to try and emerge out of our shell and that is what the Governess seems to want for her. I hope that in some small way we've helped them begin that process. They are now a nation that we call friends and I hope that if we can offer any support as they begin to do what we did at the start of my reign then naturally we will. I hope soon to welcome some of their youngsters to East Moreland and hope that the new friendships that form will be as strong as they have been between others we began with such treaties with." The King was also asked about the recent Soft/Hard power study that had been published ranking East Moreland first in each, he commented, "I have little concern over where we are ranked. I focus more on what we actually do in the world. In terms of soft power I take the ranking as a sign of confidence in our foreign office who do a lot to get us and keep us on good terms with many nations around the world. In terms of the hard power ranking I'm slightly disappointed. We are not a nation that uses our military aggressively. We have a record of overseas deployments yes, but never as a means of escalating situations. I've sadly sent young men and woman off to their deaths, its a curse of being a Head of State, but I have never sent them out of a sense of anger, revenge or cruelty. It has always been in an attempt to protect others. The fact the world seems to respect our military capabilities is for me a tribute to the hard work and dedication of millions of Morelander who directly or indirectly serve our nation."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 02, 2019, 08:21:07 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://images4.sw-cdn.net/product/picture/710x528_19971050_11517883_1503270970.jpg)

EM-SEAFORTH TO BUILD "MIXAWS"

It was announced today that a joint project between East Moreland and Seaforth would see the construction of what is being called the Mid-Illumic X-Band Advanced Warning System (MIXAWS) the system is being built in two parts with Seaforth taking responsibility for constructing a huge self propelled oil rig type structure while SmartWar construct a giant RADAR dome that will be capable of tracking targets 4,700km away. This ability will mean that from a position in the centre of the Illumic Seaforth and East Moreland will be able to track targets over the whole of Alba Karinya and East Aranye allowing a response to any incoming missile attacks with plenty of warning. The X-Band radar system will also be able to tap into various other systems such as those on board naval vessels allowing incoming missiles to be shot down at an extreme range. The system is also mobile, though slow, and could theoretically be deployed to any point on Mundus with enough notice being given.

The new system was alluded to in King David's recent article on the future of the Illumic and the concept has been discussed before with several versions of the plan being considered however it is now apparent the project will be underway in the next few days. It is expected that the whole project will cost around $900million and it is expected that the costs will be shared equally between the two nations. It is also understood that the 90 person crew will be made up of a 50/50 split between the two nations. The decision to build the project was announced on Day Two of the Ostlake Games by Minister of Defence Harry Samuelson who said, "The project shows our commitment to ensuring the safety of not just Morelanders, not just Seaforthians, but of all people who live in the Illumic, be them from the Conglomerae, those in Rishiri or Zimalia among others. This system will allow us to have an unprecedented level of detection over the region and we have not ruled out placing another in the Mhorish perhaps sharing costs with the Bakkermayans, or even placing one in the North Sea to give a protective bubble over the whole of Alba Karinya.

King David was unavailable for comment on the system as he was competing in the games second day where as part of Pegasus Legion's Legionnare Legacy team he finished third in the eight man rowing. Other winners included the Navy taking the Rugby 7's crown, Daisy Greechan winning the open water swim and the Air Force winning the marching band competition.



(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/136E2/production/_107168597_c0093034-feeding_mosquito-spl.jpg)

OSMANTECH TO OFFER "MALERIA PROTECTION" TO ZIMALIA

A team of scientists based at Technology City have today confirmed that they believe they have successfully found a way to destroy the populations of mosquito that carry malaria without impacting other species. In a recent test in a warehouse in the science and innovation hub two test areas were set up which prevented any organisms entering or escaping. Each atmosphere was identical and had 1,500 mosquito of the species capable of carrying malaria inside. Additionally other species such as bees were included. One atmosphere was not interfered with while the other had a Genetically Modified fungus growing inside. It is common to find the malaria carrying mosquito infected with the fungus Metarhizium pingshaense and scientists realised this could be modified very easily.

One of those involved in the project is Professor Shannon Lennon who said, "We discovered that we could essentially reprogrammed the fungus DNA to produce the toxin from a spiders venom once inside the mosquito. We then realised that we could effectively limit the mosquito populations. We will not be able to wipe them out as their are always some that will be immune to the toxin. We then set up a test where inside these domes we had water sources, food for the mosquito and everything they would need to thrive. We however hung up cotton sheets soaked in these genetically modified spores in one of them. We then waited." It was revealed that 48 hours later the dome with no fungus in had seen population numbers increase however in the fungus infected dome only 13 mosquitos remained. Professor Lennon explained. "We had seen the complete collapse of the population in just two generations. It was exciting and we believe that if we were to effectively coat the outside of homes with these spores we could make settlements risks of contracting malaria reduce significantly."

Joanna Osman, the head of OsmanTech said, "When my father started the company he wanted OsmanTech to not just support his family financially but to also support the world. We've seen him release patents on life saving anti-retro viral drugs, we've seen him give away supplies to aid agencies. This will now be the latest in his legacy. I would like to have our people go to Zimalia and set up these spores to see if they can work outside of domes. We know the spores are harmless to humans and we know they are specifically targeting just this species of mosquito. If this works then I'd hope that we can put the process of how to alter the DNA of the fungus on the internet for any nation, any individual with the correct equipment, to use it to protect themselves or their people." It is estimated that around 400,000 people die per year from malaria and that around 219 million cases of malaria each year are contracted. "If we can put a dent in those figures this will be excellent. We may be a way of wiping out the disease fully but this could really help." said Joanna Osman.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 09, 2019, 02:46:57 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://i.cbc.ca/1.3873503.1480457545!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/16x9_780/grey-cup.JPG)

DUKE LEGION WIN OSTLAKE GAMES

The nations week long sporting and military festival at the city of Ostlake has ended today with the Armies Duke Legion taking 1st place. It is the first victory for the Legion since 2003 and their commander General Richard Hamilton declared himself, "thrilled to have the trophy back at our HQ. The men and woman of our Legion have worked tremendously hard to get themselves ready for this competition and they've been a credit to themselves and their Legion." Red Legion, as is now tradition finished in final position something their commander Brigadier Kelly laughed off saying, "Most legions have around 20,000 people to pick from at any single time, we have 500 and a few veterans still on the books, so maybe like 800 if we're being generous. We are never going to compete for the overall trophy." The nations elite unit did however take victories in the Ostlake Challenge which sees teams of four swim, run and then shoot, they also took victory in four of the five shooting competitions however poor showings in many of the sporting events saw them finish last once more.

Despite saying that she is drawing a close to her sporting career Mundus Games swimming icon, Daisy Greechan dominated the open water swimming setting a new record in the 5km race and beating her nearest rival, also from the Navy, by nearly a full minute. After her race she was asked whether she still intends to stand by her statement of the next Mundus Games being her last, "We'll see, at present I intend to start focusing full time on my military career. I'd love one day to be a commander of my own ship and I've got permission to apply for my commission early next year. I think this will be my last Mundus Games but I've many more Ostlake Games left." As expected the King's niece Sophie Harrison-Ironside won gold in the Cross Country and a silver in the Orienteering. The 22 year old Air Force officer has however ruled out a return to the Mundus Games saying, "I'm scheduled to be on deployment when the Games come about so even if I wanted to take part I can't. Whether I come back in 2020 we'll have to see but for now I've several other challenges I want to focus on."

This year marked the first Legionnaire Legacy Games which saw wounded veterans compete in a series of sporting events which also fed into the competition scores. While the vast majority of those taking part in this were injured in the line of duty some, such as King David, had either been injured in terrorist attacks or by accidents at home. King David, who was competing in his eleventh Mundus Games won his fifth medal when he was part of the Eight man rowing team that took Bronze on behalf of Pegasus Legion. Speaking after the medal ceremony the King said, "Events like this are exactly what we need more of, spending time with old comrades helps you realise that actually there isn't much you can't do. Yes I got out the boat and had to crawl up the jetty but it was worth it. I intend to come back next year and I'm sure our team can improve."

The games saw over a million spectators over the week long festival and once more the businesses of Ostlake were thrilled. One hotel owner said, "We're already 80% booked up for the same dates next year and our restaurant had people coming in making reservations for their stay next year. Its a time of high demand and its great for business." Some spectators however have suggested something needs to be done about the pricing for hotels. One spectator who came for two days said, "I come to Ostlake two or three times a year, I enjoy hiking and fishing so the city and surroundings are a great base. When I came for the games though room prices had over doubled, its not fair the hotels are just ripping us off and taking advantage. A lot of us have family competing and we just want to show our support." The Mayor of Ostlake, Edward Daniels however said, "It comes down to basic supply and demand, we have a limited number of spaces for accommodation and so of course the price increases, there are however accommodation options to suit all budgets, several camp sites near the venues are available for just a few quid while the King Robert Hotel's Penthouse is going to cost you a small fortune at any time of year. I'm just thrilled once more the fans have come and found excellent hospitality and we've had a great games as always."

The games finished with a traditional officers ball at Ostlake East with a seperate ball for Other Ranks at Ostlake West. King David was, as tradition dictates, the only person to attend both. He first attended the Other Ranks ball where he started the dancing off when he partnered Legionnaire Ruth Caines of Duke Legion. The 19 year old was last year awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for her actions in Lakhzovia. The combat medic was accompanying refugees on a transport plane that went down and was one of the first out returning to the burning aircraft five times to help others out during which time her hands were badly burnt. " I got told the evening before that the King had selected me for the first dance. It's nerve wracking because I didn't realise my commanding officer had nominated me. I got told 24 hours before and then realised I don't really know how to dance to that kind of stuff so I had two of our Captains give me a crash course. We shared the dance and a bit of a chat about the games and things. Once the dance was over he thanked me for my service and gave me a flower brooch before saying goodbye. It was a nice way to end the games." Legionnaire Caines had been competing in the Assault Course for Duke Legion and finished 5th. The King then made his way over to Ostlake East were he was joined by partner Baronetess Stasya Pelagiya originally in controversial circumstances.


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/587272245433335838/unknown.png)

TALE OF TWO DRESSES CAUSES "CONCERN"

Following the King's arrival at the Ostlake East games Officers Ball there was rather a controversial entrance by his lover Baronetess Stasya Pelagiya. The 22 year old Lodjain former Lady in Waiting arrived via car at the Officers Mess where King David meet her from her diplomatic car. The waiting media snapped photos as a clearly rather puzzled and awkward King David escorted her from the car. Dressed in some rather revealling dress with winged headware the Royal Envoy of Queen Klara knew she would be likely to be trending on the internet in short notice. Some applauded her choice of outfit with one Twitter user saying, "Room full of dull boring gowns, at least its exciting." while others criticised it saying, "She is making a mockery of our traditions." While Officers Balls have a dress code which states serving officers must wear Dress Uniform while veterans may wear either Dress Uniform or males blazaar, trousers and shoes. Male guests must wear jacket, tie and trousers and single coloured shoes, for female guests such as Baronetess Stasya dress is required to be a dress that goes at least four inches below the knee and must be predominantly one colour. It is understood King David was not too happy with the dress and later in the evening Baronetess Staysa was spotted wearing a more conservative purple number.

The controversy on the internet was joined by Chief Councillor Thomas More who said, "This woman is likely to be our future Queen, she needs to realise that while in Lodja women can be whores the Queen must be an example for young girls to follow. Baronetess Stasya is a beautiful woman and does not need to make such odd fashion choices to catch our medias eye, simply being on the arm of the King gets her the attention she clearly craves." This was a sentiment echoed by Sir Charles Townsend, head of the Court of Canley, "Matilda Osman may not have been of noble birth but she always looked like a Queen, elegant, classy, regal and impressive. What this Lodjain Baronetess wore as nothing more than a cry for attention and not the good kind."

Back home in Lodja though the dress won approval from the general public who praised her for her daring and beauty. It was also spotted that within an hour of the Baronetess appearing at the Ball and pictures being posted by the media that copies of the dress were avalaible for people to buy via the Baronetesses own fashion company called Stagiya. It was taken down from the website two hours later at which point the site claimed 52 of the dresses retailing at $800 had been sold.
 

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 21, 2019, 09:03:01 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/photos.thearticle.com/app/production/articles/742/cover_desktop_the-challenges-facing-penny-mordaunt-at-the-ministry-of-defence.jpg)

DENMAN NAMED CHAPLIN TO REMNS OSTLAKE

In a shock announcement today by the Ministry of Defence it was revealed that the new commander of the aircraft carrier REMNS Ostlake has appointed controversal religious figure Jinny Denman as the ships official Chaplin. The largely ceremonial role is left open to the discretional appointment of the ships commander and is responsible for supporting the "spiritual life of all on ship." The role sees the appointed person offer prayers before voyages begin as well as while the ship is at sea, additionally they bless new commissions and those departing service. Denman is a controversial choice as she is not a member of the Cult of Helus, rather instead she is viewed by many as a heretic having set up her own interpretation of the faith known as the Sisterhood of Helus. The main difference between the the Cult and the Sisterhood is the fact that Denman believes that Helus was in fact female and that the Ironside family are the direct descendants of the heroic Riamond Unasson and the Goddess Helus. Denman, who styles herself as the High Priestess of the faith, is currently constructing a large temple close to the Temple District of Northfort and her version of the faith currently has an estimated 1.2million followers.

The ships commander, Captain George Stewart, explained his appointment of Denman saying. "I have know Jinny several years and she is a person that I know values East Moreland military traditions, our heritage and is supportive of our veterans. She is someone I trust my soul to and as such the only person I would trust the soul of my ship to." The announcement has lead many to believe that Captain Stewart has converted to the Sisterhood which would make him the first senior military figure to do so. There has yet been no statement from the Palace regarding the appointment however King David has several times been the target of Denman's sermons, particularly his romantic relationships.

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/591698051798663187/unknown.png)

KING VISITS STONETON

In 2017 a group of thirty Borlanders seized the post office of Stonemill and raised their flag declaring the small village part of their territory. Over the next two days the 100 or so local residents cowered in their homes as armed men roamed the streets and strapped explosives to doors. After a stand off Red Legionnaires took the village back killing 26 of the Borlanders, one escaped the and remaining three were executed for acts of terrorism. The King visited the village today in order to present the village with a new East Moreland flag after it was revealed that the Borlanders had urinated on and then burnt the old one. The Lord of Stonemill, Elijah Patterson, was a former member of the King's old Army unit the Alpine Cadre and asked the King if he would come and make the presentation. A large crowd assembled to see the flag raised by the King who spoke after saying, "The fact that this small village which sits on the edge of an area known to be frequented by Borlanders is so keen to show its loyalty is inspiring. Its little acts of defiance against terrorism such as this that make us stronger as a nation. I'd like to thank all those Red Legionnaires who freed these people for their efforts. I'd also like to thank the people of Stonemill for acting in a brave manner while refusing to yield to terrorism."

The King later was quizzed by media sources on a variety of issues as the event coincided with his weekly press conference. Among those asking questions, including having the honour of asking the first question, was nine year old Katie Glass from the local schools newspaper. She asked the King, " How long will it be before Princess Rhiannon is back at school?" To which the King replied, "Rhiannon is still recovering from her illness but is getting stronger everyday. We've four weeks left until school finishes for the summer so I think we'll probably wait until September. I'd like to reassure Miss Meadows her teacher though that we've kept up with her homework and she shouldn't have missed anything." Katie then asked the King why he hadn't married Baronetess Stasya yet to which a blushing King replied, "Marriage between a Morelander and a Lodjain is likely to be complicated. We've things to work out, assuming she agrees to marry me." This is the strongest indication yet that the pair are indeed looking at marriage.

The King however faced more serious questions such as the future of MICA following his proposal to create Rapid Reaction Responsibility Areas, the King said. "The Mhroish and Illumic are key waterways for Mundus and we've shown time and again if need be we shall step up and do what needs to be done. We now have the nations of the region in a position where the security falls entirely to us, as a result we need to ensure the region is divided appropriately, there is no need to duplicate the work of each other. Why do we need two Destroyers, one from East Moreland and one from Seaforth for example, patrolling within a few kilometers of each other while perhaps further South no one covers an area. These areas make sense for everyone concerned."

The King was also asked about the recent announcement of Fleur that they would be categorising East Moreland as a "C3" nation which means they will ban sales of weapons, advanced technology and impose additional back-ground checks and controls on importations. King David said, "I'm disappointed. We're a nation that believe in free trade whenever possible and our policy has always been reciprocation. It would be my hope that within Fleur there will be people driving electric cars made by BetterAuto's, that people will be utilising products made by likes of EMAC or OsmanTech. As a result of this announcement we will from today be treating goods entering East Moreland with additional back ground checks and controls to ensure safety and complience with local laws. I do not know what would have made them suddenly introduce these changes and naturally no one is forced to trade with us. I am as always ready to discuss any issues with anyone."

The King was finally asked about the Lodjain Military Review to which he responded. "We have been asked to support an ally in improving their security. Naturally we shall do what we can to help them. We have a proud tradition of working alongside nations in Albion, Nya Aland, Dartfordia, Lodja, Bakkermaya and Arda Tuluva, I wish that continent every success in the world ensuring their security and if we can help bolster that then we're happy to do so. I will be meeting with Queen Klara face to face in a few weeks time and rest assured we will put time aside to discuss these issues."



(http://newsneednews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/RR-COMP-airlander.jpg)

KING TO GET "SKY PALACE"

Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker today announced that King David is spending £25million on what is being dubbed the "Sky Palace". The design will utilise an EMAC Heavy Lifter Airship and see its cabin turned into a luxury retreat in the sky. The Sky Palace will feature en-suite bedrooms, fine dining kitcen and seating areas boasting "horizon-to-horizon views". Much of the luxury main cabin is covered in glass, including a large portion of the floors which will allow passengers to take in the views from up to 16,000ft. The new Royal Vehicle will be able to accommodate 20 passengers and 10 crew for up to three days while remaining airborne. It is expected that the King would use it for special functions, state visits and would even perhaps take it overseas.

Sir Alan Maybury of EMAC stated. "The flexible nature of the envelope means it can be collapsed and fit inside two shipping containers, technically the King could take it anywhere he goes." It is believed the King was semi inspired by seeing those airships regularly used by Neu Urburzis as Sir Alan explained, "The royals have built a connection with the royals of Neu Urburzis and I am sure the King took inspiration from there. I'd like to think we're aiming to take luxury to a new level though and I am sure it will live up to its billing of being a real Palace that will impress everyone."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 30, 2019, 08:37:29 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs036/1102665898969/img/149.jpg?a=1109094021402)

NATION CELEBRATE FEAST OF ROLAF

The nation yesterday celebrated the Feast of Rolaf, the God of Life and Death. As tradition dictates the King visited the Gods temple in Northfort to pray for the years dead and use his sword to place a drop of blood on the Gods statue, an offering for the God to take care of those who died in the last 12 months. The King then spent the day with his family at the Ironside mausoleum within Palace grounds along with his daughter Princess Rhiannon, sister Princess Freya and niece Archduchess Sophie. That evening the King attended a bonfire lighting in the People's Park which neighbours the Palace where Princess Rhiannon was seen, her first appearance in public since her battle with leukaemia. The Princess was still seen wearing a surgical mask as it is understood her immune system is still not 100%.

Across the nation people took advantage of the warm weather to head to cemetries where they had picnics at the tombs and memorials to their loved ones. An estimated 20,000 people were seen in the main cemetery of Northfort at lunchtime however many more came and went during the day. The festivities took place in other nations around the world. Members of East Moreland's Red Legion cooked a traditional meal at the site of the old Union of Nordic People's Rikstag building, now a museum. One of the NCO's explained. "We're in Nya Aland training at the moment and we had a day off. The Riksdag building saw around 20 members of the East Moreland military die within its walls during the first Uppsala disaster, victims of the Gungnir terrorists. The building became a makeshift field hospital. It is important we show the dead they are still thought of and missed. We felt it was as good a place to be on a day like to day as anywhere else." The group handed out free food to those waiting to enter the museum however had to refrain from singing traditional songs due to local religious observance laws.

In the Celtic Protectorate large numbers gathered at sites in woodlands to remember those who died during the genocide of Cultists. It was estimated that around 250,000 Cultists were murdered during the genocide which took place around four years ago. Events also took place in Safraen where picnics were held by embassy staff and some local Cultists around the capitals sports stadium. During the virus outbreak that brought the nation to its knees the arena was turned into a makeshift reception centre by East Moreland forces and it is believed around 10,000 people died there inlcuding around 15 East Moreland Legionnaires. One of those present was current East Moreland Fusilar Sergeant Robert Keane. "We were one of the groups holding the arena, we had people looting the surrounding areas and gun fights were not uncommon. We had a few lads get hit and then die a few days later. I try and come back every year at some point with some of the Regiment and pay my respects. Being here today though makes it especially important."


(https://snusercontent.global.ssl.fastly.net/member-profile-full/60/1922560_5949503.jpg)

CARPENTER FAILS TO QUALIFY FOR GAMES

With the Mundus Games just around the corner qualifying competitions for the planets most prestigious sporting event has begun. This weekend saw the National Skate Championships take place in Freestone and among those competing was former Chief Councillor Tim Carpenter. It is well known that as a young man Carpenter was one of the many skaters in the city who campaigned for relaxation of skating rules and also helped set up the cities first skate park. The 33 year old national hero had entered two skateboarding competitions, the halfpipe and the Freestyle but came last in both meaning that he will not be representing the nation at the Games. Following the conclusion of the days event Carpenter said. "It'd be very easy to make excuses, my favourite board still being held hostage after all these years by Dartfordia, being out the country for so long in Royal Seleucid or maybe that everyone else knew the course better than me. All those would be a lie though, I'm just a basic skater these guys and girls are the real deal and I'm just glad to come and have fun. I'm excited to see a hobby I love now become a part of the Mundus Games and I'll be watching the event in person I hope. Its as close as I'm going to get."

The eventual winners of the events were Tom Hardcastle (Freestyle), Jenny Friend (Freestyle), Chris Marlow (Halfpipe) and Katie Mendham (Halfpipe) all of whom will be representing the nation at the Games. Selection begins for other events in the coming days with the National Cross Country championship taking place however Archduchess Sophie has ruled herself out of attending. Meanwhile the Ostlake Championship Swim takes place next weekend and sporting great Daisy Greechan will attempt to make it four years in a row that she takes 1st place, it is however likely to be the Navy Rescue Divers final Mundus Games as it is believed she has accepted the offer to begin Officer Training in the Navy following the end of the Games.

Meanwhile it has been confirmed that Rollo MacAllister has applied to play for Seaforth in the 7's. In a loophole in the rugby union governing body the two versions of the game are classed as different sports for the purpose of the Games. Speaking to the media the 6ft 8 second row world cup winner said. "This isn't me turning my back on East Moreland. Their a nation that took me in as one of their own and I will always be grateful. I mean I'm serving in their military I love the nation so much. As a Seaforthian by birth I could have skipped national service but I feel I owe a debt to East Moreland I will never be able to pay. As a little boy though I dreamt of wearing the Seaforth jersey and this is a chance to do that and fulfil that dream. I will always love my Honeybadger brothers and fully intend to bring the world cup back to East Moreland again, but I'm a child of two worlds." It is not yet known whether MacAllister will be considered for selection or make the Seaforthian squad.



(https://inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/12/Community-Church-Knarvik-by-RRA-10.jpg)
DENMAN TO FUND FIRST OVERSEAS TEMPLE

Jinny Denman has today announced she has secured funding to build the Sisterhood of Helus' first temple to Thiban and that construction of a modern looking wooden stave Temple will begin in Bakkermaya in the next few weeks. The funding was provided by an anonomous donor and is thought to have been in the region of $6million. The wooden construction will seek to use entirely recycled materials, utilise wind and solar energy as well as contain no plastics. The Temple marks the Sisterhood's first temple to Thiban as well as its first Temple outside East Moreland.

The breakaway sect of the Cult of Helus believes that Helus is infact female and has grown to have some 1million followers in East Moreland since Denman established it in 2016. It is thought around 200,000 Bakkermayans have embraced her version of the faith and that perhaps one of those has funded the Temple. The construction will be in the province of Elmwood and is expected to take around three months to build as much of the wooden construction will be done off site and simply erected at the location.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on July 05, 2019, 10:29:02 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://f1.media.brightcove.com/8/2685123856001/2685123856001_5025614521001_5025534934001-vs.jpg?pubId=2685123856001&videoId=5025534934001)

SAMUELSON DENIES WEAPONS SALE

Sir Harry Samuelson the nations Minister of Defence today announced that claims by the  Bene Gesserit  (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=670.msg12933;topicseen#msg12933)terrorist group that East Moreland had permitted arms sales to Kaitaine are false. The former Red Legion sharpshooter appeared on  Breakfast news following the announcement in the Bene Gesserit's propaganda media in order to put the record straight. "The East Moreland intelligence services are working alongside their counter-parts in Kaitaine. In the Bene Gesserit we see a group that were willing to unleash nuclear terror upon someone, we have no idea who. In recent weeks we've seen several hardlines taken against Slava Lavosk for possessing nuclear weapons and their a sovereign nation not fighting a war with anyone. Meanwhile the Bene Gesserit are trying to wage a civil war against the Kaitaine government and have a track record of using under hand means. I don't think any nation with any sense would criticise us if we had sold weapons to the Kaitaine Defence Force. I can however confirm that not a single export certificate for weapons made by any East Moreland company has been issued. That means no weapons have been sold to Kaitaine by an East Moreland company including the East Moreland Aircraft Company. More must be done to combat the Bene Gesserit. Their propaganda mouthpiece is a joke, using young girls to glamorise war and add sex appeal. Anyone taking the world of a niave child soldier who is actually a wannabe model seriously when they make claims of identifying a weapons origin from a blast needs their head looking at. Kaitaine are a nation capable of making the Zircon missile system, it is not to hard therefore to imagine them making a small drone. Its not difficult."

Sir Harry refused to explain what kind of intelligence is being shared but did say, "The relationship is very much a two way street and the Kaitaine agencies have been very useful."

EMAC meanwhile confirmed Sir Harry's statement saying, "Any pieces of equipment that have a military application or will be operated by a military end user must have an export certificate granted by the East Moreland government. To date we have had no approach to buy our hardware from the Kaitaine government and therefore have not even applied for such a certificate yet alone been granted one." The device used is claimed to be a "Mini Dragon" a small infantry launched UAV with a small warhead designed to act as close combat support. To date EMAC have sold 300 to the East Moreland military and two have been used in action in the Alps against the Borlanders. It is also believed that a further 10 have been sold to the Ui Cenneslaig military for user trials. Sir Alan Maybury of EMAC explained that these would not be possible routes of the weapon finding its way to Kaitaine. "We have an agreement with Ui Cenneslaig that these Mini-Dragons are for trial purposes only and therefore they are not even fully under the command of the Cenneg military yet, our operators are still working with our nations allies to bring them up to speed." 






Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on July 20, 2019, 11:06:51 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://www.latimes.com/resizer/OgzlT_-0o2MOUay-OehBeH0UTMY=/800x0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tronc.s3.amazonaws.com/public/B5CKQW24FVA6NOXJ3OV5B4DGK4.jpg)

EMAC HAPPY WITH FORMULA MUNDUS START

Sir Alan Maybury was one of the very visible VIP's present at the East Moreland Grand Prix which marked the third race of a season that has got off to a great start for both EMAC backed teams. While last season EMAC began working with the historic Rytol Racing Team it also marked the final season where Rytol's legendary founder Ryan Toller was directly involved. EMAC took over full control of the team and renamed the team EMAC-Toller as a respectful nod to the teams principle. Additionally EMAC signed a "Development Deal" with a Lodjian team funded by the Pelagiya family. Both teams have made good starts to the season however it is the "Development" team that currently stand in first place in the Constructors table. The East Moreland Grand Prix saw hometown boy and former World Champion Sam Halliday finish 2nd but the point earned have meant that the two EMAC backed teams sit 1st and 3rd in the Constructors table. Sir Alan Maybury is the CEO of EMAC and despite not having any day to day input on the teams is a keen follower. "Motor racing is exciting and as the world knows, there is fast and EMAC fast. We've put together two teams of excellent technicans, engineers and analysist, what we learn through the crucible of motor sports helps us develop everything else we do, while having some fun." When asked how important winning titles is Sir Alan was however more serious, "We spend a lot of money in this sport and just like any business you want to see a return. We don't expect to make money but we do want to see some trophies. There has to be bench marks of success, for us its new patents, our speed records, world titles, whatever we can get. Silverware is good too."

The race was started by King David who is the Honourary President of the East Moreland Motor Sports Council and helped bring Formula Mundus to East Moreland. The King however was noticeably wearing a Matt Cooke cap rather than one supporting the teams principle driver. There is a history of dislike between Sam Halliday and the King following the former Queen, Matilda Osman, being in a relationship with Halliday and having a child. In the past some comments by Halliday regarding the King and Matilda's daughter Princess Rhiannon. The King also toured the pit lane prior to the start and undertook a lap of the course with the Safety Car driver. The King was however not joined by his partner Baronetess Stasya Pelagiya who is along with her father Duke Tobias, funding the Pelagiya-EMAC team. The former Lodjain Lady in Waiting was seen most of the weekend in and around the teams pits lane. Following the conclusion of the weekend the 22 year old spoke with the media saying, "To see the name Pelagiya speed past the start and finish straight looks amazing. I'm very proud of what our team have done, everyone expected us to be towards the bottom being the new guys on the grid but thanks to the help from EMAC and the spirt of the two guys behind the wheel its been incredible. We just need to keep the momentum going." It is understood that Princess Rhiannon was also at the event and was seen wearing a Sergei Ruznetzov t-shirt. King David said, "Yes, I believe my daughter may just have committed treason and a suitable punishment may need to be found." Meanwhile what many believe will be her future Step-Mother, Baronetess Stasya said, "The Princess obviously recognises quality. Sergei has a daughter of a similar age to Rhiannon and the two hung out a little in the pits the Practice days. Rhiannon's learnt a little Lodjain and Sergei's daughter a little Morelandish so it was good for them to practice."


(https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/men/2016/01/22/KnightSergey_trans%2B%2BaxhR1vC4M3eHXTZuhDlJp4tOgz775vOKisOVyGXjBAo.jpg)

BLANCH DEFENDS TITLE IN SILVERHILLS

Mundus Games and World Medeival MMA Champion Louis Blanch last night successfully defended his world title against Connor Drewitt in Silverhills. The fight went the distance with Blanch winning on unanamously on points. The 27 year old has now made three successful title defences in his 2nd reign as Champion having taken the title back from Tom Ridge who defeated him in early 2018. The Freestone native will now carry the momentum of this victory into the Mundus Games where he is likely to be heavily favoured to win the Gold medal. The nation will send three fighters to the games both the men who fought in Silverhills and Tom Ridge meaning fight fans are already suggesting that the next defence of the World Title will be against whichever of Ridge or Drewitt get further in the tournament. Blanch meanwhile has down played that. "The Mundus Games is a very different animal to the World Title. I get two, sometimes three months notice of who I'm fighting and then once we're done I get to recover and go again three months later. The Mundus Games is having to fight day after day, sometimes twice a day with maybe just 12 hours notice. The blows to the arms make the sword become heavier and even when you strike the impact on shields and counter strikes jars your hand and wrist and as a result things become tough. All it takes is someone to get a dead arm or dead leg and then their in worlds of trouble. Its exciting."

The next major event in World Medieval MMA is set to take place in Northfort at King Roberts Arena and will on the undercard feature a fight for the World Lightweight Title between Marcus Green and a yet to be determined Vaguzian fighter. "Its sad its only the heavyweights at the games" Green said, "But it just means we can enjoy the show. I understand the top two Vaguzians are fighting for their national title soon and we've agreed that the winner will come to Northfort. It shows the sport is spreading beyond its traditional boundaries of East Moreland and Bakkermaya and I look forward to seeing who gets the shot."


(https://www.kyivpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/01/p173ggnl9gaj419b79ss61dd0d4/original.jpg)

WAR HERO TO CARRY EAST MORELAND FLAG AT OPENING

Kate Stainsbury has been selected to carry the East Moreland flag at the opening ceremony. The 28 year old is a Sergeant in the Royal Army Medical Corps and recieved the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal for bravery in actions in Academica. The then Corporal crawled some 400 meters across a market square in a firefight in order to get two Academican soldiers out of a crashed vehicle. She then carried one of them back across to safety before returning with an armoured vehicle to recover the second soldier. The CGM is the nations 2nd highest medal for bravery. Stainsbury also competes in the Sabre for Duke Legion at the Ostlake Games where she has 7 titles which includes two in epee and one in foil.

Speaking as the team departed for New Derusima Stainsbury said, "I feel extremely proud to carry the flag. It means a lot to me to simply be able to follow it into an arena once more, meanwhile to think I'll have the whole nations team behind me makes me feel a little sick. What if I drop it or something. Its a big responsibility but I'm sure I'll be fine." Stainsbury is competing in her second games having missed some previous ones because of deployment. She already has a Bronze to her name and is targeting a silver in these games. "You set targets high and go for them. Its nothing to lose and everything to gain. I'm hopeful of getting to the final so we'll see what happens."

(https://www.sportface.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Federica-Pellegrini.jpeg)

Meanwhile Daisy Greechan was honoured with a promotion to Midshipman. Seen as one of the Mundus Games greatest competitors then long distance swimming specialist is likely to compete in her final games. Despite still being only 26 the Portworth native is currently a career member of the Royal East Moreland Naval Service where she serves as a rescue diver onboard REMNS King Robert. She has announced that she intended to apply for a commission after the games however the field commission was presented by her former boyfriend King David in a surprise as the team visited the Palace. Joined by REMNS King Robert's Captain Franklin Simpson the King presented the swimmer with an officers sword and commission saying. "Midshipmen Greechan has served in three major war zones, and two refugee crisis, she is an experienced member of our armed forces and a proven leader despite not having the rank to go along with these skills. In times of old an individual held in high regard by the ships crew and commander could be promoted in the field and having been told by Captain Simpson he was a Midshipman light and that Petty Officer Greechan was intending to apply for Commission we saw little need for the ship to lose such a fine member of the unit in order to complete training she could well receive at sea."

Greechan was responsible for the rescue of over 50 Mavrosian refugees who were washed into waters during storms and was one of those who attempted to recover Major Alex Redfern when he was washed away and later presumed dead. She is expected to compete in around eight events at the games however the Open Water swim is her preferred event.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 01, 2019, 10:27:53 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/606591117957529600/unknown.png)

MERRIMAN JOINS DIPLOMATIC SERVICE

The 23 year old former Youth Minister, Amelia Merriman will be joining the East Moreland Diplomatic Service. Following serving two years as the nations youngest elected Representative Councillor the Freestone University graduate will take up a position in the organisation which supports ambassadors and envoys across Mundus. The announcement was made by Foreign Minister Edward Tamana who said "Amelia will be a useful asset for our service, she's meet several key leaders across Mundus, had a chance to attend top end talks with His Majesty the King and was a key voice in the CNN referendum debate. For someone so young she has a wealth of experience and she is able to connect easily with youth matters across Mundus." It is expected that her first posting may well be Lodja as Foreign Minister Tamana explained, " Lodja are in the midst of their annual ball season. From our experience its a chance to meet and network with the nobility of Lodja and we know they are important in the government of one of our closest allies. To be able to make connections with the next generation of their nation is important."

Amelia has stated that she is also exploring studying her Masters degree in Geology while working and hasn't ruled out rejoining the military reserves. She served three years as a reservist in the Royal Foot Guards from the age of 18 and thus qualified for her sword ceremony more or less days after her graduation. She is also one of the three founders of the Freestone Political party along with Tim Carpenter and Melissa Lusk.

King David also spoke on the appointment saying, "East Moreland is a nation where we want to encourage talented youngsters in any profession to be the best they can be. We've a history of our Youth Ministers being given great opportunities to witness and experience high level diplomatic issues and that experience has helped in the past. Melissa Lusk was our first Youth Minister and her work helping in refugee crisis around the world has been awe inspiring. I wish Amelia well in her new career and know she will achieve great things."




(https://cdn.swimswam.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/20190724_gsca_gw93665_20190724_1290914421.jpg)

GREECHAN MOVES ONTO 16

Swimming legend Daisy Greechan today took gold in the 1500m Freestyle to put her onto a total of 16 Mundus Games medals. The victory came as East Moreland sit sixth in the medal table. The Royal East Moreland Naval Service officer won her event by around six seconds. Speaking after the event she said, " I came here planning on using the pool as warm ups for the Open Water swim. If I managed to place then I would see it as a bonus but at the half way point I felt strong so thought I would just push my schedule a little and when I made my final turn I saw I was ahead and so just opened the taps. I hope now the other events I'm in see me feel so strong." When asked about whether this would be her final games, as she has hinted, the former girlfriend of King David just said, "I plan only for the next event. Once the games are over that's when I'll talk about that."

The East Moreland team have also clocked up medals today when 19 year old Chris Sabin took a Bronze in the Men's 800m Freestyle making it his first Mundus Games medal. Soon after Rebecca Charlton took Silver in the Women's event also earning a first medal at the Games. Royal Marine Officer James Ramsey took Bronze in 50m Pistol shooting to round off the medals for Day Four.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 21, 2019, 11:04:58 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(https://scstylecaster.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/olivia-palermo-vaseline-skin.jpg?w=670&h=399)

FORMER QUEEN TO OPEN "OCEAN SCHOOL"

The former wife of King David is to open a privately funded school that she is calling an "Ocean School" Speaking at Portworth Marine Institute she described the new educational establishment as being one to combine "a world class educational experience with a love of the oceans." The daughter of Lord Lucas Osman the founder of OsmanTech said, "The school will be split between an old naval facility we've purchased as well as naturally utilising a variety of boats. I grew up in Portworth and you can learn so much on the beaches and in the oceans and not just about the seas. As a nation East Moreland has not always embraced the ocean but those waters contain so much unknown knowledge. We've seen our nation try and lead the way in so many interesting engineering projects but we've neglected the oceans in that. I want to begin changing that."

The school will open at the end of September and will have 30 students aged 11 and 12. Each year it will add a further 30 students at that age until it features classes between the age of 11-18. The school will make it compulsory that all students will have to study a science subject from 16-18 when most students in East Moreland have a free choice of subject selections. The school also plans to make it compulsory that all students gain some kind of maritime qualification and undertake some kind of community service. The school is going to permit boarding and will be selective in its admission process. Miss Osman stated, "At least 50% of students will be given a scholarship funded by various sources including the Portworth Marine Institute, OsmanTech and several private donors."



(https://www.aerospace-technology.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2017/10/4l-image-85.jpg)

NAVY EXPERIMENT WITH EMAC "MICRO-FIGHTER"

The Royal East Moreland Naval Service (REMNS) have today ordered 10 of EMAC's Microjets to use in an experimental role. The aircraft, just 5 meters long and with a similar wingspan is thought to be the smallest jet powered aircraft in the world. The aircraft would be capable of being carried inside the Ekrabadger and are small enough to operate off standard roads leading to the Navy considering using them in a spotter role. The move was explained by Admiral Jenner-Boyd who is in charge of the Navies aviation wing. "We're always looking at new ways to utilise technology. As such we have been looking for ways of using air power to support humanitarian operations where having an ability to deploy in the air can be vital in spotting areas in need of help. The Ekrabadger allows us to move large amounts of gear quickly and use it as a base. As a result we can't carry systems to control things like UAV's in areas with poor remote coverage. The speed of getting an aircraft carrier can also be an issue. If we can essentially just pull these things out, put them on a road and take off we have drone capabilities. While we're calling these "Micro-fighters" they will be unarmed scout aircraft. "

The aircraft will be flown for a month before an attempt at placing them on the Ekra-Badger will begin. Each of the aircraft costs around $140,000 and can allegedly be built from kit form in around 30 hours of work.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 01, 2019, 10:49:36 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://www.arabnews.com/sites/default/files/styles/n_670_395/public/main-image/2018/11/26/1380486-1997547492.jpg?itok=5HGlbQJ5)

BARONETESS STASYA TO ARRANGE ROYAL FUNDRAISER BALL

Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker today announced in his daily briefing that the King's partner Baronetess Stasya Pelagiya is to arrange this years Silverhills White Ball. The annual event is a fundraiser for a variety of Royal Charities which include Legionnaire Legacy, the MPS Foundation and a range of others. The event has always been arranged by the Royal Family and this is the first time in its 120 year history that a non-Royal has been in charge. Mr.Tucker explained saying, "The White Ball is an event the Royal Family value greatly and is for some charities a vital source of annual income to fund their projects. This is not a case of the ball being seen as becoming less important in the Ironside families priorities, in many ways you can say its about elevating the event. After all there is probably no nation on Mundus who know more about organising a ball than the Lodjains and as a former Lady in Waiting its clear the Baronetess has attended a fair few. Added to that the fact that she is well connected in the world of social media, fashion and her family are involved themselves in several charitable endeavours the King hopes her involvement will make the ball an even bigger success."

The ball takes place at the Silverhills Military Academy and is strictly ticket only with those wishing to attend paying around $1,500 for the chance to attend. The evening see's around 1,000 people attend with dancing usually taking place in the ballroom, a specially erected marquee and the indoor parade square. In addition food from some of East Moreland's best known chefs is served along with entertainment provided from a variety of other people. Last year the charity auction that took place saw a finger painting of a Honeybadger by Princess Rhiannon fetch $500 while a signed steering wheel from the SSC Honeybadger land speed record car went for some $20,000. The event raised a total of $5,000,000 for various good causes however as Dr. Jack Beardmore the spokesman for the MPS Foundation explained it is often the chance to network that helps charities more. "Last year we got introduced to some rather wealthy individuals and were able to make arrangements for them to support our own fundraising efforts or to support our projects directly. I think we ended up bringing in about $1,000,000 in funding and even got donations of things such as mini-buses to help us support young people with this genetic illness." The MPS Foundation became an official charity of the event following the birth of Prince Caspian who died of complications from Hunter's Syndrome which is part of the MPS family of conditions.

The Baronetess later posted on social media that this year she hopes, "The Ball will break its own records. Its a chance for celebration of the excellent work charities do to help people of East Moreland and Mundus. I am proud to be asked to organise this years and will not let His Majesty King David down." The tickets have already been selling well and some items for the charity auction include a Personnel Training session with legendary athlete Daisy Greechan, a Pit Lane pass for the Silverhills Grand Prix and a three course meal at Northfort Palace with the King and Baronetess Stasya. The usual all pure white dress code will apply and all eyes will be on the Kings Lodjain partner who caused controversey at the Ostlake Games for being rather revealing (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=150.msg12446#msg12446).



(https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/politics/2019/06/29/TELEMMGLPICT000201792154_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqY_lMjf6kRhldaf5wM7RcdM6fwLs_PIjtt4DqWeL9fIE.jpeg?imwidth=450)

SISTERHOOD HITS 1.5MILLION MEMBERS

Controversial religious leader Jinny Denman has today announced that her breakaway version of the Cult of Helus has reached 1.5million registered members. The Sisterhood of Helus was begun around five years ago after the self proclaimed High Priestess of the Sisterhood believes she discovered the "truth that Helus was infact female and that the other Gods are just different versions of the different facets of Helus' personality." The movement has slowly grown over that time and not in ways many expected. Experts suspected that the faith would see mainly female followers however Denman has revealed that around 40% of her members are infact men. She explained, "I think at first we did attract mainly women who believed a female Helus would be empowering. Its not a feminist thing at all, its a Truth thing. Once they realised that they naturally passed on what they had learnt to their families and husbands, brothers, fathers, sons accepted the true Helus into their hearts." The figures also according to Denman don't reveal the true extent of the faith. "Sadly we are still seen as crack-pots by many. As a result not many people will openly admit to being a member. I've had people in the military come up to me and ask for blessings and they've told me they still wear the Cults emblem in public despite not following it." Denman was made the official Priestess of the REMNS Ostlake aircraft carrier by its captain George Stewart. Cpt.Stewart has since her appointment neither confirmed nor denied that he is a member of the Sisterhood leading to speculation that he is perhaps the first commander of an East Moreland naval vessel to not be a Cultist.

The Sisterhood have also almost completed the first overseas temple in Bakkermaya where a Temple to Thiban was being constructed. Denman said, "I believe perhaps outside of East Moreland we have another million or so followers, everywhere you'd find the Cult I think you'd now find the Sisterhood. We generally see people start off trying to find ways of refuting what I say yet the more they investigate their ideas about faith the more they see I'm right. We need to try and support those who believe in the truth of Helus no matter where they are." Denman has also in the past called for King David to marry a Helus worshipping noblewoman and has made several suggestions, she still believes this is neccessary. "I've meet Stasya Pelagiya a few times and I like her. She is half way to being the perfect wife for our King, she needs to renounce Sessifet and embrace Helus and then I would gladly see her as my Queen. Ideally I would like to see a Morelander as Queen but Helus saw no boundaries when she created Mundus and so a convert on the throne is acceptable. In some ways it would be perfect as the Ironside bloodline is descended from Helus' herself through Raimond Unasson and it would support the idea that Helus is for all regardless of international borders which have arbitrarily been drawn on a piece of paper."

The faith is now calling for representation on the Cabinet. "High Priestess Skye Maddix gets regular invites to the King's Council and Cabinet. I know the King tries to uses the guidance of Helus in his life but it is clear not all his subjects see the guidance as accurate. I am not saying it should be me but a voice from within the Sisterhood should be in the room giving our views, I'd say probably 7 times out of 10 we'd agree with Skye but when we differ it can have major impacts on the life of members of the Sisterhood." Denman announced that she hoped to speak to the King about this manner at the Feast of Marissa where she had invited him and Baronetess Stasya to attend celebrations at the Sisterhood's original temple in Northfort. "The Feast of Marissa remembers the loving and romantic side of Helus personality. She helped bring about the existence of emotions in the human spirit which bind us together and allow us to continue to multiply so we can do Helus' work. We celebrate the fertility of our homeland and pray for the same across Mundus. I hope the King and the Baronetess will join us to help celebrate such a lovely day."

The Royal Press Officer Malcolm Tucker said. "The King has long standing and traditional plans for the Feast of Marissa. As with all his subjects, regardless of faith, he wishes them well at their special times of year and hopes they enjoy their celebrations."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 05, 2019, 09:27:31 PM
(http://i66.tinypic.com/4uf1ps.jpg)

(http://images.screenrush.co.uk/r_760_x/medias/nmedia/18/68/14/33/19012467.jpg)

PRINCESS RETURNS TO SCHOOL

Six year old Princess Rhiannon yesterday returned to school for the first time in just over nine months. The heir to the East Moreland throne had been hospitalised with luekhemia and then was kept off school until her immune system had strengthened. The King permitted the press to nominate a single reporter and photographer to spend five minutes with the Princess who sat for photos alongside her friend and adopted cousin Evie. The pair are classmates at Higham Primary School a state school for students aged between 4-11 years of age. The Princess was asked a series of questions by the reporter who was Shelly Coe for EMTV, a woman who has previously interviewed the Princess alongside her father.

HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT GOING BACK TO SCHOOL?

I'm excited and frightened. I can't wait to see my friends like Harry and Thomas and Claire and Beth again because its been forever but I know that I have to stay away from yukky germs or I can be ill and I hate being ill. I hope though I can still do my math because I haven't used it so I don't want to miss playtime to have to do times tables.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO ABOUT GOING BACK TO SCHOOL?

Having afternoon playtime. When we have 2nd playtimes I can sometimes get to go on the climbing frame or see saw with Evie. Its lots of fun and I can hang the longest of all the people in my class. I also want to have Mrs.Peacocks treacle sponge again, we get it every Friday at lunchtime and get wobbly yellow custard with it sometimes if we help her tidy up all the plates at the end she lets us have a second piece so me and Evie always stay right until the end.

WHAT ARE YOU LEAST LOOKING FORWARD TO ABOUT GOING BACK TO SCHOOL?

On Tuesday we have PE, I don't like it because we play relay games and their boring. Just running backwards and forwards picking up a bean bag, or having to hop or skip. Its not a real sport like at the Mundus Games, we should do sports like they do. I want our PE lessons to be swimming like Daisy or fencing, or even that weird Quidditch thing. Daddy says he'll start to read me that Henry Potter stuff when I'm a little older and I know they play Quidditch there.

WE SAW YOU AT THE FESTIVAL OF SAIL. DID YOU ENJOY THE DAY?

It was great. I love the Festival because my friends from Nya Aland come over and we practice fighting with swords. This year they let me make a shield with my friend from Neu Urburzis called Augustin. We even made one for my brother Oliver but he's too small to be able to carry it yet. I also got to go for a boat ride with my Mummy and brother and we had ice cream on the beach. I think the Festival of Sail is the second best day in my year, I like the Honeybadger Day party best because Auntie Freya helps me dress up and we go dancing in the park.

The rest of the interview appeared on the EMTV website and other sources soon after. The Princess was then taken to school by her father who had insisted that the press not be at the school. The Headmistress of the school Mrs.Coulson also released a statement saying, "We are delighted the Princess has returned to school and rejoined her friends. She's missed a lot of her education and we will have to ensure that she catches up on anything she's missed. I know King David places a lot of importance on education and will have done his best to keep her up to date but a school is the right place for her to make progress. I look forward to seeing her smiling face back at her desk."



(https://www.pinoytechnoguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Diwata-Micro-Satellite.jpg)

SUPEREYE DEAL MAY NOT TAKE PLACE

The Diarchy of Hassfurt have requested permission to buy a pair of Supereye satellites such as those recently tested by the joint CNN space programme. The satellites are capable of incredibly accurate imagery using various types of RADAR imgaging. The satellites also work in pairs to share data to ensure accurate 3D imaging. The satillites avionics package was manufactured by engeineers in the Unified Iwi while its launch and command systems were put together by Uni Cenneslaig. The processing system that handles the imaging was put together by SmartWar, the East Moreland company that have earned a reputation for rather unique applications of technology for the East Moreland military and East Moreland Space Programme. The Hassfurt monarchs had asked to purchase two however for the system to work Ui Cenneslaig, The Iwi and East Moreland must all agree to their individual parts being used. While this deal was potentially good news for SmartWar the deal may never even reach negotiations following the Maori's decision to not manufacture their parts for Hassfurt citing the nations religious policy of setting people in Strata according to their skin colour.

The CEO of SmartWar Martin Dawson stated " We have a process to ensure our technology is not used for purposes harmful to East Moreland. Once we are satisfied that essentially we are not selling to a nation or other entitity that could threaten our homeland then we assess the technology asked for, its role and the customer. For example we'd happily sell SwarmBots to most nations as they are essentially of little to no military use. However we would not sell our Thermalplate technology to anyone who hasn't signed the Uppsala Convention. The PHASER weapons system used by East Moreland police we wouldn't sell to nations such as Nya Aland for example because we don't believe their police deal with people equally. As such we would be required to undertake a much more detailed analysis of Hassfurt before we could make a decision even if the Foreign Office would grant us an export licence."

The Foreign Minister Edward Tamana also spoke saying, "Hassfurt have so far made an approach to the CNN Space Programme. This is merely a management entity and no CNN nation has say over its assets, additionally most projects undertaken by the CNN Space Programme use a combination of public and private industry, as such there is no way East Moreland's government could force SmartWar to manufacture these satellites even if we wanted. Hassfurt are a nation we know little about nor have they really given much detail on their desire for these satellites. Ideally I'd prefer to know a nation much better before giving any military capable technology over to them."

With the Maori having refused a sale it is unlikely Hassfurt will be able to secure a deal.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 12, 2019, 10:12:12 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.thegentlemansjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Johnannes-Huebl-style-gentlemansjournal-900x600-c-center.jpeg)

KING LEADS FEAST OF MARISSA CELEBRATION

The nation today celebrated the Feast of Marissa in a series of events across the nation. Marissa is the Goddess of Love, Health and Fertility and as such hundreds of weddings took place across the nation as the day is seen as auspicious. The day began for the King and his daughter Princess Rhiannon as they took flowers from the gardens of Northfort Palace to the cities Temple of Marissa. There at sunrise the congregation listed to a blessing from High Priestess Skye Maddix who also conducted a wedding immediately after. The young couple of Zachary Gibson and Martina Andrews was also witnessed by the King who acted as one of the witnesses to the oaths exchanged. The pair spoke afterwards saying, "To be officially married in the main Temple of Marissa with our King witnessing made the greatest day of my life even more memorable." said Zachary, "We applied a year ago to marry here today and never imagined we'd get the date." Martina added, "We then got asked by the Priestess if we'd be willing to have the King and Princess present and so naturally we said yes." Afterwards the King presented the new couple with a pair of swords before returning to the Palace.

It is understood that Princess Rhiannon spent the afternoon with her Mother as King David and his partner Baronetess Stasya attended various functions across the capital. First the King visited a lunchtime meal service in a local hospital where he and Stasya, who has a degree in Bakery Technology, helped prepare food for the staff. The couple spent some time then visiting with patients and staff before leaving to visit an urban farm in the city. There they each planted a some seeds expected to grow into feed for the farms pigs and cows. They also presented the staff there with gifts. It is then understood they flew to Rockhampton Royal Retreat where they hosted a gathering of the Ironside family at a banquet and then fireworks display.

Across Mundus East Moreland embassies also celebrated and as has become custom attempted to take the celebrations to the locals. In Royal Seleucid the East Moreland ambassador to the Celtic Protectorate, Tim Carpenter, hosted a farmers produce competition where awards where given for the size of various vegetables. Meanwhile in Nya Aland celebrations took place in the private garden of the embassy in keeping with local laws forbidding public religious services. In Nya Aland guests were invited to a banquet with donations being taken for a local specialist heart hospital. In East Moreland the feast marked a large turn out from the Sisterhood of Helus who celebrated what they called the Feast of Helus-Marissa. The faiths High Priestess Jinny Denman stated, "Today we celebrate the part of Helus where she craved love and so ensured humanity was capable of possessing that most amazing of emotions. Additionally today we remember that without Helus our crops don't grow, our bodies don't work and the world we live in would not exist." She officiated a marriage between Lady Anne Theakston and her partner Major Simon Unwin outside the main Temple of Marissa in Northfort. The ceremony took place on the street as ceremonies from the Sisterhood are not permitted inside Temples belonging to the Cult. Denman explained, "The site of the Temple in Northfort is a key one, its on the site of religiously significant events that we in the Sisterhood hold dear. We would have liked Anne and Simon to have had access but the Cult banned us. As such we got as close as we could to have the ceremony." At one point Denman was calling for King David to consider Lady Anne as a potential wife but ignored Denman's request. The breakaway religious leader stated, "No offence to Simon but today I would have loved to have been marrying King David and Lady Anne. They would have been the perfect couple to rule East Moreland and continue Raimond Unasson and Helus' bloodline. I don't blame Simon for wanting to marry such an amazingly devout, beautiful and intelligent woman and naturally she is not willing to wait for the King to come to his senses and leave his non-Helus worshipping partner." Denman did however wish the King well, "On this day we celebrate love I wish the King and Baronetess Stasya well. It is clear they are in love and as soon as Stasya accepts Helus into her heart I will gladly officiate their wedding."



(https://www.lizandliz.com/media/catalog/product/cache/4/image/492x705/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/e/m/emily-ratajkowski-met-gala-2016-dress-2.jpg)

SILVERHILLS WHITE BALL BREAKS RECORD

The annual Silverhills White Ball hosted by the Royal family for charity has broken its record in terms of charitable donations. The annual ball takes place in  Silverhills Military Academy and has been taking place for the past 150 years. Around 1,000 guests paid around $1,500 each for tickets with proceeds going to various Royal Charities. Following taking into account ticket sales, on the door donations, proceeds from a charity auction and pledges it is estimated some $11million was donated to charities beating the previous record by around $2million.

This year the ball was arranged by Baronetess Stasya on behalf of King David and featured a large ferris wheel, a magic show and midnight laser display. One of the main beneficaries of the evening was the MPS Society, a charity dedicated to researching genetic conditions as well as supporting families with children suffering from conditions. The King began working with the charity when his son Prince Caspian was diagnosed with Hunter's Syndrome, part of the MPS family of conditions. The MPS Society chairperson is Dame Charlotte Powell who said, "Events like this are vital to our organisation. We get around 50% of our funding either directly or indirectly because of this ball. Attracting philanthropists to the event is important and even after the event we still get donations. For example we have a few guests from tonight asking to come and see what we do and more often than not this turns into a donation. Thanks to this event we're able to fund respite care for parents, physiotherapy sessions and put money into research for finding ways to help those living with the conditions live fulfilling lives." It is thought around $2.5million will go to MPS.

Another charity that benefitted was Princess Freya's Legionnaire Legacy which helps support injured service members recover through the use of sport. The Princess was in attendance at the ball along with several veterans who had worked with the charity and now helped those in need. Princess Freya said, "Charities often find it hard to get time with people capable of funding their projects. Tonight is a way of being able to put those willing and capable of great work face to face with those capable of making it a reality. Tonight people who may never meet a wounded veteran have sat down eaten with them and even had a bit of a dance. It shows just how massive the progress we make has been and those people want to help that continue."

One of the highlights of the evening is a charity auction and it was here Barontess Stasya made one of the biggest purchases of the evening. The former Lodjain Lady in Waiting is thought to have paid around £200,000 for a set of office furniture made out of unused parts of the Water-Badger speed record vehicle. The furniture was a gift for King David. It is known the King already has a coffee table in his office made out of part of the SSC Honeybadger which broke the world land speed record in 2015 and it is a common piece of knowledge the King is a keen supporter of motor sports. The King was said to be delighted with the gift and the evening. "Stasya has done an incredible job. Its probably been my favourite ball and I've enjoyed the atmosphere, the entertainment and the company. To see so much raised for good causes and knowing in the coming days some direct donations will boost those funds even more makes me so glad we do this. I personally usually don't enjoy balls but the Lodjains do have a reputation for throwing great ones and putting Stasya in charge was a good move. I look forward to seeing where the charities make progress over the coming months." THe King is expected to open a new MPS Society respite home in the coming days which was funded last year at the ball.

Baronetess Stasya wore a rather high cut ball gown showing plenty of leg as she mingled with guests. Her dress was considered far more elegant than her attempt at the Ostlake Games which created a scandal for being what some fashion commentators described as "Barely there." The 22 year old however is set to make even more money for charity when she auctions off the dress in the coming days. She explained, "I know there are people out there who are "Royal watchers" and adore the Ironside family. I convinced David, Freya and Lily to all donate their outfits to auction and I suspect someone out there will quiet literally like to own a piece of royal history. I've been privileged to be trusted with such a project for my 2nd home and hope I've been able to make a small difference to some huge difference makers." Some had suspected the King would announce an upcoming wedding between himself and Baronetess Stasya however that was not forthcoming and royal sources suggest that the Lodjain Queen is blocking a marriage at this point. It is tradition that a Lodjain seek the permission of a noble of higher rank than themselves to marry and as a Royal Envoy the only person capable of granting that is the Queen.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 17, 2019, 10:42:33 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/media/images/82270000/jpg/_82270144_upwood1.jpg)

HUNTERS VALE TO CLOSE TO LAKHZOVIAN REFUGEES

REMAF Hunters Vale has served as a refugee processing centre as well as a safe haven for those evacuated for some of the worst war zones. In 2017 it began accepting those being evacuated from Lakhzovia during what many have called the Utman-Lakhzov Conflict. Over several months of evacuations it is estimated around 80,000 Lakhzovians were evacuated and processed through the former nuclear protection site with many spending several weeks utilising the labrynth of old tunnel dwellings as a temporary home. However for around 30,000 people the base, the size of a small town, has remained their home. Local schools have struggled to cope both with the number of students and the fact that those students do not speak Morelandish. Additionally the local area, a largely rural community, has been unable to handle demands for General Practioner Doctors, Dentists and other basic needs. This has at times seen tensions raise in the area as locals feel their quality of life has been degraded by the large number of refugees who one local says, "should have been here months not years. We did our bit, we stopped them being caught up in a war and we gave them a safe roof over their head but now with the best will in the world they are a drain. They can't work, they clog up our public services and hold our children back. My daughter started Primary School with a class of 18 other children, now she's in a class of 30 and half of them don't even speak Morelandish." One local primary school has employed a Lakhzovian language specialist to try and help its refugee students adapt. However the local headteacher explains this is not the only issue, "Some of these children have lost siblings and parents to the conflict and are now what we would class as "looked after" children. Even without a language barrier this can cause problems beyond those you'd expect of a child from a stable family background. It means we're having to try and identify additional needs these students have and somehow try and fulfil them."

Foreign Minister Edward Tamana has indicated that the aim will be to clear the base by the end of the year. "The process has begun of trying to send some people home. Those with documents we have aided to return home. However the vast majority of refugees posses no documentation and as such have no passport, no ID cards or anything else. We have no way of them being able to return home unless the Lakhzovian government begin engaging in the process. At present we have very few options open to us. We could ask for Uppsala Passports to be issued but we have no guarentee that Lakhzovia would accept them. Otherwise we could perhaps issue the passports and see if any other countries would accept them. I've visited a few times and I know that some of the refugees have families and friends in other nations, if those accepted the Uppsala passport then that is an option for them. Additionally as I believe Lakhzovia is discussing membership of the Cross Straits Union we could see if that organisation would issue a CSU Passport and then the people would be free under CSU treaty rules to move back home or to a safe CSU nation. We also need to keep in mind that perhaps Lakhzovia are dragging their feet believing these people to be essentially outcasts and therefore trying to wash their hands of their responsibilities. It is my hope the CSU staff negotiating Lakhzovia's entry take this situation into account during their talks."

Around 2,000 of the refugees have been granted right to remain in East Moreland. One, who asked not to be named, has since found a job as a plumber in Rockhampton. "I came with my five year old daughter. She is now in a good school and I earn a wage that means we can have a small one bedroom flat. She is enjoying life here and makes friends everyday. I miss home but two years of waiting to see if we can return meant I had to do something to ensure we have a future not a potential future."

Minister of Defence Sir Harry Samuelson commented saying, "In 2016 we converted Hunter's Vale into a kind of temporary community for disasters, either domestic or international. When places like Stoneton flood it gives us somewhere safe to put a few thousand villages while they wait for the waters to subside. We've lost that ability at the moment. Add to that the fact Tytor and Noobia face natural disasters then they're is a chance we may see a need for more refugee places soon. We need the capacity back and while no emergency exists in Lakhzovia their people's status needs addressing. They've help talks with several countries about treaties and the like since the end of the conflict. They have done nothing to support their own refugees."


(https://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/paqvx3aytjjhrsz0bqjs.jpg)

INFLATABLE SPACE STATION SET FOR "ENDURANCE TEST"

Astronaut Rachel Dixon will return to space for her fourth mission as part of a three person team set to test the "Inflatable Space Station." The system see's two large collapsable domes attatched to the East Moreland "Micro-Space Station" making it almost five times the size. The technology was developed by SmartWar and EMAC as a way of potentially equipping long range manned space missions with habitats in orbit. While that is perhaps still decades away the technology is being developed to allow a cheaper space station to be built. Dixon spent 48 hours aboard a joint CNN mission earlier in the year and stated that the domes, "Feel just like being inside a ship or the micro-station. They just give more room for movement, a bit of privacy and most importantly experiments. Most equipment can be designed to essentially fold and the whole thing gets a blast of compressed air when you're in position and it expands to the size you need." She will be joined by fellow astronaut Chris Morrin and his brother a SmartWar engineer and recent astronaut training graduate Simon Morrin. The trio will carry out a variety of tests and drills designed to see how feasable lengthy stays can be. Dixon explains, "We've seen other stay many months onboard purpose built stations. The engineers believe this could do the job just as well and so we'll give it a go for 30 days and see what happens. We'll have the Micro-Station for emergencies and we know that works fine. The team on the ground will also be able to come and get us pretty quickly if things aren't working out. We're also thankful to the Cenneg who have said they'll also make their rockets avaliable should the need arise."

The nations most recently trained astronaut, Simon Morrin, is looking forward to the experience. "I don't get to see my big brother Chris that often. He was on the team that put Rachel on the moon and I know he's excited to return to space. All the stuff he told me I now get a chance to experience and can't wait." The team are set to take two experiments designed by East Moreland school children and will perform the tests live on the internet, something Simon is a little nervous about. "It'll be a cross between being a Scientist and a children's TV Presenter. I always get a little nervous when we test anything, but to do it in zero gravity adds another dimension. I think its important to do things like this though as it may inspire more youngsters in taking an interest in space or engineering and we always need more people in those fields." No date is announced for the launch however it is likely to come in around 30 days time.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 18, 2019, 08:35:29 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i0.wp.com/jdasolutions.aero/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Airport-Security-Technology.jpg?w=775&ssl=1)

ENTRY POINTS TO GET FACIAL RECOGNITION SECURITY BOOST

Minister of Justice Darren Bone has today announced that by the end of 2019 all airports, ports, train and bus stations in East Moreland will feature facial recognition cameras. The new technology will be connected to various databases and will alert security forces if a person who is wanted or deemed a security risk enters these high risk areas. The first airport to have the technology will be Northfort's KIng Robert International Airport. The Minister explained, "The new devices will be positioned so that everyone entering an airport terminal building will have to pass through areas where these cameras will be operating. Additionally cameras will be trained upon the bridges where passengers leave the planes so we can effectively pre-screen all incoming passengers." The cameras will be attached to a variety of databases including the East Moreland criminal database, various intelligence services ones as well as utilising data available through treaty obligations such as the CNN. Minister Bone believes that the new technology will help make East Moreland even safer. "The nation has a long history of having to combat terrorism and we believe this is now one more tool that will help make us a better defended nation."

It is thought that East Moreland will be the first nation on Mundus to utilise this new technology across all transport hubs and utilise such a massive database. The move has prompted some civil liberties groups to say it is an invasion of their civil rights to be monitored in such a way however the Minister explained that " No East Moreland laws or international agreements are being broken. Morelanders are used to stringent security checks and view them as a necessity. Yes the new cameras may make people think they are all being watched but the system will only alert authorities if you are on a database for things such as terrorism or smuggling. I am sure the people complaining about being monitored will also feel safer and will learn to cope with the idea of the increased procedures."


(https://www.corriere.it/methode_image/2019/07/24/Sport/Foto%20Sport%20-%20Trattate/[email protected])

GREECHAN TO SWIM ILLUMIC

17 time Mundus Games medallist Daisy Greechan has announced that she is to attempt to swim the Illumic. The 2,750km journey will begin a month after she returns from the Mundus Games and will be expected to take her around 150days. The attempt will see her swim for around 12 hours a day before clambering aboard an anchored safety boat to sleep before beginning again. If successful she will become the first person to swim across the Illumic and will likely set a record for the longest open water swim. Daisy is no stranger to the Illumic waters having worked as a search and rescue diver for the Royal East Moreland Navy for the last four years. The 24 year old sports super-star is due to begin Officer training for the Navy however because of course start dates this will not be happening until February. Speaking from the Mundus Games where she took the Gold in the 10km Open Water swim she said, "The Navy essentially told me to go and do something to stay fit until February. If I don't have something to aim for then I struggle to train properly and with this Mundus Games probably being my last I needed a new challenge. Me and Sophie (Harrison-Ironside) rowed the Mhorish last year for charity and so I thought something like that was ideal. I sat with my coaches and we did some maths and think this is doable. I know its not going to be easy but that's half the point."

The swimmers rowing partner was Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside who is currently serving as an Officer in the Royal East Moreland Air Force and unable to compete at the games where she herself has five medals. The niece of King David said, "Daisy is someone who is mentally very very strong. If she thinks she can do this then its going to take something going very wrong to stop her. I'm wishing her good luck as this is an incredible thing to say you want to do." The attempt will see Daisy keep a video diary and she hopes to raise money for Legionnaire Legacy and the Joint Emergency Team, but organisations she has worked for in the past. "Daisy was part of the JET team that helped evacuate Mavrosian refugees and did some time running pool sessions at Ostlake Recovery Centre. These two charities are therefore very close to her heart and some of the money from our row went to the Legacy fund."

Daisy has hinted this may be the first of many attempts. "If things go right I should swim just under 3,000km. The Mhorish from our border with Nemerie to Bakkermaya is I believe 3,000km, so maybe the Mhorish could be next, you could cheat the Krimeon and Kyne to around 1,000km. I think with the exception of the Great North Ocean this swim could show its possible to swim every major ocean. I'm not promoting this as some climate change alternative, that we all swim instead of flying but it could be an interesting challenge to set myself. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself but I like to plan big."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 29, 2019, 10:36:35 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://brobible.files.wordpress.com/2019/08/gettyimages-854255966.jpg?quality=90&w=650&h=434)

LODJAIN INVASION OF HONEYBADGER DAY SPARKS WEDDING RUMOURS

With the nation celebrating Honeybadger Day on Saturday the parks of cities across East Moreland were taken over for huge parties in celebration of the nations national animal. Among the VIP's celebrating in Northfort were a huge contingent of Lodjains who had been invited over by Baronetess Stasya Pelagiya. In addition to the Pelagiya family, Princess Alana Tar, Prince Genadi Kohut (Queen Klara's brother) and several of their friends attended events in Northfort People's Park. It sparked rumours by some that Prince Genadi had brought permission for King David to marry. The pair spent the day in the park at a music festival which saw acts including 2Cellos, The Who, Frank Turner and Mumford and Sons play. During the day the two were seen canoodling in the VIP area while the rest of the Ironside family mingled with the Lodjains. Princess Freya was, as has become tradition, dressed in a Honeybadger onesie along with her adopted daughter Evie and niece Princess Rhiannon. At one point the King's former sister-in-law and socialite Erin Osman posted on Twitter that she had heard King David telling friends his marriage to Stasya was "weeks away." However Malcolm Tucker, the royal press secretary, has stated "Erin Osman's Twitter feed is not a particularly reliable source. Its great for make up tips not so great for royal news. Miss Osman has no access to the Palace and as far as I know she is not friends with Barontess Stasya. When Queen Klara gives her permission I'm sure King David will want to marry, however that would be announced publically from the Isle of the Goddess."

The Honeybadger Day event also took place in embassies across Mundus. In Bakkermaya a group of Morelanders living there hosted a Medieval MMA tournament and BBQ which raised $2,500 for local charities. In Lodja a beach party was hosted by embassy staff with a beach rugby game between locals and embassy staff.



(https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/d9bb1050-68ed-4d33-8a76-b72da14f6f20-7-Embraer.jpg)
NEW IRONSIDE ONE ENTERS SERVICE

The new EMAC manufactured royal aircraft has today been handed over to the Air Force. The aircraft which uses the callsign Ironside One is replacing a much smaller aircraft that has been used for over a decade. The aircraft will be commanded by Squadron Leader Christopher Greene who said, "We've worked with EMAC for the last month ironing out the final wrinkles with the aircraft, but to be fair there were not many. Its a lovely aircraft to fly and I'm looking forward to taking it across Mundus." The aircraft features four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a fully functioning kitchen and lounge and is capable of functioning as a military command post. Ironside One also includes a system of missile defences and is hardened against electronic warfare.

Sir Alan Maybury of EMAC has stated, "I've been onboard for a few of the test flights. Its like a five star hotel in the sky. I'm proud of what we have been able to develop and I think for the next 30 or so years we potentially have the King in very good hands when he travels." The King had commented that the former aircraft was beginning to no longer be fit for purpose following injuries to his back. The King was shot by terrorists three years ago and lost part of his lower back muscle, as such sitting or standing in one position for too long causes him problems. The previous aircraft had very little space inside whereas the new aircraft has even had a treadmill installed. No word has come as to where the first journey will be however the King is scheduled to attend the closing ceremony of the Mundus Games so potentially a flight to New Derusima will be the first journey.


(https://d2cx26qpfwuhvu.cloudfront.net/gloucester/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/23174904/Atkinson_Wasps_Mar19_2000-757x426.jpg)

HONEYBADGERS TAKE GOLD

The nations rugby team took Gold in the Seven's at the Mundus Games. The Gold medal is one of the medals described by Team East Moreland Team Director Harriet Simpson as "a benchmark medal". At the outset of the games Simpson said "For national prestige we need to come away with Gold in the rugby, Medieval MMA and at least two fencing disciplines. Beyond that we need to ensure we collect as many medals as possible." The final match saw the Honeybadgers play Achkaerin to conclude a long and hard hitting tournament. The team was coached by former World Cup winner Rory Overwood who is tipped to succeed Eddie Johns after the next world cup regardless of the result. Overwood won 54 caps for the Honeybadgers scoring 27 tries and had picked a relatively young side. "We had an average age of about 23 and it gives a nice groundwork for them going on and joining the full squad and hopefully adding a World Cup winners medal to the Gold here."

The match was watched by the biggest audience of the games on TV in East Moreland with many gathering in city squares to watch the game on big screens. Rollo MacAllister, the boyfriend of Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside, was on the subs bench for the game but as all squad members earn a medal becomes one of a select band to win both World Cup and Mundus Game gold. This comes after he had asked permission to represent Seaforth in sevens, however this was denied. The victory cements the nations reputation as a rugby superpower having won multiple world cups and Mundus Games. The East Moreland Rugby Football Union however have announced that they intend to continue developing the game announcing that a new version of rugby, called Rugby X will be trialled in schools across the nation. The new version is 10-a-side , is played between touchlines in a half length pitch and does not feature penalty kicks or conversions. The new system of rugby in East Moreland will also trial a new idea of having players aged between 11-18 play in weight categories rather than age categories. A EMRFU spokesman said, "Our hope is this new game helps develop skills in a way that is more accessible to those new to the game. Its more like the 15-a-side game we love than 7's but retains the pace and excitement. By playing by weight not age we ensure tackling is learnt correctly. We all remember the big kid at age 12 who could run through everyone, that spectacle looks great for spectators but doesn't help anyone develop. We need to ensure we keep our edge as the most dominant rugby nation on Mundus."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 09, 2019, 09:42:28 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ca/52/a7/ca52a7a25111fd418a8405d9eec973a9.jpg)

EKRABADGER DEPLOYS TO KYNE

The Ministry of Defence have announced that following the hijacking of a Maori gas tanker by Royal Seleucid that they are deploying the nations Ekrabadger Ground Effect Vehicle to the Kyne. The part plane, part boat asset is used as a kind of high speed interceptor and response vehicle usually in the Illumic and Mhorish and has been involved in a number of piracy operations as well as search and rescue missions. The vessel which can reach speeds of around 400mph and has a range of around 1,500km can also carry approximately 200 troops. It has been exclusively used by Red Legion however it is understood in this case that a detachment of Royal Marines has been assigned to the vessel. Sir Harry Samuelson stated "The Maori are friends of ours and we have seen them target ted by the Seleucid. While it is important to note that the Ardian Assembly has been swift to act we know only too well organisations such as those can take time. We as CNN friends of the Maori will be utilising the Ekrabadger as a platform for anti-piracy operations just as we have in the Illumic. The unique nature of the Ekrabadger means it can be on the scene rather quickly meanwhile more conventional assets shall follow at slow speeds."

The lastest incident has broken out over issues with the discovery a secret military biological warfare facility in Paracambi. The facility is thought to have been the source of a potential outbreak of bubonic plague last year. "The prescence of this facility is dangerous. I have no idea if Paracambi knew it was there or not" Sir Harry Samuelson explained, "We must now make sure that the facility is not a threat. East Moreland has some experience with such weapons and facilities following our missions in Academica." The Minister of Defence has also spoken of working with friends Lodja and Bakkermaya through TUNA if need be to ensure people's safety.



(https://img.xcitefun.net/users/2015/01/379193,xcitefun-mma-medieval-fighting-1.jpg)

RIDGE SETS UP MEGA FIGHT AFTER GAMES VICTORY

East Moreland's Tom Ridge has set up the biggest fight in Medieval MMA history after becoming the Gold Medalist at the Mundus Games. The Freestone native won his first Mundus Games medal despite it being World Heavyweight Champion Louis Blanche who was favoured to be the winner at the start of the Games. The event is one of those deemed a "Must win" for East Moreland and Ridge succeeded in working his way through the bracket before taking the final match. His rival Louis Blanche was in the crowd and was one of the first to congratulate the gold medalist.

Following the success Ridge stated, "I love the sport and see it as having two pinnacles, the first is the World Heavyweight title, the second the Mundus Games. To be a great in the sport you need both. I'm half way there, Blanche has what I want and so I need it." The duo have already fought twice with Blanch having won both, the first by stoppage and the second by a narrow points victory. "There has to be a third match now." Ridge explained, "I've just beaten every top fighter in the world in a tournament, that makes me the number one contender. Louis has always been one for facing the best and now that once again is me."

Blanche sent his congratulations to Ridge saying, "I'm delighted the gold is coming home. Me and Tom will be meeting again at some point. There is a big event coming up at King Robert Arena in December. I think I'll be ready, if Tom is and the TV networks find the right financial package for us then we'll see if Tom can take my title." In the women's event Alexandra Emery took silver losing to a Bakkermayan. She is scheduled to fight Louisa Shooter at the December event for the Women's World Title.



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/625058892195299383/631588906311221268/unknown.png)

IS PRINCESS FREYA PREPARING FOR FINAL RED LEGION CHANCE?

Princess Freya today competed in the Ostlake Spartan race, a charity obsticle course marathon which involved climbing ropes, scaling walls and jumping over fire. She finished the event in 5th place among the women's competitors and raised an estimated $35,000 for her favoured Legionnaire Legacy charity which supports injured veterans. The younger sister of King David looked in good shape as she rounded the 25mile course and afterwards rumours began to circulate that the Princess was preparing for her second, and final chance to join East Moreland's elite Red Legion. Former Red Legionnaire Andy Henderson today runs a fitness bootcamp which he considers a "vastly watered down Red Legion selection" and was one of the Sergeants when Princess Freya failed the first attempt. "The Princess looked in the shape of her life when she arrived at Aldcliffe" the former Red began, " After she injured her ankle on the penultimate test she went away and you could see she didn't look as fit as she was then. It takes time to get back in condition. Seeing the footage of her in the Spartan race she looked back to Red Legion selection. I think she'd capable of getting in but it was luck that denied her the chance last time."

No woman has served in Red Legion and only Princess Freya and one other woman has even been permitted to begin selection. Mundus Games Judo medallist Kristin Forester became the second woman to begin Red Legion training and is currently on the 4th of 7 stages of selection. Previously Princess Freya had wished Corporal Forester well saying, "If she becomes the first woman in the Legion then I'm happy for her. Its not about who does it, its just about someone doing it. At one point there had been no women in the Air Force and during my secondment to them the other year I was one of many female pilots, one day it'll be the same in Red Legion."




Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 18, 2019, 02:46:06 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/12/20/article-0-16969C56000005DC-532_964x547.jpg)

FINAL EAST MORELAND TROOPS LEAVE ACADEMICA

Following two years as peacekeepers in Academica the final East Moreland legionnaires have headed home. The withdrawal of the final 180 Legionnaires was requested by the new ruler of Academica Queen Madeline. The last few Legionnaires were members of the Royal King's Fusiliers and had been in country training the new Academican army which is largely made up of various militias that fought in the recent civil war. The final Legionnaire to leave Academica on the short flight home was Corporal James Sullivan, a 24 year old Fusilier whose father, Lt-Col Peter Sullivan was driving the first tank that crossed the border into Academica. Corporal Sullivan stated, "I've been in Academica six months and loved it. The men and women of the new military here are lovely people and we've made some great friends. They're now ready and equipped to ensure the future of their own nation and I can't wait now to return here as a tourist."

East Moreland, along with Vaguzia sent forces into Academica following an outbreak of civil war caused by a group of religious extremists. In the aftermath East Moreland along with a token force from Heyra (now the Conglomerate) sent peacekeepers. Queen Madeline under the terms of setting up a new government had to formally request the departure of East Moreland forces and that came a week ago. It is expected in the coming weeks that a formal meeting between King David and Queen Madeline will take place.



(https://rocketrundown.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Bigelow-Space-Operations.jpg)

INFLATABLE SPACE STATION BEGINS MISSION

The nations Royal Aeronautical Society has today confirmed that the nations 3 months experiment utilising an "Inflatable" Space Station has begun. The station that was built by SmartWar utilises a system of using compressed gas to inflate a small package to several times its size and turning it into a usable space for experiments, living or storage. The package was put into orbit last week and two days later three astronauts joined it and inflated it. The stations equipment is specifically designed to be as small as possible and allows a completed lab component to fit into the back of a small van. The astronauts involved are Rachel Dixon, the nations most experienced astronauts, and brothers Chris and Simon Morrin. The trio will spend three months living aboard the station before collapsing it and leaving it in orbit around Mundus for future use. The station is attached to the East Moreland microlab which orbits Mundus and has been used for short stay science experiments by various nations. Speaking from the new station Simon Morrin, a engineer from SmartWar stated, "I'm amazed at just how big the thing is. I sat in mock ups of the microlab during training but now we've added on these new pods its like moving from a hotel room to a Palace. We've a few things we can tweek but give us a few years and this will be perfect for a whole host of missions."

The aim of the project is to eventually be able to build capsules or pods which could form the basis of deep space exploration. In theory Simon Morrin explains, "We can kit one of these out, shrink it down and fire it to say Nergal[1] where it can be remotely inflated meaning the amount of living space and equipment for future missions can be there already meaning it becomes easier to get manpower to the area with less risk. We believe it would be possible to get these on the surface of a planet or moon ready inflated. A dream would be to be able to combine it with maybe some form of AI or robotics, maybe both, that would allow it to set up say a food production facility and have supplies ready to go by the time our people get there. Its an exciting project with a huge lifespan and endless possibilities."

The astronauts are expected to undertake a space walk on Saturday in order to inspect the outer casing of the station. This will be the first space walk by a Morelander and it is expected that Rachel Dixon will be the one undertaking it. 
 1. Mars
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 22, 2019, 09:00:14 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://static.timesofisrael.com/www/uploads/2019/10/000_1LB1M7-e1570737893852-640x400.jpg)

NATION BEGINS FAST OF GRASA

The nation has today been effectively closed as the followers of the Cult of Helus begin celebrations of the God of Water, Grasa. The faithful spend the 22nd of October fasting and only drinking water in preparation for the Feast on the 23rd. A large crowd assembled in the Temple District as they patiently awaited their turn to get water from the spring that comes up in the Temple of Grasa in Northfort. First in the line was King David who filled a traditional leather flask before crossing over to the Temple of Helus where he used the sacred water to wash the feet of the statue dedicated to the God. He was joined by Princess Rhiannon who collected water to help her father and who told some worshippers she intended to give some to her pet Fennik Fox "Goldie" who has been "a good boy". Princess Freya and her husband Alex Redfern did not attend the ceremonies in Northfort instead attending the militaries commemoration at Ostlake.

Tomorrow the royals will be heading to Rockhampton for a traditional feast however Princess Rhiannon will be heading to Portworth to spend the day with her Mother, former Queen of East Moreland, Matilda Osman. The King was not joined today by his partner Baronetess Stasya Pelagiya who was however photographed arriving in Gaia in Lodja. It is expected that while there she will attend an event at the East Moreland embassy.



(https://tanks-alot.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/snatch.png)

SNATCH LANDROVER TO RETIRE

The Ministry of Defence today have announced that the nation will begin selling of its fleet of just over 1,000 Snatch Landrovers. The vehicles entered service in 1990 as a stop gap measure to provide lightweight all terrain mobility support for troops in the Alps. Since then it has been found to be unsuited to heavier combat such as incidents in Safraen or Marseille. Sir Harry Samuelson talked about the process of removing them from service while awaiting their replacement. "The nation has several vehicles capable of undertaking a similar role however the military can not lose that amount of vehicles without a replacement. We have a few in mind and will be concluding the deals in the coming days. As for the old stock some will be put into service for JET while others will have their military equipment stripped and be sold off to private individuals. I can imagine a fair few of them bouncing around the farms of East Moreland in a short time."

It had been rumoured that the military would look at a joint project with a fellow CNN nation.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 23, 2019, 11:04:53 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://crossrenny.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/neuschwanstein-castle-in-autumn.jpg)

KING HOSTS FEAST IN ROCKHAMPTON

King David today broke the Fast of Grasa at Rockhampton Royal Retreat along with his sister Princess Freya and cousin Princess Lilian. The family also hosted in the afternoon a banquet attended by various members of the nobility and some members of the Mundus Games team. The Feast commemorates the God of Water and the King started the day by swimming in the river that flows past the family estate. One of the main guests at the feast was Medeival MMA Gold Medalist Tom Ridge who was attending his first royal function. He attended the day with his parents and spoke afterwards saying. "As a young man you read stories of the battles that took place in this region and I've always marvelled at what an awesome place this is. I loved being able to catch up with colleagues from other sports and to meet the King was a great honour. He said that his daughter has posters of me and Louis Blanche on her wall and I've offered to come and give the Princess a lesson or two when she's back in Northfort."

Another attendee of the event was rugby star Rollo MacAllister. The Northfort Royals player is currently dating Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside who was unable to attend the event because of military duties. MacAllister is currently serving in the Army for his national service but has now confirmed that when his terms of service are up in six months time he will be joining the Northfort Royals full time. He spoke saying, "I love the Feasts in the Cult. They are great occasions to gather together with fellow Cultists and honour those that have given us everything we have. Its the first time I've attended a big event like the one here and it was really special. I'm just disappointed I couldn't spend it with Sophie but I know she's committed to her duties in the Air Force."

Across Mundus other Cultists celebrated with flasks of water from the spring in the Temple of Grasa. The flasks had been sent out over the last few weeks and an estimated 150litres had been dispatched. High Priestess Skye Maddix explained, "The water is special for this occasion as it is believed to be the purest possible. We have annually sent flasks to Temples wherever in the world they are required. With Cultists from East Moreland moving abroad more and more for various reasons and also with an uptake of the faith outside our borders the demand increases. I don't want it to become an industrial process but this year dispatching 150litres in small containers has been tough." One of the flasks was sent to Hygelac where a team of East Moreland scientists are based. The scientists there are undertaking a series of experiments on the shrinking ice limits. The flask was poured onto the ice while the team prayed. The lead scientist explained. "Symbolically we have joined the water of Northfort with Hygelac. We hope Grasa will intervene to help protect this wilderness."



(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/0D28/production/_86586330_86586236.jpg)

SIMON MORRIN UNDERTAKES FIRST EAST MORELAND SPACE WALK

35 year old engineer Simon Morrin became the first astronaut from East Moreland to undertake a space walk. Morrin is part of the three astronaut team at the "Inflatable" Space Station experiment. The team are expected to remain in orbit for a further 10 weeks and will undertake a total of five space walks. The purpose of the Space Walk was to test the equipment as well as inspect the shell of the station. Simon Morrin was selected to be the first to go outside as he had been one of the engineering team that had built the prototype of the inflatable sections in the SmartWar HQ in Technology City. The walk was watched over by his elder brother Chris Morrin and the nations most experienced astronaut Rachel Dixon.

The walk confirmed that everything about the station was in good working order and that experiments could be set up in future space walks. Simon Morrin spoke to school children via video link when he returned to the interior. "The moment you step outside their is an instinct that your about to fall, then you just float out the door and see the planet beneath you, then moments later your looking up and its there again. Its very easy to get turned around out there and not even realise. Its one of the most amazing sights I've ever seen in my life. I want another go now." Of the four remaining space walks the Simon will undertake one more while his brother Chris will do two and Dixon one.

The trio celebrated the Feast of Grasa with a special dehydrated venison meal which Dixon described via radio link as being "like a really weird, really meaty ice cream" before recommending the specially formulated meal not be included on future menus.



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/636667972336877568/unknown.png)

"COMBAT SUPER LEAGUE" TO START in 2020

Lord Lucas Osman has today announced that he has secured funding to establish the Combat Super League (CSL) will be a major sporting league based on Medieval MMA. Lord Lucas Osman is the former CEO of OsmanTech and the companies founder, he has invested money in many projects through the years but most have been science or education related. Speaking at the press launch of the League the father of former Queen Matilda explained, "The sport of Medieval MMA is as Morelandish as you can get. Its gaining interest around the world. We need to ensure we stay one step ahead in a sport that is in every Morelanders heart as much as rugby. The league will feature 15 teams from across the nation who will play home and away. The match will feature three fights for men, three for women and a mens team and womens team event." The team events have traditionally only been a casual training event for Medieval MMA fighters however have always invoked interest between clubs. They will feature teams of four facing off. "Its our hope this can become a League that is picked up by TV companies across the world, we can make sure our nation has more Professionals competing week in week out and honing their skills."

World Heavyweight Champion Louis Blanche has spoken of his support for the event. "I hope this is something that will lead to the sport becoming a global phenomenum. I think we'll see people taking note of the individuals with the best win loss records over the year and them getting chances at world titles. It'll be a real proving ground." Blanche explained that he had been approached by Lord Osman about getting involved. "I think what you'll find is people at the elite level will continue to pick and choose their fights like boxers do. Those waiting to step up will be part of the CSL and this will keep their skills on point." He did not rule out making guest appearences for teams in the future though. "I'll be interested to see how my local teams do. Like fans of the sport out there I'll be picking a team to follow and if they need me then yeah perhaps I'll step in. I quiet like the idea of doing the team event as something a little different."

The teams will announce their teams in the coming weeks and some still have to confirm their final team names. The league however will feature the following teams.

1. Northfort Knights 2. Seabrooke Sheriffs 3. Tech City Chargers 4. Portworth Princes 5. Freestone Fighters 6. Highmoor Heroes 7. Ostlake Outlaws 8. Aldfield Archers 9. Aldcliffe Reds 10. Stonetone Terror 11. Keepton Knights 12. Rockhampton Royals 13. Roberton Riders 14. Winterhaven Warriors 15. The Legionnaires (team of those doing national or military service)
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 02, 2019, 09:47:54 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/625058892195299383/640288968553922607/unknown.png)

KING TO MARRY IN NEW YEAR

Northfort Palace today announced that King David is to marry Baronetess Stasya Pelagiya in the new year. Some have suggested that the King and his Lodjain fiancee will marry on or around the Feast of Helus which is on the 22nd February. The pair have been in a relationship for close to two years after meeting during one of King David's official visits to Lodja during which time his future wife was a Lady in Waiting to two Queen's of Lodja. The Baronetess currently resides in Silverhills where she serves as an envoy of the current Queen of Lodja. The Baronetess recently celebrated her 23rd birthday and it was at this time when the current three person committee granted their permission as Lodjain law and traditions dictate. Normally high ranking Lodjains need the monarchs permission to marry however with Queen Klara currently ill in hospital. King David had previously been admonished for having a relationship with a Lodjain noble without the Queen's permission however it is not known how much input Queen Klara has had over the recent approval.

Following the early morning announcement from the Palace the King visited the Temple of Helus where he meet with High Priestess Skye Maddix. One of the problems concerning the wedding is the difference of religions with the King being a leading member of the Cult of Helus while his future wife is a follower of the Goddess Sessifet, in particular in Lodjain society a Lady in Waiting is thought to be a direct servant of their Goddess. While nothing in law prevents a inter-religion marriage it would be the first in the history of East Moreland and is likely to cause controversy. She has however attended many of the recent Feast Day ceremonies in East Moreland alongside the King and has been seen at times taking part. Additionally, and rather concerning to a few, is that Baronetess Stasya has on several occasions had meetings with and spent social time with the self proclaimed High Priestess of the Sisterhood of Helus, Jinny Denman. Denman has been rather critical of the King's choice of partner in the past having stated, "Stasya Pelagiya has the noble breeding, beauty and grace required to be a Queen of East Moreland, she however lacks the faith and thus should never get near the throne."

Some people across the nation have already criticised the future wedding. One critic of the wedding is Prime Minister Thomas More who has stated in an interview today, "The monarchs of East Moreland are the protectors of and servants of the people. Its very difficult to do that when the blood in your veins is not Morelandish. The King has a duty to ensure the future of the monarchy and we have Princess Rhiannon who is showing all the grit and determination a monarch will need to be. While a larger royal family would be a blessing it is not a neccessity. Having a half Lodjain-Half Morelandish Prince or Princess is not something that should be encouraged." The Prime Ministers view was however criticised by former Youth Minister Amelia Merriman who stated. "We should be celebrating the fact we'll have a Queen again. The Queen is a support to the King and for a long time now our King has been a father to his daughter, a father to the nation and an extremely hard worker. He deserves to be happy and deserves to have someone help him. Who cares if the person is Lodjain? Its clear Baronetess Stasya respects our traditions and I think she can make a great Queen." 

While it is likely to be a case that Northfort shall be the location of the wedding some suggest that two ceremonies may take place, one in Gaia and another in Northfort. So far the King's former wife, Matilda Osman has not commented on the Kings new marriage.



(https://cdn.iflscience.com/images/a75eaf16-d007-5429-8c7c-4c3d13b7dcb8/extra_large-1571844293-cover-image.jpg)

ARTIFICIAL "LEAF" CREATES GAS FROM SUNLIGHT

Researchers working for SFR Technology have today unveiled what they are calling the "Leaf Generator" the company which built a hardened solar panel which could be driven on by lorries showed of their new product at a Chamwick, previously known as Technology City. The device, which is the size of a piece of A4 paper is made up of a series of small nanotubes, a light absorber and a cobolt catalyst utilises a reaction similar to photosynthesis to produce what is called "syngas". The device when placed in sunlight and water combines carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen which can then be collected as "Syngas". The Leaf works in all situations where a regular leaf would and is considered to be a form of renewable energy. The gas produced is only capable of producing half the amount of energy as regular gas per same volume however it does hold several uses in manufacturing and in the production of liquid fuels.

SFR Technology hope to eventually be able to use these devices in a way similar to solar panels are used at the moment and collect the Syngas to be used to create a new liquid fuel. The CEO of the company, Karen Duffy, explained "We are several years away from these being a feature of everyday life but the fact we can take minimal materials and utilise naturally occuring resources like water and sunlight to get a potential new fuel is exciting." The company is 5% owned by OsmanTech and has in the past had connections with SmartWar. Miss Duffy says these links could be invaluable, "We've two good relations with some of the biggest companies in East Moreland. Its hopeful we may be able to utilise some of these connections with this project."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 07, 2019, 05:18:24 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/478996814977302544/642047260863102977/unknown.png)

KING WRITES "HISTORIC PROTECTION" DECREE

King David today has issued a decree entitled the "Decree for the Protection and Preservation of Historical artefacts and their environment" . The Decree was brought in following the news coming from Clysperis of the raiding and subsequent sale of historical artefacts by rebel forces in that nation. The decree which came into force with immediate effect makes it a crime to trade in, import or own any artefacts from "listed nation" with immediate effect. The exception to this is any artefact that can be proven to have been removed from the nation prior to the decree's publication. So far only Clysperis are "Listed nations." The decree will see anyone trading in artefacts from Clysperis liable to a fine of up to ten times the market value of the artefact as well as a maximum of five years imprisonment. Additionally the decree permits those trading in goods banned under the decree to the investigated for terrorist offences. The decree outlines that those purchasing banned artefacts and where it is discovered that a terrorist organisation was involved in any part of the process are considered to have funded terrorism, a charge that in East Moreland can carry if proven the death penalty.

The King explained the decision. "We intend to at the moment stay neutral in the conflict in Clysperis until such a time as we can be convinced as to real will of the people. What we can not condone is the destruction of a cultural heritage of a nation. As such we will put in place measures that we hope other nations will support that we believe will effectively block the sale of artefacts and dry that up as a source of income for armed groups. Clysperis has a rich and unique cultural past which like any across Mundus must be protected. I am not naive enough to think this will stop the trade however it is likely to make the casual collectors keep their hands clean while making it easier for the police to investigate any larger collections. "

The Decree explains that any artefacts that are seized will be taken into East Moreland safekeeping until such a time a request to the Cultural Exchange Treaty Organisation from the government of the nation of origin is received. Only once CETO have confirmed via a vote that the situation is safe to return the artefacts will they be returned.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 10, 2019, 08:28:10 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/69/590x/secondary/Keith-Wood-347596.jpg)

CHIEF COUNCILLOR STEPS DOWN

In a surprise move the Chief Councillor of East Moreland, Thomas More, has stepped down however he will stay on as the Representative for Roberton North. The 47 year old announced his decision from his own residence in the city of Roberton where he said, " My duties as Chief Councillor mean I represent the people of East Moreland before the King. I have many times spoke about his impending wedding to a Lodjain who does not share our faith. I can not serve in a government of a King and Queen when I believe the Queen should not have the crown. As such I must stand down but I shall continue to represent the people of my constiuency and hope to ensure we do not as a nation come under the influence of foreign powers." The decision to stand down as Chief Councillor also means he has stood down as the leader of the Traditonalist Party and will be replaced in a party election in the coming weeks.

Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker spoke about the announcement saying. "Mr.More is permitted to do what he feels he has to. To state that he believes Baronetess Stasya will somehow be a bad influence on our nation is ridicoulous. She has been a great support for the King these last six months or so since moving to East Moreland." Many people had been concerned that the future Queen does not share the Cultist faith however there are rumours that she may to some extent have embraced the faith having been seen attending services with King David while also at times visiting controversial Priestess Jinny Denman. The 23 year old future Queen has however been seen looking at wedding dresses in the Morelander tradition however the wedding ceremony may be adapted as the Baronetess will not posses a traditional Cultist birthing blanket which is used during the ceremony. There has however been one concession to Lodjain traditions announced already in the fact that the new Queen will appoint a pair of Ladies in Waiting. This is a tradition in her native Lodja where she served as one herself. The Ladies in Waiting are expected to serve as personal assistants and companions to the Queen and undertake a number of roles to support her in the daily tasks she undertakes. The Palace also confirmed that at least one of these would be a Morelander. Royal Press Secretary stated, "Baronetess Stasya believes the system of Ladies in Waiting helps support the charitable and pastoral work of a Queen and as she intends to be a positive contributor to every aspect of her new homelands society."

The exact date of the wedding is yet to be announced but speculation suggests that the pair may wait until the Feast of Helus which is on the 22nd February. The news of the wedding though has created some issues between King David and his former wife with rumours stating that Matilda Osman believes that Baronetess Stasya could be a bad influence. There is suggestions from the Osman camp that the former Queen is seeking to reach an agreement with the King in order to minimise the influence her successor will have on Princess Rhiannon. The rumour however has had doubt cast upon it when a reporter at Princess Rhiannons school shouted questions to the youngster who was recorded as saying. "Stasya is my friend and helps me pick pretty dresses" before the reporter was ushered away. It is well known that King David is very protective of his daughter around the media.



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 11, 2019, 10:45:49 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/1136A/production/_107560507_plane_typhoon_alamy1.jpg)

AIRCRAFT GROUNDED FOLLOWING TYTOR ATTACKS

With news coming that a series of apparently co-ordinated attacks had happened across Tytor, including attacks utilising aircraft the King of East Moreland began a process of locking down its airspace. The move is part of a rehearsed plan following major terror attacks involving aircraft and sees all passenger aircraft landed with immediate effect and fighter aircraft sent en-mass to orbit the air space of major cities and strategic points. The various aircraft were inspected and manifests checked before continuing on their way. It was estimated that on average travellers will have experienced around a 4 hour delay to their journey. Minister of Defence Sir Harry Samuelson explained. "It is better safe than sorry. We have seen terror attacks carried out by co-ordinated organisation between groups before and we can not rule this out until we run checks. People may well complain about the delay to their travel but what is important is that people get their safely."

The King was visiting a religious college for the Priesthood at Ostlake when news of the attacks came. The King appeared on the steps of the Temple of Helus in Ostlake and said. "We send our thoughts and prayers to the people of Tytor who today have had their lives wrenched apart. We ourselves have experienced first hand horrific loss of life due to those who wish to live outside the law and understand that no words by Heads of State can sooth the hurt that has been done. We are as of yet to be informed of who has carried out these attacks, or the motive behind them but I would like the government of Tytor to know if there is anything we can do to help during this difficult time we stand ready to do so." As of yet no group has claimed responsibility and as a result the threat level in East Moreland has been raised to Black Alpha once again. This means civilians should expect extra military checkpoints in and around sensitive areas as well as a more visible military presence on the street. The King has also authorised the Military Pre-positioning ship based in the Sea of Kyne to move towards Tytor. "We have a vessel that sails consistently across the Kyne region with useful supplies should our military have to deploy to the region on short notice. It has onboard medical supplies, including some frozen blood supplies that could be utilised. We also have some specialist search and rescue equipment which should Tytor need it we shall make avaliable."

High Priestess Skye Maddix spoke of any Cultist living or visiting Tytor could find shelter and support in any Temple as well as urging Cultists in Tytor to donate blood. The Foreign Ministry raised the threat level for visitors to Tytor to Black Alpha and urged against anything but necessary travel.



(https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/cXu8QcqFcCPQ47bDeDQqrg--~A/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjtzbT0xO3c9ODAw/http://media.zenfs.com/en/homerun/feed_manager_auto_publish_494/af6ddf05c88e8a4c9e5b77df1a0489fb)
FUTURE QUEEN APPOINTS FIRST STAFF MEMBER

Baronetess Stasya has today announced that she has appointed her personal secretary, known as The Head of Queen's Household. The job has been given to 36 year old Alexandrea Samuel a former officer in the Royal East Moreland Air Force who has since leaving the Air Force has established a small women's fashion company and set up an organisation to help injured female Legionnaires overcome body image issues. The appointment was announced by the Palace by Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker who said, "The consort of the monarch has always held a special position in East Moreland society. They are a reflection of the monarch's softer side. They have the freedom to take on causes and events that often the monarch supports morally but struggles to do so physically. As such the lot of the Queen shall be a busy one and just as Matilda Osman did when she established the Wild Mundus Organisation, Baronetess Stasya is keen to make a contribution to the legacy of the royal family. Over the next few weeks the future Queen will announce a series of appointments ranging from people such as Miss Samuel who will essentially mirror the role held by Quinn Germaine for the King to new positions such as Ladies in Waiting.

Miss Samuel, whose father is Sir Jack Samuel a former East Moreland ambassador to what was the Union of Nordic People and then to Rokkenjima, spoke of her appointment saying. "I've been lucky enough to see the Baronetess at some fashion events and we've got along well. I am thankful to have this trust put in me and hope to be able to support her as she grows into the position of Queen and works to help our nation."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 16, 2019, 06:59:12 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/625058892195299383/645317789703208972/unknown.png)

FUTURE QUEEN TO "FOLLOW HELUS"

Today it has been announced by the self proclaimed High Priestess of the Sisterhood of Helus, Jinny Denman, that the future Queen of East Moreland has "embraced the true faith and will follow Helus." Speaking not long after Baronetess Stasya was seen leaving an office complex which houses a education centre run by the Sisterhood of Helus in Northfort the leader of the Sisterhood spoke on national radio saying. "Over the last few weeks I've been able to meet many times with Baronetess Stasya and she has shown a remarkable thirst for knowledge. We have sat for many hours discussing Helus and I believe she is as well educated in the ways of the Cult as any Priestess they boast within their ranks. She has now pledged that she is set to follow Helus however as of yet I am still uncertain whether that means she plans to become a Cultist or whether she has seen the truth and light that is the Sisterhood. I have many other planned meetings with her in the next week or so. Some of them are simply social visits in Silverhills, others she will be attending some of our upcoming functions in a capacity as Envoy from Lodja. I hope this will give me a chance to help her make this assimilation and further see the deeper truth to following Helus that only those of the Sisterhood have seen."

The announcement from the Sisterhood caused the Palace to be inundated with requests for information however Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker stated, " King David has always been adament that his marriage to Baronetess Stasya was not dependent on her faith. Naturally he, and the rest of East Moreland, would be delighted to see her become a follower of the Cult of Helus but no pressure has been exerted by the King, his family or staff. Should the rumours be true it changes nothing."

There are currently just over 1.5 million people in East Moreland who officially claim to be members of the Sisterhood of Helus, one of those is Naval officer  George Stewart who commands the aircraft carrier REMNS Ostlake. He spoke of the news stating, "I have always been overjoyed to command a ship dedicated to defending the Code of Canley. To hopefully now have a Queen who understands exactly what this entails makes it even better. While 1.5million of us claim to follow the real Helus I suspect there are many more. Should this news be true then I hope and pray many more will come out of the woodwork spurred on by the future Queen's example." Weight was added to the rumour later in the day when famed swordsmith Gavin Young attended the Baronetess' residence and was seen carrying in various samples leading some to believe that perhaps Baroentess Stasya is intending to undertake a sword ceremony prior to her marriage.


(https://www.newyorkminutemag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/NYMM-All-Female-Spacewalk.jpg)

2nd EAST MORELAND SPACE WALK A SUCCESS

East Moreland astronaut Rachel Dixon further extended her space based accolades by becoming the first Morelander to walk on the moon and undertake a space walk. Dixon left the prototype "Inflatable Space Station" to inspect the outer shell as well as undertake an experiment which saw her change a part on a section of the space station. The experiment was set up to replicate a vital part of the station but was not connected to the workings of the space station rather instead simply being bolted onto the skin. The space walk went without a hitch and the engineering work was deemed to be perfectly done. Dixon used a shoulder mounted camera to give school students watching in classrooms across East Moreland, and possibly further afield a tour of the exterior of the station as well as amazing views of Mundus.

The inflatable space station has so far been an incredible success and one of its designers is astronaut Simon Morrin who earlier in the mission undertook his own space walk making him the first Morelander to undertake one. The trio of astronauts have a further 10 days onboard the space station before removing all the air from within it while they leave for Mundus onboard their re-entry vehicle. The deflated station will remain in orbit and is to be used for another, shorter experiment at some part mid way through 2020. The Royal Aeronautical Society who oversee East Moreland's space programme have not ruled out hiring the facility to other nations who complete a training programme on its operation.



(http://jusweb.co.uk/crookescorner/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2018/10/sheffield-floods-2007-a.png)

FLOODS IN THE WEST

Following almost a week of non-stop rain in the Western Alpine region the city of Seabrooke has experienced heavy flooding along with many areas in the countryside. The flooding has made around 27,000 families seek refuge while an estimated 7 people have been killed in various flood related accidents. In accordance with long standing emergency plans the military have moved to the area to offer assistance with military helicopters now being a regular site ferrying supplies into the region and those in need of help out. The flooding has also brought about major cancellations to this weekends sporting fixtures as games have been cancelled throughout the Western part of the nation.

Seabrooke saw all schools closed on Friday with many expected to remain closed for around a week as people wait for the rain to lessen and the waters to recede. Seabrooke has experienced many floods over the years, some of this put down to more recent extensions to the city built upon the flood plain. In addition the works done further upstream have been blamed for causing extra run off into the river which is no longer able to make its way swiftly through the city. The local mayor has called for dredging of the river once the flooding has abated thus increasing the size of the river channel and hopefully reducing the risk of flooding in future. The King is due to visit the area tomorrow and the REMNS King Robert is returning from patrols in the Mhorish to help with aid operations as Seabrooke.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 20, 2019, 08:15:42 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(http://static-18.sinclairstoryline.com/resources/media/b1e52c13-2eed-4d94-96d2-4c567c94be36-large16x9_nimitzPugetSound.jpg?1559084083718)

NAVY TO CONSIDER RETIRING REMNS PORTWORTH

Sir Harry Samuelson has today announced that in the new year a review will take place of the future of the aircraft carrier REMNS Portworth. The ship is due for a major refit however this may now be cancelled and the funds invested in new assets for the Navy instead. Sir Harry explained the decision. "While the aircraft carriers have been a very useful asset over the years we now must see whether it is worth the investment going forward. The ship was built in the mid 1970's and is over 40 years old. It was built at a time when the nation was experiencing isolation and the need to perhaps have to utilise a carrier in the Illumic and Mhorish could have been an option. Today the world is a very different place. Carriers cost several hundred million a year to just keep afloat. That's before you even crew it, move it anywhere, provision it, stock it with weapons and begin flying aircraft off it at several thousand dollars an hour. Take the cost of just running the Portworth for a year and we could probably introduce a new Frigate. The nature of naval warfare has changed massively over the last decade and aircraft no longer pose the threat they once did from a carrier. We now have extremely long range missiles capable of undertaking the missions of the carrier based planes without putting a pilot in harms way or risking the aircraft being picked up on RADAR. Add to that the fact that a carrier needs to be accompanied by a large fleet as it needs to protect itself. We've seen the development of ultra long range, ultra high speed anti-ship missiles, examplified by the Zircon from Kaitaine. Without a huge accompanying fleet these Zircon missiles could easily take out a carrier, meanwhile a single or pair of destroyers would find it easy to protect themselves from a Zircon threat while being able to carrying out an almost identical mission profile as a carrier. Each carrier today would cost around $12billion. This is a figure that a single Zircon or similar missile could write off in a single blow, and also importantly cost thousands of lives of the crew onboard. For that money we could buy 6 new drone carriers and they can carry out a very similar mission to the carriers while also carrying a variety of long range strike missiles. We have yet to determine the future of the aircraft carriers but with a huge outlay coming in order to ensure the current ones continue to be of use we must ensure tax payers money is utilised in the best way."

The news of potentially new ships being added to the navy shares in Portworth Shipwrights and Smartwar, the two companies who both contributed to the latest destroyers, increased. Meanwhile Admiral James Thompson the commander of the Royal East Moreland Naval Service stated, "The navy constantly review what equipment we need and how best to utilise our funding. If we can provide better offensive power for our military at a reduced cost then that is something we should consider. East Moreland may not be a huge navy or one famed for its naval actions however we do have a history of leading the field in terms of developing innovative solutions. We were the first nation to bring in the Drone Carrier concept into service, and we are the only nation utilising the use of Ground Effect Vehicles on front line service. There is no reason why this situation couldn't result in us actually pushing the envelope further."



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/398569593653952512/646803040334118948/unknown.png)

"FLYING TIN OPENERS" TO HEAD TO WEST ALPS

Following reports in the Vaguzian media of clashes along their eastern border with the WMRA the King has ordered the nations famed "Flying Tin Openers" to the region. 6 Squadron earned the nickname the Flying Tin Openers while equipped with the Dragonbane aircraft and flying close air support sorties against Borlander vehicles in the Northern Alps. Two years they switched over to the newer Dragonbane II and have been able to tally a large number of confirmed kills on Borlander targets in the Northern Alps and even when deployed to Academica. The Squadron will fly sorties aimed at disrupting the ability of the WMRA to cross the border and will, if permitted or required, strike at targets on the Vaguzian side of the border. Air Commodore John Sterland who commands the Royal East Moreland Air Force supported the decision saying. "No.6 squadron have a superb track record and I hope they can disrupt the supply lines of the the WMRA. Should the Vaguzian require it the Flying Can Openers will be happy to utilise their skills in Vaguzian skies."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 22, 2019, 10:53:33 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.westhawaiitoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/web1_Makani-tests-their-M600-energy-kite-in-hover-flight-for-the-first-time-last-Tuesday_ne20188248736651.jpg)

SFR TO SET UP IN THE CONGLOMERATE

The East Moreland green energy company SFR have today announced that they have concluded a deal with the government of The Conglomerate in order to acquire what the company are calling a "mass test site for technological development." The announcement confirmed that SFR have acquired permission to lease a 100km2 area of land for at least the next 50 years. No money will change hands as part of the agreement however SFR will as part of the agreement undertake operations to help restore the area to a level of safety as currently it is still baring the scars from the Great War. The development will centre around the area known as Bellefaye which was once a thriving city however during the war was abandoned and later received heavy damage. The area around the harbour will be SFR's first site for development before they begin to utilise the surronding area for testing prototype wind turbines, solar panels and various tidal energy platforms. The company will recoup the money spent restoring the area by selling the electricity generated to either the Conglomerate or East Moreland. The company will recruit over the next few weeks a team of former military engineers who will undertake the work of making the area safe. It is also expected that local historians and archaeologists will be permitted to operate in the area in order to see if it is possible to recover or preserve parts of Heyran history.

The SFR company have developed a kite based wind turbine system and a hardened solar panel which can be driven on by trucks. It is expected that the company will also utilise the area as a way of testing some new tidal energy solutions and further wind turbine systems. The company have opened small stretches of road in East Moreland built out of the hardened solar panels but this is set to be their biggest experiment so far.



(https://i2.wp.com/www.dekhnews.com/entertainment/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Qyc6G3ckHKSfNDGerIOf.jpg?resize=810%2C457&ssl=1)

FUTURE QUEEN TO HAVE SISTERHOOD SWORD CEREMONY

Baronetess Stasya Pelagiya has today confirmed through her new Chief of Household that she will be having a Sword Ceremony carried out by the Sisterhood of Helus. The 22 year old Lodjain has seemingly converted to the Sisterhood of Helus, an offshoot of the traditional Cult of Helus lead by self proclaimed High Priestess Jinny Denman. The exact nature of the sword ceremony differs from that of the Cult by not requiring blood to be shed by witnesses and some of the prayers said during the ceremony. The Baronetess, whose family follow the Lodjain Goddess Sessifet, will require four witnesses to her good character and it is understood that the Sisterhood's High Priestess Jinny Denman will act as one while King David will act as another. The other two witnesses are Alexandra Samuel the future Queen's Chief of Household and Sir James Fitzroy the ambassador to Lodja. The ceremony will take place in Silverhills over the weekend and is expected to be followed by a huge party. Miss Samuel, the new Chief of Queen's Household made the announcement saying. "The Baronetess is determined to do all she can to embrace the culture and traditions of East Moreland. It is a nation she has grown to love as much as her homeland and as much as her future husband. We realise some eyebrows will be raised by her decision to have the ceremony under the auspices of the Sisterhood but she hopes the people of East Moreland will follow their King in respecting her right to her own faith. While Stasya may be becoming a Morelander in many ways the Lodjain traditions of grand celebrations will always remain and the ceremony presents an opportunity to share her happy occasion with her family who have accepted her conversion as well as her future subjects."

News of the future Queen's announcement saw mixed reactions on social media with some applauding her for adopting Morelander traditions while others were critical. Those critical questioned how a woman with no military service was entitled to a sword ceremony while others were annoyed about her adopting the Sisterhood. Miss Samuel addressed these concerns saying. " The condition of being given a sword is to undertake some kind of duty to your nation or monarch. Remember Stasya served as a loyal Lady in Waiting for two years to two Lodjain Queen's. She dedicated every waking hour to supporting and aiding her Queen at the expense of her own freedom. This clearly is an act of great devotion and service in keeping with the Code of Canley. While the Cult is the traditional faith of the Morelanders it is her right to adopt the faith in her own way should she feel a moral duty. The Sisterhood is not to disimilar in what it promotes and expects of its faithful and so I foresee no issues in the long term."

The renowned swordsmith Gavin Young has provided a blade for the ceremony and while not releasing images of it has said, "It is a blade well suited to its owner, slim, elegant, perfectly formed and stunningly beautiful. I have been privledged to make the blades of Princess Freya, the late Princess and High Priestess Joanna Ironside and even a blade for Queen Helene (King David's mother). To see yet another Queen of East Moreland carry one of my creations is the biggest prize a swordsmith can have other than to make the King's blade." King David does own swords made by Mr.Young however his own personnel blade was made by his father and Maxwell Powers the Royal Swordsmith.

It has also been announced that despite the grandeur of the occasion Princess Rhiannon will not be attending. Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker confirmed this saying. "This ceremony is rather short notice and this weekend is the scheduled time for the Princess to have visitation with her mother. Miss Osman is welcome to attend however I understand the Osman family have pre-existing plans of their own and can not change these. The Princess and Baronetess have grown close over the last few months but the King is determined that his daughter's routine is not changed unless absolutely necessary."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 26, 2019, 08:14:49 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.rct.uk/sites/default/files/styles/rctr-scale-1300-500/public/collection-online/8/3/150089-1297438726.jpg?itok=TXwEBX71)

PELAGIYA SWORD CEREMONY IN SILVERHILLS

Baronetess Stasya Pelagiya, the future Queen of East Moreland yesterday underwent the traditional sword ceremony associated with those that follow the teachings of Helus. While the vast majority of Morelanders follow the Cult of Helus the Lodjain noble elected to undergo the ceremony under the traditions of the less traditional Sisterhood of Helus. The decision therefore saw the Baronetesses fiancee King David attend a function under the auspices of the Sisterhood of Helus for the first time. The ceremony did not take place inside the cities Temple of Jekar as the cult requires but rather in a temporary shelter errected outside the Temple on its practice field. The ceremony was well attended by various East Moreland nobles as well as the Pelagiya family whom are well connected with Lodjain society. While the rest of the Queen to be's family still follow and support the Lodjain faith of Sessifet they did dress in traditional tunics, all be it white to signify they had not undergone a sword ceremony themselves. The whole ceremony was conducted by the controversial Jinny Denman who spoke after the ceremony to say, "Today was a beautiful occasion. We welcomed officially to our fold Stasya who has fully embraced life in East Moreland. I know at times I have been critical of her in the past but now we look to the future where East Moreland will soon have a Queen that is blessed by the truth of Helus, supportive of our traditions, noble in birth and will with Helus' blessings bring about a new generation of East Moreland's royal family."

The ceremony saw King David act as witness to his future wife's good character and the fact that she has fulfilled all the criteria required to be permitted to carry a sword. The other witnesses were Jinny Denman herself along with  Alexandra Samuel the future Queen's Chief of Household and Sir James Fitzroy the ambassador to Lodja. Each of the four used the new blade presented to Baronetess Stasya to prick their thumbs to coat the blade with blood while they declared an oath as to the good character of the initiate. Following the ceremony the event was celebrated with a large party organised by the Pelagiya family on the estate purchased by Stasya upon her arrival in East Moreland. While the ceremony itself was rather traditional and low key the celebration was essentially almost like a mini music festival with around 600 guests and live music performances in a circus big top until the early mornings. Several members of Lodjain nobility had flown in for the event including Anna Immich and Jasmina Danielov both of whom served as Ladies in Waiting with Stasya Pelagiya when she herself served as a Lady in Waiting for Queen Viktoria and Klara. During the celebrations it was announced that King David also conferred upon his future wife the title Duchess of Seabrooke, a title that has been vacant for around a year following the death of Duke John Maynard who died with no heir. When the King marries in February he will become the Duke of Seabrooke as well as a Baronet in Lodjain nobility.





Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 01, 2019, 10:26:05 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn-media.rtl.fr/cache/D0tP0cweXWO0VLYR-9qOjA/880v587-0/online/image/2018/0222/7792378296_najat-vallaud-belkacem-le-5-decembre-2017.jpg)

HIGH PRIESTESS TO PRESIDE OVER ROYAL WEDDING

Following the sword ceremony of Duchess Stasya[1]  of Seabrooke it was confirmed today that her wedding ceremony to the King will take place under the traditions of the Cult of Helus. Duchess Stasya had undertaken a sword ceremony is the Sisterhood of Helus but today the High Priestess of the Cult, Skye Maddix, explained that she will be the one to marry the couple. Speaking during a conference on theocratic issues the 42 year old leader of the Cult of Helus said, "I am once again responsible for our monarchs marriage. This is a task I look forward to undertaking and hope that it is a day our whole nation can enjoy. Naturally I would have preferred to have also been in charge of Duchess Stasya's sword ceremony but my feelings about the Sisterhood must be placed aside." There is one issue that must be overcome during the ceremony, "Stasya has no birth blanket to use for the binding part of the ceremony, meanwhile as we all know King David's was used for his first marriage. The Cult has no set way of dealing with 2nd marriages and it is largely for each couple to determine. King David has determined that he will be use a mixture of threads from his deceased son's blanket and some returned to him from his first wife. Meanwhile the Duchess will use part of her tunic from the sword ceremony as it represents something of a rebirth into the love of Helus." The ceremony is scheduled to take place on the 22nd February, the same day as the Feast of Helus. "The King at first planned to have the ceremony on the 21st or 23rd however I couldn't think of a more auspicious occasion than having it during the Feast of Helus, a time when our God is as close to us as possible."

The High Priestess was also quizzed about the recent events with King David's cousin James having given a statement on the status of the Celtic Protectorate in Royal Seleucid. "I am not one to try and combine religion and politics. I believe that when King Robert the Unifier placed a High Priestess in charge of religious guidance instead of the King he made a wise decision. He saw the High Priestess as someone needed to represent Helus across the world, not in a nation. Naturally any leader of the Cult will need to have close ties with the Holy Land and I am honoured that King David often confides in me before announcing policy, but I can not order  a mission to the Protectorate as part of the Cult. Should some individual given status by the Cult undertake such a task that is there determination. James however is a lackblade, a man who has lost his honour and with whom the Cult has lost trust. While no lackblade is forever lost to the Cult I believe that James would need to live a thousand lifetimes to make good. It is of course possible to regain the trust of the Cult but actions and not words are important."

The High Priestess also announced that funding was being granted to help restore or rebuild eight temples in Royal Seleucid. "Since the genocide these temples have been neglected somewhat and we must change that. As such we will be working with the Priesthood there to identify eight Temples, one for each diety, that is spread around the Cultist inhabited areas. I look forward to seeing them restored to their full glory and allow the Cultists of Royal Seleucid to enjoy their worship once more." The High Priestess has also spoken of launching another round of fund raising for the Mundus Goodwill Bank. "The disaster in Tytor, the humanitarian crisis that will come with the war in Clysperis will require support. The Mundus Goodwill Bank was set up to ensure nations could rebuild following such crisis without fear of having to repay interest or pay huge fees. It is my hope that in the coming weeks we can pump some more money into this ready for action when the extent of the issues are known once the area becomes safe."

The High Priestess is due to lead worship for the Festival of Frossaj on the 3rd December at the Temple in Keepton.


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/398569593653952512/650821889131937809/unknown.png)

DUCHESS APPOINTS NEW STAFF

In preparation for her Wedding Day Duchess Stasya has been busy appointing new staff. She has already appointed a Chief of her Household in the guise of 36 year old former Air Force officer Alexandrea Samuel. She has today appointed two Ladies in Waiting, an ancient position not held in East Moreland on a regular basis since the 18th Century. The position is a highly valued one in Duchess Stasya's native Lodja where the Ladies in Waiting are expected to handle organisation and preparation of the Queen's attire, accompany her on functions and help organise and provide hospitality for honoured guests. It was while serving as a Lady in Waiting that the Duchess and King began their relationship. The tradition in Lodja is that daughters of well connected nobles serve however it appears that the two new appointees are from less noble backgrounds however are well connected. The first appointment is 22 year old Jessica Spence-Cole, the daughter of Science and Technology Minister Olivia Cole. It is understood that Miss Spence-Cole, who has just finished her military service as a member of the Logistics Core, meet the Duchess during the Ostlake Games and has been a frequent attendee to social events at the Duchesses home.

The second appointee is 20 year old Emma Maybury, the daughter of Sir Alan Maybury the CEO of EMAC. Miss Maybury was a student at Silverhills University where she was studying Media and Fashion, a course that brought her into contact with Duchess Stasya who runs her own fashion line. The pair will begin their duties now and are expected to be a prominent part of the Palace's staff when it comes to organising functions for visiting dignitaries. Duchess Stasya has confirmed that she will appoint a further Lady in Waiting, to be entitled as Chief Lady in Waiting, but has confirmed this shall be a Lodjain as according to the future Queen, "She will be fully aware of the role and importance of a Lady in Waiting."

The Palace has also begun to undertake several other Lodjain traditions as it is understood that in addition to a Royal Artist in Residence, a position currently held by Jocelin Hopkins, the new year will see a poet, author, musician and dancer in residence be appointed.
 1. Title now supersedes Baronetess
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 04, 2019, 08:51:51 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i2.wp.com/www.liberianobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/access2.jpg?fit=924%2C533&ssl=1)

FEAST OF FROSSAJ SEE'S NATION REFLECT

The Feast of Frossaj took place yesterday with commemorations across the country. The Feast is one of the more subdued celebrations in the calender of the Cult Of Helus as it honours the God of Justice who according to Cultist tradition presided over judgement of humans who had survived the Overlords onslaught. Those deemed to have tried to stay true to the Code of Canley were spared and granted rewards while those deemed to of dishonoured the Code were destroyed. The festival saw pilgrims from across the nation visit key Temples in Northfort and Mortonside to confess their deeds for the year and recieve a blessing for the year ahead from a Priestess. As tradition dictates King David was first to meet with High Priestess Skye Maddix at the alter of the Temple in Northfort.  While the content of the King's conversation with Skye Maddix was confidential the King did make an offering on the alter on behalf of the nation. He placed a ceremonial dagger and shield on before standing aside as his daughter Princess Rhiannon made her first official Feast of Frossaj confessional. While the King, as usual, refused to comment on his conversation as he left the Temple Princess Rhiannon was overheard saying she hoped Frossaj forgives her "for taking the big piece of cake at school." It is not yet confirmed whether Frossaj will have forgiven this but the High Priestess did offer her blessings. The Princess was collected by her mother, Matilda Osman, after she had made her own confession. The future Queen, Duchess Stasya was absent from the Cult's Temple instead having attended a ceremony at the nearby headquarters of the Sisterhood of Helus, a group which as of yet does not posses an extensive network of physical temples. Differing from the Cultist tradition the members of the Sisterhood undertake a ritualistic wash before receiving a blessing after making an offering to the God, whom they believe is female. It is understood the Duchess placed a specially made gold ring as an offering before being blessed by the Sisterhood's leader Jinny Denman. The King and Duchess then joined members of the nation's judiciary for lunch at the Palace before attending a moonlight performance in Mortonside were locals re-enacted the story of Frossaj judging the soul of Raimond Unasson and his followers after the final battle with the Underlords. This traditional performance has taken place for over 500 years and upon its conclusion King David presented the actor who played Frossaj with a ceremonial dagger as custom dictates the guest of honour do so. Following the performance the King said. "The Cult is known for having a significant number of festivals, the Feast of Frossaj is very different to the others. While the others are a chance for celebration and enjoyment the Feast of Frossaj is more about looking at ourselves and preparing for a fresh start. As the dark nights draw in and the land becomes darker it is a reminder of the fact that evil can surround us at any moment and only by following the guiding light of the Code of Canley can we reach the light again. Many of us Cultists will have set for ourselves things we want to change, challenges we wish to face and vices we wish to remove. I wish everyone the best of luck in achieving these things and I too will be striving to better myself in the year ahead as I once again become a husband."

The Feast was as always celebrated across the nation with former Chief Councillor Tim Carpenter attending the rededication of an ancient Temple of Frossaj in Royal Seleucid. Mr.Carpenter is currently serving as an ambassador in the nation and presented the Priestess of the Temple there with a ceremonial sword forged at the Temple of Jekar in Ostlake. "It is tradition that every Cultist temple has a sword on or around the alter. Every Cultist knows that Jekar taught mankind the skills and ability of swordsmanship and that its practice and lessons help us become honourable and disciplined. The sword in a Temple is a reminder of the struggle of mankind to defeat evil and I am proud to bring a sword from the home of Jekar to this ancient Temple that is having a rebirth."

In Nya Aland a group of Red Legionnaires celebrated the Feast onboard the REMNS King Robert which is in the region on a training exercise. They were seen conducting their own reinactment of the trial of Unasson's followers on the ships flight deck. One of their officers stated, "We had considered doing it on base however with the Alanders stance on public displays of faith being a potential issue it was just easier to come onboard the King Robert and join our naval comrades. Tomorrow we'll be practicing naval landings with the Alanders Mjolnir special forces so today isn't just a day off, we need to be prepared for that just like it was a real mission." It is expected the King Robert will dock in Claith on its way home before visiting Edwinstowe in Bakkermaya.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 15, 2019, 10:28:07 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/398569593653952512/655887820027592704/unknown.png)

KING RESTORES "SACKED" STAFF

Following news reports that Duchess Stasya had removed certain members of Royal Staff while the King was away from the Palace on business Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker has confirmed today that those dismissals have been reversed. "His Majesty is confident in the abilities of his staff to do the jobs assigned to them. The King is delighted with the scholarly work of Professor Howard, the artistic genius of Miss Hopkins and the way Miss Mason has looked after the royal stables. As such His Majesty see's no reason for change. Duchess Stasya has been informed that she is perfectly entitled to appoint her own household staff within the budget laid out for the Queen to manage her affairs and she is free to appoint whom so ever she see's fit."

The future Queen has already appointed a chief of staff and two Ladies in Waiting a staff already larger than that of the former Queen Matilda Osman whom only had a single Lady in Waiting in the guise of her sister Erin Osman. Duchess Stasya has grown up in a nation where there is a significant difference between royal staff levels as the Palace of Gaia is host to a whole group of artists, poets, musicians and various ancillary members of staff. Meanwhile in East Moreland custom has always been to keep staff numbers down.


(https://img.kyodonews.net/english/public/images/posts/4406bf37b1bcb89b714aa51ab9bd96fe/image_l.jpeg)

ASTRONAUTS RETURN TO MUNDUS

The three East Moreland astronauts who have just spent several weeks in the new prototype inflatable space station have returned to Mundus. The astronauts touched down just outside Ostlake where they were greeted by members of the Royal East Moreland Air Force and the Royal Aeronautical Society. The mission was lead by Rachel Dixon who has now completed her third mission in space, she was joined by brothers Simon and Joe Morrin. The mission was declared a success and has left the space station, in a deflated state, orbiting Mundus. The aim is for the station to be revisited in six months time and used again following inspection.

The system was developed by SmartWar who have declared themselves delighted with the results. "The idea is to develop a system that can be sent ahead of any long range exploration at a compartively cheap and lightweight manner. It is our hope that we can utilise this system as a functional way to keep a manned scientific prescence in orbit and this is the first success in that." The company have also not ruled out renting out the space to other nations. "We know several nations are keen to get experience of space and the station could be an ideal oppurtuntity. We have a range of missions scheduled for the Royal Aeronautical Society but there are month long gaps when no one will be utilising the station. As such we are interested in helping other nations gain experience and space for their own experiments. It is understood the Cenneg space agency are already considering using the station for a series of experiments.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 18, 2019, 10:45:33 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://frillxtra.com/assets/ckfinder/core/connector/php/uploads/images/download-1.jpg)

"QUIET-DRAGON" DUE TO TAKE FIRST FLIGHT BY END OF NEXT YEAR

For the last two years EMAC have been researching eliminating the sonic boom from aircraft breaking the sound barrier and believe that within 12 months their scale model will be upscaled and take its first full flight. The aircraft has been in development for two years and a 1/4 size remote controlled scale model has been flying over the ocean out of EMAC's test facility at Technology City with some success. It is hoped that the aircraft will make air travel quieter for those living under the flight paths or civil air traffic and potentially eliminate the effects of sonic booms all together. The aircraft utilises several parts of existing EMAC aircraft keeping the costs down and allowing rapid development. One issue however the design is likely to have is that the long nose cone limits forward view and as such the pilots forward vision will be provided largely by a series of cameras relaying visuals to the cockpit. It is expected that the aircraft will reach a top speed of Mach 1.5 and if successful over sea will be permitted to attempt test flights over land.

Sir Alan Maybury of EMAC announced the move saying, "The scale model has shown itself to work well and a manned full size prototype is the next stage of its evolution. The aircraft itself is merely a test bed, it won't be converted into a fighter as its not large enough in terms of its body or wings to carry ordenance. Additionally it can't be upscaled to become a passenger plane. As such the value in this project is in the technology that can be developed and the knowledge gained that will allow us to make great inroads into making high speed travel quieter and more economical." The development comes in the wake of New Derusima beginning a supersonic airline service to Tytor, a move that has already seen some nations ban the aircraft from overflight. "This new design could solve the objections nations have against allowing Supersonic overflight, additionally the fact that this will be able to break the sound barrier over land will protect homeowners and will also significantly open up new routes."



(https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/1d974b67a0734bf10f60161517d6fcc1?width=650)

LUSK ATTEMPTS TO OFFER REFUGEE SUPPORT

Melissa Lusk who is currently the Chair of The International Refugee Support Agency has reached an agreement with King David to accomodate 10,000 refugees displaced by the Clysperis Civil War. The former CTO Refugee Council leader has been responsible for organising some of the major refugee operations in recent memory having first undertaken a plan to evacuate refugees from Mavrosia before twice going to Uppsala to deal with crisis there and in more recent times deployed in the North West of Lakhzovia to oversee refugee evacuations. She has now used the newly formed NGO to get the support of her nations monarch in order to bring those requiring specialist medical care or children being alone to safety. Miss Lusk explained, "We have seen first hand that even when nations in a region are willing to support refugees the camps soon reach a crisis point and more has to be done. The only way to release that pressure is to somehow move them away from camps, be that centres in neighbouring countries or by further afield. We are happy to begin work with any of those currently accepting refugees to alliveiate the pressure."

It has since been announced by the Pharoah of Clysperis that the offer made by the IRSA has been declined saying it is a situation "the native nations of Midaranye, have well in hand" However nations such as Safraen, Vanora and Abuiqya have yet to respond and may accept the offer. Miss Lusk responded saying, "Situations involving refugees change minute by minute. While the Pharoah may be happy to decline the offer at the moment in a day or two she may find herself changing her mind and if that is the case we are prepared to swing into action. The offer is not time limited and will be reviewed as the situation develops." Lusk also has talked about beginning to get IRSA to start working on supplying the camps as well as offering the services of the Refugee University. "We have no idea if this civil war will be over in a week or in years. As such we must examine the possibility of putting resources in place so children don't miss out on those crucial times of education. The project worked brilliantly in Krokom and so perhaps it may also work in Clysperis. I'll be looking at how we can handle the situation in coming days." 

Some have been critical of East Moreland offering more refugees a home believing that while the civil war in Lakhzovia is over around 50,000 refugees remain in the country as Lakhzovia seem reluctant to take them back. Some worry about an influx of more refugees and already some facilities in the nation are struggling to cope. Lusk explained that people should not be so worried saying, "Our Code of Canley says we must protect those who can not defend themselves. The best way of doing this is to remove people from danger. East Moreland is a nation that can provide these people stability and protection until they believe it is safe to return home. We have therefore a duty to offer our protection and I hope the Pharoah will change her mind."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 22, 2019, 10:29:32 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51X2rdmibfL._SX425_.jpg)

#GETWELLAUGUSTIN TRENDS ON TWITTER

Following reports (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=324.msg15025#msg15025) that Prince Augustin of Neu Urburzis had been hospitalised the hashtag "Get Well Augustin" has been trending on Twitter along with people wearing white rabbit pins. The young Prince is thought to have become good friends with East Moreland's own Princess Rhiannon following the pair meeting when the Princess visited Neu Urburzis as part of a Wild Mundus Organisation visit with her mother Matilda Osman. During that visit Princess Rhainnon was involved in an incident where she was throwing stones at crocodiles after Augustin had climbed in their enclosure. This saw the phrase "I Princess fights Crocodiles" trend. When the Princess was ill with luekhemia the Prince orchestrated a huge effort to encourage bone marrow donation, including his pet rabbit Schnuffelchen. The manner of the Prince's injuries is not known however speculation is that it was sustained in an attack on Schnuffelchen.

Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker was left to field questions on the issue when he gave him daily briefing and said. "Prince Augustin is someone held in high regard by Morelanders. For someone so young to take a stand for something so important is commendable and as such the people of East Moreland will stand by the youngster as he stood by Princess Rhiannon. We send our best wishes to the Prince and if there is anything East Moreland can do we shall." The King himself was photographed with a white rabbit pin on his jacket as he attended events in Keepton, meanwhile Princess Rhiannon wore a white bunny sweater while visiting the cinema with her Mother to watch Frozen 2.


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/398569593653952512/658427120799842304/unknown.png)

LUSK "DISAPPOINTED" WITH REFUGEE RESPONSE

Head of the International Refugee Support Agency, Melissa Lusk, last night appeared on a chat show on EMTV to discuss the recent rejection of her proposal to support refugees in Midaranye impacted by the civil war in Clysperis. The former head of the CTO's Refugee agency spoke at length about the situation saying, "We have on our hands a tricky situation. Midaranye is in many ways not one but two regions. We have the corridor of Royal Seleucid, Tamora, Abuqiya and Clysperis, nations that while having different cultures in many ways are seemingly close in many. One need only look at how Tamora is acting as a kind of pivot in the region tying their royal family to that of Royal Seleucid and Clysperis. But then the 2nd part of Midaranye is Vanora, Safraen and to some extent Slava Lavosk. These are nations which are culturally very different to their neighbours and seem to have little to align themselves with the others. We have seen our offer rejected by Clysperis and I suspect this will mean in short order, Abuqiya will also reject it. This is disappointing and I hope the Pharoah's anti-Cult of Helus rhetoric played no role in their decision. The IRSA works to support people not impose itself. We worked tirelessly to remove refugee's from Lakhzovia with no pre-conditions, they simply granted the planes permission and we did the rest. That is how I would see the situation going in Clysperis. On the other hand I am still hopeful that Vanora and Safraen will allow help."

When asked why she believed it was important other nations lend help she said. "Have you ever been in a refugee camp? I've been in several and I can tell you that even in the ones that are well set up and well prepared there are problems. The smell for those who have never been in one is the first thing you notice. Its the smell of hundreds if not thousands of unwashed bodies mixed with the toilets of a music festival. People, even when there is no need to be are fearful of being victims of crime and assault. They fear the worse and are experiencing a future of uncertainty and need to protect what they have. The camps are never real homes, canvas at worse, temporary buildings at best. People coming and going and never enough of things like sewage systems, clean water and electricity. Its like the worst camping experience of your life, and that's if the weather isn't making it worse. In any refugee camp there will be deaths, either through crime, through disease or a lack of resources. The more frail, the old, the young and the injured, are the ones who are most likely to go first and with my realist hat on they are also the ones who end up consuming the most resources in care and necessities. What we are offering is not a total solution, that can't be until other nations step up alongside East Moreland and those physically in the region. What we are offering I'd compare more to a pressure release valve. We can find these people a safe haven where they know soldiers or militias aren't going to show up and act aggressively towards them, we can offer them a place where there are not huge lines to access basic medical care and we can ensure they can be hygeniec. That leaves more resources for the stronger refugees left in the region."

Finally Lusk spoke about what her next steps would be if the other nations in the region rejected the IRSA offer. "We can't force people to be helped, we can only offer the support and see what happens. We have aircraft ready to fly and the plan had been to fly in resources such as fresh water, medical supplies, tents etc as we removed the refugees identified as being most at risk. It was a two part plan however if one part fails then the second can still go ahead. One issue we have is that a huge no fly zone has been established so even if we are granted permission to bring in supplies we will need to co-operate with a huge blanket of aircraft policing this zone from I believe four, maybe five different nations. Nothing will be able to get in unless we have approval from all these nations and that is difficult to organise."

Lusk has also begun recruiting academics who speak languages from Midaranye as she attempts to revive the Refugee University initiative. "People in camps need discractions with their daily life. Education is something worthwhile and for many will have been a huge part of their lives. For some this war may mean they have to put their lives on hold for months while it goes on, maybe even years. As such there are likely to be many unable to complete their studies, some may have to postpone them for years and never return from them. It is my hope we can somehow get tuition into the camps in someway and help people continue their studies. One source of academics may be the Cultist community of Royal Seleucid, we've some contacts there from when the genocide happened and as I mentioned earlier they have links with Tamora and through them perhaps Clysperis. Hopefully we can find academics willing to offer online lessons in a whole host of subjects. Its early days but we shall see where it goes."

The interview finished with her being questioned about her future political ambitions with some believing she could make a run for Representative Council again, maybe even pushing to become leader of the National Traditionalist party following the resignation of Thomas More. "I have no desire to return to East Moreland politics. I was the nations youngest councillor for a while and was proud to be its Youth Minister. I however want to be able to see work being done to help the world, the days of our isolation are over. I believe through my work with the IRSA I can better fulfil the Code of Canley than sitting in the Representative Council discussing work on potholes and school curriculums, not that they aren't important matters. Through my deeds working with the IRSA I can better fulfil the Code than with the words I would have spoken in Council."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 28, 2019, 10:28:14 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://keyassets-p2.timeincuk.net/wp/prod/wp-content/uploads/sites/42/2018/06/Sam_ParamdicCPD.jpg)

DR.HENRY HEADS NEW YEARS HONOURS LIST

The traditional East Moreland New Year Honours list has been released today and the royal families doctor is among those given some of the nations highest awards. The list features people from various fields who have been deemed to have contributed greatly to the life of the Kingdom or given exceptional service to the royal family. In total around 500 awards have been given out and those receiving the awards will be visiting the palace over the coming month to be presented their award by the King or in some cases Princess Fryea.

One of the first to be announced as being honoured is Dr.Felicia Henry who is awarded the Queen's Medal for Services to the monarchy. Dr.Henry became the official physician to the Royal Family in 2014 and was responsible for overseeing the care of Prince Caspian as he struggled with Hunter's syndrome and oversaw the care of Princess Rhiannon in her fight against lukhemia. In addition the former Royal Army Medical Corps field surgeon has also operated on King David after he had been shot by terrorists in 2017. Speaking following the announcement Dr.Henry stated. "I'm happy to be nominated for essentially doing my job. I'm privledged to be able to focus my time on ensuring the health of just one family and I'm able to see my challenges and successes on a daily basis. I understand my role as a royal doctor is vastly different to my colleagues who face the chaos of front line medical care and any one of those could easily have taken my place. I will continue to serve as best I can and I thank the King for this medal." The nomination was also well received by the former Queen of East Moreland, Matilda Osman, who tweeted. "A single medal doesn't give enough thanks for all you've done for my children." As well as serving as the royal families physician Dr.Henry also still teaches battlefield medicine with the Royal Army Medical Corps where she holds the reserve rank of Captain.

In the world of sports World Heavyweight Medieval MMA Champion and former Mundus Games Gold Medalist Louis Blanche has been awarded The Moreland Cross for services to sport. The 28 year old has held the world title for nearly two years and has become one of the leading stars in a sport that is slowly expanding across Mundus. He is scheduled to fight his rival, fellow Morelander, Tom Ridge in the coming months and it was Ridge who was among the first to comment on the announcement saying. "I'm pleased Louis has been awarded for his hard work as an ambassador for our sport. I hope one day to follow in his footsteps. Maybe I can persuade him to make our upcoming match for his Moreland Cross as well as his world title." Blanche ruled out such a clause in their match saying. "At some point I'm no longer going to be a world champion, I'm going to retire one day after all. When that time comes I'll always have this medal to look back on." Blanche is not the only sports person to be given an award. One of the "unsung heroes" to be awarded is grassroots rugby coach Lee Botham the 45 year old coach of Seabrooke Pirates RUFC. Mr.Botham is also awarded the Moreland Cross after coaching at the club for the last 25 years following the end of his own blossoming rugby career. In addition he has raised thousands to help upgrade club facilities across the South of the country and has helped three of the World Cup winning Honeybadgers learn the game. One of Mr.Botham's former players is current Honeybadger Jon May who said, "I remember being a seven year old and turning up at the Pirates for the first time. From day 1 Lee made everyone feel at home and part of a family. I wouldn't have stuck with the game for as long if it hadn't been for him making me fall in love with it." The coach was found running a Saturday morning Under 12's game when the media arrived to talk to him about the award and said, "To be able to stand alongside people like Louis Blanche, Daisy Greechan, Archduchess Sophie, all legends in sport who have the same medal makes it clear that here at grassroots the things we do are just as important. I'm honoured to be amongst the ranks of these legends."

Sir Jacob Longe, one of the nations most significant diplomats in recent memory is honoured for his lengthy service by being made a member of the Order of Royal Squires, a noble order limited to 30 members who have been deemed to have given meritorious service to the nation over many years. Sir Jacob entered service of the nation in 1958 when he joined the Royal Alpine Cadre as a young officer. Since then he has served in various capacities including Head of Royal Household, Director of Intelligence Services, Minister of Defence, Prime Minister and then various ambassadorial roles. He also co-sponsored the annual Sto-Longe Shield the much anticipated annual rugby game between East Moreland and Dijel. Currently he is without a portfolio but still acts as a roving envoy for the King. Sir Jacob stated, "I'll be honest I have very little knowledge of what work the Squires do on a day to day basis but it is an honour to be considered worthy. In the coming days I'll make sure I get up to speed on the duties and responsibilities and make His Majesty proud." The Squires are a purely ceremonial order who take part in coronations and other significant rituals across the nation. They are permitted to graze their sheep upon royal pastures and also hunt swans, ancients rights once commonly enforced but no longer.

One of the major honours however went to a group and not individuals. The King has granted a new Royal Colours to his former army regiment the Alpine Cadre, this one replaces the former one which was presented in 1807 by King Richard I. The new colours are identical to the old ones except the units goat head totem at the top of the colours is replaced by one of a goat wearing a crown, thus meaning the Regiment now enjoy "Royal favour" and will henceforth be referred to as the Royal Alpine Cadre. The Regiment is a specialist mountain warfare unit and has an illustrous history that has seen Sir Jacob Longe, King David, Alex Redfern and Sir Charles Townsend (Head of the Court of Canley) serve within its ranks. It's current commanding officer is Colonel Robert Winfield who will collect the new colours in the coming days. "The Alpine Cadre played a major role in the Regency Crisis and the Marseille conflict. To be given royal favour is the highest honour a regiment can earn and it is a great reward for the men and women who serve in some of the toughest conditions possible."



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 01, 2020, 10:24:29 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/720x405/p07d3f7q.jpg)

FOREIGN MINISTER CAUTIOUS OVER "HEYRA"

Following news from what neighbouring territory that was formerly known as The Conglomerate it appears a change in government has taken place. In a news story from FMN (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=214.msg15171#msg15171) it was revealed a vote followed very little debate, at least none in the public eye. As such Foreign Minister Edward Tamana has urged caution while speaking at a event at the Representative Council Building. "Our neighbours seem to be going through a period of uphevel. We have seen some protests on the streets but nothing to suggest huge constitutional change. When we have seen constitutions change, or in our case be introduced, it has been accompanied by lengthy, deep and public debate and in the case of The Conglomerate this has not happened. We all practically went to sleep and woke up with The Conglomerate gone and Heyra back. The fact we've seen some changes such as change of national flag, animal etc, the window dressing of a nation if you will happen so quickly it gives the impression that this was something planned for a while. As such something sits a little uneasy but news is still patchy. For the time being we will be asking our ambassador there to keep us informed of the feeling on the ground. It is our hope we can find evidence of this truly being what the people of our neighbours want."

The Foreign Minister did state that he is concerned that only the speech by leading political figure Mrs.Therez was heard. "When what was effectively a referendum was held without voices of opposition being heard I feel a little nervous. When East Moreland had our referendums on leaving the CIS and then joining the CNN we had weeks of debate with people on all sides of the debate giving their point of view, this has not happened here. It leads to some questions of whether this was actually something the people wanted. We have seen people protesting on the streets in the last few days in Heyra and now I suspect if this is not the will of the people then protests will continue. One of the key markers will be whether people are permitted to assemble and how robust the security forces of Heyra are on street order in the coming days. Should we be able to determine that this is indeed a measure supported by the Heyran people then our neighbours will find us willing, as ever, to work alongside them in a spirit of friendship."


(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/02/20/00/4963F0BE00000578-0-image-a-14_1519087070201.jpg)

SAMUELSON PROPOSES SCRAPPING CARRIERS

Following a month long review of the East Moreland Navy the Minister of Defence, Sir Harry Samuelson, has proposed to scrap the aging East Moreland carriers. The proposal will be added to in the coming days to suggest how best to replace them and then King David will pass judgement. The main focus on the report was a combination of value for money and mission profiles.

Quote from: Key findings from Samuelson's Proposal

The aircraft carrier was designed with a simple mission profile, to deliver air power to a region of the globe where normally a nation could not deploy air power. That deployment came in two ways, first to defend a fleet from air attack and second to strike targets in enemy territory. Back in the era immediately following the World War the aircraft was king, it was the best way to deliver strikes utilising bombs, even nuclear weapons, to an enemy. Air Defence systems such as radar were not sophisticated and by a clever combination of low flying, ground shielding and good timing an aircraft could penetrate a nations air defence umbrella and caused havoc. Today however things have changed to an extent that the aircraft carriers value has changed. First we must look at what an aircraft can deliver. A precision strike can be carried out utilising cruise missiles fired from around 600km away or from much closer using air to ground missiles with a range of around 150km maximum. An aircraft is also limited to around 10 weapons, however often to gain the range needed to allow them to penetrate airspace, hit the target and return to the fleet they will be forced to give up some of these 10 spots to drop tanks to extend their range. Now if we compare this to a modern Frigate such as those in service with the Royal East Moreland Naval Service, they can fire a precision missile able to be just as accurate as those from fighters and easily more capable of penetrating modern sophisticated air defences. Some of these missiles have a range of 1,500km allowing them to be able to be launched from much further afield than a fighter. Add to this a Frigate is capable of putting up around 50 missiles at one time it has much more firepower than an aircraft carrier.

We then must look at threats to aircraft carriers. They will no doubt be operating in a situation where hostile air forces can hit them, and in larger numbers of aircraft than the carrier can put into the air. As such what we will see is a carriers air wing being whittled down little by little until it is no longer a viable defence or threat. A carrier also requires a significant escort to protect it as it lacks the ability to do so itself. One need only look at the Rokkenjiman Excaliber Class Aircraft Carrier which is capable of only firing 4 anti-aircraft missiles and having shoot down capable of only engaging three incoming targets. As such when in enemy waters you could expect an enemy to spam the carrier with missiles thus rendering it vulnerable unless guarded by a large fleet. With the invention of Kaitaine's Zircon we are entering an age where hypersonic, stealthy, highly agile missiles are the norm, making it even harder to defend a carrier. As such an investment of around $10-15billion could be wiped out with a missile costing less than $500,000.

Cost must also be taken into account when considering the future of an aircraft carrier. It costs around $160million a year to simply stop the ship rusting, keep the engines and systems working. However when parts need replacing that cost escaltes rapidly. We also need to factor in the cost of running its air wing, maintaining that, paying close to 3,500 crew members and then any weapons fired. It is estimated by many that $2.5billion a year is the cost of running each aircraft carrier, compare this to an estimated $280million per destroyer. It would be possible to carry 10 more Destroyers on roster for every aircraft carrier. These destroyers could operate more independently than a carrier while also being able to deliver a comparable amount of firepower between a pair of destroyers.

With the REMNS Portworth and REMNS Ostlake now being aging vessels approaching 40 years of service they are reaching the end of their careers. It is my view that they should now be allowed to retire gracefully with the $5billion saved annually being placed back into the budget of the Navy allowing them to equip themselves for the next 40 years to meet the needs of national defence.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 06, 2020, 10:22:09 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.hellomagazine.com/imagenes/healthandbeauty/hair/2017101843310/outnumbered-karen-actress-unrecognisable-new-hair/0-220-887/outnumbered-karen-actress-now-t.jpg?filter=w600&interpolation=lanczos-normal&downsize=0.75xw:*&output-format=progressive-jpeg&output-quality=70)

PRINCESS AND STEP MUM TO BE VISIT BALLET

Princess Rhiannon and her soon to be step mother, Duchess Stasya, were seen last night attending a performance by the Royal Nyx Ballet Company as they started their world tour. The performance took place as part of a series of performances throughout the city of Ostlake during the Ostlake Festival of Dance. The pair were seen arriving just before the performance began at the Ostlake University Auditorium, one of around 50 venues across the city where events are taking place ranging from high profile performances to inter-school dance competitions. It is the first time the pair have been seen in public together without the King being present suggesting that perhaps the issues former Queen, Matilda Osman, had with the Duchess being involved with Princess Rhiannon. The two are reported to have meet the cast after the show. Princess Rhiannon was permitted to speak briefly to the media as she left the venue and said, "It was very twirly and the dresses were pretty." The six year old went on to say, "The music wasn't as good a Frozen though but better than Moana." While the Princesses review is unlikely to make any of the hundreds of posts online by reviewers she did say, "It was fun and I got to stay up past my bed time." seemingly giving the show her seal of approval.

Duchess Stasya, who is more accustomed to attending events such as this, and who was once Lady in Waiting to Queen Klara of Lodja who was a member of the Lodjain Royal Ballet prior to becoming Queen said, "Events like this are amazing regardless of which nation is providing the dancers. The skill and dedication required to pull these things off is mind blowing. I remember the stories of Queen Klara's time from her teenage years with the ballet and some of the exercises made my muscles ache. The show was beautiful." The Duchess is set to marry King David on the Feast of Helus and added, "Nyx is a nation we've had minimal contact with and I'm delighted they saw fit to bless this Dance festival with their presence. I hope its the first of many trips by citizens of Nyx, and maybe even government officials, to East Moreland."

Princess Rhiannon will be performing at the dance festival as part of her schools folk dance group in the Under 8's School Championship. She will be joined in that event by her friend and step-cousin Evie Redfern the adopted daughter of Alex Redfern and Princess Freya Ironside. The King will be seeing a performance by the Royal Nyx Ballet Company on the 12th of January when the Royal Gala Performance takes place which showcases the best performances of the festival.



(https://i.pinimg.com/474x/75/05/ac/7505aca8d854b04c0568353f00e55e06.jpg)

DR.MERRIMAN FINALLY RETIRES

Respected Historian, Archaelogist and Professor, Marcus Merriman, has today announced that he is set to retire. The scholar and Chancellor of Royal Merriman University turns 82 year of age this year and says he plans to "spend my retirement finally doing something useful." Announcing his decision to students as they returned following the New Year break he said, "I've been an academic for close to 50 years and in that time have lost track of the number of students that I have taught. I have enjoyed every minute but I think enough is enough. I'm spending more and more time doing admin and less and less time teaching. I'm planning on finishing my history of Northfort, watching lots of rugby and adding to my whisky collection." Students gave the Chancellor a standing ovation as he was presented with a glass sword on behalf of the students.

Following his retirement announcement one of the first to send their best wishes was King David who was one of Dr.Merriman's students when he studied at Royal Northfort University. The King also helped Dr.Merriman establish his own specialist Humanities University and granted it a royal charter before enrolling to study his Master's degree with the Professor. " The lessons I learnt from Dr.Merriman didn't end at the classroom door. He was a man who always had time for his students and words of advice on everything you could imagine. There is a whole host of people across East Moreland with a passion for History thanks to this man. He was a cornerstone of my decision to set up CETO and he will be impossible to replace." The King has yet to name a replacement for Dr.Merriman as the CETO representative but many suspect it will be one of Dr.Merriman's protegees and Head of Ancient History at Royal Merriman University, Professor Maddie Howard.

Another of Dr.Merriman's protegees was Tim Carpenter. "I was never an academic but found myself working for the Prof when I did my national service. Not being much of a soldier I ended up doing Cultural Service and was assigned as one of his aides. He saw I had an interest in History but lacked the academic skill. That didn't matter and he made time to push me to be better than I thought I was. Later when my life reached its lowest the Prof was the one there for me, time and time again. I look forward to sampling his whiskey collection with him soon."

The final tributes to the Professor's career came from his Grand-daughter and former Minister for Youth, Amelia Merriman. "Many people will talk about their time in his lectures and the way he developed them as a scholar. I hated History and preferred rocks, but grand-dad always dragged you back to history somehow. In his mind everything is history. Before you knew it you ended up loving it, he's sneaky like that. I'm glad he's retiring though. He's dedicated a life to scholarship and deserves to put his feet up. I suspect though it won't last long." Professor Merriman then began his retirement by heading off to Marseilles where he explained he was "going to check out some interesting inscriptions."



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 12, 2020, 09:29:07 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(http://www.newsbiscuit.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Queen-Elizabeth-Airfix-Model-2.jpg)

"50/50 REPLACEMENT" ON CARRIERS SAYS KING

King David has today confirmed that the nations two aircraft carriers will not be renewed. With both the REMNS Ostlake and REMNS Portworth reaching a point where they needed a large scale modernisation the Minister of Defence Sir Harry Samuelson recommended replacing both vessels and also indicated a move away from traditional "super-carriers" was needed. Today the King however has announced that replacements will be sought. Speaking as he visited the REMNS Portworth he said. "We will be following a 50/50 programme, 50% acting upon the recommedations of Sir Harry and 50% maintaining our current capabilities. Starting as soon as feasible we will be taking the Portworth Royal Dockyard design for the CATOBAR version of their Sven Class (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Elizabeth-class_aircraft_carrier) aircraft carrier concept. Meanwhile we shall also be commissioning a third Flagship Class (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Ocean_(L12)) amphibious warfare ship, however this one shall be equipped with 12 VSTOL aircraft  along with 10 helicopters to form a kind of spearhead attack ship. In terms of annual running costs this will reduce the cost down to that of one of the current carriers. Going forward this will see the Navy having capacity in its budget to run a further two Noble Class (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_055_destroyer) Destroyers."

The commander of the Navy, Admiral James Thompson said, "We believe the arrangement the King has announced is a good one. It allows us to maintain the flexibility afforded by a carrier while also giving us an extra amount of firepower. Its a compromise driven by costs in some ways but it is a sensible one. The Portworth and Ostlake have served us well but have reached a crossroads in their career." It is understood that the Portworth, which was part of the task force that captured a Traansvaal aircraft carrier, will become a museum ship while the REMNS Ostlake is likely to be scrapped.



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/666012232827535360/unknown.png)
MERRIMAN "OFF FOR A HOLIDAY"

Dr.Merriman has today headed out of East Moreland heading to Marseille. The former Chancellor of the Royal Merriman University announced that he was stepping down several days ago and retiring from lecturing. At the age of 82 the Professor has announced via social media that he is "off for a holiday. Somewhere sunny, somewhere interesting and somewhere quiet." He later posted that he is going to spend some time touring around Albion before heading to Bakkermaya, fuelling speculation that his grand-daughter, Amelia Merriman, is soon to take over as Governor of Wellow having recently been invited for a kind of interview by the Duchess of Wellow.

The Professor has also stated that once he has had what he has described as "my first real break from teaching in almost 50 years." that he will be working as a part-time consultant on EMTV as they put together a new docu-drama TV show based on the Kings and Queen's of East Moreland. "I can't imagine just sitting at home with my feet up" Dr.Merriman said, "This way I still get to be a history geek and get paid while being under less pressure. I watch a lot of the things like Game of Thrones and East Moreland's history can be every bit as interesting, just with less dragons."



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/666025560345935885/unknown.png)
"FLYING CAN OPENER" TO SING AT WEDDING AND BE SWORD BEARER

The Royal Palace today announced that the King has named his sword bearer for his upcoming wedding. The position of sword bearer is a highly symbolic one and the individual responsible wields the groom's sword while within the Temple during the ceremony. The King has announced that Flying Officer Hope Meadows will be given this responsibility and will also sing during the ceremony. The 23 year old flies as part of No.6 Squadron, affectionatly known as the Flying Can Openers as their primary role is hunting down and destroying enemy armour. She has been in the squadron for just over 12 months and in that time has taken part in several operations against the Borlanders and the WMRA. The announcement was made by Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker who said. "The King wanted a young officer to undertake the role and having meet Flying Officer Meadows at Archduchess Sophie's passing out parade he was impressed by her commitment to the military. She has overcome many hardships to succeed in life and is a credit to her uniform." As far as we are aware this will be the first time a woman has been a sword bearer for the Royal family.

Flying Officer Meadows also had prior to joining the Air Force a YouTube channel of her singing cover versions of popular songs, it is understood that Duchess Stasya heard this and insisted on the dual role during the ceremony. The 23 year old officer spoke briefly to the media outside her parents home saying, " I grew up two doors down from Alex Redfern's family. I saw how if you worked hard you could be very successful in the military and with my parents support I was able to make my dream of flying a reality. I am excited to take part in the biggest parade of my life and to be trusted with the King's sword makes me both proud and very nervous." Despite the position in the ceremony Flying Officer Meadows is back on duty with No.6 Squadron preparing to head off to The Commonwealth of the Iwi for a training exercise.


(http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Johannes+Huebl+Princess+Grace+Awards+Gala+TTZSSLQ1BUwl.jpg)
KING THANKS ROYAL NYX BALLET FOLLOWING GALA

As the curtain fell on the annual Ostlake Dance Festival the King attended the traditional final night gala. The gala is made up of several performances from the winners of various dance competitions as well as performances by professional dancers and singers. Among those performing was the Royal Nyx Ballet Company who opened the show and gave the penultimate performance. The King thanked them for attending saying, "The Ostlake Dance Festival has not been as inclusive of our foreign friends as many other of East Moreland's cultural highlights like the Ozzies or the Festival of Sail. I am delighted therefore the Royal Nyx Ballet Company saw fit to begin their world tour here and I hope they will not be strangers to the Festival." The company played several venues across the city during the festival and in their week long stay an estimated 150,000 people got to see them perform.

The final performance of the show saw the National School Champions perform and receive their award from the King and Duchess Stasya. Students from the Keepton High School for Girls had won the national honour having taken 1st place in three of the five categories that make up the School's Championships. King David's daughter competed for her school as part of their folk dance team in the  Under 8's School Championship, however the school finished 10th and so the Princess was denied the oppurtunity to perform for her father. The King said afterwards. "Rhiannon will be tucked up in bed but just like so many children across the nation she has worked hard over the last few months to prepare for this week. Its a great week of activity here and I'm only sad I can't get to see everyone involved. It is things like this that help keep our traditions alive."

Ostlake now begins to prepare to welcome the film industry of the world when the nominations for the Ostlake Movie Awards, affectionately known as the Ozzies open in a weeks time before the final winners are announced on the 10th of February.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 21, 2020, 10:28:34 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/669290152417427497/unknown.png)

KING VACATIONING IN ALUCARD

With the royal wedding just a month away King David has announced that he is currently taking a week off and is cruising the Alucard on the Pelagiya family yacht. The announcement came when the King was due to give his weekly address to members of the Representative Council but was instead replaced by Prime Minister Henrietta Quinn who informed the Council. "His Majesty is being kept fully briefed on the business of the Kingdom and is in a position to be able to respond to anything requiring his immediate attention. The King is aware that in the days following the marriage and subsequent coronation he will be exceptionally busy with the changes in the affairs of state. As such he has determined now is a good time for rest and reflection and has selected the Alucard as a perfect destination." It was also announced that during his cruise he will visit one of the Lodjain islands as well as Paracambi however these will not be official state visits.

While the King is in the Alucard his bride to be, Duchess Stasya, has remained in East Moreland and is undergoing a series of sessions to prepare the future Queen for her new duties. The Duchess will be attending various meetings with High Priestess Skye Maddix who will officiate the wedding and coronation to ensure she is prepared for the ceremony. Additionally she will meet with members of the nations elite Red Legion who will be part of the ceremonial guard during the ceremonies, she will also work with Red Legion as part of a series of exercises to familiarise herself with the units work of providing security to the Royals. A former Red Legionnaire explained, "The Legion have provided close protection for most of the royals in terms of supplementing the Royal Protection Force. When she joins the royal family Stasya will probably find a team of five or six security agents with her most of the time and this will be supplemented with Red Legionnaires as a kind of rapid response unit. It is important anyone working with such a team understand the way it works and the situations they may be involved in. When Matilda Osman became Queen she spent several sessions with the Legion in Aldfield as a kind of dummy hostage in close quarters combat scenarios. Its one of those things no one wants but people need to be aware of." Finally it is understood that she will meet with scholars to discuss the formation of her own coat of arms as Queen.

It was also revealed that following the wedding and coronation the newlyweds will hold their first official meetings with foreign nations with  Kinkhnland, Achkaerin and Neu Uburzis among the nations requesting meetings already.



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/324270106177699860/669303525976571904/unknown.png)

ARCHDUCHESS DETERMINES MILITARY FUTURE

With three months of her national service remaining Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside has determined where her future lies. The niece of King David has announced that following the completion of her duties she will be maintaining a commission in the Royal East Moreland Air Force however shall be joining their Adventure Training Cadre. Currently the Archduchess is serving as a Force Protection Dog Handler and has stated a desire to remain in the military long term however has said that she is "split between the draw of competing in elite level sport and the day to day adventure of a useful career in the military. Many people expect me to assume some kind of royal duty however the Ironside family have a long tradition of military service and I wish to honour that as best I can." The Archduchess will spend her time split between her current duties and teaching skills such as rock climbing, kayaking and skiing. The Adventure Training Cadres of the Army, Navy and Air Force also oversee organised sport in the military and as such permit its members to participate more frequently in professional sporting events. It is expected therefore that the Archduchess will perhaps return to competition in either speed skating at the Winter Games or cross country in the Summer Games, additionally the new posting may offer her the opportunity to undertake more charity endurance events such as her Hrothgar trek or rowing the Mhorish.

Wing Commander Travis Bates who commands the REMAF's Adventure Training Cadre stated, "To have Flying Officer Harrison-Ironside in our ranks is somewhat of a coup. She is one of the most decorated athletes on Mundus and in my view the greatest as unlike others she has amassed medals across a range of unrelated disciplines. She has a true spirit of adventure within her as shown by the Hrothgar trek and I think she will be a great example to her fellow airmen." The Archduchess will also feature in the upcoming royal wedding where she will be part of the escort to Duchess Staysa.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 02, 2020, 12:57:58 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/673500787044777984/unknown.png?width=491&height=631)

KING MAKES FINAL COUNCIL APPEARANCE BEFORE MARRIAGE

The King today made this final appearance before the Representative Council before his wedding on the 22nd February. The King was asked a variety of questions by the Council ranging from his comments on local matters about the proposed Seabrook bypass road to matters of international significance such as the recent addition of members to TUNA.

The King was asked about the growth of TUNA, an organisation East Moreland has a collective trade deal with. The King stated, "How these regional organisations choose to do their business is up to them. We are in a position where should an organisation we have connections with changes we can change our relationship too. We have a good relationship with the founding members of TUNA and now they have added the Alanders and the Cenneg we have no reason to change that. Both these nations are ones that we work well with and have long standing connections. The addition of these two does nothing to change our dealings with them as we already had trading agreements with them."

Naturally a lot of the focus on the monthly questioning was on the recent assault on SeaTowers which ended almost five years of Borlander occupation. First the King was asked about the neccesity of the assault. " We had no intelligence of impending threats coming from SeaTowers, however it was wildly believed that the Borlanders had a capability to release oil into the Alucard, something we are still analysing. Therefore you could argue that SeaTowers was a ticking timebomb that needed to be defused." The King was then asked about the communication that happened with Dartfordia prior to the attack. "While the only assets engaged in the operation were from East Moreland we had kept our friends in Dartfordia notified, in fact it would be difficult to have carried out the operation without the Dartfordians granting permission to utilise their facilities. For that I would like to thank the King of Dartfordia and Prime Minister Cleaver." Finally the King was asked about what will happen to the platform now. "SeaTowers sits closest to Dartfordia. I have agreed that after operations concluded to make the Platform safe that it will be handed over to the Dartfordians. The long term future of the platform is for them to determine. We have a few ideas such as leaving it for a fishing protection area, we've seen how such platforms can attract new fish stocks. However that is for the government of Dartfordia to sort out." The King also confirmed that there were no Borland survivors of the assault and that no Moreland loss of life took place. "It was a model assault, carried out with skill and dedication that utilised the cutting edge technology our military can field. I could not be prouder of what Red Legion have accomplished."

One of the more surprising questions followed news from Neu Urburzis of their young Emperor calling for his nation to become more active globally. The King stated, "Our nation has very little actual day to day co-operation with Neu Urburzis however I do consider the nation friends. I've been fortunate enough to meet their leadership several times and always had positive interactions. Emperor Orion is a young man keen to make a mark and while he is yet to officially assume day to day leadership it is good to see him beginning to map out his own policies. East Moreland would naturally support Neu Urburzis coming on board with many of the projects we've been involved in such as JET. It is my hope that soon we can begin building directly between our two nations based on the foundation built by our younger royals during the time of Princess Rhiannon's illness." The King was asked about the fact the Youth Senate seemed to have permitted a young noble to be lashed for breaking the rules of the Senate. "Every organisation has rules and these must be followed. The people speaking in their Youth Senate know the rules and the consequences. While personally I do not believe lashing someone for their words is appropriate the youngsters are of an age when they know what the consequences will be."

Finally the King fielded questions about the statement from Rokkenjima about their foreign policy. The King was asked about the fact that one Rokkenjiman elected official talked about an Illumic "rabble" and the King was asked about the gulf between the two nations. "Just as those of you sat here today do not carry my voice I'm sure this individual doesn't. Many years ago I signed a treaty with Rokkenjima called the Tri-partite. East Moreland never broke that and have solidly stood beside our word, as we always do. The fact this man describes us as an Illumic rabble shows he clearly doesn't understand the region well. The Illumic had, until his own nation reappeared, one of the most co-ordinated and organised regions on Mundus. While the Ardians are busy sending carrier fleets to each other's backyards over in the Mhorish and Illumic we're co-ordinating naval patrols. He calls us a rabble but forgets the history of East Moreland, it was a rabble of peasants that swung the tide at the Battle of Greenflowers, that rabble became the first Red Legion and helped East Moreland become the nation it is today. Rabble's in the Illumic therefore achieve greatness."

The King is marrying Duchess Stasya Pelagiya on the 22nd February, on the same day of the Cult of Helus.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 09, 2020, 09:23:58 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article5291157.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Chuka-Umunna.jpg)

FOREIGN MINISTER RESIGNS

Following the uncovering of a scandal involving Foreign Minister Edward Tamana the 42 year old has handed in his resignation which has been accepted by King David. It was announced last night via social media that the Minister may not have fully completed his national service. A media source had planned to release their evidence this morning but instead Mr.Tamana released his own statement. "As a young man I completed my time in the military but was considered unsuitable for a long term placement there. I managed to manouver my way into working in a hospital and from there began employment with OsmanTech having falsified my records to convince them that I had already completed my term. I was a young man desperate to work for what I believed to be the greatest scientific company on Mundus and was convinced if I didn't take a chance there and then they would take on someone else. It meant for six months I was pulling shifts in an evening at the hospital in their lab and then during the day at OsmanTech. I'd sleep while I waited for lab results to come in. I realise what I did was wrong and as such I can no longer serve in His Majesties cabinet." Like all Morelanders  Mr.Tamana was expected to serve two years in the military, the first 15 weeks of which is dedicated to military training. After that point those considered unsuitable for a long term placement in the military undertake service in a variety of fields as their qualifications or skills dictate.

The King released a statement later that evening about the situation saying, "Edward Tamana has served as my Foreign Minister and done a great job. It is however the only right course of action that he now leave the post this dishonesty having been uncovered. Mr.Tamana will leave my service with immediate effect and an investigation into how he was able to fool the system will be undertaken. He has given his indication that he will co-operate fully with the investigation. It is my hope that Edward will put in place actions that will redeem himself and I wish him well in doing so." It was also confirmed that Tamana had returned his sword as to gain a sword ceremony in East Moreland an individual needs to have completed their national service and been honourably discharged.  Formal criminal charges have not been ruled out however with the crime having taken place around 20 years ago it will be difficult for investigators to gather evidence.

Front runners to replace Tamana have been thought to include Tim Carpenter, who is currently serving as a special ambassador in the Celtic Protectorate, Princess Freya who is unlikely to want to give up her military career, Sir James Fitzroy who is the current ambassador to Lodja and a close friend of King David or current CNN Ambassador Sir Jacob Longe



(https://images2.sw-cdn.net/product/picture/710x528_2309200_1944706_1459328955.jpg)

NEW CARRIER TO BE NAMED

The beginning of the construction of the new East Moreland  aircraft carrier has been confirmed. The new ship will eventually replace the REMNS Portworth and will also inherit the ships name. The new aircraft carrier is set to be smaller in size than the current pair in service however is able to carrier a sizeable air arm thanks to utilising a VSTOL aircraft. The Ministry of Defence have also confirmed that they are investigating the switch of some of the aircraft between the Navy and the Air Force. Sir Harry Samuelson explained, "The old carriers were able to launch using catapults and recover using arrester hooks, the new ones will lack the recovery aspect and so will utilise a VSTOL system, this means some of the Dragonskin's we currently operate will need to be replaced, the planes are still world class and so we may simply swap them with Dragonbreath fighters from the Air Force which will be carrier capable. We've plenty of time to work that out though."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 15, 2020, 06:14:46 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www2.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Jennifer+Connelly+2020+Winter+TCA+Tour+Day+KbSYKsGAE7ul.jpg)

KING APPOINTS COUSIN AS FOREIGN MINISTER

The King has today announced that his cousin Duchess Orlaith Kade will be the new Foreign Minister. The 49 year old is related to the King through his mother's family and in 1992 married influential Business Lawyer Duke William Osmett, the pair have a 27 year old son called Theodore who is currently serving in the Royal Marines. The move was rather unexpected as Duchess Orlaith has little direct experience with politics and has spent the majority of the last 15 years working as part of the National Intelligence Agency as a Regional Director for Albion. For the last 18 months she has been working as ambassador for Paracambi. The announcement came via the Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker who said, " The King has always tried to surround himself with people that he can trust. The Kade family while not being directly royal themselves have all dedicated themselves in their own way to supporting the Kingdom and so Duchess Orlaith is someone that can be a steady hand. She has a wealthy of experience from a career in the Intelligence Community so while not being at the forefront of international politics she is someone who has been behind the curtain helping guide the decisions of this nation. The King looks forward to working with his cousin closely and is confident that the nation has someone dependable in the position."

The new Foreign Minister arrived at the Palace to officially take the position and spoke briefly to the media. "To outside eyes I know this will look like nepotism however it is my intention over the next few months to demonstrate how my appointment was one made to benefit the nation. I also hope to utilise the skills I've developed in my career to help our nation either develop or advance relationships with an array of nations across Mundus. I look forward to my cousin's wedding and I know that several meetings with other nations will be taking place, it'll be an interesting introduction to the position." The Duchess has also commented on introducing a Junior Minister, "Beyond a handful of individuals we have few people with real experience of diplomatic experience in other nations. We must began training more people to have experience of global politics. As such I will be asking the King to allow me, and other Ministers to begin appointing Junior Ministers so we can have ready made replacements when the need arises."


(https://assets3.thrillist.com/v1/image/2377457/size/sk-2017_04_article_main_mobile.jpg)

MINISTER OF DEFENCE OFFERS SICR MINE CLEARANCE TOOL

Minister of Defence Sir Harry Samuelson has today responded to reports in the Dragonaii Broadcasting Service that the SICR are looking to clear up some of the legacy of their war-time past. A recent report indicated that the nation has a large amount of ordenance missing or its whereabouts lost including several areas of minefields. The East Moreland military have for the last three years operated a remote controlled device made up of several heavily weighted bamboo poles. The Foreign Minister stated, " This device was developed several years ago and has been utilised by East Moreland across Albion to help clear IED's in Krokom, in Ardia during the Mavorosian crisis, in Aranye after the Eugenics war and even in Alba Karinya to support the clean up operation in Heyra. It is in our view the safest and most effective way to clear landmines and our operatives are leading the way in this type of operation. We have seen the way that IED's and landmines can inflict terrible suffering and so if we have a device and expertise that can stop another nation going through hardships seen by those threatres the device has been deployed in then we will do what we can."

The Minister confirmed that a team of 50 Royal Engineers and 10 of the devices could leave East Moreland within three hours of the SICR accepting the offer. "We have teams ready to deploy at short notice for a variety of operations. All we need to do is tell them where to go and thankfully these devices fold down very small so can be transported if need be on civilian airlines in cargo holds. While we have very little formal contact with the SICR we believe that this clean up is something that needs international support if parts of it are to be achieved. I firmly believe East Moreland's Royal Engineers to be the best in the world at cleaning up landmines and therefore hope the Dragonaii accept the help."


Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 17, 2020, 07:05:33 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://static01.nyt.com/images/2016/07/23/world/22LIVEBLOG-MUNICH10/22LIVEBLOG-MUNICH10-tmagArticle.jpg)

RED LEGION CARRY OUT EXERCISE IN PEOPLE'S PARK

As early morning joggers and dog walkers arrived at People's Park which borders the King's Place in Northfort they found the gates locked and a police checkpoint in place. The underground station at the edge of the park was also closed and trains that normally stopped simply passed through instead stopping at the nearby stop on Embassy Row. For most of the day sounds of explosions and gunfire could be heard coming from the station and park as well as several helicopter landings. It was announced just after 7am that a Red Legion rapid reaction exercise was taking place. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence stated, "These exercises go on all the time around the nation and with our international partners. This one has been scheduled to take place just before the Royal Wedding in order to ensure that those supplying security for the event are well honed and ready to respond should anyone attempt to disrupt the wedding and coronation. It is a annoyance to the citizens of Northfort, and for that we apologise, however they are supportive of this kind of exercise as they understand the security situation the capital is under."

The park was reopened just after sunset and those visiting the park found that the various cafes and food stalls dotted around the park were giving away goods for free with compliments of the King. Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker explained, "The King apologises for taking over a park that is essentially the property of the people. It was something that was neccessary and the King hopes the gesture of providing people with free refreshment while enjoying the park that is rightfully theirs goes a small way towards making up for the inconvenience we caused today." The park is also being set up as a venue for one of the many large screens that will show the royal wedding. A total of four large screens will be set up allowing several thousand people to come together and view the festivities together.


(https://bestinau.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/jennifer-connely.jpg)

FOREIGN MINISTER TALKS ON ROKKENJIMA SITUATION

Following a busy news day involving Rokkenjima the new Foreign Minister, Duchess Orlaith Kade, has made her first statement in her new role. "First I wish to extend the nations best wishes to Empress Beatrice. East Moreland have witnessed the damage degenerative conditions like Parkinsons' can cause when the former holder of this role, Robert Kennedy came down with Motor Neurone Disease and of course my own families brush with Hunter Syndrome. These conditions are horrible blights upon our world and I pray the hard work of people such as MPS and OsmanTech can lead to a cure. As for the Kirby report it is a document that pokes at conspiracy and I have no idea why we have even featured among it. When theories are so off the mark they become laughable and as such there is no need to even mention them. I mean could you imagine giving time in a report to someone who denied the fact that the Ardian Genocide never happened? The fact we were even ever suspected shows just how far these conspiracy theorists can push their twisted agenda. It is clear though now that the Anausa is a compromised agency and as such all its members and staff present in East Moreland are being instructed to leave, those failing to do so within 48 hours will be arrested on charges of espionage and dealt with according to the law. Should the Rokkenjiman's at that point wish to push for extradition they may do so once East Moreland courts have dealt with them."

"Moving forward we wish the now Empress Evanthe well in her governorship of Rokkenjima. We understand this is a difficult time for her emotionally with our friend Joshua Rhodes being missing. Should East Moreland be able to aid in that search we shall do so as Seaforth are considered among our greatest friends and Joshua Rhodes a loyal friend of the Ironside family. It is our hope that he will return to his home soon." The Foreign Minister will soon be undertaking her first official meetings with foreign dignitaries alongside her cousin as several nations have utilised the tradition of audiences with the King the day after his marriage.



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 22, 2020, 11:09:14 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i.ibb.co/3dKr40D/mov10.png)

HANIFNEJAD MAKES IT TWO IN A ROW AT OZZIES

The Tamoran made film "A Time of Darkness" has won the coveted award for Best International Film at the Ostlake Movie Awards making it two in a row for it's Director Samira Hanifnejad who won last year with her film "Silence". The award was presented by East Moreland actor Tom Kruis who had earlier in the night won the award for Best Actor for his role in the film "Rolling Loud" which charted the story of the SSC Honeybadger speed record attempt. The East Moreland Film and Music Academy present the awards for a range of domestic and international categories and their statement said, "While it is true to say that a Time of Darkness didn't threaten to break any records at the box office in East Moreland it is not the business of the Academy to pass out awards on ticket sales. We look for quality story-telling, innovative methods, the beauty of the sound of vision we see on screen and while as a piece of history there is much debate about the films content you can't argue with the fact that Ms.Hanifnejad has produced a moving and beautiful film." The film had courted controversey in some parts of Mundus because of its interpretation of the conflict between the USR and Clysperis, this had seen the Academy formally requested to withdraw the nomination for A Time for Darkness from the government of Rodinha and Kaitaine. The Academy's spokesman stated, "We do not allow politics to influence our decisions. It is up to each cinema goer to determine for themselves what to take from the films they watch."

Meanwhile the film "Wings" from Tytor scooped the award for Best International Short Film. The Academy had the award presented by Royal Artist in Residence Jocelyn Hopkins who explained the Academies decision later saying, "In a day and age when the art of story telling can be lost in an effort of making special effect action packed extravaganza's there is something beautifully sweet and simple about this. The fact it could have been done with amazing CGI yet is done so beautifully by hand makes it something new and different yet looking retro." The film was largely shown in East Moreland cinema as a pre-feature to many childrens films throughout the year and is likely to be more familiar to cinema goers than the film which scooped Best International Film.

It was however the nation of Achkaerin which did best in terms of total number of awards won. First up Cassidy Raven won the award for Best International Song Featured in a Motion Picture for her song from Star Trek: Rogue. The Award was presented by Luka from  2Cellos, a band that won the award for Best Score in a Motion Picture for their work on Sci-Fi film Adastra. This was the first of the awards given to Achkaerin with the 2nd coming courtesy of "What Next for Space Exploration" which won Best International Documentary, this was presented to EMTV's Shelly Coe. Rachel Dixon, East Moreland's most experience astronaut later said, "The documentary is simple for the uninformed to follow but creates interesting discussion points for those of us within the business so to speak. It's the kind of documentary that in 10 years time we'll be pulling out to see which bits came true." The final award won by Achkaerin was for Best International Animated Short which was won by Piper which tells the story of a baby bird overcoming its fear of water to become a provider for its flock. The award was again presented by Jocelyn Hopkins who said, "The film is a great lesson for life, face your fears and great things can happen."

The star of the awards though has to be Samira Hanifnejad who has become the first Director to win back to back Ozzies and has firmly placed Tamoran cinema on the global stage.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 05, 2020, 09:54:13 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i1.wp.com/www.wazzup.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Strike-Back-Returns.jpg?resize=590%2C393)

REDFERN TO HEAD TO ROKKENJIMA

Red Legion's Major Alex Redfern, husband of Princess Freya, has been named by the Rokkenjiman government as the leader of a team of observers to oversee an upcoming referedum on the future of the nation. The move comes following the abdication of Beatrice Anselmo as Empress of Rokkenjima and Evanthe Anselmo once again assuming the reigns of power. Many believe the decision to hold a referendum comes as a reaction to recent criticism of Rokkenjima by Neuva Ardian President Tero Melos who has been the target of scrutiny over the recent referendum in Neuva Ardia. Major Redfern, despite being a solider, has experience of overseeing referendums in multiple locations after serving as King David's Chief of Royal Household. Redfern has overseen referendums in Nya Aland, Mavrosia and Academica among others and is possibly the most experienced foreign observer of referendums on Mundus. Speaking as he arrived at Northfort Palace to begin assembling his team he spoke briefly with the media saying, "It's interesting we're the go to for this. Rokkenjima broke off their formal co-operation with us and it is well documented our nations do not see eye to eye on many issues. By having East Moreland taking the lead on this then it is clear that we'll be having an unbiased eye on the situation. Over the next week or so I'll be utilising my contacts across Mundus to put together a multi-national team that will ensure this is a result beyond reproach."

Redfern was asked whether he believed it was a mistake having a soldier and not a diplomat leading the observation team. "Not at all" the Major explained, "To observe a referendum you undertake many of the same tasks as you do with an operation. You ensure you plan for your teams to be at a set place at a set time with all the equipment they need to get the job done. You utilise the element of surprise and take advantage of any mistakes to find out where best to strike. If there are issues with the process we will find them." Redfern has yet to announce anyone who will be part of the team however it is expected that it will make significant use of the nations links with several different nations.


(https://images.cdn.circlesix.co/image/1/640/0/uploads/articles/engine-1-543bbbe7eae38.jpeg)

EMAC TO GO "OLD SCHOOL" ON SPEED RECORD

Sir Alan Maybury of EMAC has today announced that they are focusing on completing an attempt at yet another speed record. It is hoped that the EMAC BangBadger will break the speed record for a piston engined vehicle, a record that currently stands at 448.757mph. Speaking at EMAC HQ in Technology City Sir Alan explained the reasoning behind the project. "We've been playing about with trying to design new ways of making piston engines more effective, as such we have a number of new little tweeks that will help in the future but for them to prove their worth we need to do something special and when we think special EMAC think speed. It's our hope that by breaking this record we can once again show that EMAC are capable of being able to compete with any technological company in the world. We set targets, we meet them, thats what we do by doing these project, plus they've been extremley fun."

The location for the test run has yet to be determined however it is likely that somewhere such as Royal Seleucid or Kaitaine which has large open deserts will be preferred. "At the moment we're focusing on producing the vehicle and the engine, once that is done we'll know exactly what we're dealing with and only then will we begin looking for somewhere to let this thing loose." Sir Alan was also questioned on the environmental impact of such tests. "At EMAC we've been at the forefront of producing more efficent, greener engines. We've pioneered electric aviation projects and we've utilised airships to try and ensure the carbon footprint of these is almost nothing. We will also take part in projects that off-set the emissions we do make. East Moreland has a huge ongoing project to replant huge areas of forest, we'll make sure we spearhead a lot of this to help improve our environment." The campus on which EMAC's HQ is located will in the coming weeks see some 5,000 trees planted as well as the utilisation of more green energy projects. "It is our aim that our administrative and educational facilities are carbon neutral by the end of 2022." Sir Alan added.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 23, 2020, 12:05:32 AM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.moreradio.online/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/10094005/skynews-chris-coogan-greed_4800197.jpg)

"NO TIME FOR PASSENGERS" SAYS NEW CHIEF COUNCILLOR

Grant Nightingale was today named as the nations new Chief Councillor following his victory in the leadership election for the Traditionalist Party. The 54 year old represents the constituency of Silverhills Central and is a former member of the Royal East Moreland Naval Service before entering politics following the Regency Crisis when he was one of the six founders of the Traditionalist Party. Since the formation of the party he has been credited with being one of the campaign managers during the two elections and is considered by many to have been the power behind the thrones of Hugo McGregor and Thomas More's stints as Chief Councillor. His victory, with a comfortable 60% of the parties membership, see's him gain his first formal office position however within any political setting. Speaking following the announcement of his victory and his swearing in as Chief Councillor he stated, "For too long I've been content in letting Hugo and Thomas carry the can of the leadership of the party. I have been a passenger along for the ride enjoying a comfortable ride in the back seat while others did the heavy lifting. That has to stop if the party are to remain the true representatives of the people of East Moreland. There is no time for passengers anymore within our party and we must act as the guardians for East Moreland. We are seeing the creeping influence of outsiders in East Moreland, and while I am delighted we have a new Queen I am a little concerned about the influences she has surrounded herself with. We must ensure the nation remains true to the work of the Cult of Helus as we are after all the Holy Land. At the same time however we must not sway too far the other way and be intolerant of others like our friends Nya Aland can be at times. It will be my aim in the coming days to table several measures of advice calling on actions from the King to protect our heritage, our culture, our language and our place as the home of Helus."

Nightingale later announced that he had appointed Alex Morris (https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1016053395071930369/iriFMPnd_400x400.jpg) as his Deputy Party Leader saying, "Previously we've looked at the idea of appointing youthful and committed members to the higher eschalons of the party in order to make ourselves prepared for the future, giving youngsters experience to learn the nature of politics. That's a crazy thing to do in many ways. As a nation we have only had a Representative Council for just over five years, we're all pretty inexperienced and so age doesn't really matter. Alex is a solid hand on the rudder and someone I trust to give me sound and frank words of advice when needed." The two men meet during their National Service however while Nightingale committed to a military Naval career his friend Morris instead opted to become a civilian martime engineer and has spent the last 20 years or so running a business constructing engines for a variety of naval craft.

The new Chief Councillor is expected to meet the King and Queen tomorrow at Northfort Palace. Nightingale will be the nations forth Chief Councillor in just over five years with Tim Carpenter being the first until he resigned in order to become the CTO's first Secretary General. He was replaced by Hugo McGregor who was murdered during a terror attack on the Royal Palace in Northfort. The most recent holder of the post was Thomas More who resigned following the announcement that Queen Stasya had turned to the Sisterhood of Helus, his resignation being a protest against the marriage to someone following what he called "a heretical faith."



(https://cdn.sportspromedia.com/images/made/images/uploads/news/gloucester_rugby_team_630_354_80_s_c1.jpg)
"UNJUST WORLD CUP" SPARKS ROOT AND BRANCH REFORM

For many nations reaching a World Cup Third Place Play-off would be seen as a success however for East Moreland's national rugby team, known affectionatly as the Honey-Badgers this is cause for a major inquest. The defeat to the Commonwealth of the Unified Iwi has seen calls for a change in the way the tournament is run. These were lead largely by Sir Clyde Winwood, former world cup winning coach and now coach of Lodja whom he steered to the Quarter Finals. The veteran coach said, "This is an unjust world cup. They've tried a new format and it just doesn't make sense. We had a league were everyone played everyone and East Moreland defeated everyone, they scored bonus points in 13 of their 19 games. It was as dominant a league campaign as anyone could expect. To go on a 20 match unbeaten run and lose the trophy to a team that failed to beat two of their opponents just seems insane. Add to that the fact the tournament will see the winners have played 22 games its going to impact the domestic seasons hugely."

Even before returning home the East Moreland Rugby Football Union (EMRFU) has already announced changes to improve the game. Lord James Cargill is the Game Development Officer and responsible for directing the future of rugby in East Moreland. "We're bringing in what we believe to be a few radical changes. First up we are going to have 50 players on central contracts. These players will be employed by the EMRFU and will have every aspect of their coaching over looked by ourselves. They will be "loaned" to domestic clubs who will pay their wages back to the EMRFU on a game by game basis. This won't see players like Rollo MacAllister, who I assume will be offered a contract, having to leave the Northfort Royals, but will mean if we want him rested we have the right to do so, if we want him to join a training squad we can. This will build an ability to form a healthy, well drilled squad. The second major change we're bringing in is that we are doing away with age categories in rugby up to 16 years of age, until that point players will play in bands set by weight and not age. We believe this will make junior rugby more competative as we've all seen teams at Under 14 level for example turn up with the one freakishly big player no one can stop. This now won't happen and will help focus on the fundamentals. The third thing we will do is build a national centre of excellence for rugby in Silverhills, this will be almost like a boarding school where students will be given a world class education and be able to be groomed for sporting excellence. Finally we will be entering this schools first team in the domestic league's third tier to ensure they gain regular playing experience."

Cargill also announced that extra-funding would be made available for clubs to develop training facilities, recruit more players and develop women's rugby. Sir Clyde was supportive of the measures, "We've a good squad, a 20 game winning run proves that, what these changes mean is that we will have a assembly line for future greatness. Not winning this world cup is a failure. To beat every team in the world and have nothing to show for it is awful and can not happen again." It is expected King David will be present for the 3rd Place playoff which will see the Honeybadgers take on neighbours Vaguzia in Ui Cenneslaig.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 24, 2020, 10:22:06 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/691408894391484477/691784303566127145/unknown.png)

BUSY DAY FOR KING DAVID

Despite recently marrying the King has had little time for a Honeymoon. This morning the King had his first meeting with the new Chief Councillor Grant Nightingale before having to deal with news from Vaguzia. The King spoke on the death of Private Miguel Alarcon at the hands of the West Moreland Revolutionary Army. "Private Miguel Alarcon has today been murdered by a group of people who despite calling themselves Cultist and Morelanders are as far from it as we are from the moon. A Morelander is someone who holds dear to their heart the words of the Lord of the Gods, Helus. He told us "Loyalty to an unjust cause is a perversion of honour." , being loyal to a group that believe it is just to murder a man serving his people, a man who has stood shoulder to shoulder with the forces of East Moreland to defend the defenceless is a group that have no honour and as such I have today called upon the High Priestess of the Cult of Helus to brand any member of the WMRA a Lack-Blade. They are a group of people who when their death comes must stand in front of the God Rolaf and all their ancestors and explain how they have left their family name in a better place, and thus being Lack-Blade they will be cast down into the darkness forever more. Had the WMRA called for a life as an independent nation of West Moreland and followed a path to it peacefully they would have found us willing to listen, to perhaps even support, to offer them the hand of friendship as we have Bakkermaya. However now it is clear that the WMRA and the people who follow them can never be friends of ours and as such are now enemies of the people of East Moreland. With immediate effect I am sending Duke Legion to the border zone with instructions that should any member of the WMRA attempt to cross the border in either direction they are to be engaged and if possible detained, if not destroyed. Vaguzia are a nation we are proud to call friends and we stand beside them now in their time of mourning one of their soldiers."

The deployment was supported by the new Chief Councillor, Grant Nightingale, who had also been officially sworn in by the King today. Following his meeting the new post holder said "Vaguzia are a nation that has stood beside our military many times. Now it is only correct that we stand before them. Things between East Moreland and this province of West Moreland could have easily been great, we could have worked together to spread the Cult of Helus through good deeds and positivity, not through violence. The WMRA are now in the eyes of the East Moreland military invaders as they have numerous times crossed our border. You invade the Holy Land then you feel the wrath of Jekar."

The King later spoke of the appointment of Mr.Nightingale saying, "I believe East Moreland has a shrewd Chief Councillor. He is a man who has in many ways served our nation well and having now meet him and sworn him in as Chief Councillor I am excited in working with him." It is believed that the Chief Councillor presented the King with a number of proposed pieces of legislation and is likely to present the first of them to the Representative Council next Monday. The King said, "It would be unfair of me to present these ideas before Mr.Nightingale has an opportunity. I am excited by some while cautious of others and I look look forward to assessing the views of the people of East Moreland."



(https://www.talkingrugbyunion.co.uk/images/e-009649/paul-gustard.jpg)

PAUL GUSTARN NAMED NEW HONEYBADGERS COACH

With the World Cup over and East Moreland finishing third it was today announced that the contract of Head Coach Eddie John was not to be renewed. In the wake of an undefeated league run which saw the Honeybadgers defeat every nation in the World Cup the team lost to the Unified Iwi in the semi-final prompting a series of reforms to the national game. In a move that shows it was highly likely John's was to step aside regardless of the result the new Head Coach was named just 12 hours after the team arrived back. Gustarn had served as a video analyst under the reign of Sir Clyde Winwood before taking over as Forwards Coach under Johns before joining Winwood again as Deputy Head Coach of the Lodjain team. Lord James Cargill, the Game Development Officer of the EMRFU, stated, "Paul is someone who at club level helped shape the dominance of the Northfort Royals as both a player and a coach. While his international career never saw the kind of success the Honeybadgers have enjoyed that was more down to the fact less international tournaments existed rather than a lack of talent. He is a player that many in the squad will have a looked up to as youngsters beginning in the sport, and his tracked record as a coach at various levels is impressive. His management and the methods we have put in place to support the continued growth of the game will ensure that the Honeybadgers remain a force to be reckoned with in the years to come."

It was also confirmed that the East Moreland Womens Rugby Football Union (EMWRFU) have been formally approached by the EMRFU about merging the two organisations. This was  a move Lord James Cargill said, "Is something we need to ensure the long term strength of the game. We want stadiums to be full of people of all ages enjoying the game and that means the support of women at all levels of the sport and in all roles is something we want to support. We are in a fortunate position to be able to make a profit most years from TV revenue, commercial deals and various other revenue streams, sadly we understand the EMWRFU at times struggle to make the investments they wish. It is my belief pooling our resources we can get more bang for our buck and improve the game for everyone." Lord Cargill's counter-part at the EMWRFU is Helen Caines who said, "We will hear what Lord Cargill has to offer, then we shall do what is best for the women's game. At the moment I am not sure how I will go in terms of decision making but it shall come down to a vote of the board and I shall be happy to go along with the majority of the members."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 26, 2020, 09:51:57 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/691408894391484477/692853136590635099/unknown.png)

MILITARY HEAD TO BORDER IN LARGE NUMBERS

Residents in the western parts of East Moreland today woke to find large convoys of armoured vehicles and military trucks heading towards the border with Vaguzia. The King yesterday mobilised Duke Legion to help patrol the border with Vaguzia following the murder of a Vaguzian soldier by the group known as the WMRA. The King was highly critical of the group which considers itself Morelanders and Cultists and has in the past called for independence from Vaguzia. Around 18,000 men in total have moved towards the border and there was an increased presence in helicopter activity. General Michael Bull is in command of the Legion and was one of those moving towards the border. "We've a huge border with Vaguzia and a lot of it features mountainous terreian. Its important in the coming weeks we ensure that no illegal movement across the frontier takes place and that we meet any threat with a reasonable response as swiftly as possible."

The Legion will also be supported by regular air patrols from the Air Force who have been given the task of providing close air support. General Bull explained, "The landscape often means closing with an enemy can be difficult. We therefore will be calling on the Air Force to neutralise targets we are not able to close with in a timely manner." The Royal East Moreland Naval Service will also be stepping up patrols in the area to ensure that the Mhorish is not used as a way of smuggling things between the two nations.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 31, 2020, 01:35:05 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e0/6a/3e/e06a3eb413c251af9d8c1c17b62fc6bd.jpg)

SMARTWAR TO HEAD TO KROKOM



Following the recent spate of incidents in Nya Aland which the Gungnir have claimed is them jamming communications satellites the East Moreland government have asked technology company SmartWar to help investigate. It was confirmed that Martin Dawson, the companies founder, had set off for the Alander capital with support from 20 members of East Moreland's Cyber Legion. Dawson spoke briefly with the media from his company jet as he made the journey saying, "This is a type of terrorism the planet has never seen before. It's not something anyone was prepared for and as such is going to require something original in how it is combatted. The Alanders have without doubt one of the most advanced satellite and space programmes on Mundus however they are less well renowned for their military applications of their science and that is where we come in. I'm excited by the chance to work with the brains down there but I wish it was under more favourable circumstances."

The announcement comes not long after Rokkenjima announced that it would ban sales of technology and ban sales of military hardware to the nation. This was a move criticised by Sir Harry Samuelson the East Moreland Minister of Defence. "I fully understand the comments the Rokkenjimans have made regarding the Alanders. Where as our approach to terrorism is high profile operations the Alanders have always approached it in a much quieter way. This however does not mean they are not doing anything. Let us remember that the last three Gungnir operations have been an attack on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Vanora, the crucifixion of Christians in Nya Aland and mass executions of non-Odinists during the Uppsala Crisis. The attack in Jerusalem has seen no justice served, meanwhile those responsible for the crucifixion have been neutralised, and over 1,000 Alanders died in attempts to halt those attacks against non-Odinists in Uppsala. While it is true to say that the Alanders have not successfully rooted out all the Gungnir and could in my view have placed greater pressure on them to say that substantive action has not taken place is to disrespect the lives of those Alanders who died stopping the slaughter in Krokom. When Alanders have had a chance to strike the Gungnir they have, what we need to do as Mundus is create more opportunities for them to do so and we do not create those opportunities by pushing the Alanders away. Fine advise your people not to go there because of their stance on religion, limit what they can sell to your nation, but to treat the Alanders as you would an enemy is a mistake in my view." Samuelson was asked about what the East Moreland reaction to the recent incidents would be, "We see this as a threat very different to what has happened before. People are still trying to react to the first information and things are moving rapidly. The loss of satellite communications is something that could have a huge impact for everyone on Mundus and as such we must give the Alanders as much information as we can to ensure we can work out first how this is happening and then second to stop it."

It is expected that members of East Moreland's Red Legion currently in Nya Aland for training purposes will be made operational if required by the Alanders.



(https://www.naturepl.com/cache/pcache2/01595442.jpg)

IS "JEKAR'S CAT" STILL IN THE WILD?

The Alpine Lynx, known in East Moreland as Jerkar's Cat was thought to have become extinct in 2001 when scientists from Keepton University failed to find any evidence of a single one during an annual wildlife survey. These results were backed up by a 2002 study and also confirmed with a University in Hassfurt leading experts to conclude that the medium sized wild cat had been hunted to its end. However during EMTV's filming for a new wildlife documentary in the Eastern Alps a remote camera picked up an image of what is believed to be a lone female. The news excited the EMTV presenter Ed Morton who said, "I've seen a few in zoo's but never imagined the chance of seeing one in the wild. We thought they'd all gone but somewhere in the Alps one remains, hopefully that means others but we know these cats live solitary when adults so perhaps this is the last one. The problem is that its not unknown for a lynx to travel 20km in a single night and so the chances of it being seen again is going to be remote."

One interested wildlife fan is former Queen of East Moreland, Matilda Osman, founder of the Wild Mundus Organisation who was delighted with the discovery. " Of course I'm thrilled by the picture. What we now need to know is does this have a mate or is it infact the last of a species. We have a chance to save it if we can find that it is infact a pair and I'll be praying that's the case. If it is the last then we must ensure that she can live out the rest of her life in safety in her own environment. If WMO can help with this in any way I stand ready to do what I can." It is thought Miss Osman will be meeting with local wildlife experts to try and put in place a project to track the animal and hopefully find more of the Lynx.

Not all were happy with the discovery however as one local farmer explained. "We've always had livestock killed by predators, its part of being a farmer in the Alps. We've always assumed these are wolves or something similar. Now we have the threat of another predator species blossoming again. I say they need to be got rid of before they just get out of hand. If it comes near my farm I'll shoot it." The Law for the Protection of Wildlife, otherwise known as "Matilda's Law" would make it illegal to shoot a lynx unless it was shot in defence of a person or their livestock.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 07, 2020, 08:52:10 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/691408894391484477/697155513095422063/unknown.png)

ROYALS BEGIN CNN "HONEYMOON TOUR"

Following the completion of the wedding festivities King David and the newly coronated Queen Stasya have departed for a honeymoon period that will see them visit all three other CNN countries. The newlyweds will first travel to Lodja where they will spend 4 days on the island of Iskor where Queen Stasya was born before spending 48 hours in Gaia. From there they will fly to Hunters Bay where it is believed that King Piripi of the Commonwealth of the Unified Iwi has loaned the couple a countryside residence for 3 days. Finally they will travel to Ui Cenneslaig where the pair will have access to King Finley's Highland estate for 4 days. While the King and Queen are travelling it is understood that the King will keep in constant contact with Northfort but will hand over day to day decision making to his sister Princess Freya who will be supported by Prime Minister Henrietta Quinn. Queen Stasya was seen arriving at Northfort's King Robert International Airport from where the couple will depart in the recently delivered royal jet. Princess Rhiannon is expected to join the honeymooners when they reach Ui Cenneslaig marking what will be her first visit to the nation.

The wedding was the most viewed TV programme of the last 10 years with an estimated 82million Morelanders watching it live with a global audience thought to be many times that number as reports of huge viewership in the Lodja reported. This far exceeds the audience that watched the King's previous marriage to Matilda Osman which saw around 60million Morelanders watch live and a limited global audience. The new Foreign Minister, Orlaith Kade, spoke about what this means for East Moreland. "The fact that a King of East Moreland getting married attracts viewership around Mundus is something that I think speaks a lot about the way King David has built relationships across the world. Granted there is something that sparks the imagination about a royal wedding but the fact several nations picked up the live feed shows they have an interest in us as a nation." There had been worries that the broadcast may have been impacted by the recent satellite outages in Nya Aland however it was reported that no such disruption took place.

While making his way through the airport King David spoke to several members of the public who were wishing him well, he also briefly spoke to the media before boarding Ironside One saying, "On behalf of myself and my beautiful new Queen I'd like to thank the people of East Moreland who came out to watch the events and those around the world who have wished us well. It was great to see so many old friends come and celebrate with us while also seeing some new friends come and share our special day. After the chaos of the last week or so I look forward to a few days of calm before getting back to the day to day grind of looking after East Moreland."


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/691408894391484477/697167239572357120/unknown.png)

FREYA TALKS TERRORISM AS BROTHER DEPARTS

An hour after her brother King David left East Moreland to begin his honeymoon his sister Princess Freya spoke out about recent incidents of terrorism. "In the last few days we've seen what appears to be a unique form of terrorism coming out of Nya Aland and Ikhan has seen a sacred ceremony of rememberance sullied by the acts of terrorists. As I speak to you we have no idea on the condition of the Ikhan Emperor following his shooting. We pray to Helus that he recovers swiftly and that his would be assassins face swift justice soon. Against both these acts of terrorism East Moreland condemns the actions of those responsible and I repeat the fact that our nation will do whatever we can to bring those responsible for it to justice." The Princess then confirmed that the nation are looking at ways of co-operating with the Alanders regarding the satellite issue saying. " This is a totally new threat no nation on Mundus has faced before. What we must remember is that what we have seen one group of terrorists do others have tried to emulate. As a world we must unite to stop this current satellite attack or there will be grave consequences for all of us on Mundus as this attack has so far not discrimnated against nation." She confirmed East Moreland had procedures in place to ensure security of communications and transportation, "I did two years on secondment with the Air Force, all our military are trained to fly and sail not relying on GPS if necessary. I'm confident we can still operate robustly even in the worst of scenarios."

She then went on to speak of the situation in Ikhan saying, "I want the government there to know that while we may have yet forged no formal agreement on intelligence sharing should we uncover anything connected to the assassination attempt then rest assured we will pass it over. Attacks such as this are cowardly and a strong message must be sent that they can not be successful." The Princess is due to chair a briefing of the Royal Aeronautical Society, Intelligence Agencies and the military at Ostlake tomorrow where it is expected that further anti-terrorist measures will be discussed.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 10, 2020, 10:39:42 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-c51569fbaf2d349e91b8d6c5cf625bf4)

BOTH DRONE CARRIERS HEAD TO THE MHORISH AMID UBRIEKLLAND REFORMS

Both REMNS Cylon and REMNS Dalek left their homebases today following an announcement from Princess Freya. The King's sister had requested permission for the ships to leave port and head to the Mhorish amid reports from Ubreiklland that they are going to possibly ban faiths that "that is not acknowledged by the state religion". It is understood that the Princess had a brief conference call with her brother who is on honeymoon who gave the go ahead for the deployment. The Princess attended the daily Palace press briefing in person to make the statement regarding the deployment. "When we hear of nations beginning to take the step of banning certains faiths from even existing we naturally have alarm bells ringing. We have seen certain faiths picked out and their members isolated before and it has at times ended in attempts at genocide. As things stand we are unsure what steps Ubreikland are taking regarding the status of members of the Cult of Helus. I wish to repeat the long standing promise made by my brother, East Moreland will welcome all followers of the Cult and should any Cultist in Ubriekland feel their life is in danger we naturally will do what we can. In the past we have been the largest supporter of refugees across Mundus and in every situation where we have been successful one of the keys was having significant assets on the scene as soon as possible. The Drone Carriers allow us to launch a whole host of different assets depending on what the operation requires and its size allows us to accommodate a significant number of refugees on board if it comes to that."

When asked whether she thought there would be an issue for members of the Cult of Helus in Ubreikland the Princess responded saying, "I hope not. I have no knowledge of any issues relating to the Cult of Helus representing a problem there. We're a faith that sees service to our nation and a dedication to the law as important paths to follow. They are forms of worship in themselves. The leadership of Ubreikland have made no approaches to ourselves as essentially the Holy Land of the Cult, nor to the High Priestess, the leader of the faith. I would have imagined this would have been a sound course to head down especially given our track record of taking action against terrorist who claim to be members of the Cult. The leadership of Ubreikland even had an opportunity to address any concerns face to face with my brother the day after his wedding as many nations across Mundus did. In Northfort however we do not close the door and should their government wish to work with us then we'd be delighted to show them the truth about the Cult."

The Princess confirmed that while the vessels were deployed and waiting instructions they would be working with the Air Force perfecting a number of drills. "We're looking at new ways we can use UAV's from the carriers. This time at sea but with no clear operation presents an oppurtunity for these tests and so we shall use it to the best of our advantage." While the nations had a third drone carrier this is currently on lease to the Lodjain Navy under the name HMDS Morelander and reports suggest that it may be sold to the Lodjains in order to part fund the new aircraft carrier that is being constructed in Portworth.


(https://sm.imgix.net/13/30/germand-super-cup_2.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip)

"KINGSMEN" PROVIDE KING WITH LATE WEDDING PRESENT

AFC Roberton today clinched the EMAC National Trophy, the nations most prestigious knock out football competition. The AFC team were purchased by King David three years ago when they were languishing in the lower half of the 2nd tier. In his first year of ownership the team, lead by their Head Coach Joseph Renner clinched promotion to the Premier League after finishing 2nd in the table. They have since finished each of the subsequent seasons in the top 4 of the Premier League but had still never won a trophy in their almost 80 years of existence. Today AFC Roberton, affectionatly known as "The Kingsmen" since the King's takeover, defeated the nations most successful team Northfort United 3-2 in a mouth watering final held at King Robert Arena in Northfort.

AFC despite the victory found it hard going finding themselves 1-0 down after just 2 minutes and then having pulled things back level in the 30th minutes saw that lead slip through their fingers just 90seconds later. The team however put on a masterclass of attacking football in the 2nd half scoring two unanswered goals to leave the game 3-2, a scoreline which flatters Northfort United who were powerless to stop the pair of AFC wingers from causing mayhem. The trophy was lifted by the teams 26 year old captain and midfield general Andrew Steel. "I joined AFC as 15 year old boy who was told I'd never make it as a rugby player. I spent 8 years working as a bricklayer while playing football, the two years ago I was one of the first in East Moreland to sign professionally after the King took control of our club. Since then I've been living my dream but there was something missing and today that gap has been filled. Our fans have waited forever for this and I think this will be the start of regular victories." The East Moreland international went on to say, "This wouldn't have been possible without King David stepping in to fund the club in an effort to get more money into the game in our nation. Northfort United have been amazing getting to two Mundus Champion League finals despite our sport being semi-pro then. We've now had the Premier League be 100% professional for 12 months and its paying off. The King started that revolution and we're proud to have got him a late wedding present. I just hope he found time to watch."

It was also later confirmed in the day that Silverhills F.C's chairman Sir Thomas Trew had accepted a bid of around $20million for the club from the Pelagiya family consortium headed by Queen Stasya's father Duke Tobias. Sir Thomas said, "The club has been in my family for 40 years and I've done as much as I can. I love the club and I love the team. We need to make progress though and in modern football that takes money. Duke Tobias has said if he completes the purchase he intends for me to have some role in the club and I'm grateful for that, I suspect though our matches with AFC Roberton will have taken on a new element."

There are currently 10 league games left to play in the season with only Northfort United and Kings Crossing F.C standing any chance of realistically taking the title. Northfort United will have won their 17th League title if they succeed in holding onto first place, meanwhile Kings Crossing F.C will take their 3rd title victory.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 11, 2020, 09:36:33 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)
(https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBYDUzB.img?h=0&w=720&m=6&q=60&u=t&o=f&l=f&x=550&y=358)

"HELUS" VISITS NORTHFORT AND GETS ARRESTED

Yesterday Police in Northfort arrested former Air Force pilot Leyton Arkwright (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=214.msg13799#msg13799) during his visit to the Temple of Marissa in Northfort. The 56 year old veteran currently resides in Academica where he goes by the name of Helus Unasson and has on several occasions claimed to actually be the God Helus. He has amassed a small community of followers in an isolated rural area known as Helusiandale all of which recognise him as a living God. He has on several occasions spoken openly about his belief that the High Priestess Skye Maddix should step aside and that King David is in fact his great-great etc grandson. Despite these outlandish claims which many Cultists would find heretical he was however arrested for theft. Mr.Arkwright had arrived in Northfort early in the morning and had already visited the Temples of Rolaf and Jekar. He was asked to leave the Temple of Jekar after beginning some ritual with three of his followers which he claimed would ressurrect the God of War. He was challenged by two members of the East Moreland military who routinely patrol the Temple District and was asked to move on as he was attempting to spill blood from his own hand on the temple floor. Eye witnesses described the scene. "This man with a huge beard came in with four others and they cleared a large area among the wooden seats, this attracted the attention of two members of the military who initially stood aside. He began yelling what sounded like prayers to get the attention of Jekar but we all just thought he was some idiot. The next minute he's got a knife out and is really awkwardly trying to gouge a huge chunk of his thumb out. It was then the two soldiers moved in and restrained him before ushuring him out of the Temple." The Priestess of Jekar for Northfort is Elleanor Duerden who said after the incident, "Jekar's Temples do see a fair bit of blood. Usually at the alter where people will bring their new swords and prick their thumbs to ask Jekar for a blessing. We provide swabs, plasters and various other things so the blood only goes on the metal blade, which is what is supposed to happen. The way this man was going on was as though he was going to take his whole thumb off there in the centre of the Temple. We had to mop up some of the blood once he'd gone and I'm only thankful we had the soldiers passing."

The two soldiers released Mr.Arkwright outside the Temple and when he and his followers made their way to the Temple of Marissa. There he was arrested after they witnessed him walk up to the alter and throw one of two glass boxes containing the offerings from the King's wedding onto the floor. He picked up the dagger inside and was placing it into his jacket pocket when the the soldiers placed him under arrest. The Priestess of Marissa, Claire Patrick, was there when the arrest happened. "I was giving three of our trainee Priestesses a tour of the Temple as they'd just arrived from Bakkermaya yesterday. We saw this man come in and walk with a sense of purpose up to the alter and pick up one of the glass boxes we had put the King's offering in as a way of allowing the public to see it. He then just smashed it on the floor and carefully picked through the glass and picked up the dagger. As the soldiers grabbed him he began to protest saying that the dagger was a gift to him from his grandson and he was merely collecting what was rightfully his through his wife. He kept yelling "Do you know who I am" as the soldiers dragged him away.

The military patrol was being carried out by members of the 2nd Northfort Rifle Regiment who are currently on security duties in the capital alongside the police. It is standard operating procedures for soldiers to patrol the streets and work alongside the Police and on this occasion a police officer took Mr.Arkwright into custody for the crime of theft. He was taken to Northfort Central Police Station where he was processed before being released on bail with conditions of having to appear before the court in a weeks time, not being permitted to leave the city of Northfort and having to stay away from the Temple District, he will also have to meet with a member of the Armed Forces Support Services who will assess his mental health prior to court proceedings. As a military veteran with seemingly no financial means to defend himself Legionnaire Legacy provided him a lawyer who made a statement after his clients release. "Mr.Unasson says he has committed no crime as it is not theft to simply take your own property from your own house. While we await formal court hearings we ask the press to respect Mr.Unasson's privacy and his right to be assumed innocent until proven guilty." Later in the day however he was seen being ushered away from Northfort Royal Palace demanding to be allowed to see his great-great grandson King David. The King is currently out of the country on his Honeymoon.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 17, 2020, 10:57:25 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)
(https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BBYDUzB.img?h=0&w=720&m=6&q=60&u=t&o=f&l=f&x=550&y=358)

"HELUS" SENTENCED TO PRISON

Following his arrest for theft Leyton Arkwright has been found guilty and will serve 12 weeks in prison. The trial saw the man who claims to be the reincarnation of the God Helus accused of attempting to take a dagger from the Temple of Marissa claiming that it was his property. Mr.Arkwright was arrested by members of the military who were witnesses in the trial. Mr.Arkwright refused to enter a plea stating "This court meets to judge the very laws that I gave you. If it pleases me I could snap my fingers and change any law by which you seek to put me on trial so I have nothing to say to this court." As a result a not guilty verdict was entered on his behalf and a trial took place throughout which Mr.Arkwright refused to speak. His lawyer appointed by the court attempted to argue insanity however this plea was not considered accurate as the judge stated, "Mr.Arkwright has no track record of mental illness. While we believe he is not Helus he is entitled to his religious opinion." Following testimony from the two arresting soldiers as well as security camera footage the guilty verdict was reached in short order and Mr.Arkwright was sentenced to 60 hours of community service and a EM£200 fine. The judge stated, "Until now Mr.Arkwright you have no criminal involvement and have a perfect, and highly complimentary, military record, as such I believe a custodial sentence would be wholly inappropriate for a first offence." Mr.Arkwright however refused to accept the sentence and so the judge instead changed the sentence to 12 weeks in prison. Mr.Arkwright will serve his sentence at the low security Keepton Gaol, usually used for those due to be released for non-violent crimes having served more than  5 years in prison.

Mr.Arkwright's supporters had gathered outside the court and have spoken of appealing directly to the King for their leaders release. One individual stated, "Helus is the father of King David and I am sure once he knows that his ancestor is locked up unfairly in his name then he will ensure his release." The King is currently on his honeymoon and has not made any statement regarding the situation.


(https://cdn1.thr.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/NFE_Landscape/2013/06/moyer_a.jpg)
EMAC TO RUN HEYRAN AIRLINE

It was announced recently that EMAC had won the contract to take over the running of air routes within Heyra. The fee paid by EMAC for the routes had yet to be announced however Sir Alan Maybury said that "it was reasonably in line with what you would expect for an airline to size of the Heryan national carrier." The CEO of EMAC stated that the airline intends to maintain the old schedule and capacity for the first two months before looking at what Sir Alan described as "continent wide connectivity." It was later announced in the day that EMAC had begun preparing for the construction of three midsize passenger aircraft and Sir Alan released a statement saying, "Heyra is a place well respected for its business connections. It is our hope that we can ensure it is well connected first to the rest of Alba Karinya and then to the rest of Mundus. Once the first two months are out of the way we intend to ensure that there is at least one flight a week from Heyra to every CNN and MICA capital city. Once we've done that I hope that we can ensure a very regular and very comfortable service be established between Heyra and Northfort everyday."

Sir Alan also stated that he intends in the coming days to appoint a new divisional manager to oversee the Heyran airline venture. Sir Alan has also stated that one of the two EMAC-Rytol Formula Mundus cars next year will run with a EMAC-AirHeyra livery as opposed to the EMAC one used currently. "It is our hope that EMAC-AirHeyra will become a valuable asset to the business and tourist world." To mark the first flight of EMAC's AirHeyra operations it was announced that 50 seats would be sold to fly the first Northfort-The Defense in the companies show version of Ironside One. "When it was announced King David was seeking a new aircraft for his state visits naturally we put in. We had been working on a few super-luxury private planes for a variety of things. The Prototype One was designed as a means to show what we could do, it features four bedrooms, a cinema, a bar, a press room and various other luxuries. It was capable of transporting 70 passengers in unique luxury. Our company version naturally lacks the gadgets we put on Ironside One but its still a rather unique aircraft. We want our first flight to be special and so figured this would be a good way of doing it." The seats would be sold via a variety of charities based across Alba Karinya with the charities able to keep the money that they make.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 27, 2020, 12:50:38 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)
(https://dailylife.com/themes/ee/site/default/asset/img/blog/planting-trees-to-feed-your-soul-feature-770x513.jpg)

NATION CELEBRATES FEAST OF MELANOR

People across the nation have today taken to parks and forests to celebrate the Feast of Melanor. The festival celebrates the God who it is believed breathed life into the humans Helus created. As usual families and community groups have planted thousands of trees across the nation after attending services in Temples across the nation. Usually King David III would have been among those leading the celebrations however he is currently out of the nation on Honeymoon in the Unified Iwi. The King however did release to the media images of himself and Queen Stasya planting trees in a woodland in the Commonwealth of the Unified Iwi. It was left to Princess Freya to represent the royal family in Northfort at the Temple there. The Princess was accompanied by her husband Alex Redfern and their adopted daughter Evie. The trio took along saplings taken from the woodland within Northfort Palace to distribute to groups who will plant them across the capital. It is expected that by the end of the day around a million trees will have been planted across the nation. One organiser of a major planting event was the former Queen, Matilda Osman, who planted trees along with youth groups in Portworth. Matilda Osman is the patron of the Wild Mundus Organisation and said, "I'm delighted that every year we plant so many trees. We're a nation that has always valued our connection to this land and by refreshing our woodlands every year we ensure it can flourish. We'll be creating habitats for a vast array of wildlife that help our ecosystem be so healthy."

Across Mundus the East Moreland embassies also hosted events many of them in their own gardens. In Seaforth Morelander rugby player Rollo MacAllister, who is competing in the Highland Games, took time to lead several other Morelanders competing in prayers before planting trees at the edge of the games showgrounds. The rugby start stated, "The trees we planted will in a decade or so be part of these games, they will hopefully grow straight and strong and become the caber of the future. As we take from nature we must give." In Bakkermaya the embassy opened a new herb garden which its staff have been constructing for the last few weeks.


(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/OcB5FRUk8OJW7qjn4GH6coPTovJ4znVZIrLrwhYcWUrjvpyWA50umXJ_7y96WHsM04MIgJ82CyPkYvyufc6vWn26g8QMW3erqom7eNd0lJa7qdqH2J4IJGUXDRatMHCrxU-_5TMpdkOvXOXjSJRjdqmTnpIf)

EMAC ARCHIVE SHOWS "BONKERS" CARRIER PROPOSAL

The East Moreland Aircraft Company has today released another batch of their archive which has raised a few eye brows thanks to a proposal that was rejected by both the Air-Force and the Navy in the 1970's. The project featured huge ground effect vehicles, described by Sir Alan Maybury the companies CEO, as "the Ekra-Badger on steroids." If the vehicle, which was named as the GEV-Carrier, had been built it was theorised as having had the range of 2,000km, a top speed of around 300mph and would have been able to carry 250 soldiers, three tanks or similar vehicles and two aircraft. The project was submitted at the same time as when the REMNS Portworth was commissioned but was obviously not something the Navy were interested in. Sir Alan mused about the project saying, "It certainly is interesting. I believe they went as far as making a scale model of it but we've yet to find it. I'm not sure how practical it would have been in reality but its certainly an ambitious idea which EMAC have become famous for. Its clear you can see the Ekra-Badger in its DNA although very much slimmed down." Sir Alan cast doubts about the ability of it to meet its claimed specification saying, "I think it would have required a lot more propulsion than it could create. If we find the scale model we'll let you know."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 01, 2020, 10:59:54 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/04/29/16/27802326-8269917-image-a-61_1588175069989.jpg)

GIANT BADGER FOSSIL FOUND IN SILVERHILLS

Construction workers on an appartment complex in Silverhills yesterday discovered what may turn out to be a new species of mammal. The team from Beardall Construction were digging out space for an underground parking complex when one of them noticed the strange shape. They immediately thought they had found some inscriptions and called the local Universities archaeology department however upon closer inspection it appeared to be an ancient fossil. The team recovered the specimin and then handed it over to the Paleontologists who inspected it further. It was later announced that it is thought to be the first example of a new species and as such is being called Meles Morelander as the creature bares a remarkable resemblance to the nations emblem the Honeybadger. Professor Chris Markham spoke with the media saying, "We've still work to be done but the creature seems to be about 66million years old and would have existed at the end of what many know as the time of Dinosaurs. We think its likely to have been about 2 feet long, weighed around 7lbs. We've still more to learn and need more examples." The University is said to be preparing the fossil for display in the very near future.

Many are already hoping that the fossil could be on display, along with any other finds, by September 28th when the nation celebrates Honeybadger Day, which marks the day when the Honeybadger was introduced into East Moreland in 1790 by King Richard I who believed the creature he'd seen in Izhitsa was the perfect embodiment of a Morelander should be, fierce in battle, cunning and willing to die to protect its children. He brought 20 pairs of the creatures back and had them released in Northfort Palace grounds however it is understood that many escaped within hours and became widespread across the nation. The new discovery however would seem to indicate that the nation had a long lost relative of the Honeybadger millions of years ago. Minister of Culture Katy Garrett spoke about the find saying, "I think it's clear to see we took the Honeybadger into our hearts, its a proud part of who we are today. Many are already calling it the Steriod Ratel  because of its size. To think such a creature was here for so long makes our connection to our favourite animal so much deeper."

Beardall Construction have agreed to work with the local University during the rest of their construction project to preserve any further specimens found.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 07, 2020, 11:05:19 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2010/04/16/gyi0060217726_2595013_slide-974ab24d960f36fa48bee5405cb7134884bc481f-s800-c85.jpg)

FIRST REFUGEES FROM UBRIEKKLAND ARRIVE

Following a series of "hops" across the Mhorish the first of the religious refugees from Ubriekkland have arrived in East Moreland. The Destroyer REMNS Christian the Dark steamed into Portworth this afternoon with around 180 refugees onboard mainly drawn from the Cultist population of Ubriekkland. Many of those who arrived however were unaccompanied children or those in need of medical care. The journey to Portworth began by boarding the two Drone Carriers currently docked in a city in Norther Ubriekkland before being ferried by helicopters and the Ekrabadger to waiting naval vessels. The initial group had been found places to stay through local Temples utilising old quarters for the Priesthood, voulenteers from the community and access to things such as local boarding schools and other such facilities. A group of national service Legionnaires at Ostlake have even been moved from their halled accomodation into tents at a base of the opposite side of the lake in order to make room. Some of the later arrivals expected will be moving to Hunter's Vale. One issue remains that East Moreland's refugee centres are still close to capacity with Lakhzovian refugees having not been returned home following the end of the crisis there. Prime Minister Henrietta Quinn was at the quayside as the new arrivals were helped ashore and stated, "We are lucky that East Moreland is a nation with a low population density, it means our nation can still afford to increase in terms of population. The problem is this takes time, houses need building, schools putting in place and various other infrastructure projects. We already have tens of thousands of Lakhzovians in Southern East Moreland and a few thousand at Hunter's Vale. We're now needing to bring in another 10,000 or so from Ubriekkland as far as intelligence tells us. Its a problem we may not be able to solve."

The Navy are expected to land two more ships this evening and the REMNS Portworth is due to arrive with a large group of refugees on Saturday evening. It is expected that the whole operation may take several weeks. Prime Minister Quinn stated, "We've been told by the government of Ubriekkland that some negative elements may try blending in with the refugees. As such we hope to put as many into Hunter's Vale as possible. The nature of the facility allows us to at least put people in secure and comfortable surroundings while they are screened. Thankfully the Cult of Helus programme of digitalising their ceremonial ritual records has allowed us to identify those of the Cultist faith escaping those wishing to do them harm. We however have turned away no one of other faiths in fear, be they Odinists, follows of Sessifet, Rosari, Manists or anything else. It will take us longer to screen those not on the Cult records and we may look at utilising family connections some of these refugees have with other nations across Mundus to help us out."

Melissa Lusk has also arrived at Hunter's Vale in order to try and help process those arriving. She is also seeking to establish once more the Refugee University there as well as aid in tracking relatives. As the former CTO Refugee Head and having established a separate refugee focused NGO she is perhaps one of the most experienced refugee workers on Mundus. "This is a rather awkward process this time. Hunter's Vale already has its own little community but now we need to bring in others of a very different background alongside them. It may work brilliantly, it may take some time to settle. Our aim will be to give everyone there the maximum support to feel safe and settled and then help establish a daily routine as close as we can to daily life back home. We'll be trying to do that in the coming days."



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 08, 2020, 05:06:28 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://format-com-cld-res.cloudinary.com/image/private/s--WwG5u2zz--/c_limit,g_center,h_65535,w_550/fl_keep_iptc.progressive,q_95/v1/c8cd6d798c6d513cada1623a6b45c1d3/001_n.jpg)

KING BACK IN THE OFFICE

Having returned from a honeymoon spent in the various CNN nations King David has been reported as returning to work. The King has apparently spent the morning meeting with his sister Princess Freya who had taken over the day to day running of the nation alongside the King's cabinet including the Chief Councillor Grant Nightingale. The King was given daily briefings even while on holiday and is said to have instructed his sister to take steps with the Ubriekkland refugee issue. Shortly after concluding the meeting with the cabinet the King spoke with EMTV to discuss some of the key issues he has returned to.

"While it has been amazing to spend time away with my wife that needs to be put on the back burner now and my thoughts need to return to running the day to day matters of the Kingdom. There are a number of issues that must be addressed in the coming days. Prior to heading off I held talks with several nations. One of those was Rokkenjima and I announced to Princess Evanthe that we would be placing my cousin Peter Kade as the new ambassador there along with a more seasoned and experienced staff. Peter is a member of the Ironside extended family and has expressed a desire to undertake more work on behalf of the Kingdom. A positing to Rokkenjima is an excellent way to learn the ropes and I am very confident that he will do an extremely good job. I think he may already have his first task upon arrival as this morning I have been told of the decision of the CSU over the admission of Lakhzovia. I actually breathed a sigh of relief that Lakhzovia were not admitted to that organisation. We have held a door open for diplomatic and co-operative discussions for a lengthy period now on matters of the displaced people of Lakhzovia. Rokkenjima and Achkaerin are both members of the MCUR which talk about people having the right to a nationality and a right to belong to a state. At present the tens of thousands of refugees left over from the crisis there have none of these things. To reward a nation with access to an extended and extensive trade network before tackling the issues is in my view not a way forward. Had Lakhzovia have been admitted East Moreland would have had no option other than to suspend our treaty with the CSU until such a time as Lakhzovia stepped up to its obligations. We do not expect miracles with these people returning home tomorrow. We do however expect to see steps being taken to ensure this matter will be concluded. I do not believe Lakhzovia to be a nation opposed to us, as we are not opposed to them, however you do not get a nation to face up to its obligations by rewarding it before it has meet them. I do not set Rhiannon the task of cleaning her room and give her ice cream before she does it, the ice cream comes after."

The King went on to address other issues, "Currently we are exploring ways of securing our satellite networks as it is clear the Gungnir are exploiting several key weaknesses in older technology. I think there are many ways that we can protect older equipment without disrupting the services that it provides. We are also putting in place steps to try and help cut down the search area for those responsible and I'd like to extend my thanks to Martin Dawson and his team at SmartWar for the help they are giving in that regard. We have not and we will not allow those who would exploit the idea of fear and disruption to benefit from sewing it across Mundus. Any nation who would like to work with us on this matter, be it to help track down the perpatrators or secure their own satellites."

Finally the King addressed the refugee crisis in Ubriekkland. "We need to make sure that people in danger regardless of any religion are removed from the danger. Ubriekkland need to swiftly address those threatening the people of faiths outside of the Abrahmic with death, nobody should be chased and killed for whatever God or Gods they believe in. At present we shall commit to this operation for as long as required and will work tirelessly to ensure those coming to East Moreland are supported as best as we can."

The King will attend the Representative Council tomorrow to field questions. While the King was attending to official duties the Queen was overseeing the establishment of her and her staff's wing of the Palace. It is traditional that the Queen has a wing of the Palace where she can establish her own office, staff and use the facilities for official functions such as fund raising events for charities or other such events.



(https://www.army-technology.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/09/4l-image-Zetor-Gerlach-Armoured-Tactical-Vehicle.jpg)
SNATCH LANDROVER REPLACEMENT SELECTED

The Ministry of Defence today announced that after months of consideration they had selected the Henley Bison to replace the aging Snatch Landrover. The previous vehicle was also made by Henley and had entered service in the 1970's. The new vehicle is expected to be made in Henley's Ostlake factory and an initial order of 1,000 have been made. The new vehicle is much more armoured than its predecessor. Its cabin can accommodate up to six combat ready troops. Noise suppression and anti-vibration materials make up the interior. The vehicle also has a large cargo space, which can accommodate combat gear, armaments or equipment weighing up to 1.5t. The vehicle will also be fitted with an air conditioning system and a chemical, biological and nuclear (CBN) protection system. The vehicle also integrates data and voice communication systems. The roof can also be installed with different types of manned or remote-controlled machine gun turrets, anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) launchers, mortars or grenade launchers. A double bottom hull with anti-mine “V” shield offers protection against mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The Bison has been shown to be able to survive an anti-tank explosion of up to 8kg of TNT under the axle and the cabin. In tests conducted around Ostlake the Bison has reached a maximum road speed of 110km / h and a maximum cruising range of 800km.

Sir Harry Samuelson explained that the vehicle is a must have for the Legions, "The Snatch Landrover was superb in its day. I've probably done Star Trek miles in them back in my days on the front lines. It is however a relic in modern warfare and doesn't offer enough protection against modern weapons or tactics. As such the old vehicles will be taken out of front line service and will be found other jobs such as being given to organisations such as JET. A few will go to museums, a few may be given away to projects across Mundus. They've given decades of excellent service but a younger model is now needed."It is expected that the first of the new vehicles will be delivered sometime in early August.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 09, 2020, 11:01:36 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)
(https://img.aws.la-croix.com/2019/07/24/1301037317/L-Italienne-Federica-Pellegrini-toujours-reine-200-quatrieme-mondial-conquis-24-juillet-2019-Gwangju_0_729_466.jpg)

GREECHAN BEGINS ILLUMIC CHALLENGE

Mundus Games legend Daisy Greechan has today flown to Hassfurt to begin her attempt at becoming the first person to swim across the Illumic. She will be swimming a  distance of 1,150km[1] and is expected to take around two months, weather permitting. The 26 year old swimmer is the most successful athlete in the history of East Moreland having secured 16 medals across her Mundus Games career. She also has already entered the history books for rowing the Mhorish with Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside making them the first duo to achieve the feat. Should she complete the challenge it is likely to finish close to the start of the Mundus Games and the Naval Officer has already ruled herself out. "To think its possible to swim more or less everyday for two months and then go and compete with the best in the world is insane. I'll be lucky if I can walk. Its partly the reason why I wanted to take on this challenge. I know long term my life lies away from the games but I still want to swim and challenge myself. I'm lucky that I have the support of the Navy to do this and I hope it can do two things, first inspire others to take up swimming and second we'll be trying to raise funds for various charities across East Moreland."

The challenge will see Greechan set off swimming followed by a support boat. This support boat will offer bottles of drink and liquid meals during her swims and when she is need of a rest she will climb aboard and sleep, she will also shelter on the boat during times the weather is against her. To ensure that she can claim to have swum the entire Illumic she will have the boat anchor while she is onboard and GPS records will be kept showing that she will not travel onboard the boat. Greechan also recently completed her officer training having up until recently served her entire Naval career as NCO. She was most recently based onboard REMNS King Robert which is currently assisting in aid efforts with refugees in Ubriekkland.


(https://secure-journal.hautehorlogerie.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/fhhmag_slideshow_002554-002.jpg)

QUEEN OPENS NEW SCHOOL

Queen Stasya today carried out her first official duty as Queen of East Moreland. The newly coronated royal was in Northfort where she opened the Queen Stasya Girls School alongside Jinny Denman of the Sisterhood of Helus. The school will take over the old Watchmakers Guild building which for the last ten years has been used as a private art gallery until it was closed by its owner last year. It is understood the Queen acquired the building about three months ago and has gifted it to the Sisterhood. The school will run classes following the East Moreland national curriculum for girls aged between 11 and 18. It's first students are to begin classes in September and when fully up and running it is expected to cater to around 300 students. The school will be open to students of any faith or none, but will be run with what Jinny Denman, the self proclaimed High Priestess of the Sisterhood of Helus, has described as "an ethos directed by the teachings of the Sisterhood. It is our hope that this school will be a great asset to its local community and while we have no problems with other local schools I think it important that those of our faith can have an educational system that compliments their religious beliefs. It's wonderful to know that we have the backing of Queen Stasya in this project and her name will stand on this building for centuries to come."

Queen Stasya cut the ribbon of the school and meet the first 17 students that have signed up to the school. They had a "taster" day in which the girls got to meet their teachers and explore the building during which they were joined by the Queen who helped teach a lesson on Moreland Literature. The Queen also expects to take a keen interest in the school saying, "I want this school, and all in East Moreland, to be a place where students get an amazing education and a chance to enrich their young lives in many ways. I think I can help do that especially here at the first school supporting my new faith. I hope in the coming months locations can be found for a boys school and then a primary school for younger children." The Queen was asked whether her new husband approved of the school and her plan and stated, "David is someone who considers himself a scholar. He's very supportive of education for all and I know that he will be excited to see that I am supporting his desire that all Morelanders, regardless of age, gender or faith get a world class education."



(https://www.grandprix247.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/1-power-units.jpg)

EMAC CELEBRATE LODJAIN VICTORY

The East Moreland Aircraft Company have long had the unofficial motto of "There is fast and then there is EMAC fast." To help prove this they have a raft of world speed records to their name as well as having worked alongside East Moreland based Rytol Racing. Last season marked the retirement of legendary Morelander racer and engineer Ryan Toller who esablished Rytol racing and the team became EMAC-Toller. While last year the company failed to win either the drivers championship or the constructors they have in previous years been parts of success helping Sam Halliday become world champion and winning a number of Grand Prix. This season they expanded their influence on the grid by partnering with Lodjain owned Pelagiya Racing, a team owned by the family of Queen Stasya. Today Pelagiya-EMAC, a team originally established as a kind of feeder team for EMAC-Toller clinced the Constructors Championship while their driver, Sergei Ruznetzov, has already sealed the drivers championship.

Todays race took place in Zimalia and was witnessed by Sir Alan Maybury of EMAC who following the Pelagiya-EMAC success stated, "We're very proud of what the Pelagiya guys have done. We gave them all our data from Rytol over the last few years and allowed them free reign of our windtunnels, access to our aerodynamics teams and naturally we provided the engines. The team put together a great and for Formula Mundus maybe more importantly consistent car. I'd have loved to see the mainteam of EMAC-Toller take the trophy but this is still a great feeling. Next year we'll be continuing our relationship with Pelagiya Racing as we have a contract for three seasons to work together but I truly hope this can be a long term winning partnership."

It is understood a wager between the King and Queen took place before the season began however the conditions of the wager have not yet been confirmed. 
 1. 1.1 Dave Thumbs
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 12, 2020, 11:46:08 AM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/MK-AW131_bplace_G_20090513155308.jpg)

BETTER AUTO TO GO TO UI CENNESLAIG

It was announced yesterday that the East Moreland based electric car and battery swap company Better Auto are set to extend their operations to Ui Cenneslaig. The company produce budget electric cars and supply charging stations across the country, additionally and maybe most innovatively they also supply a "battery exchange service." One of the biggest criticisms of electric cars is the length of time it takes to charge the battery at roadside spots however this is eliminated by the battery swap service where a car drives up to a roadside facility, which in many ways looks like an automated car wash, and has a series of robotic arms remove their old battery cells and replace it with a freshly charged one. The cars old battery is then placed on charge waiting for the next vehicle to arrive. The company established its first series of facilities in East Moreland where it began to establish a network of stations between Portworth, Northfort and Ostlake. The company runs a subscription service where members purchase credits which are stored on a swipe card which gives access to both roadside charge points and battery swaps. In total 21 battery swap stations exist in East Moreland and a total of 80,000 cars have been sold in the last two years. The system of battery charging may however be used by other makes of car so long as the owner has a subscription.

The company hope to establish a network across Ui Cenneslaig in a similar way as East Moreland. The CEO of the company, Amanda Freeman explained "The future of Mundus is electric cars, the day will come when oil is dwindling to a point the price goes up beyond the ability of the average working family. We are preparing for that day and giving the environmentally conscious consumer a choice of how to power their car." The company will make further expansions in the CNN nations, "The CNN gives us an ability to expand within three others nations relatively simply and with minimal fuss. These are our natural target but we can't rule out taking advantage of East Moreland's link through MICA, our trade deal with TUNA and the CSU."

Last year the company ran an after tax profit of around $47million despite its large investment in new projects and marketing.




(https://cdn2-www.comingsoon.net/assets/uploads/2018/07/JCTG1.jpg)

MINISTER REFUTES TYTORIAN MP'S ARTICLE

The Tytorian Broadcasting Service recently published an article by Terrence Cahill MP which stated in regard to the Slava Lavosk that with the exception of his own nation and Rokkenjima  " The rest (of Mundus) either remained indifferent or, bizarrely, chose to place condemnation on those who acted in an attempt to prevent a greater crisis." This was responded to by Foreign Minister Orlaith Kade during a visit to Portworth Naval Barracks. "East Moreland during the Slava Lavosk crisis had quiet an extensive response. Almost as soon as the situation began the King released a statement which first condemned the tests, then placed the three East Moreland ships transiting the Kyne towards the Unified Iwi on high alert and had them steam towards the region. He also ordered that the REMNS Portworth aircraft carrier mobilise from the Illumic. During the same statement the King stopped all trade with Slava Lavosk, began setting in motion the whole of the CNN imposing sanctions and deployed a series of anti-missile systems to the Midaranye region both as naval assets and by basing them in Royal Seleucid via our links with Ui Cenneslaig and the Celtic Protectorate. This final measure effectively ensured it would become difficult for the Slava Lavosk regime to launch any attacks against their regional neighbours or the wider world. It is worth noting that it would have taken the REMNS Portworth task force around a week to reach the region, by which time negotiations in Paracambi had begun. It is also worthwhile noting that while Mr.Cahill talks of only Tytor and Rokkenjima responding the Rokkenjiman response was confined to merely placing its Kyne fleet on standby, and for various reasons did not take part in the blockade. I am therefore at a loss at how Mr.Cahill can claim only Rokkenjima and Tytor took action when it is clearly the case that East Moreland did take action and arguably had the talks not began that thankfully ended the stand off would have taken more. Mr.Cahill is however correct in his assessment that more nations should have taken action and in a more resolute manner. There is no reason why anyone should have stood by and stopped determined steps taking place to bring Slava Lavosk first to the negotiating table and then to a path for disarmament."

Mr.Cahill's comments also drew the attention of Tim Carpenter, one of the founders of the Freestone Abolition Society. "I am please Mr.Cahill believes more should be done to combat slavery. I am delighted that East Moreland's government so readily supported our work of the Freestone Mark which essentially stops companies who trade in human misery benefitting from their actions. To date several other nations have also supported us including Lodja and Ui Cenneslaig. I am also though clear that other people have taken action. One such person is Grand Duke Hugo Lascelles who pushed through measures that ensured the Ardian Assembly members en mass support our steps, the Ardian Assembly resolution entitled "Slavery and Sanctions (2019) states that no nation in the Assembly may import goods from a slavery permitting nation without it having the Freestone Mark. I would urge more nations across Mundus to put in place measures such as this. I do not believe blanket sanctions against Tamora are the way as their laws on debt would only push more people into slavery, however by offering a carrot of being permitted to do business so long as they give up their slaves will drive companies to be able to do business more widely across Mundus and thus free their slaves. I also find it strange to say that no one has done anything as the Unified Iwi went so far as to actively liberate some slaves from Tamora. Should Mr.Cahill wish to come and see the work the Freestone Aboloition Society is doing and the work we do with our partners in governments across Mundus I'd be happy to host him or anyone else."

Duchess Orlaith Kade has also spoken of how in the coming weeks she intends to head to Cliath and the CNN HQ. "We need to make measures that ensure the CNN in future move more swiftly. We needed a way of making sure when situations like that take place that we can move as one organisation in a manner that can happen swiftly. We have seen in the past TUNA be excellent at this and therefore should explore how they can be so swift and pro-active and we can't." The Duchess added that there are also some significant differences that need to be addressed between the nations in the CNN. "We are in need of some talks to help us work out a way forward on several issues. First there is the situation with the Maori and their pursuit of war criminals, this is something all the CNN should be supporting in a much more significant way. We then have issues with the Bene Gesserit while our Cenneg allies host a school there. Finally we do as an organisation have the ability to perhaps sort out supporting Lodja with their Water Nomad issue. These are all things I shall seek to support in the coming days via meetings with representatives at the CNN."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 19, 2020, 06:42:03 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/712346755718447269/unknown.png)

EMAC-HEYRA TO SEE ROUTE INCREASE

Following the acquisition of the national carrier for Heyra by EMAC the new airline EMAC-Heyra has today announced a major increase in routes that it will service. The airline will from the 1st June operate a twice weekly flight from airports in Heyra to the capitals of each CNN member nation. Additionally they will run flights designed to connect with services to the CNN capitals from Northfort and Portworth on a daily basis. The airlines new executive, Jackson Mayfair, made the announcement saying, "We promised when we took over the airline that we would connect Heyra to the world on a scale that is beyond what it already has. The CNN is a good place to start as it the involvement of EMAC means we can smooth through many issues beginning new routes can bring. The residents of Heyra can now access multiple times a day flights to the East and West of Ardia and Albion, additionally by utilising the agreements in place through MICA and the AKO these citizens will be able to access flights from Northfort to places across Mundus."

The airline is likely to add more routes in the coming months potentially looking at other cities in Ui Cenneslaig and Lodja as a first addition. "The islands of Lodja are being developed as a tourist destination. Again the CNN connection will allow us to easily put a route in place if there is demand by Heyran tourists." The airline is expecting to increase its fleet of aircraft in the coming months and naturally will be looking to its sister company EMAC to supply them. The airline has also announced that with Greenflowers Day and King David III's birthday approaching they will be offering all those flying on those days a "celebratory occasion" with everyone being given the meal usually reserved for first class passengers as well as a takeaway goody bag. Mr.Mayfair explained, "While we're an airline operating out of Heyra we are very proud of our Morelander connection and heritage. Many of our staff are Morelanders and will be celebrating that day, we'd be thrilled to think our customers would join in the celebration of both East Moreland's birthday and our monarchs."



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/712339073322451004/unknown.png)

"STABLEGIRL" BECOMES NATIONS YOUNGEST DUCHESS

Annabeth Bennet has today formally become the Duchess of Aldcliffe and also the youngest Duchess in the nation. The 23 year old inherits the title following the death of her father following a long battle with illness in early April. Today the Duchess attended a ceremony at the Royal Palace in Northfort where she was formally given the title by the King and Queen however is no stranger to the Palace as for the last two years she has worked as one of the staff looking after the horses of the royal family. Speaking to the media after the ceremony the new Duchess explained that she still intends to work with the Royal Stables saying, "I love working with horses and the Royal stable has some of the most wonderful creatures I've ever seen. I'd be crazy to give up the career that I have now after all as much as I love Aldcliffe it's not the biggest of estates and is already being run fantastically." The Duchy of Aldcliffe is one of the oldest in the Kingdom having been established by King Robert in the 7th Century to reward Simon Jonesman who marshalled together a band of peasants into what after the battle of Greenflowers were called the Red Legion. Today the town is the location of the HQ of the modern day Red Legion, East Moreland's elite forces. Duchess Annabeth spoke of her connection to that unit saying, "My grand-father was a member of Red Legion and I know first hand how protective the people of the town are of those men who have served and are serving. I can not explain the sense of pride I have being the Duchess with Red Legion in my Duchy."

The new Duchess has also been named potentially one of the East Moreland team at the Mundus games in the Modern Pentathlon having set a East Moreland record during last years East Moreland Championship. 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 21, 2020, 09:44:20 AM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/8256/8634110751_7352843de6_b.jpg)

HUGE FLY PAST FOR NATIONS BIRTHDAY

The nation will get a huge military fly past to mark the Festival of Greenflowers. The annual event marks the occasion when a final battle between the Borlander King Niall and his younger brother the future King Robert the Unifier took place at a spot some 50km North of the city of Northfort in 642. The battle marked the final defeat of the the Borlanders and in the aftermath King Robert renamed the Kingdom and established it with some extended territories in the west. This year the celebration will see 48 Dragonheart fighters lead a fly past of Northfort along with around 160 other aircraft ranging from the nations VIP transport plane,Ironside One, and the nations most recent air force acquisition the Sea Dragon. The Festival has always featured a heavy military presence as the nation gives thanks to those who died creating the Kingdom however this is the first year that the Air Force have played such a prominent role in the celebration. The fly past will also feature vintage aircraft with the oldest being a fighter from the 1930's that is today part of the National Air Museum. Once the fly over has taken place at around 10am the aircraft will split into smaller contingents and carry out fly overs across the Kingdom.  Sir Harry Samuelson, the nations Minister of Defence has been one of those tasked with helping to make the arrangements for the day "The Festival gives thanks to our military men and women throughout history as well as celebrating the creation of our beloved Kingdom. The Air Force may not have existed in the 7th Century but they have cemented themselves as a cornerstone of this nations defence. We must also remember the skill and dedication they have shown flying humanitarian operations across Mundus."

The day also marks King David's 38th birthday and following taking part in the days official commemorations the King will be attending a party in Rockhampton at the Royal retreat. The King will also the following day be hosting a meeting between himself and the monarchs of Hassfurt.


Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 23, 2020, 12:32:40 AM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)
(https://www.stripes.com/polopoly_fs/1.103823.1339487863!/image/800885550.JPG_gen/derivatives/landscape_804/800885550.JPG)

THE MARCH OF TRADITION

As the sun sets on the evening of the 22nd of May the tourists at the site of the Battle of Greenflowers are ushered out of the national park. Usually the parkland is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the exception is the evening before the Festival that marks the victory at the Battle of Greenflowers. During a frantic evening preparations are put in place to ensure that at sunrise the commemorations with thousands in attendance to mark what is in effect the nations birthday go off without a problem. As the dark falls and the moon illuminates the flat piece of open moor figures begin to emerge from the foothills. Dressed in dirty camo clothing with rifles strapped to their back they look as though ready to take part in some warzone conflict however these are the men who consider themselves the ancestors of those that ensured a Morelander victory on that day in 642 AD. In a rare oppurtunity we were permitted to watch what has become known informally as "The Vigil" from around 11pm until 2am they kept coming, some on their own, others in groups of two or three all in silence until the point a GPS beeped and the men touched a large flat rock. This rock is referred to as King Robert's Throne and these men are all members of the elite East Moreland force of Red Legion. An unnamed Liutenant explains the tradition to us as we watch two more figures appear from the shadows. "In 642 rumours spread across the land that a do or die battle between the Borlanders and Robert Ironside was taking place. The West of our modern day nation had been largely pacified by Robert and he'd taken many of the trained soldiers off chasing the Borlanders East with terrible results. Both sides knew it was do or die and so ended up squaring off at Greenflowers. Luckily for Robert rumours of the need for more soldiers reached the West and the peasants of places like Aldcliffe hefted on their packs, picked up whatever armour or weapons they could and made their way towards the battle, many ended up never getting here as they heard different rumours but just over a 1,000 arrived just as the battle was on a knife edge. They charged the field and while many of them would end up dead, they weren't professional soldiers after all, their arrival did enough to allow Robert to swing things in his favour. Every year those of us in Red Legion try and recreate that march to stand guard at this stone through the night." The distance from Aldcliffe where the modern Red Legion is based to Greenflowers is some 100km and the soldiers give themselves 24 hours to complete it. There is no order to do "The Vigil" nor any expectation but by 2 am I'm joined by about 45 soldiers who are forming an ever growing ring around "King Robert's Throne". They stand chatting quietly or sit enjoying coffee from a flask. No fires are lit, no stoves used. "We have to think like the original Red's did, travel light, travel fast. For us its one night knowing tomorrow we can go to the pub, have a nice meal with family. For those peasants who did it for real they had no idea if they'd see out the day." the Liutenant explains.

At about 3am though things change, a new shape begins to appear out of the gloom and a few of the Red's begin to shift a little. I found myself nervous but soon a feint round of applause fills the air and as the shape jogs into the ring of Legionnaires to touch the stone handshakes and brotherly hugs are exchanged. This figure is Steven Holbrooke, he's in his 60's and is carrying a lightweight rucksack from which with care and love he unfolds a jacket, bright red in colour and removing his hiking jacket proudly dons the trademark red coat all Red Legionnaires are presented on their admission into the elite force. It fits a little snug around his middle now but the pride to keep it so immaculate having left the unit 20 years ago is remarkable. He is the first of what the Legionnaires call the "Old Brigade" and until sunrise more and more of them arrive swelling the number of Red Legionnaires at the stone to around 100. The "Old Brigade" stand within the ring of the Legionnaires on their symbolic guard and chat about old times while passing around a flask of whiskey or two. I ask Steven why he does it, "I don't do the 100km anymore. We all do whatever distance we can, I got the wife to drop me off about 20km away and came in. Next year it will probably be about 15km. Even when I'm 90 I'll still do it even if the wife has to drop me in the car park 100meters away. Its about us paying respects to those that created us. As a Red Legionnaire you're taught that you make sure victory is obtained no matter what. You're taught that hardship is just a part of life and what matters is that you move forward through it. We gather every year to pay respect to people who didn't have to take up arms but did because they felt it was the right thing to do. That's the whole point of the Festival of Greenflowers to remind us that is what we should do."

The sun is beginning to raise now and the hurried preparations through the night close to the national parks visitors centre and car parks are finishing. A crew of Royal Enginners are approaching with pre-fabricated stands on a truck ready for the days ceremonies that will take place shortly. The Red Legionnaires and the "Old Brigade" are still standing looking in the early morning light like a bunch of dirty and dishevelled ruffians. While on formal parade Red Legionnaires may look immaculate but when on operations, or apparently traditional route marches, the same can not be said. An Engineers officer approaches the circle of men on guard and spots a Captain of the Reds, the two men are the same rank but with no discussion of seniority the Engineer flashes a smart formal salute, it is not returned but a respectful nod is given, the Lieutenant I'm spoke to earlier in the night telling me its just as good. The Engineer asks if the men would mind moving so his men can set up the area. Without a word the Reds heft their packs and form themselves up in a neat little parade group. With less haste the "Old Brigade" join them and the Captain places a large tin mug on the "King Robert Stone". With no signal, the sign of years of repetition voices begin to fill the air. It is the Parting Glass, legend saying a song written the night after the Battle where the original Red Legionnaires realising they would return home and may never see their comrades again each toasted their friends before beginning the journey home. A 80 year old man is the first to march forward a skip in his step beyond his years. He salutes the "King Robert Throne" and picks up the tin mug, raises it towards the stone and says loudly and proudly "To the first Reds. May Jekar give them rest." he places the mug back down and pours some more whiskey into it he then passes through the ranks of the formed up mass shaking each person by the hand before without a backwards glance disappearing off. The Royal Engineers have now begun their work and it is remarkable to see how they attempt to work with such care and silence around these men who in order of age repeat the process the first man had undertaken. All the while songs fill the air as the sun creeps every more quickly above the horizon.

The last to drink is a Legionnaire who we shall call Henry. He is 25 years old and has been a Red Legionnaire for just 3 months having passed selection. He steps up, alone now he raises the tin mug, "To the first Reds. May Jekar give them rest." he exclaims loudly. He fills the mug one last time and turns now to face the sun which is filling the battlefield with sun from the East. "To all the Reds still to come. May Jekar give them strength." He pours the contents of the mug onto the stone, wraps the mug in a cloth and places it in his backpack. He hefts his rifle onto his shoulder and disappears off the way he came several hours earlier his vigil and his duty to his ancestors done for another 12 months. Within the next two hours King David will arrive to lead the nation in paying their respects to those who gave birth to this nation. That ceremony will be full of fancy music, religious prayers, imagery and plenty of pomp and ceremony, it however will never be as moving as watching these men retrace the steps and stand Vigil for those who birthed East Moreland.

An Exclusive by Sally Jones.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 23, 2020, 09:40:05 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.thenma.org.uk/media/3551/monte-cassino-17.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=1120&format=jpg&slimmage=true&quality=80&rnd=132024986190000000)

THE NATION CELEBRATES

The Kingdom of East Moreland today celebrated a double birthday as both the nation and its monarch turned a year older. The days celebrations began as formal ones for the King as he and Queen Stasya travelled to the site of the Battle of Greenfields where he paid his respects to the ancestors of the nation who fought in the battle that birthed the nation. The large crowd who gathered were treated to a ceremony headed by the High Priestess Skye Maddix who paid tribute to the nations past. Following prayers and offerings being given a military march past began by a representative of every unit within the armed forces, each of whom laid an offering to Jekar. The King and Queen were the final people to pass and Queen Stasya left a bouquet of flowers while the King left a shield with the sigil of King Robert the Unifier. Following an end of the ceremony the King and Queen boarded the royal helicopter known as Rotor One and flew back to Northfort.

Once in the capital a huge military parade began as the royal couple were joined by the Princess Rhiannon, Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside and Princess Lilian at the gatehouse of Northfort Palace. The military, veterans and community groups marched through the streets as crowds lined the pavements singing traditional folk songs as the units passed. As tradition dictates men from Red Legion lead the parade on horseback while the veterans of Red Legion brought up the rear. It was only once the final veteran marched past the King that the large fly past began. The fly past saw close to 500 aircraft head over the city including 48 Dragonheart Fighter planes as well as a large collection of vintage aircraft. The aircraft then split up and took part in smaller fly overs across the nation.

The afternoon in Northfort saw a musical concert in People's Park and this year marked the first year that the King did not attend instead preferring to head to Rockhampton where he spent the rest of the day with family at the Royal Retreat. It was left to Prime Minister Henrietta Quinn to be the official representative at the concert which saw an estimated 70,000 people in attendance. Across the nation similar and smaller concerts took place as streets turned into party venues with large crowds out celebrating. As has become tradition the East Moreland embassies across Mundus have also distributed food to the local communities by inviting those in need for a meal.

The King however can not indulge to much on his 38th birthday as tomorrow he is scheduled to host a reception for the new King of Hassfurt and their Queen on their first official visit to East Moreland since the King's appointment earlier this month.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 28, 2020, 08:32:23 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.selected.de/fileadmin/user_upload/B.3.Foto_NY_1.jpg)

PALACE TO UNDERGO "GREEN" REVOLUTION

The Royal Palace has today announced that a major investment will be made to make the King's Primary residence more energy effiecent. The Palace was constructed in the 17th Century and has over the next 300 years or so of royal residence seen various lodgings constructed in its grounds as well as large extensions. As such the Palace is more like a large university campus than a residential home and on a normal business day it is not uncommon for over 1000 people to be present in the grounds ranging from staff in the kitchens to groundsman and from cabinet ministers to military advisers. As well as the Palace having extensive grounds and waterways it also has a large underground complex. All this according to Princess Freya means "the palace is like a giant energy absorbing maze. I shudder at the monthly electric bill and it can't be good for the environment." The Princess joined the rest of the Royal Family as they hosted an event for young "Greentrepreneurs", individuals under the age of 25 who had won prizes for environmentally sound business ideas. It was during this event that plan were on display for the Palace to cut down its own carbon footprint.

The plan will see the waterways utilise a series of  small water turbines  (https://www.ze-energy.net/english/product/small_hydropower/img/systemimg.jpg) designed to create hydroelectricity. Additionally the Palace fence which stretches around the whole of the Parkland will feature  micro-wind turbines (https://singularityhub.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Semtive-Energy-wind-turbine-nemoi-225x300.jpg) while other parts of the parkland will be turned into vegetable patches which will be used to supply the Palace kitchen cutting down on the amount of food needing to be transported into the Palace. The building itself will go through a series of alternations with ancient light fittings being adapted for low energy usage, motion detection lights being put in as well as automated systems to ensure power usage is reduced. The King explained the decsion saying, "We signed the Treaty of Wellow sometime ago and the nation has begun putting in place various measures to try and bring ourselves closer to the targets set. It's important that we try and take a lead in this and the Palace is in need of some reduction in its power use. I'm hopeful we can get all the work done without disrupting the business there too much."

It is expected that the work will take until December and that up until that time the Royal Family will utilise Rockhampton Royal Retreat more for residential purposes with the King running day to day business from Northfort Military Barracks. Upon re-opening of the Palace fully it is expected that some of the outlying buildings will be used for more public uses such as charitable events for causes associated with the Royal Family and museum space.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 03, 2020, 07:58:19 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)
(https://static.euronews.com/articles/stories/03/24/76/40/808x539_cmsv2_f5a8ec3d-3db7-5a15-a120-4d98a335b1da-3247640.jpg)

OSTLAKE GAMES START TOMORROW

East Moreland's annual inter-military games begins tomorrow. Dubbed by some as the armed forces equivalent of a Mundus Games the tournament pitches units from the East Moreland Armed Forces against each other in both military and sporting events. For the last five years the games have also seen invitations extended to foreign nations with whom East Moreland shares a strong bond. This year it comes as no surprise that teams representing Lodja, The Unified Iwi and Ui Cenneslaig have been invited as the nations share membership of the CNN alliance. However the remaining two spots are taken by Seaforth, with whom East Moreland has long shared a friendship and Bakkermaya who despite their cultural connection to East Moreland will be attending their first games. The week long event will take place spread around the city of Ostlake at the four military bases which sit on the lake which the city takes its name from. Before emerging from isolation the games were often the highlight of the East Moreland sporting calendar and have bred a generation of East Moreland's top sporting stars including Daisy Greechan who this year will miss the games as she is mid-Illumic on her attempt to become the first person to swim the channel. Several Mundus Games and sporting stars will also feature as Rollo MacAllister has been selected to play for People's Legion in their Rugby 10's side, a sport making its debut replacing the more traditional Rugby 7's, meanwhile Archduchess Sophie will feature for the Air-Force in both the Orienteering competition and the Cross Country.

The event is also a huge boost to the local tourist industry with tens of thousands of people venturing into the city to take part in spectating the games as well as enjoy the nightlife which accompanies the festival. Restaurants tend to be fully booked up to three months before and many people who attend the festival and stay in hotels will book for the following year as they leave. One fan of the games is 60 year old Nigel Aveyard he competed in 10 Ostlake Games for the Air Force in a variety of sports ranging from rowing to the tug of war, he has two gold medals and a bronze to his name. "The games are a great way of demonstrating pride in your unit and for us veterans a chance to meet and catch up with friends. Since I competed in my first one at the age of 20 I've never missed one. This year me and my wife will be watching the football, rugby and band competitions with great interest."

For those serving in the military the evenings become a rather festive time as each unit is billeted together around Ostlake and often have their own beer tents and BBQ's. The Seaforthian BBQ's have been a feature of the event for the last few years and had until this year often seen a rivalry between Princess Freya and the missing, presumed dead, Joshua Rhodes who was the former King of Seaforth. Princess Freya will not be competing this year for Pegasus Legion but will be attending the games in her capacity as a member of the Royal Family. She explained, "There is a bond between soldiers of all nations. Put two soldiers in a room together and you're likely to find them getting along rather well after a few minutes. The Games are no different, during the day we compete hard but in the evening its feet up, a beer of three and some good food and music. Its a great occasion and I will miss Joshua being there."

The games will run in parallel with the Legionnaire Legacy games which will feature injured veterans competing. In previous years King David has competed for Pegasus Legion in rowing however he too this year will only be a spectator. The King however will be hosting social events each night in the officers mess at Ostlake East. The culmination of the Games is the Ostlake Ball which will see the King expected to accompany a female NCO to the NCO's Ball before heading to the Officers Ball on the opposite side of the lake. Last year however there was some controversy over the dress worn by the now Queen of East Moreland, Stasya Pelagiya after many considered her choice of dress too revealing. This year rumours have already begun of the Queen meeting with several young designers leading to much debate over who will be asked to make her ball gown for this years event.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 05, 2020, 05:05:17 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)
(https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/images-o.jpimedia.uk/imagefetch/http://www.newsletter.co.uk/webimage/Prestige.Item.1.117143539!image/image.jpg?width=640)

OPERATION FORAGER UNDERWAY

In a surprise announcement the Ministry of Defence have announced that the East Moreland military and its Achkaerin counter-parts are to begin a large scale military exercise. Over the next month or so East Moreland will utilise facilities and ports in Achkaerin to replicate a huge humanitarian aid operation, at the same time Achkaerin forces will do the same utilising Portworth and Illumic Command. Operation Forager will see several convoys head through the Northern Sea back and forth, in addition a simulated air bridge will be put in place. Minister of Defence Sir Harry Samuelson explained the operation saying, "We timed it to fit alongside the Ostlake Games to place a sense of pressure on the situation. The military have to be able to adapt and we've done our best to simulate an occasion where they have to do that. The military often have to reorganise patrols and routine operations around the games, now we've a major operation they are having to adapt to. East Moreland and Achkaerin have for a long time been the most active in humanitarian operations and we need to keep practicing those skills."

The first vessel due to arrive in Achkaerin will arrive on Wednesday and is expected to off load a variety of supplies before resupplying and returning home. The first aircraft left Ostlake early this morning and is due to land in Achkaerin this afternoon. Sir Harry also explained that the exercise could be rather short lived, "We've seen the situation in Merina begin to escalate and as such will have one eye on that problem. It would be very easy for us to switch Operation Forager off and divert its resources to Merina. We however trust that the Council of Albion have that under control." Sir Harry was at the first day of the Ostlake Games where the Royal East Moreland Air Force won the competitions first ever Rugby X tournament defeating Hunter's Legion in the final.


(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PU6STj7eaLA/TgFcITznWbI/AAAAAAAAB-Y/To97lxYVZL0/s1600/ISP-GayPrideParadeSaoPaulo.jpg)

NORTHFORT PRIDE ORGANISERS FILES CHANGE OF SCHEDULE REQUEST

The annual Northfort Pride festival has today filed a request with local police and security forces to change the timing and route of their event. Traditionally the event coincides with Glastomundus and two weeks ahead of the event the Pride festival is seeking to now march up Embassy Row. The parades route traditionally takes it through People's Park , alongside the Palace entrance drive and then through the Temple District before returning to the Park through nearby business districts. This year however organisers have asked for the Parade to go down Embassy Row which runs parrallel to the Temple District and have filed for a 10 minute stop outside the San Huberto Embassy. The request comes after Police stopped a Pride Festival in San Huberto as reported by the local media. The organisers have said that they will remain there for 10 minutes and then resume their march. In previous years other protests have taken part on Embassy Row such as when Pride 2.0 saw a protest following that years pride festival about KasierAdolf's unjust LGBT rules. The most famous protest on Embassy Row however was the one during the Regency Crisis which first focused on nations opposing the East Moreland government before being the starting point of Tim Carpenter's charge against the Palace during which he was wounded. Tim Carpenter spoke about the change requested by the Pride organising committee. "I think its a great idea to use Embassy Row every year. We know not all nations on Mundus allow same sex marriage, but by the same stroke not all that don't allow it persecute the community. By marching down Embassy Row it gives those nations that support LGBT rights the chance to show it and gives protestors a chance to engage with the nations that don't. I hope that this protest shows the LGBT community of San Humberto that we in East Moreland stand with them."

Pride Organisers are likely to be allowed their changes as Prime Minister Henrietta Quinn explains, "We as a nation have always allowed peaceful protests. This Pride parade is always good natured and well behaved. I see no reason why they should not be allowed to make their point on a day when significant changes to the routine of the city have already been approved." The measures were even supported by Pegasus Legions commanding officer, General Yacobs,  as her units would be on duty in the capital that day. "Providing security for the capital is always a challenge and large events like this more so. We will be ensuring the safety of all Embassies, all those taking part in Pride and the historic street. I am confident that the day will go without a hitch."

 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 07, 2020, 12:20:11 AM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.moreradio.online/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/10094005/skynews-chris-coogan-greed_4800197.jpg)

CHIEF COUNCILLOR URGES CAUTION OVER QAMB

Following reports that Rokkenjima have effectively destroyed the military establishment at QAMB amid a diplomatic spat with Heyra the Chief Councillor of East Moreland has spoken of his concerns about escalation. The nations highest elected official Grant Nightingale is responsible for offering guidance to the monarchy and essentially being a conduit between the people and the King. Speaking during his attendance at the Ostlake games the head of the Traditionalist Party stated, "The whole situation stems from the bizarre situation where we have our friends in the Council of Albion striving to create a peace deal in Merina and putting in place steps to try and halt the spread of weaponry into a combat zone. This is something I would hope everyone can get behind and support however I am concerned that Heyra have implied they would adopt a rather combative stance over checks. I am confident the government of Heyra do not wish to see the civil war in Merina rumble on and if that assumption is correct they need to show it with their actions. I am not surprised that Rokkenjima sought to support the Tytorian stance of a naval enterprise to check for illicit weapons and other contraband but I am surprised at the speed and extent to which this caused a breakdown between Heyra and Rokkenjima. The destruction we have seen makes sense from a military stand point in a time of war however I am confident that Rokkenjima and Heyra could have reached an agreement about a more sensible and less aggressive means of decommissioning. The fact we now have chemical spills and fires are a concern and it may well be a miracle that no one died. It is certain now that the two nations have a rift between them that should be fixed as soon as possible." The Chief Councillor joined the King to watch todays drill competition where he said he would "urge the King to ensure the impending environmental disaster has no impact on East Moreland's interests.

It is apparent that the Chief Councillors words were agreed with by King David who has confirmed that the nations Royal Logistics Corps, who are experts in Chemical Weapons decommissioning, are on standby to assist if requested. A Ministry of Defence statement released later in the day stated, "The Royal Logistics Corps have been involved in the decommisioning of chemical weapons in Academica, Scordisci and through involvement with Borland plots. While we are yet to be fully briefed by Heyran sources of the extent of the problem in their nation they can rest assured we will stand ready to help in any needed clean up operation. Furthermore we can use the Ekrabadger to help swiftly bring equipment and supplies to help with the situation."

(https://a.espncdn.com/photo/2018/1129/r470668_2_608x608cc.jpg)

YOUNG MARINE OFFICER DOMINATES DAY 2 OF GAMES

As the Ostlake Games hit day two it was Royal Marine Commando 2nd Lieutenant Liv Skinner who became a star. The 23 year old became only the 2nd female to pass the units demanding training programme and currently serves in the Navy onboard REMNS King Robert. The day began for 2nd Lt.Skinner when she won the women combined weightlifting competition. The competition saw competitors have to complete 3 squats, 3 bench presses and 3 overhead clean and jerks with the best weight in each counting towards their total. The 23 year old Marine defeated her nearest rival by 10kg to take the gold on behalf of her unit. Four hours later she took to the field as part of the Navies female tug of war team anchoring them to victory in the final against the team from The Commonwealth of the Iwi. In the final event of the day Skinner was part of the Navies team for the traditional gun run which see's a 1910's field gun taken over an obstacle course which requires the gun to be dismantled and heaved over several pieces of apparatus. The day of success for the Marine creates a new record for the games for the most gold medals in a day, a record previously held by sporting legend Daisy Greechan who won an open water swim and a gym test competition in the same day. Skinner was presented her final medal of the day by Queen Stasya who had been attending several of the events during the day.

Skinner spoke to the media while at a BBQ at Ostlake East being run by Seaforthian Marines and said, "I had no idea that Greechan had only won two, I thought she'd done three. When my commanding officer told me I just was speechless. I love my time in the gym and I'm just blessed to be in a unit that spends literally all day everyday working out in some way or other. I'm an exercise junkie. Its why I wanted to be a Marine, and I hope in three years time I can join Red Legion. I've got three days off now before the rowing I'm part of so I'd love to make it four from four." Just as Greechan was Skinner is a crew member of the nations flagship REMNS King Robert the captain of the vessel said he was "proud that the Royal Rob continues to produce champions."

Tomorrow the cross-country race takes place which Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside is favourite to win.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 07, 2020, 09:29:12 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)
(https://i41.servimg.com/u/f41/17/41/23/86/98077010.png)

HIGH PROFILE BENE GESSERIT CAPTURED BY EAST MORELAND OPERATIVES

It was announced today by the Ministry of Defence that East Moreland Intelligence operatives investigating the case of the desertion of James Gillespie from Red Legion have captured a high profile member of the Bene Gesserit. During an operation within Kaitaine a team of EMIA operatives believed they would confront a convoy in which Gillespie, who now goes by the name Nathanial Corrino instead they found themselves emboiled in a fire-fight after which they discovered an individual known as Holly Cathcart. Despite her young age Cathcart is a Honored Matres to Nathanial Corrino making her part of he highly influential Corrino family which according to the Bene Gesserit faith are seen as being one of four Holy Houses. The Honored Matres are members of the family they are connected to tasked with essentially being breeding stock to allow the genetic continuation of that families DNA. The East Moreland Intelligence Agency is sharing information with Kaitaine over the Bene Gesserit after they attempted to steal nuclear waste from East Moreland in 2017 occasionally they have carried out their own operations to gather intelligence on Gillespie and have according to one source been given free reign to carry out any operation they think will capture the rouge Red Legionnaire.

Cathcart is currently being confined to the East Moreland embassy in Kaitaine and will be moved to East Moreland in the coming days to allow her to be questioned over knowledge of Gillespie and his movements within Kaitaine. She may also face charges relating to the Uppsala Convention as it is believed the Corrino family have been issuing orders to Truthsayers in Seitch, a place where it is suspected child soldiers have been used. Additionally it is not yet known whether Cathcart had involvement in the planning of the attack the steal nuclear waste. Minister of Justice, Darren Bone, explained, "Miss Cathcart has many questions to answer before we can determine what charges are appropriate, if any. This is the first time a high profile member of the Bene Gesserit terrorist organisation has been captured and so we must ensure we do a thorough job gathering as much information as possible before beginning a trial if appropriate." The Minister of Justice also announced, "The Cenneg have carried out a recent review of the nuclear waste incident and have provided information creating a link between a suspect we had in mind, Gillespie and a member of the so called Sisterhood. We shall be working hard to follow these links in the coming days."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 17, 2020, 07:38:49 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c8/81/f9/c881f9cd7740041edd5f29e2ecbc460c.jpg)

EKRA-BADGER HEADS TO QAMB

Following Rokkenjima's destruction of QAMB in Heyra the Royal East Moreland Naval Service have dispatched the Ekra-Badger to the region is its guise as a mobile field hospital. Onboard the ground effect vehicle were 200 members of the Royal Logistics Corps who among their varied duties are experts in the safe disposal of chemical weapons. Alongside them were around 100 members of the Royal Medical Corps who are likely to be dealing with people from the local area who are experiencing medical problems following the release of toxic chemicals. The Royal East Moreland Air Force will also be flying in various construction and decontamination supplies in the coming 48 hours. Lt-Col David Hughes of the Royal Logistics Corps explained, "The task at hand is containment. We have the problem of chemicals potentially leaking into the water table, finding its way into fresh water supplies. Additionally soils can be contaminated with various chemicals that will then begin a vicious cycle in which what grows is contaminated, then the wild life becomes it and so on. We need to move rather quickly to ensure this doesn't become a multi-generational disaster."

It is understood that the government have been speaking with Bakkermaya and Heyra to construct a joint plan to address the problems on the ground, meanwhile Bakkermaya have tabled a resolution within the Ardian Assembly to try and ease relations between nations moving forward. Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker explained, "Talks are being productive but are ongoing. This is a matter the King feels is important to get right and will fully support action to ensure Mhorish security militarily, economically and even environmentally is prioritised. East Moreland fisher man utilise the Mhorish for their living, the last thing we want is some contaminated fish finding its way into our food supplies." It is understood that the Kingdom is being represented by Princess Freya and General Katie Yacobs both of whom serve in Pegasus Legion which is where the HQ element of the Royal Logistics Corps is located.

During the press briefing Malcolm Tucker was asked if the attack would damage relationships with Rokkenjima and replied, "The Kingdom evaluate our relationship with nations based primarily on actions. We are currently rebuilding a relationship with Rokkenjima under their new Empress. This incident comes in the midst of that and the steps Rokkenjima take next I think will be more important in the relationship moving forward than the last few days."


(https://i.pinimg.com/474x/bb/95/25/bb95253a82348b91bc334662c0f1462d.jpg)

SCANDAL FREE DRESS AT OSTLAKE BALL

Following last years eye popping display at the Ostlake Games Officers Ball the Queen went for a more conventional dress this year. Queen Stasya appeared last year in a low cut, thigh revealing dress however she was soon spotted having changed following what appeared to be a heated discussion with her now husband King David. The ball is the traditional close to the week long Ostlake Games and is one of two that goes on simultaniously across the lake. The games concluded with the Air Force taking overall victory, defeating Ui Cenneslaig by a single point over the week. This is the first time the Air Force have won the competition in ten years. Among the Air Force champions was Archduchess Sophie who is currently a Flying Officer in the Force Protection section of the service. The Archduchess won the cross country competition and was part of the team that finished third in the orienteering.

The King began the night at the NCO Ball over the opposite side of the lake where tradition dictates the King begin the dancing with a member of the forces. This year the King and Lance Corporal Melissa Kenner of the Army Aviation Wing began the dancing. Lt.Cpl Kenner was selected as she had set a new record for the individual orienteering as well as captaining the football team of Duke Legion. The 22 year old said, "It was an amazing evening to get the recognition of my fellow Legionnaires and spend time with the King. He was very nice and we talked a lot about my time in the military and I asked a lot about his daughter, as we share a birthday." The King spent roughly an hour at the NCO Ball before taking a helicopter across the lake to meet his wife for the Officers Ball.

He meet the Queen, who was wearing a floor sweeping red dress, and spent the evening socialising with members of his own military as well as those from the CNN nations who had been invited to attend. The King was joined at the ball by Prince Lennox of Ui Cenneslaig who had competed in the rifle shooting event as well as Baron Roman, the former King of Lodja and Tane Sevesi, King Piripi's cousin and Royal Envoy. The ball at both locations was reported to have continued until 2am. The games are now over for another year however the King has indicated that military competitions may not be done. During the ball he explained there is a chance the Legionnaire Legacy competitors may have a chance to compete globally. The Legionnaire Legacy games, which contribute to the Ostlake Games scores, are events for servicemen and woman injured and in need of rehabilitation.



 

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 18, 2020, 08:59:22 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/723254921260171314/unknown.png)

ROYALS OPEN NEW ACADEMY

King David and Queen Stasya today travelled to Silverhills to open the National Aviation College, the first military academy dedicated to the Air Force. East Moreland has a long history of military academies with the oldest being the Portworth Naval Academy which opened in 1745 and was designed to recruit youngsters from poorer backgrounds and teach them skills needed to become successful officers in the Navy. The school at Portworth still exists today and while a good many of its students end up in career military roles the emphasis now is to prepare them for a wide range of careers after the age of 18. East Moreland has a total of 8 military academies with 6 being dedicated to the Army and 2 to the navy however today saw the Air Force join what is referred to as the "Jekar Schools". The National Aviation College will see students aged between 11 and 18 educated in the East Moreland curriculum but with a large focus on subjects deemed important for officers in the Air Force such as Maths, Science and Computing, in addition subjects such as History focus on military history to give students examples of significant military developments. Students must also undertake a variety of extra-curricular activities including shooting, gliding, hiking and military drill. The school has three routes of entry, parents can pay an annual fee expected to be around $12,000 a year, alternatively students can sit an exam at 11 and depending on their results be given either reduced fees or free education. The final route to entry is for students who have both parents in the military or have had a parent killed or severly injured while in the service. When at full capacity the school will be home to 900 students who will board at the school and wear military uniform to class.

The King and Queen arrived at the schools official opening by the old Ironside One aircraft which landed at the schools private airfield where the schools first students greeted the royals with a guard of honour. The pair spent the day visiting lessons as well as having lunch with students before taking part in some of the extra-curricular activities. King David spent time with the Long Bore Shooting team where as well as joining in the firing he gave tips to the students. The King said, "It may have been about five years since I last went onto a military range but you never forget what you've been taught. It was nice to see these youngsters learning those skills and learning about being responsible firearms operators." The King signed the targets of the students as souvenirs of the day. While the King was on the firing range Queen Stasya joined students at the schools own airfield. She went up in a EMAC T8 (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/Firefly-g-bwyh.jpg) alongside 17 year old Jenny Sterling who gained her private pilots licence at 15 through the Air Training Corps. The Queen received her first flying lesson of 40 minutes and afterwards said. "I am amazed at how much fun that was, its very different to the planes I'm used to and Jenny was kind enough to try teaching me how to do some aerobatics but I think my stomach isn't quiet strong enough for it.

The school aims for each student to get a minimum of 30 hours flying time a year and extra time will be given as a reward for good academic work and conduct. The schools first head master is Wing Commander Richard Mayweather who served 20 years in the REMAF he explained, "Aviation and everything associated with it is fascinating and can form an exciting curriculum. We're a nation with a proud aviation heritage and I'm confident that in the next twenty years this school will produce many more pioneers to keep us at the pinnacle be that our students being amazing officers in the Air Force or designers for EMAC or even pushing the boundaries of space with the RAS."

The King and Queen are expected to spend the next few days in Silverhills.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on July 06, 2020, 06:06:56 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i2.wp.com/farm8.staticflickr.com/7302/9973446956_94a73716f3_z.jpg)

"UNIVERSITY REFORM BILL" INTRODUCED IN RC

The Chief Councillor, Grant Nightingale, has today begun steps to reform University education in the Kingdom. Currently students attending University may study any degree deemed "rigouorus" enough by the National Education Board (NEB) who are tasked with ensuring different subject areas conform to a level of challenge for the exam standard. For example they ensure all Moreland Highers are of equal difficulty regardless of whether you study Ancient or Modern History or even Physics. Once accepted onto a degree course by a University a student must pay their course fees however those from less well off families receive discounts and all students may take out loans from the government to cover the full cost of their education post the age of 18. These loans are paid back once an individual earns a certain amount and comes out of their pay along with their taxes. Under the new reforms proposed by Mr.Nightingale the system would see three key changes.

The first key change put forward is a streamlining of courses on offer as the Chief Councillor explained. "Currently the NEB approve all courses that meet a certain number of teaching hours. This has seen Universities set up not as places of academic excellence but as businesses. For example I can go to an institute called the Keepton Big Top University and study a BA(Hons) Degree in Circus Art, I can go to the University of Food and Drink at Rockhampton and gain a degree in Baking Science. The need for these so called degrees is puzzling. I am not saying don't work in a circus if that's your ambition, I am not saying don't become the best Baker you can be, what I am saying is I don't think three years and nearly EM£30,000 of funding is needed. Now people will say the government recoup's that through the loans being paid off but we still need to pay out in advance on their behalf and some of these subjects put students into jobs where they will never reach the threshold to begin repayment, meaning that money is effectively lost to the government. We need to cut down the number of degrees being given out to ensure they are qualifications that mean the holder is someone who is a member of an academic elite." The Chief Councillor produced statistics showing that around 19% of students are currently on what he has called "unnecessary degrees."

The second key change was to create an annual "Statement of Shortage" for students. "The Statement of Shortage would be a document released six months before students make their applications for University. It would show which professions that benefit from degrees have shortage areas. For example at the moment within the military I know we have a shortage of dental staff. We would therefore add dentistry and related degrees to the Statement of Shortage. Students may see these professions as a way of ensuring upon graduation a brighter future allowing them to identify a career path likely to be successful. Currently we see an absolute deluge of people studying Computing, a vital subject for the nation, but it means competition is fierce, meanwhile a subject like say Robotics which is connected has a shortage. By advertising these shortages in advance some of those Computer students may have switched to Robotics. In addition those subjects on the Statement of Shortage would receive more favourable grants and loan conditions meaning a student is likely to leave University with much less debt."

The third key change is the way the loans will be repaid. "If passed we would contribute towards a service persons student loan repayments. The exact way we would do this would be once you reach the appropriate pay-grade to begin repayments the government would pay for the first year 10% of the loan repayments, then 20% for the 2nd and so on until the loan is repaid. Effectively this will give our servicemen and women a pay raise. I would also seek this to begin for those already serving."  When asked where the funding for this would come from Mr.Nightingale explained saying "By cutting the funding for unnecessary degrees we would free up funds to help those identified by this reform additionally if we retain our Legionnaires for longer we can save money on training replacements at such a rapid rate.

The reforms were however immediately opposed by the Royal Artist in Residence, Jocelyn Hopkins. "Mr.Nightingale seems to consider certain subjects unnecessary. The Arts for example would not be as well supported as currently if he gets his way. The subjects such as art, drama and music make a huge contribution to our nation and the economy. They teach transferable skills such as creative and critical thinking. Just because it just tap into some form of military hardware it doesn't mean a subject is lacking in merit. The Chief Councillor has also insulted our Queen, Her Majesty holds a degree in Baking Technology, a subject that Nightingale has called an unnecessary degree. I am sure the Queen valued her education and it taught her a great deal beyond the kitchen and Baking."

We asked the Palace for comments and Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker stated, "Queen Stasya is a proud alumni of Iskor University. She and her husband, His Majesty King David, both place a huge emphasis on the value of good quality education and this has been shown by several programmes they have supported. While the proposal is passing through the Representative Council the King and Queen decline to comment on the proposal of Chief Councillor Nightingale as they believe this would perhaps sway the debate." Currently Nightingale's Traditionalist Party have a 21 seat majority in the Representative Council.



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/729742636793200650/unknown.png)

DR.MERRIMAN'S NEWEST BOOK HITS SHELVES

The well respected Historian Dr.Marcus Merriman today saw his latest work hit book stores across Mundus. It marks a very different approach to History than his previous works which have sought to create discussions around key historical events such as the formation of East Moreland and his favourite subject the life and times of Paul the Explorer. The 80 year old Professor retired officially from lecturing last year having counted among his vast number of former students King David. Since retiring from day to day lecturing however the Professor has sat and cataloged the wars of the 21st century (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=1266.msg10832#msg10832). As the book was released one of the first to get a copy was King David who said, "Dr.Merriman had a huge impact on my education. I know he's told me this book is a vast shift from his usual work and is more an attempt at creating a reference tool but its still a useful tool for anyone with an interest in military history."

The Professor however said he see's the book not as a finalised piece of work. "Sadly wars never stop. The book contains details of the Merina conflict which is still ongoing. It is my aim to keep updating the book every two years. We'll sadly see new wars come out and we may learn more about previous ones as new documents come to light. When I'm unable to do the updates anymore its my hope that people at the Royal Merriman University can take over." The Professor founded his own University in 2017 following a falling out with Royal Northfort University. The new University was granted a royal charter immediately and one of its first students to enroll was King David in order to obtain his Masters degree. The Royal Merriman University is today ranked No.3 in the ratings for History in East Moreland behind the Royal Northfort University and Keepton University. It was the forth University to be granted a royal charter. 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on July 11, 2020, 11:07:51 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.bluebird-electric.net/boats_images/quick-silver-worlds-fastest-water-speed-record-jet-boat.jpg)

FESTIVAL SAIL SEE'S EMAC ANNOUNCEMENT

With the grand opening of the annual Festival of Sail the East Moreland Aircraft Company announced via King David that they would be making improvements to the Waterbadger and seeking to add to the record that they set back in 2015. The high speed boat set a new record of 321mph beating the previous world record by 4mph. The boat was used to open this years festival of sail where its pilot Danny Jules brought the Kings Sword ashore before handing it over to Royal Marine Corporal Gatland. The Corporal was a veteran of the Seaforth Eugenics War were he lost a leg however since then he has rehabilitated at Ostlake with the Legionaire legacy programme and has requalified in a military support role within the Marines. He was awarded with the Morelander Cross for "acts deemed inspirational to Morelanders" and restored to his former rank of Sergeant. The King then gave the speech which confirmed the record attempt.

Sir Alan Maybury is the CEO of EMAC and stated following the King's announcement, "We're exceptionally proud to have the support of the King for this project. When we established 321 five years ago we felt at the time there was a little more to come but the weather conditions hindered us from being able to do anymore. We've a few aerodynamic tricks we want to try and we also hope to play about with the fuel we use and that could get a few more MPH out of the vehicle." Sir Alan was asked why this was a project to return to and stated, "Each time we do something like this we tend to get ten or twenty or so new patents from them. This time we can learn a great deal about projects we can build into future naval projects despite being an aircraft company." It was confirmed that Danny Jules will not be piloting the new attempt saying, "Piloting such vehicles put a tremendous strain on the body, Danny hasn't been in the cockpit of anything other than a prop aircraft for a while and so we're going to put someone else behind the wheel for this. Danny however remains part of the project and his advice will be massively important."


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/731609858561802245/unknown.png)

FIRST BISON ROLLS OUT

The first of East Moreland's new Army Mobility vehicle, the Henley Bison (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=10.msg17619#msg17619) came off the production line in Kings Crossing today. The vehicle is set to replace the Armies Snatch Landrover which entered service in the early 1980's. The Landrover has been heavily modified over the years but was deemed earlier in the year unsustainable for further modifications. A total of 1,500 Bison will eventually enter service with the Snatch Landrovers being given over to the East Moreland contingent of the Joint Emergency Team. The Bison will first be given to Red Legion who will then cascade training to other units. This marks the first non-armour vehicle purchase for the Army in five years. It is hoped that the vehicle will be in front line use by regular Army units by the end of November 2020.


(https://news.stv.tv/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/archive-1399064-steve-coogan-awarded-damages-over-phone-hacking-1.jpg)

CHIEF COUNCILLOR'S UNIVERSITY REFORMS PASS FIRST HURDLE


The proposed reforms of the East Moreland University system put forward by Chief Coucillor Grant Nightingale have passed their first stage towards becoming law. The proposal would see certain University courses cut while other would receive extra financial support, additionally graduates would be incentivised towards a career in the military with help towards student loans. The proposal passed 227-220 and will now proceed onto the Executive Council who will consider the bill and vote on it late next week. Should the proposal pass this hurdle it would require the Kings approval to go into effect. The Executive Council may prove a stumbling block. One member of the Executive Council is Prime Minister Henrietta Quinn who has already gone on record saying. "I do not agree fully with the proposal. I agree University should be for the academic elite, but the academic world is a large place and narrowing it down does no one any favours. I have always held the belief that the nation should do everything within its power to support our servicemen and woman and rewarding their service with what in essence are discounts on student loans is a proposal I would support. I shall be speaking against the bill but hope that we can perhaps work with Chief Councillor Nightingale and amend the proposal before giving it another go."

The Palace have yet to state the King's position on the proposal other than Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker stating, "His Majesty carefully considers any proposal that completes the transitition through the councils and lands on his desk. He views Chief Councillor Nightingale as a good representative for the voice of the people and is happy to work with him to ensure that East Moreland's educational system continues to move from strength to strength with the aim of being the best in the whole of Mundus. Should Mr.Nightingale's proposal end up on his desk rest assured it will be given fair and careful consideration."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on July 19, 2020, 09:11:25 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)
(https://wpcdn.us-midwest-1.vip.tn-cloud.net/www.outdoornews.com/content/uploads/2017/11/Another-buck-shot.JPGGreenie-768x575.jpg)

HEALTH WARNING OVER WILD VENISION

Minister of Health Rufus Maddison has today issued a warning over the consumption of wild venison and has not ruled out a connection to Yellow-Tongue. Over the weekend 12 people were admitted to Silverhills General Hospital having developed blindness. During doctors taking their history it was discovered all had eaten at the Manor Road Brasserie on Thursday evening. Public Health officials visited the restaurant and discovered that there was nothing concerning about the establishment but it was discovered that all the customers effected had ordered the same dish, Venison loin. It was then discovered that the restaurant had purchased the meat from one of many wild game markets in the area. Having undertaken a rapid survey of the local deer stocks the Yellow-Tongue virus was discovered in 2 out of 10 captured however as a precaution all 10 animals were destroyed. This has sparked fears that the virus , which up until now has been thought to have not made its way into East Moreland. The discovery has sent alarm bells through the hospitality industry as many establishments serve game on a very regular basis as well as many Morelanders hunting for their own wild meat.

Mr.Maddison took to TV and Radio throughout today spreading the news of the discovery and the governments response. "We are sad to say we believe we may have found the first cases of animal to human transmission of the Yellow-tongue virus and it is rather unexpected in its presentation. We have only recently discovered that the virus appears to damage the optical nerve in rudimentary mammals however we had not expected to see this as the only impact in humans if and when the virus made the jump. Our concern is that this virus clearly seems able to linger in prepared meats. We are therefore issuing a ban on the sale of wild game for the next 14 days. Those who make a living from providing wild game to butchers or the hospitality industry are expected to within this time not hunt for food. We will however be offering them contracts to bring in specimins for testing and they should contact their local mayoral office if they are interested in undertaking this work. Anyone found breaking this order will be liable to a $1,000 fine and six months imprisonment. Farmers are instructed to obtain test certificates for disease from their local vet prior to selling farmed meat of any kind. In order to help provide support for testing and also protecting farms from intrusion by wild game we will be reducing the numbers streamed to national service in the cultural and medical fields and creating a Yellow-Tongue Task Force. Those part of it will help eliminate intrusions onto farmland by wild game and will support farmers in testing."

The government have also established a help line for anyone concerned about the situation.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 02, 2020, 09:01:44 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)
(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/image_data/file/25403/20140424ran8119365_124-2.jpg)

DRUGS BUST SPARKS NIGHTINGALE CALL FOR DRASTIC ACTION

An operation lead by the nations Royal Marine Commando's yesterday has sparked a radical call for action from Chief Councillor Grant Nightingale. At around 5am yesterday REMNS Rhiannon the Fierce and her Marine detachment boarded a Zimalian flagged vessel passing through the East Moreland EEZ in what was described as an "intelligence lead operation." The operation saw not a single shot fired but around 1,100kg of uncut heroin was discovered taking the 2020 seizure at sea to around 2,000kg. During the whole of 2019 3,000kg were captured while at sea with several more seizures taking place at docks and airports as planes and ships arrived. The crew were all arrested and work with Zimalian authorities will take place to determine what steps happen next. The drugs are expected to have a value once cut by gangs in the region of around $280million. Lt-Col Danny Frost of the Marines lead the operation and from the deck of the REMNS Rhiannon the Fierce stated, "One of the less glamorous roles of Marines is the regular searches of vessels for illegal imports. Often it involves crawling around pallets of cargo with a flashlight looking for things that don't exist. However occasionally we get to a vessel knowing we are likely to find something and when we do it means Morelander citizens are protected which therefore makes all the thankfully fruitless searches worth while."

The ship was taken under East Moreland control and sailed to Seabrooke where it will remain until searched from bow to stern and then if the government are convinced the company that own it are not involved it will likely be returned to them. The crew of 34 have been detained pending questioning. The Ministry of Defence later explained, "The nations intelligence services acquired information about the potential shipment and put in place the operation. It is believed that the shipment was organised by the Borlanders and would have somehow entered East Moreland via an offload of some sort in the Illumic before the vessel continued onto Zimalia. Alternatively the drugs may have entered Zimalia and then across the border from there. Either way these drugs would likely have helped fund Borland operations as we have long connected a large number of drug enterprises to the terrorist cells and are in no doubt that this is one revenue stream for the Borlanders."

The seizure lead to Chief Councillor Grant Nightingale to announce that he will be pushing for the King to change some of the laws around drugs in East Moreland. The leader of the Traditionalist Party announced during a radio interview, "There is no difference between someone selling drugs on behalf of the Borlanders and someone simply handing money over to them. Both are funding terrorism. I am therefore going to sit down with my team tomorrow and draft new proposed legislation that would see anyone caught dealing a certain level of drugs charged not only with that offence but also with terrorist offences, in particular providing comfort and aid to terrorists or even treason. Every penny that would have been made from these drugs would have gone into funding the murder of Morelanders and our allies across Mundus. Those offences in East Moreland carry the death penalty and this is something we must consider. It is bad enough drugs ruin the lives of those who take them but they also ruin the lives of those the money made from them ends up killing." It is not known whether the idea will get support in the Representative Council or get the support of King David should it pass however the fact that it is being proposed shows the level of concern the government have of this funding route for terrorists.


(https://i2.wp.com/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/feddericapellegrini.jpg?fit=800%2C504&ssl=1)

GREECHAN CLOSES IN ON SEAFORTH

Mundus Games legend Daisy Greechan set off from the military base Illumic Command with the intention of swimming the Illumic. Having had to deal with jelly fish and storms the Royal East Moreland Naval Service rescue diver is now within days of reaching the small village of Glenkardy in West Seaforth. Greechan has been swimming for around 14 hours a day and sleeping onboard a support ship which anchors in place each day. The attempt in four days behind schedule after a series of storms meant that the swimmer had to take shelter below deck. While swimming she had been fed using baby food and high calorie gels often remaining in the water during meal times. The attempt did seem in danger though after Greechan was stung swimming through a group of jelly fish and was struggling to see however utilising sound from the support ship and a long pole used for feeding used to tap her on the shoulder to change direction that was overcome.

Speaking last night from a bunk onboard the support ship Greechan stated, "We have a schedule worked out in our heads. It would mean I get to Glenkardy sometime mid afternoon on Wednesday however lots can happen, strong tides may take me off target and I'll have to track back, we could have more storms, I could get jelly fished again and so we'll be more likely to know Tuesday morning whether the arrival ETA is going to be accurate. I've already been told I should expect the walk up the beach to be horrific as my legs haven't really bore weight properly for months now. We've spoken to our medics and they are checking me in with the Legionnaire Legacy programme as essentially according to them I'm going to have to learn to walk again. I suppose though this will end speculation about whether I'll attend the Mundus Games as while Team Honeybadger is off killing it I'll be at Legacy HQ." The swim has raised around $3,500,000 for good causes across East Moreland.


(https://ak.picdn.net/shutterstock/videos/32587012/thumb/1.jpg)

2021 NATIONAL SERVICE EXTENDED

From the 1st January 2021 the length of National Service will be extended by a month. The announcement will now mean all those serving will now complete 25 months of service. All Morelanders complete two years of national service either at the age of 18 or once they have completed further education such as University. All Morelanders complete an initial 15 weeks of military training before being streamed into either more military service or completing roles under one of five other classifications those being Cultural (protecting national heritage), Religious (caring for religious sites) ,Health (Helping in hospitals) , Environmental (Woodland management) or Humanitarian (being attached to organisations like JET, WMO or refugee centres). The new change will mean the streaming will now take place after 19 weeks of military training.

The decision was announced by Sir Harry Samuelson the nations Minister of Defence who stated, "Since 1922 the manner of our national service has changed little, the last change was in 2018 when we added humanitarian service to the different streams we can assign individuals to. National Service is important in allowing our nation to be able to defend itself, to teach young people responsibility and to allow them to serve their people as Helus demanded we do. The problem is military technology is getting more complex, its no longer a case of picking up a rifle and just pulling a trigger. This extra month will take the form of learning about uses of these new technologies, be they drones or cyber warfare. These are skills that will be useful to all Morelanders post national service too as we have often seen." Sir Harry used Martin Dawson the CEO of SmartWar as a good example. "Martin was a young man with a University background in various computer based subjects, national service saw him learn exactly how that could be applied to a large number of problems. Our nation got so much from him during his two years, in return he left able to set up a company that has in my view revolutionised so many pieces of technology with our armed forces, and made him a rich man. It shows just how beneficial for both parties national service can be."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 04, 2020, 11:14:10 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.tv360nigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/essex.jpg)

22 SET FREE IN BORDER CHECK

At the border crossing between East Moreland and Vaguzia at Pickford a truck was pulled over by Customs Agents following reports of something suspicious. The vehicle was asked to pull over to the inspection area however the driver attempted to flee the scene but was stopped by members of the 2nd Light Scouts who were providing security at the crossing point. The driver was arrested and when the Scouts made entry to the rear of the lorry discovered that among its cargo of cardboard were 22 individuals being smuggled across the border. 16 of the individuals required medical treatment for dehydration while the remaining 6 were taken to the nearby police station for processing. Bryce Cokes is the Head of Customs at Pickford and said after the incident, "We robustly check the vehicles coming across the border from Vaguzia and generally the most worrying thing we find are the odd overloaded lorry or a little bit of drugs. We very very rarely find people as we have relatively relaxed travel arrangements with Vaguzia. We are now investigating who these people are however as of yet none of them have spoken to us meaning we are struggling to find out where they are from."

The Ministry of Justice confirmed that the driver was being charged with breaking customs rules and potentially kidnapping. The individuals, who ranged in age from an estimated 15 to 40, are going to be moved to the secure section of Hunter's Vale which is normally reserved for refugees who have committed crimes while on the former military base. Minister Darren Bone explained, "Normally we would deport someone entering the nation illegally back to where their home nation however with these people no telling us where they are from that may prove impossible for now. Hunter's Vale has a small section of the former Army Base that we can secure and in the past was used as a kind of holding centre for refugees who may have committed crimes while in the facility. These people will be moved there until we can work out what to do next." Mr.Bone has suggested that should the nationalities of the group not be confirmed they may look at handing them over to Vaguzia. "We can not allow people who, for whatever reason, want to get to East Moreland by circumventing our processes to succeed. These people have passed through Vaguzia and if they wished to claim asylum then Vaguzia is a perfectly safe country."

In response to the discovery the Customs Agency will be reinforced by members of the Armed Forces to allow for more checks to take place with minimal disruption to cross border traffic.



(https://cdn.onebauer.media/one/lifestyle-legacy/8e/15129/2c04f/3e853/10fa1/d319b/ebb67/GettyImages-494920557_700x1050.jpg?format=jpg&quality=80&width=440&ratio=16-9&resize=aspectfill)

KING APPROVES "NIGHTINGALE EDUCATION REFORM BILL"

The King has today signed into law the collection of reforms to Higher Education in East Moreland brought about by legislation drafted by Chief Councillor Grant Nightingale. The new legislation is the first brought about by Nightingale and will now mean that certain courses at University will lose governmnet funding, students will be able to see which professions requiring degrees have shortages and those who go to serve in the military as a career will receive support in repaying student loans. The move will now see some University courses no longer accept applications unless fully funded by outside bodies. One example is the degree in "Applied Circus Skills" which will no longer accept applications unless an outside funder can be found. Mr.Nightingale explained, "Universities exist to be hubs of academic excellence. Finances for education are finite and as such should go to fulfilling the goal of what a University is. People who wish to learn applied circus skills can still do so, they just now have to focus on learning through doing." It is estimated that the change will ensure funding streams for students will be able to be spread more effectively now the numbers of University students is likely to decrease.

The move though has drawn criticism as the National Union of Students says "The new legislation devalues the hard work and skills gained by individuals in a wide variety of fields. People will see their dreams shattered with little to no warning and we stand the risk of losing avenues for people to better themselves." Within minutes of the King signing the proposals into law the National Union of Students launched a petition calling for the new rules to be overturned.

The Minister for Education, Rosa Meadows, stated that she had actually advised the King not to sign the legislation into law because to her, "Studying at the highest level possible is something everyone should strive for. We should not be in the business of telling people whether or not their dreams are worthy of study or not. We should be supporting students. Today we have sent a message that education is only important in certain fields of study."

The King has yeto tp speak in person about the new laws however a statement read by Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker said, "The King has always attempted to rule in a way that the decisions he makes are ones that the majority of Morelanders support and are in their best interests. This legislation passed the Representative Council stage on its first attempt, it then passed the Executive Council with no amendments. This sends a strong message to the King that this bill is what the people want and thus is something he should support. No law is perfect and rest assured the King will look now at ways of supporting students with desires to study courses that may now no longer get funding through the traditional routes."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 08, 2020, 10:33:33 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.iii.org/sites/default/files/p_collegecampus_522307288.jpg)

KING INTRODUCES NEW FUNDING FOR STUDENTS

King David today announced something that will support students of "less traditional academic" routes. The Student Development Fund will offer funding to businesses associated with qualifications that will no longer enjoy government support at Universities. The new system used one of the courses which was highlighted by Chief Councillor Nightingale in his recent successful reforms, Applied Circus Skills as an example. The system will pay Circus' an annual stipend for them to accept students in addition these students will still be eligible for student loans at the same rate as previously. The move will according to the new legislation provide students with "in depth on the job training that places them at the forefront of their fields from the out-set. The stipend will enable first class providers of skills to allow their current employees to spend quality time mentoring the students and helping them progress in their own skills."

The news did not however reassure the National Union of Students who said , "While this will be a slight beacon of hope for students who saw their University course disappear with little warning. All this does is turn ambitious Morelanders into cheap labour. The Union is concerned about there being no standard programme within fields and therefore we are puzzled at how this can ensure those finishing their education can be said to be up to a certain common standard in their field."

The new measures are expected to come into force in 2022.


(https://www.swimbiz.it/portal/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/pellegrini-vittoria-deep.jpg)

GREECHAN LIMPS ASHORE IN SEAFORTH

Daisy Greechan today completed her epic cross-Illumic swim yesterday by struggling to get ashore in Glenkardy in West Seaforth. The Mundus Games swimmer completed the roughly 3,500km in just over 60 days. She was joined by around 100 locals for the last kilometer and many of her crew-mates from REMNS King Robert were on hand to welcome her ashore. Having made her way to the shallows Greechan struggled to get to her feet and despite several people wanting to help her they were reminded that the feat would not count unless the swimmer was able to fully exit the sea and be clear of the breakers. She stumbled and fell several times before finally being declared to have completed the swim at which point medics from REMNS King Robert moved in to help her. It took several minutes for Greechan to be at a point where she could speak to the media. "I'd like to thank everyone who came out to support me and who has donated money to the good causes I'm supporting. The final day was fine in terms of the swimming but the exit to the Illumic was one of the hardest things I've done. I felt like my legs were just plates of jelly and they just wouldn't do what I wanted them to. Now I've been on dry land for the last half an hour I feel odd that the world isn't moving. Tomorrow we start what is essentially rehab."

One of those who welcomed her ashore was Lieutenant Peter Stevens who is the doctor onboard REMNS King Robert and has spent the last few weeks onboard Greechan's support ship. "Daisy has done amazing. She's overcome a lot. We had bouts of salt-tongue where she saw parts of her tongue literally falling off. We've also seen her physique change, she's put on around 5kg of pure muscle in her shoulder, back and arms while losing lots in her legs. Then we have her feet, her arches have collapsed and we've some minor ulcers to deal with. We're also going to have to get her back to a normal diet, she's been eating around 15,000 calories a day in essentially liquid form. From my point of view its safe to say her challenge is only half way over. The 2nd half now begins with her rehab. That could take her anywhere between a month or three, it depends how quickly her body responds however it is clear she is an amazing athlete and its likely she will respond to the rehab quickly."

Greechan will be helped in her recovery by Legionnaire Legacy who she has raised funds for. Their patron is Princess Freya who said, "We expect the military personnel of our nation to do great things and be able to push themselves harder than they ever thought possible. Daisy has today shown just what a determined individual can do  and we are all proud of her."


(https://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2015/6/30/1435672804277/ca8e08a0-5aed-4bbd-b9dc-c5783c8fee1e-2060x1371.jpeg?width=700&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=2a670b0f1efeeabf4273bf22bbfa73df)

RED LEGION RAID DISCOVERS 27 DEAD

Residents in a quiet suburb of Roberton today were awoken at 5am when two explosions were heard. Over the next ten minutes several more were heard along with several vehicles entering the area at high speed. Local Police began patrolling the streets informing people to stay inside due to an "ongoing terrorist situation" One eye witness said, "We saw guys in black moving through people's gardens and climbing over back walls for about an hour. We also heard helicopters low overhead." It was not however until about 9am that an official statement was released.

The Chief of the Roberton Police stated, " We received a tip off from military intelligence about a potential problem. We thought it best at that point to hand the situation over to Red Legion who were willing to conduct the necessary operation. As such at 5:04 am the Legionnaires used dynamic entry techniques to effect an entrance into a warehouse complex in which we had the belief that contraband was being stored for criminal purposes. It was necessary to keep members of the public indoors as some of the intelligence we had indicated a potential hazardous substance and a possible suspect evading the assaulting force. We however did not find any suspects inside."

It was only later in the day that a further statement confirmed that they had found 27 dead bodies. "We have now confirmed 27 individuals who have died within the facility we raided. Coroners put the time of death as being close to 24 hours before the raid and the individuals were discovered inside a locked shipping container that it appears some kind of gas, possibly car exhaust fumes, was used to murder those inside. Investigations are continuing but so far the identities of those inside are yet to be established. 18 of the dead are adults with 9 children. None of those who appeared to be in their 20's came up on the military database leading us to believe these were not Moreland citizens."

Police are calling on anyone with information to come forward. 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 12, 2020, 09:24:52 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/743193847537991700/thumbs_b_c_2c2b455ae9d6b3e31d256ac0e5619345.png)

MILITARY UNCOVER NEW BORLANDER "FUNDING STREAM"

Following another raid on a warehouse in Stoneton it is believed Red Legion have uncovered what is being described as a new "funding stream" for the Borlanders. Following information obtained from previous operations a raid on a second floor warehouse unit in the town uncovered a further 13 people being held. Unlike other raids though this one featured a brief exchange of gunfire and a gunman was rushed to medical facilities however died while being operated on. Several documents and phones were recovered and in the early afternoon a statement was released on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

"Over the last few days the East Moreland Intelligence Services along with their counterparts within the military have been dealing with several potential incidents. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our intelligence officers and our service men and women these have been foiled. We however sadly suspect several other Borland operations have managed to get through the net. We have sadly uncovered a human trafficing operation, focusing primarily on children and women. It appears that the Borlanders are acquiring people from various nations across Mundus and funneling them into Zimalia via ports in Zimalia, East Moreland and potentially Heyra, Hassfurt and Vaguzia. We also believe crossings of the Illumic from Seaforth may be taking place. Once in Zimalia it is believed that the people are being effectively sold or in some cases smuggled elsewhere. We are now looking to stop such shipments of human life reaching Zimalia. We also warn nations across Mundus to be aware of the situation and take precautions."

It is understood some of those rescued in recent operations are from poor families in places such as Toshikawa and Neuva Ardia as well as a small number of Lodjain plebs who appear to have been tricked into believing they would be getting a better life outside that nations caste like system. The nations Foreign Minister, Orlaith Kade stated, "Our primary duty is to ensure these people retain their liberty. Once we have rescued these people we hope their ordeal is over. Should any feel they can not return home we will listen to their asylum claims after all East Moreland has a reputation for taking in those in danger in their homeland. Any who wish to return home we will do everything we can to make that happen." She also announced that ships arriving in ports and vehicles crossing land borders should expect their entry to East Moreland to take longer as security is stepped up in order to identify people being brought into the nation illegally.


(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/709845204689092691/743192047841837098/unknown.png?width=461&height=610)

QUEEN BECOMES FIRST TO GET APPROVAL FOR VOCATIONAL FUNDING

Following the announcement late last week that certain subjects deemed to be more vocational focused would lack places at Universities in the future it was hoped businesses would step in and offer on the job training for students in fields such as Fashion, Beauty, Applied Circus Skills and Culinary fields. Today it was announced that Queen Stasya's bespoke fashion company Stagia would be relocating to Silverhills and had been given permission to take on 16 students for Fashion Design and a further 10 for various business qualifications. Queen Stasya has also confirmed that the company will no longer be run to make a profit. Queen Stasya has a large social media following and while a Lady in Waiting in Lodja was seen as a fashion icon for many young Lodjain woman, this has also seen her gain a following globally. Her fashion company Stagia was set up in 2017 and last year made $2.1million profit, a respectable amount for a small boutique company.

The Queen stated, "I believe the fashion industry is something that can easily expand within East Moreland. There are lots of traditional aspects of East Moreland society but I've seen that particularly younger people are keen to mix the styles they see in global media into their way of doing things. As such the future designers of East Moreland need opportunities. Stagia today will seek each year to recruit the best up and coming student and give them a chance to learn on the job. Should the company be profitable we will at the end of the year pay the students loans off for them. Any extra funds will be split on a dividend style basis with 60% going to charity, 25% going back into the business and the remainder being put into a fund that upon graduation students can apply for in order to establish their own business. It is my hope that perhaps students will leave with no debt, a massive amount of experience and be able to be an asset to the industry."

It is expected several other companies will this week be given recognition for being able to deliver qualifications. 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 01, 2020, 07:36:48 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BB13jngh.img?h=0&w=600&m=6&q=60&u=t&o=f&l=f&x=684&y=264)

NO ACTION AGAINST QUEEN AFTER DATA BREACH

Several days ago media sources across Mundus received files supposedly originating from Lodja which contained details of many potential scandals. Among them were several relating to East Moreland and even implimenting the Queen from her time as a Lady in Waiting for the Queen's of Lodja. It was reported that Queen Stasya meet with representatives of Rokkenjima during a time when relations with East Moreland at a low. The files include a report of a conversation between the then Lady Stasya and the then Empress Beatrice where in return for trying to persuade King David to repair the relationship between the two nations the Rokkenjimans would support the advancement of the Queen's brother in the Lodjain Navy. The Head of the Queen's Household Alexandrea Samuel stated, "It is not a surprise that a Lodjain Lady in Waiting had a conversation with visiting dignitaries from other nations after all that was how Queen Stasya and King David began their relationship. Just because Her Majesty spoke with the former Empress and may have expressed a desire to see better relationships between two significant nations on Mundus there is no crime or no scandal."

A further scandal rocked the Pelagiya family as the King's Father-in-Law , Duke Tobias, was discovered to have had prostitutes visit him on the Lodjain Royal Palace. It is understood because of these actions the Duke has been removed from the Palace in Lodja and no longer serves as the Envoy for Alba Karinya. Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker said, " Duke Tobias has acted in a manner we can not respect. He has been punished for his actions and is now having to work at rebuilding his relationship with his family. King David is naturally concerned how the Queen is handling the emotion of the situation and will do whatever he can to support his wife during the process. The Queen of Lodja, not King David, is responsible for managing the nobility of Lodja and so action has been taken."

There were also allegations of East Moreland's Red Legion having helped corrupt elements of the Lodjain military covertly move weapons to avoid shipments being discovered. This is something that Red Legion have denied and their Commander Brigadier Kelly has stated, "I am confident no Legionnaire has acted in this way and while the various files may indicate this we are currently undertaking our own investigation which will unearth the truth about what has happened. It is clear to see that over the past three years our military reviews and support we have given Lodja has seen an improvement in their armed forces. This year we saw less equipment than ever unservicable or missing and the quality of their training has improved significantly. I am confident we can soon share with you the truth of what has happened."

Queen Stasya has yet to be seen in public since the leak with many speculating that she has headed to her private residence in Silverhills.


(https://www.ultimaterugby.com/images/entities/229917-0665bf60b7-1/Perfectsizefornews-2019-06-20T171453.458.jpg)

ATHLETES TO DETERMINE OWN STANCE ON GAMES

The Ministry of Culture, which includes Sport within its remit, today stated that the government have determined the nation will not make athletes boycott the games and will instead allow the governing bodies of each sport to make the decision. Katy Garrett, the Minister of Culture, explains "The games are the pinnacle of each athletes career. We have made it policy that we do not involve politics in sport. We see this by several times not instructing players to boycott games against fake nations like the Borlanders when for some unfathomable reason they were permitted in the Football World Cup. We shall maintain this stance while making it clear to our athletes who do choose to compete our expectations. We as a nation are responsible for making sure our athletes are safe while overseas and as such we have instructed Team East Moreland to base all athletes in Royal Seleucid accommodation and will provide executive jets to fly them into Tamora for the day of their competition, returning them to Ipsus immediately after."

So far no athletes have announced that they will boycotting the games however it is understood that several governing bodies will meet in the coming days.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 04, 2020, 11:18:25 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i.imgur.com/WSGN2RZ_d.webp?maxwidth=728&fidelity=grand)

EMAC CONFIRM LOSS OF PROTOTYPE

Sir Alan Maybury the CEO of the East Moreland Aircraft Company has today announced that the company has lost one of the pair of prototypes for a new unmanned air vehicle known as the Dragon-ghost. The announcement marks the end of a long series of successful advances by the company over the last five years that had lead many to believe that everything the company touched was destined to a success. The new UAV was expected to serve in the Air Force and is intended to carry out both reconnaissance and strike missions. The aircraft was designed to give a minimal radar signature by using special composite materials and a low profile design. The skin of the aircraft was designed in such a way that there would be no potential radar return from control surfaces as the design would be manoeuvred by vectoring exhaust gases over the fuselage. Sir Alan spoke with the media having already reported the loss of the prototype to the Ministry of Defence. During the Press Briefing the CEO explained the reason for the loss. "Over the last few months the two prototypes have clocked up around 180 hours of flying time and things have largely gone how we expected. The prototype is designed so that we can use traditional control surfaces such as rudders, ailerons and elevators however we have the option to turn these off in flight and lock them in place using then the thrust vectoring we plan on utilising to cut down radar signature. On the last week or so off testing we've used just the thrust system for all the flights. On this occasion we believe that perhaps some ice blocked one of the vectoring ports and so we attempted to switch to using the control surfaces. For some reason the mechanism that switches between them didn't work and it crashed into the Illumic. We have recovered as much of the wreckage as I think we'll get and are pouring over it to learn what went wrong."

The Ministry of Defence announced that they will be providing as much support as possible. "EMAC have always provided the nation with quality equipment. Its the case that to make the huge advances that EMAC have given us that occasionally an experiment is going to go wrong. We are confident that Sir Alan and his team will complete the project to the specifications that we need and that once more we'll have an exceptional piece of equipment." It is understood that the government have planned to order an initial batch of 30 of the UAV's if the project is completed to the standards demanded by the military. The remaining prototype will be grounded until the company have gone over the data gathered and made significant changes if needed.



(https://www.irishnews.com/picturesarchive/irishnews/irishnews/2019/01/25/125022497-79b4a986-c1c1-4e36-94d9-61315b8f0693.jpg)

DIXON TO DRIVE SSC HONEYBADGER

Several months ago EMAC confirmed that they were taking the SSC Honeybadger out of storage and were planning on making several tweeks to the record breaking car. The vehicle set the land speed record back in 2015 when it recorded an average over two runs of 833mph in the salt plains of Dijel. At the time the team carrying out the attempt claimed that they thought the vehicle could get about 10-15 mph more however the weather conditions were never favourable for a further run and the car was returned to East Moreland were it has been on display in the National Aeronautical Museum in Ostlake ever since. About six months ago the vehicle was retrieved and has undergone several low speed runs at Ostlake at speeds less than 300mph. At the time of the record breaking run Royal East Moreland Air Force pilot Danny Jules was the driver of the vehicle and would later go on to also pilot the Waterbadger which broke the Water Speed Record. Jules has however since left the Air Force and ruled himself out of a second attempt with the SSC Honeybadger stating that he didn't think his neck was up to the job. "When you drive the SSC Honeybadger its a straight line but there is so much acceleration your head becomes like a bowling ball on top of a piece of spaghetti. I spent months doing weight training to try and make sure I was as strong as possible in my back and shoulders to try and compensate. Now I'm five years older I don't think I can put my body through that again." Jules will however still be part of the team advising them on how to set up the vehicle and helping train the new driver who was named as another former REMAF pilot , former astronaut Rachel Dixon.

Dixon was a former fighter pilot in the East Moreland Air Force and became the first Morelander in space and on the moon, she has also visited the "Inflatable" Space Station established by the CNN. If the record attempt is successful Dixon will extend the World Land Speed Record to what EMAC believe will be 850mph however if vehicle manages to reach 678mph it will mark a record as the Womens Land Speed Record something that Dixon is confident of acheiving. "I saw on TV when the car broke the sound barrier five years ago. Having been in a rocket that goes much faster than the SSC Honeybadger I know the forces involved very well and know I can cope. All we need is for the engineers to get their bit right and we should get close to the existing record. I think we're going to do this with some to spare."

The location for the record attempt has yet to be confirmed but a return to Dijel has not been ruled out.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 09, 2020, 11:10:22 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/743887236499636275/753364026745946173/unknown.png)

EXCLUSIVE SILVERHILLS CLUB TO HAVE "EQUALITY"

The famous Marble Garden Club in Silverhills is a private members club opened in 1808 by a group of wealthy metal merchants who had been raised to the nobility by King Richard I. It was originally intended as an exclusive place for businessmen of the "New Nobility" to have their own gatherings in a similar manner as the old Palaces of the traditional nobility had. It sits within the beautiful building known as the Garden House which is surrounded by a large private walled garden meaning the comings and goings at the Club are rather discreet. The Club has never advertised for members and its membership list is not public knowledge. What is known is that the Club charges a rather sizeable annual fee and permits its members to use its facilities, bars, restaurants and bedrooms for relaxation. The club has strict codes on dress, guests and even on where its members can conduct business within its premises. One known member of the club is Lord Lucas Osman, founder of OsmanTech and thought to be East Moreland's richest man. The Lord explained, "The club is a kind of haven away from the worries of big business. Its an oasis where the only place you are even permitted to display business documents is in a private suite. In the public areas conversation is expected to be pleasant, its about family, your travels and the rugby. Even discussion on politics while not banned is frowned upon." The club has however always retained two policies which in the past has drawn criticism. The first is that the clubs membership is "gentleman only" meaning women visitors are only permitted when accompanied by a male member. The second is that all members must be Morelanders and therefore the only foreign guests who have been inside have been guests of the members. The club's rather secretive administration has though today voted to change that.

In a notice published in the Northfort Gazette the club stated, "The Marble Garden Club is now able to consider membership of both those not born of East Moreland as well as females. The usual process shall apply." The notice did no however discuss the process and Lord Lucas Osman was unwilling to give details. It is understood though that a vetting process is undertaken and similar but less exclusive clubs usually operate on a referral process where a current member must give an introduction for a prospect to even be considered. The Marble Garden Club has 30 bedrooms, six dining rooms, three kitchens, a ballroom and several other lounges and function rooms. Very few images of the interior exist with one of the dining rooms being photographed recently to highlight the inclusion of several famed wood engravings of the 18th Century artist William Antony. Various rumours have existed about the club down the years including that its wine cellar has over 10,000 different bottles of wine, that it was used by King Richard I for hiding his Mistresses or even that it was a secret Temple used for human sacrifice. While mystery surrounds much of the club it is clear that it is likely to become more open in the coming weeks.

Lord Lucas explained, "Perhaps the club is becoming rather stale in terms of its membership aging. East Moreland has since the time of Richard I become a nation joined to Mundus not apart from it. It is then perhaps the right time to embrace this and allow its membership to reflect the changing nature of our nation." Shelly Coe of the Northfort News attempted to apply for membership an hour after the announcement appeared but was however told "Regretfully your application has not been accepted at this time." with no feedback of the reason why being given.



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/743887236499636275/753371732156612668/unknown.png)

ARCHDUCHESS PREPARES FOR ALUHAMPTON

Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside has announced today that she is set to return to athletics however will not be attending the Mundus Games. The King's 22 year old niece has competed several times in the Summer and Winter Mundus Games since making her debut at the age of 17. She became the first athlete to win medals at both the summer and winter version of the games and is East Moreland's 2nd most successful athlete behind her friend and Mundus Games Swimming Legend Daisy Greechan. The Archduchess is surrounded by speculation leading up to every Games as to whether she will compete especially since taking up a commission in the Air Force meaning her training and competition routine is heavily impacted by her duties as a Force Protection Dog Handler. This year however the Archduchess has been open about her preparations saying, "I have two months of leave saved up and thankfully could take them when I wanted. I have therefore been in contact today with the Paracambian organisers of the Empire Games and they have graciously allowed me to compete there. I love the thrill of competition but for both moral and practical reasons I can not go to the Mundus Games. On a practical view point I haven't enough qualifying points and while the East Moreland selectors offered me a place it would have pushed someone else out. I think that would not have been fair. Morally I think I can not compete in a nation where slavery is permitted. I'm a royal in a nation that utilises the Freestone Mark and was proud that we saw citizens of this nation establish such a useful process. I therefore think this is my Freestone Mark. I don't blame any athlete who does go and competes. I once was where they were having spent years dedicating every waking thought to achieving your dream. Practicially talking I'd have gone to the games and come away with no medal. I now have a chance to go and compete against people in a very different environment, from what I understand it will be people representing their region and not their nation and that's something that people don't normally get the chance to do."

The East Moreland team selectors said they supported the Archduchess and wished her well in her efforts. Team Leader Simon Moran, a medal winner in rowing, explained "Every time the Archduchess has laced up trainers or ice skates she's brought back medals. She's young but full of so much experience. We would have been insane not to take her along just as a prescence around the team, especially since we've lost Daisy Greechan as that figurehead. To give up a place on a team in favour of others is brave but she's a competitive person and so these Empire Games present her a unique chance and I know she'll embrace that. It also attracts more attention to these Empire Games, to have one of Mundus greatest sports-women go will I think make those games viewed more globally." Moran was asked if the Archduchess would be representing East Moreland or would be competing as a private individual and said, "That is for Sophie and the Empire Games to work out. She has in my view every right to pull on the red and white whenever she wants. Whether that is appropriate in these circumstances is for the Paracambians to work out." Moran was also asked about the prospect of Morelanders withdrawing from the games because of the venue and replied. "Its tough. Should the games be in Royal Seleucid, absolutely. They have some nice facilities and have from what I've seen and heard been trying hard to overcome the past issues the nation had under their previous King. Tamora while having the facilities though creates a moral issue. My understanding is Attica is the part of the Empire hosting the games and that they have banned slavery. If that is the case then I think that by going we actually show the Tamorans that if they don't use slaves and don't embrace the practice of slavery the international community will support and embrace them. I think our approach of leaving it to everyone's own conscience is the best way forward though. I'm now hoping we have a successful games and we meet our targets."

The various competitors to represent East Moreland will be announced this Friday and fans will be looking for a new batch of athletes to step up and take the weight of expectation created by trailblazers like Greechan and the Archduchess.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 10, 2020, 10:36:18 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/941/29786814548_46a742ffcf_b.jpg)

QUEEN EVACUATED FROM SILVERHILLS AFTER EXPLOSION

Queen Stasya was today evacuated from her residence in Silverhills following an explosion at a nearby bar which is being investigated as a terrorist incident. It was claimed by eye witnesses that a bar in Silverhills was attacked seemingly at random by a car which first fired an explosive device in before two armed men riddled the venue with gunfire. So far Police have yet to confirm the number of casualties stating, "We are still working on identifying all the victims and until such a time as we can it is not appropriate for us to make any further announcements." It is understood that as the explosion happened close to the Queen's residence protocols for the emergency evacuation of the Queen were followed meaning that within a minute or so of the explosion a military helicopter left the Queen's property at Clancy House. While the Queen was being evacuated it is understood that teams on the ground were moving towards Clancy House incase the explosion was part of an attack on the royal property and one of these units from the 2nd Light Scouts intercepted the perpatrators as they fled the scene. One eye witness claims the get away car was rammed by a military armoured car and then fired upon. Several men were pulled from the car but their condition is yet to be determined. The local chief of police announced, "Following a swift reaction by members of our police and military a number of terrorist suspects were engaged and captured. We shall make further announcements as and when we have more to share."

It is understood that the Queen was flown to the military base known as Alpine Three with her helicopter being accompanied by two Dragonheart fighter aircraft. John Powell is a former member of Royal Security details and he informed us, "It is standard practice that wherever a member of the royal family goes an extraction plan is in place, usually there are three or four different plans for different scenarios. The end result of each is to find a secure location and the VIP is deposited there under heavy guard. No risks are taken and so to limit risk of an attack by something like a shoulder fired SAM fighters accompany any transport aircraft. These fighters would have the responsibility of ensuring any launched missile is drawn away from the target utilising the mass of onboard equipment they have. I would guess within 60 seconds of the agents at Clancy House getting word of the attack the Queen was onboard that helicopter."

The Queen had moved to Silverhills following the release of data from Lodja that implicated the Pelagiya family in several scandals. The Royal Press Office have yet to confirm whether Queen Stasya is still at Alpine Three or has been moved to some other location. Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker told assembled press "The Security of the royal family is well in hand. Steps have and will be taken to ensure that no harm comes to them and the business of government is unaffected."


(https://www.fina.org/sites/default/files/styles/athlete_slider/public/athlete-slider/bronte_campbell2.jpg?itok=naw9wIPr)

GREECHAN AT THE GAMES

It is well documented that Daisy Greechan is East Moreland's greatest athlete and in many debates across Mundus some would argue that she is perhaps the greatest sports person in Mundus. As well as being a swimming great having won medals in the pool and open water events at the games she was part of the pair to become the first women to row across the Mhorish and recently completed a historic swim across the Illumic  a feat that ensures she will miss the Mundus Games. What however is less documented has been the quiet emergence of Maisie Greechan-Clay, the 17 year old cousin of the legend. Yesterday at the National Student Championships Maisie set a new junior record in the 50m Butterfly which was also quick enough to qualify her for the Mundus Games meaning the name "Greechan" will feature of the starting blocks in Midaranye after all. As her inclusion was confirmed the 17 year old said, "I know what will end up happening. People will compare me and my cousin and the fact we are both exceptionally tall, we swim and we're Morelanders that is where I think the comparison should end. Daisy was a marathon runner while I'm a sprinter. There is no way you will find me swimming in the open water, its far too cold and 10km is far too much hard work. Naturally I'd love to be half as successful as she has been and she is an inspiration to me and the rest of the the East Moreland swim team, probably an inspiration to swimmers regardless of their nationality. I'm young enough to have many more games and I know I'll be one of the younger members of Team EM, for me this is like a recce, I intend to go to Midaranye and get some elite competition experience. Anything other than that is a bonus."

With many other big names from the East Moreland team of 2019 calling top class sport a day the 2020 games present an opportunity for new stars to emerge. Two old hands however are Louis Blanche and Tom Ridge who will both compete in the Medieval MMA competition and have today confirmed that they will for the first time team up to represent the Kingdom in the duo's competition. Blanche and Ridge have fought several times for the World Heavyweight title which is currently held by Louis Blanche. The announcement of what is considered by many to be the No.1 and No.2 ranked fighters in the world uniting under the Red and White is likely to make others in that competition nervous. The pair do however have to contend with the knowledge that anything less than a truck load of golds in the discipline for East Moreland is likely to be seen as a massive failure. 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 12, 2020, 10:41:22 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.augustustours.de/images/phocagallery/Kulturreisen/PalacesGardens/schloss_nymphenburg_web_cbayerische_schlsserverwaltung_www.schloesser.bayern.de.jpg)

TREATY CONFIRMATIONS

Duchess Orlaith Kade has today confirmed that the Kingdom has recently entered into two treaties within its own right as well as seeing its link with the CSU expanded. The Foreign Minister confirmed that the Kingdom has concluded a deal with Aosta which will ease trade and travel. The agreement was negotiated between King David and Princess Brigidia and will see Aosta benefit from reduced tariffs and products originating from Aosta will be able to enter East Moreland with few restrictions so long as they conform to East Moreland's standards. The agreement will also see an expansion of the highly successful More and Mundus school exchange programme which has sent thousands of young Morelanders abroad to gain cultural knowledge of other nations. The Foreign Minister explained, "The treaty is a good one as Aosta are a nation primed to be able to become an important part of Albion where we already have many treaties and friends. This treaty will now allow us to access markets there close to other places we already have been working with. We understand that a East to West coast Albion railway network is being established and that will help our companies planning on taking advantage of this treaty even further."

The second treaty was concluded between King David and Empress Evanthe of Rokkenjima. The two nations were at one point firm friends however following various controversies following the kidnapping of Princess Adriana by the Borlanders and an apparent breakdown in Rokkenjiman Intelligence Agencies because of Charles Ofdensen's treachery. The breakdown even saw Empress Beatrice cancel the existing treaty between East Moreland and Rokkenjima. The new treaty does not go as far as previous ones, which all were tied to working with another nation to form a Tripartite however it does begin to lay the foundations of repairing the two nations relationship. The new treaty was concluded at Northfort Palace and will see the restablishment of diplomatic relations through embassies, military briefings and limits of Rokkenjiman Naval tonnage at QAMB. The agreement will also Rokkenjima once more part of the More and Mundus programme. Duchess Orlaith explained, "The treaty still does not make the relationship between our two nations as strong as they once were but they are a foundation to build upon. The treaty does not contain any economic aspects as those are fairly controlled and managed through the East Moreland-CSU Agreement."

Finally as the CSU have recently admitted Koudama to the organisation it will bring them into play through the East Moreland-CSU Agreement. That arrangement sees products certified as originating in the CSU free to enter East Moreland so long as they comply with local standards, the arrangement is recipricated allowing East Moreland to access the markets of Rokkenjima, Achkaerin, Lakhzovia, and now Koudama. Duchess Orlaith explained, "The CSU Agreement is one we are always happy to see grow. We have adopted since 2014 a stance that the removal of limits and tariffs is beneficial for all but must be controlled through a sensible mechanism. We like the concept of the CSU when it comes to trade however we do not wish to be tied to the bureaucratic beast that accompanies it. The East Moreland-CSU Agreement is one many businesses across Mundus have been able to benefit from help create jobs and opportunities. We are now excited to see Koudamma added to that list."

The King has also confirmed today that in the coming days arrangements will be made to begin talks with Cantabria about a kind of diplomatic treaty between the two. It will mark King David's first official dealings with the nation currently governed by the sister of King Finley of Ui Cenneslaig. So far details of whether Queen Cait will be hosting the King or visiting East Moreland has yet to be confirmed.


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/754452960624508948/unknown.png)

SKINNER TO DOUBLE UP

East Moreland's first female Royal Marine Commando Officer has confirmed today that she will be competing in the Mundus Games and will be appearing in two different events. 23 year old Liv Skinner dominated the Ostlake Military Games taking gold in Female Powerlifting, Tug of War and the Naval Gun Run. In the past she has competed in various events for the Royal East Moreland Naval Service and for the Kingdom in Junior Level events, her commitment to her military career has though seen her yet to make a debut at Senior level events. At the Mundus Games Skinner will compete in the the Shot Put and the women's heavyweight weightlifting event. At 6ft the Keepton native has according to Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside a useful advantage. "Being tall means that naturally the shot is already elevated and with the strength Liv has she can propel it forcefully enough that her few extra inches of height over most of the competition could transfer into as much as half a meter more. The problem is though that advantage becomes a disadvantage in weightlifting, being so long limbed means the weight has further to go and the length of arms and legs means technique is harder to maintain. I suspect Liv will be one of the tallest women in the competition and so that could be the difference between a medal and not making the podium.

Skinner serves as a Commando aboard the REMNS flagship the King Robert a ship with a proud sporting pedigree as it is the ship Mundus Games legend Daisy Greechan serves on. Skinner has spoken of how this had helped her prepare for the games. "Knowing that over lunch or dinner you can just sit and ask someone with so much experience questions about what I'm going to be facing is great. I know because of the nature of the events I compete in there is very little chance of me getting close to her haul but I hope I can do the Royal Rob proud." Skinner is one of many serving members of the East Moreland military who is heading to Midaranye as military organised competition is still the leading organisation in many sports with Rugby, Football and Medieval MMA being three exceptions. At present around 40% of the East Moreland team are serving members of the military.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 19, 2020, 10:41:59 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.entertainmentdaily.com/2020/02/21110027/Steve-Coogan-on-BBC-Breakfast-742x388.jpg)

"QUEEN SHOULD RENOUNCE CITIZENSHIP" SAYS NIGHTINGALE

Chief Councillor Grant Nightingale has today spoken of how he feels that Queen Stasya should renounce her Lodjain citizenship following a string of scandals that have implicated the Pelagiya family. One of them involved the King's father in law Duke Tobias Pelagiya having an extra-marital affair with prostitutes. The Chief Councillor spoke about the situation while appearing on an early morning TV show and said. "While I think Queen Stasya has been a good Queen so far she however still retains ties to her former home which at times are at odds with the standards we would expect of those having the Ironside name. Queen Stasya will, eventually we hope, be the Mother of Princes and Princesses of East Moreland and as such should not be associated with the scandals that so regularly and unashamedly impact Lodja. Therefore it is my firm belief that she should end this conflict of interests of being a citizen of Lodja and a Morelander royal. It also creates an awful situation where the Queen of East Moreland is also a subject of another royal, in this case the Queen of Lodja. While we are happy to be friends with the Lodjains we should not appear subservient to them."

Queen Stasya has yet to comment on the situation and has not been seen in public since her evacuation from Silverhills following an attack that has no been deemed to have been part of "organised crime" rather than terrorism. The Queen has however been confirmed as having been airlifted to Ostlake where she is staying on one of the four military complexes there. Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker however has issued a statement saying, "Queen Stasya's nationality is not really a concern. She is the Queen of East Moreland and as such will always put her people first. King David trusts her to be by his side as he helps guide the nation and whether she has a Lodjain passport tucked away at the back of a draw has little to no influence on that." It was however confirmed that Duke Tobias has had his permission to enter Royal Palaces revoked for the time being following the scandals.


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/719133139099975754/756581777719427082/unknown.png)

JURY OUT ON CROSS ISLANDS REPUBLIC

Following a statement by a group of individuals calling themselves the Cross Island Republic that they have established a new nation on uninhabited islands claimed by Runavik East Moreland's Foreign Minister, Duchess Orlaith Kade, has issued a statement on behalf of the King. "At present the Kingdom of East Moreland does not and will not recognise this self-proclaimed Republic as a legitimate nation. We however do respect their ambition in establishing homes on islands that by our understanding are difficult to reside on full time. The fact remains that it is apparent this islands are under the jurisdiction of Runavik and therefore claiming these islands is effectively theft. Should those claiming to represent the new "Republic" really wish to follow this path then they should do so working with the islands owners. We will largely be following Runavik's guidance on this manner however we believe that those who now occupy the islands should be treated with compassion and respect for what they are trying to do in establishing homes where others believe is not possible is an admirable aim."

It is understood that should Runavik formally recognise the Republic as a nation then East Moreland would follow suit and Duchess Orlaith Kade spoke about possible construction support. "We've seen East Moreland undertake a large number of refugee operations where we've helped establish shelter and infrastructure in at times inhospitable places. Should these islands become someone's home, be them under Runavik or this new "Republic" we have a few tools and techniques that could be of use and would love to help if requested."  Currently other than embassies no formal diplomatic ties exist between East Moreland and Runavik and the Duchess believes this may change soon. "Runavik are a nation with a unique form of government that is rather unpredictable. As an Albion nation with cultural ties to the Alanders I think they are perhaps a nation we could build upon our friendships already in place in that region." It is not yet however understood whether a formal approach has been made for opening up talks.


(https://fourthquarter.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Gold-seam-1920x1280px-650x406.jpg)

ROCK FALL AT GODS FORGE REVEALS GOLD

Yesterday in a side chamber of the undergound cave complex known as the Gods Forge in Portsworth a rock fall took place and after clearing away the debris what appears to be a seam of gold has been discovered. The complex which is still being cleared after decades of study is thought to be the place where the God of War, Jekar, crafted the first sword and gave it to the God's most beloved human companion Raimond Unasson. The complex is an intricate network of natural and man made passageways and chambers and some of the earliest evidence of human settlement in East Moreland has been found there. The new discovery however is likely to cause some extremely heated discussion in coming days. The cave system is legally speaking under the juristiction of the City of Portworth however as a site of religious importance it also falls under the stewardship of the Cult of Helus. This situation is further compounded as the site was one of the first to be recognised as a site of International importance for the Cultural Exchange Treaty Organisation meaning the site must be protected. Currently the mayor of Portworth, Jackson Elliot, is calling for the seam to be investigated and exploited. "From what I hear we could be talking tens of millions in gold if things are as geologists believe they may be. That is something that can be exploited and used to better the city of Portworth. We could build new infastructure projects, give people tax cuts and numerous other things. There is no point it sitting in the ground."

The Cult of Helus though have spoke out against any mining with the Priestess of Jekar in Portworth, Claire Proctor, stating. "This is no oridinary cave, this is the birth place of swordsmanship, the home of Jekar himself. We are still finding new and exciting things in the caves everyday and while the gold is a fantastic discovery it however can not be utilised if it means destroying the home of the God to get to it. I would support extracting any gold we can so long as we do not have to rip apart the rocks to get them. Any money coming is clearly a gift from the Gods and should be used supporting good causes."

There is every possibility that the King may have to get involved as legally speaking land on which religious sites of the Cult sit is the property of the monarch. To date however King David has yet to speak on the manner.


(https://d34loos1pju571.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/archive-1412433-commonwealth-games-bronze-for-jake-wightman-in-1500m-1.jpg)

LEGIONNAIRE LEADS ATHLETES AND SETS RECORDS

Team EM have today announced that their flag carrying athlete in Ipsus will be Lance Corporal Robert Ashfield. The 26 year old 800m and 1500m runner was selected after a vote of the athletes competing and will be the first Morelander to enter the arena. The decision is remarkable for a number of reasons the first being that Ashfield only qualified for the games three weeks ago in what was his first elite class event. The Royal Logistics Corps NCO was injured while on active duty in Academica where he suffered damage to his spine and neck and was told he would need to leave the military. Ashfield however began competing in swimming events through the Legionnaire Legacy programme and soon began undertaking short runs as part of his training. In the time since his injuries he has won several medals at the Ostlake Games and was even able to repass the Army fitness test allowing him to resume his military career. Ashfield won the cross country event for his disability category this year at the Games and his time was comparible to those of the able bodied competition which inspired him to enter his first elite event where he went under the qualifying times for the Games. "I crossed the line for the 800m about a step ahead of the guy in 2nd." Robert explains, "Where I finished though wasn't my concern and so when I looked up at the stadium board it wasn't to see where I'd finished but to check the time. I'd a few seconds to spare and was elated. Later in the day I had a bit more breathing room for the 1500m. To now be honoured with leading the team out couldn't make me prouder especially with my background."

Ashfield is another surprise choice as he is not a member of the Cult of Helus. Ashfield converted to Christianity when he was 13 years old much to his parents disapproval. "Mum and Dad still tried to drag me to Temple and say the words to Helus. They just never felt right though. One day I was actually watching some film, I think it was based on Moses and I got interested, six months later I'd found a small chapel nearby and was going every Sunday." Ashfield is one of a handful of non-Cultists in East Moreland's team with James Carter in the football team having caused controversy on his international debut several years ago when he was spotted not singing the national anthem "Helus Call" Carter had never told anyone outside his changing room comrades of his faith and the scene caused quiet a controversy at the time. Ashfield however says he will have no issue singing the anthem however in his own unique way. "I love East Moreland and I think the national anthem is beautiful, I simply substitute the word Moreland for Helus and my team mates seem to respect that. I just hope I get a chance to stand on top of a podium and sing it." This year the Morelander team features 4 Christians, 1 Jew, 3 members of the Sisterhood of Helus and an Odinist.

The team have also determined that they will only join the athletes parade in Ipsus and will not send a delegation to Attica. It is also understood that King David will make his customary visit to the games but only for the final day to watch the final of the Medieval MMA tournament. The Palace have not confirmed whether Queen Stasya or Princess Rhiannon will be accompanying him.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 03, 2020, 11:44:52 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/client/q_glossy,ret_img,w_972/https://offgridworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/talma-head-03.jpg)

"SFR VILLAGE" DECLARED OPEN IN HEYRA

Following an agreement made almost a year ago (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=150.msg14720#msg14720) the East Moreland green energy company SFR have declared that they have reached a significant milestone in their work. The company have an agreement that they will be able to utilise 100km2 of Heyran territory for various tests utilising green technology in return for carrying out work to remove the vast number of landmines and explosive devices left over from the Great War. The SFR project have exclusive rights to the land they have been allocated for the next 50 years and the company have pledged to build facilities to test wind-turbines, wave generators and solar panels alongside a settlement. The settlement will go through three stages of construction, SFR Village, SFR Town and SFR City with each stage seeing an increase in power needs.

Alice Lucas is the companies CEO and was at SFR Village for the ribbon cutting which was carried out by Lord Lucas Osman who owns around 10% of SFR and gave them much of their start up oppurtunity. Miss Lucas explained the project saying, "It is our aim to use the settlement as a proving ground for technologies we want to show case to businesses and governments across Mundus. The SFR Village is to be a harbour we have made from sinking three large prefab containers and after pumping the water out of them pouring in concrete. We've then attached various floating pontoons and a road way over the top meaning we can service large cargo ships here in stable sea conditions. Next we've cleaned out a strip of land next to the coast from mines and we've brought in ten large shipping containers that have been converted into homes for the workers. An additional four have been set up as communal areas. These 14 buildings are now being run as part of community of 30 people who are running daily tests on equipment. We also have a former cruise ship sat off the coast where the staff cleaning the mines, many of them veterans of East Moreland's Royal Military Engineers are staying. To date we have cleared out a total of around 12,800 anti-personnel mines, 2,800 anti-vehicle mines, 1,900 explosive devices and 13 unexploded bombs. Thankfully no one has yet been hurt and we hope it remains that way. Its our hope that in 2070 the land will be returned to Heyra and we will have left them a usable settlement capable of being self sustaining in all ways and housing around 2,000 people. We will have in return received so much insight into energy production the project will have funded itself many times over."

It is expected that the "Village" will double in size in the next 3 months and the aim is for SFR Town, a settlement of around 1,000 people, to be operational by the end of 2022. Miss Lucas explained, "It is vital we now put in some infrastructure not only to simulate a real settlement but also to help the engineers get around to do their valuable work ridding Heyra of the legacy of the Great War. Roads will be a focus moving forward and that will allow us to begin experiments with non-polluting vehicles." It is expected that in the new year King David will visit the settlement as he is keen to see advances discovered here utilised in East Moreland.



(https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/FwE8aIrw.xwOx7SoAQwDLg--~A/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjtzbT0xO3c9ODAw/https://media-mbst-pub-ue1.s3.amazonaws.com/creatr-uploaded-images/2020-04/acc59290-8936-11ea-bbff-6ab282bff206)

KING SAYS QUEEN WILL NOT BE REQUIRED TO GIVE UP CITIZENSHIP

Following an interview given by Chief Councillor Grant Nightingale in which he called for Queen Stasya to renounce her Lodjain citizenship the King has today spoken on the subject. While the King and Queen have not been seen in public together since the shocking news of the Lodjain data leak scandal revealed her father had been involved in corruption and extra-marital affairs the King has defended his wife while speaking to the media at a sports club event. The King was in Keepton to open Keepton Boys School's new multi-sports club which will serve the whole community. The King watched some of the Mundus Games in the clubs new clubhouse and took part in a tag rugby match where the "Royal" team made up of the King, some of his security detail and local troops lost 30-10 to a team made up of the clubs Under 18's. While enjoying a post match drink the King chatted freely with the media and when asked about Mr.Nightingale's interview stated. "Mr.Nightingale is the highest elected official in East Moreland and naturally I respect his opinion. When he pushed for reforms of Higher Education and won the support of the Council I naturally support him. However as with other Chief Councillors such as Tim Carpenter, Hugo McGregor and now Grant we will not always see eye to eye. Queen Stasya is my companion, my friend and my wife, she however does not have any constitutional power of any sorts unless I give it to her. I have been on record saying that since we have Princess Freya, Archduchess Sophie and even my cousin Lilian all healthy and intelligent enough to be a good ruler in their own right that should for some reason I not be able to rule, or if I die, before Rhiannon reaches the age to take the throne one of those ladies would take the role of regent and not Stasya. With that in place I see no reason why Stasya should cut her ties with her homeland. We live today on a Mundus where barriers of nationality are breaking down and cultures are more open. I was thrilled my wife accepted the love of Helus, all be it a slightly unorthodox version. She's already immersed herself in charitable efforts here in East Moreland and would have been here today however naturally you can understand the Pelagiya family are in need of privacy while they come to terms with their situation. I hope this reassures Mr.Nightingale who I know only ever has the best interest of Morelanders in his heart."

The King also spoke on the idea of dual nationality saying, "Technically I am a dual national having taken up a passport of the Republic of Hygelac when the Toshikawans threatened the region with missile tests. I did so to support the brave stance of those scientists who risked their lives to stand as human shields against the threat. Several hundred people across Mundus did so in solidarity with those people and I for one am still proud to have that little blue book tucked in a drawer somewhere. I don't think dual nationality is an issue in the modern world."

King David was also asked about the upcoming Alba Karinya Day on October 7th. The celebration was put in place to mark the foundation of the regional body the Alba Karinya Organisation. "Thankfully the AKO has had to do very little. We put in place a strong charter that helps us trade fairly, work together in key fields and share the prosperity of what I think would be fair to describe as Mundus' most peaceful continent. This year we intend to have a few events across the nation to celebrate the organisation and one of the key will be the opening of a memorial to those who died in the Academican Civil War operations we were part of under the umbrella of the AKO." The memorial will be in the grounds of the Temple of Jekar at Ostlake and its design is being kept covered until the day.


(https://i.redd.it/i26g1nh87bn51.jpg)

"WORLDS STUPIDEST CRIMINALS" FOILED

There were strange scenes yesterday morning in Aldcliffe as the alarm at the National Savings Alliance bank in the city went off shortly after opening at 9am. It transpires that four armed men and a get away driver had attempted to rob the bank close to the city centre. The group however were challenged upon exiting the building and darted back inside creating a hostage situation which lasted less than two minutes according to eye witnesses. The reason for this fast resolution was the gangs poor planning as the bank sits less than 1km away from Red Legion's HQ and the road generally has a steady stream of people coming and going from the base. In this case a pair of cars containing eight Red Legionnaire's was on its way to the units specialist training area on the edge of town and responded to the sound of a flashbang the group had used to subdue those inside. An eye witness explained the scene saying. "we suddenly heard what sounded like a very loud firework and then the bank alarm began to sound. Next the sound of screetching breaks and eight guys running to the back of their SUV. Next thing guys in jeans and t-shirts are strapping on body armour and shouldering rifles. At first we thought they were the robbers going in."

Eyewitnesses say a Legionnaire challenged the exiting gang to put their weapons down but instead the group ran back into the building. Brigadier Kelly, the commanding officer of Red Legion explained. "We had a Sergeant taking seven of his men to the urban firing range. They were due to run some drills there and had all their operational gear onboard their vehicles. Naturally having heard an explosion they are trained to respond and did so. Our men are trained to quickly assess threats and take appropriate action. The Sergeant believed the panic their arrival caused the criminals may have lead to the gang taking action on hostages and so determined a quick assault was in order. They effected entry and with the skill we expect of them quickly gained control of the situation." Eye witnesses claim they saw the Legionnaires deploy their own flashbangs before entering through the doors. Two gunshots were heard and the siege ended before it began. Police arrived on the scene three minutes later to find all five of the criminal gang apprehended with two of them suffering from wounds to their chest, both are now said to be in a "serious but stable" condition at the Aldcliffe Barracks hospital.

The local Police commander told us, "It is highly unusual for the military to respond to a situation like this faster than the Police. We however have a good working relationship with the armed forces and they are permitted to intervene if they believe firearms or explosives are being used and present a threat to life. While I would have preferred to give an operational go ahead I can not commend the Legionnaires high enough as they did not permit the suspects to establish a position which may have been difficult to bring to a bloodless conclusion."

Local pub owner Harry Mason who owns the cities Tipsy Badger public house which is just across the street spoke to us saying. "They have to be the dumbest criminals in East Moreland if not Mundus. Aldcliffe is a small place where about a good chunk of the population is either a serving Red Legionnaire or a former one. They aren't exactly shy in getting stuck in when they think bad guys are up to no good. You'd have stood a better chance stealing the silverware at Northfort Palace than stealing a single penny from a bank practically next door to Mundus most elite counter terrorist unit. I'm just amazed they all got out alive, perhaps it explains why they were going to the firing range."

The Chief Executive of the bank chain thanked the men for their swift action saying, "We of course train our staff in what to do during robberies such as this but that doesn't make it any less frightening. We thank the Legionnaires for their bravery and quick thinking." Ironically the bank was successfully robbed in 2014 when Major Alex Redfern of Red Legion raided the bank during the Regency Crisis. The Major was then the King's Chief of Royal Household and when it became clear Prince James had effectively orchestrated a coup by attempting to assassinate King David the Legion locked down the barracks and refused to accept the Prince's orders. Major Redfern and a team of around 12 Legionnaires however were in Northfort at the time and began a campaign of attacks across the nation to try and distract the traitorous opposition and Borlander coalition while a co-ordinated attack against the usurper could take place. Major Redfern robbed six banks in three days making off with valuables and money worth around £10million, making him effectively East Moreland's most successful bank robber. Following the return of King David the funds were fully returned and Major Redfern was cleared of all crimes. One member of bank staff however was present on that day and this and said, "I remember Redfern didn't even bother hiding who he was it was like he wanted people to know he was doing it. That was just a blur I think they were in and out in less time than it took this lot to get in the door, at least it feels that way. It seems Red Legion are good at robbing banks and rescuing them."

The identities of those arrested is yet to be confirmed however Police do not believe this is connected to the Borlanders who have in the past targeted banks in an effort to raise money or disrupt the economy.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 06, 2020, 10:57:13 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-feed-data/90b33756-3fc1-4d58-8e40-4de24b852203.jpg/r0_0_800_600_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)

GREECHAN GENETICS GET GOLD

It wouldn't be a Mundus Games unless the name Greechan featured on the list of gold medal winners. With East Moreland legend Daisy Greechan having retired from competition and focusing on her career in the Navy the family heritage is now being carried by her 17 year old cousin  Maisie Greechan-Clay. The youngster made an exciting start to her senior competition career by taking two golds in the first three days. The first of the pair of medals came in 100m Butterfly where she was forced into sharing the honour with her Lodjain rival after the electronic timing equipment and photo reviews failed to separate them. Greechan-Clay however felt diasppointed in her swim saying, "In one of my turns I don't think I pushed away as well as I know I can or as well as I did on every other turn. In a sport where tenths of a second make the difference it means I'll share my first ever medal with a rival. It makes it a little disappointing but at the end of my career it will hopefully be the first of many." 24 hours later the second gold came when Maisie took gold by around 1/4 of a length in the 200m Freestyle. With only her participation in swimming relays left at these games there is a limited oppurtunity now for her to add to her haul. While Maisie is keen to distance herself from comparisons with her famous cousin it is worth noting that Daisy did not win a gold until her 2nd Mundus games and won two silver and a bronze in her first games were she featured mainly as a relay swimmer.

The games have been so far rather fruitful for East Moreland in the pool. Jeff Headly took the first gold medal for men with a victory in the Mens 200m Breaststroke. The 31 year old from Portworth works as a lifeguard between training for the pool and already one of the lifeguard shacks on the main beach in the city has been painted gold in honour of his victory. Two silver's were won  first in the Men's 50m Breaststroke by Mitchell Warren and then by 22 year old Molly Appleby in the 100m Breaststroke. Success in the pool was rounded off by Rebecca Law in the Women's 50m Freestyle and then Grace Wild in the 100m Freestyle. Law and Wild will also team with Greechan-Clay in the coming relays meaning the team is extremely hopeful of taking further medals.

The first non-swimming medal was won by Steven Jefferson in the Mens 105+ kg weightlifting event where he took silver. Jefferson is a former shot putter who switched to strength events in 2018 and came 2nd in East Moreland's strongest man in 2019.

In the competitions requiring qualification the women's football team earned a surprise 3-1 victory over Centralia while the men lost by the same score to Aschlon. The Men's Basketball team eased past Lodja 64-40 and the women's hockey team slumped to a 3-1 defeat to Ikhan.

It was reported that King David will arrive in Royal Seleucid to watch Day 5 and 6 of the games when the Men's and Women's Rugby 7's begin leading many to speculate that the rugby obsessive monarch will be cheering on The Honeybadgers. The Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker has also confirmed that the King will only be attending events in Royal Seleucid and has confirmed that during the stay King David will meet face to face, all be it unofficially, with King Heydar. Tucker explained. "King David and Queen Stasya have been granted tickets for the rugby where the King wishes to watch with the Moreland travelling supporters and those of the East Moreland Games Squad attending to support their rugby playing colleagues. The King was invited to enjoy the games from an executive box however the King declined the kind gesture due to believing the atmosphere of the crowd doesn't truly transfer into those kind of settings. The King has however accepted an offer to utilise the hosts executive box for football matches and we are lead to believe King Heydar and his family will be in attendance. His Majesty has no official time set aside for meetings of a diplomatic nature with King Heydar, both will be there merely to enjoy the sporting spectacle however it is likely the pair will converse." It was confirmed however that the King and Queen will visit the Temple of Helus in Meybad in the Celtic Protectorate during their short trip and will host a BBQ for the athletes at the East Moreland Embassy in Ipsus.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 07, 2020, 10:54:01 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/743887236499636275/763503481973243934/unknown.png)

KING ADDS HYGELAC TO TOUR SCHEDULE

It was revealed yesterday that King David and his wife Queen Stasya are soon to visit Royal Seleucid. The trip is expected to take place in two days time as the King makes his annual overseas trip to watch The Honeybadgers play rugby. The King is also using the trip to visit Cultist sites in the Celtic Protectorate. This is the first of multiple stages of a visit that is likely to see the King visit several nations over the coming weeks. Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker announced today, "The King and Queen are going to leave Ipsus and fly down to the Ecclesiastical State where they will board an aircraft capable of landing at the research centre hosting the Republic of Hygelac. The King and Queen are set to spend the evening at the research centre before retracing their steps. It is our understanding this may be the first visit to the continent of Hygelac by a reigning monarch however for once our researchers have let us down. Once back in the Ecclesiastical State we have a provisional informal dinner appointment with the Pope before leaving the next morning heading for Runavik where the King will have his only official visit of this mini tour with the President of the nation."

The King has not ruled out taking other venues in on the tour with Mr.Tucker stating, "The King has a relatively clear schedule until the 22nd when we celebrate the Feast of Grasa. Thanks to modern technology and the recent replacement Ironside One Aircraft the King is more than capable of running the nation from any point on or above Mundus. It is important from time to time he visit the world and even more so with Queen Stasya not having accompanied him as Queen on many official appointments overseas in the past." It is also understood that while the King would have liked to have taken Princess Rhiannon with him he is not willing to take her out of school for an extended period of time.


(https://arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-bonnier.s3.amazonaws.com/public/MJ66MLM6ZMHYRG7DW36T232NE4.jpg)

EXTRA SPACE IN SPACE

The Royal Aeronautical Society which overseas East Moreland's involvement with space exploration has today announced that it is exploring the possibility of potentially tripling the size of the "inflatable" space station in orbit around Mundus. The project currently sees the station made up of a single occupancy module (https://newsfeed.time.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2011/08/orbital-technologies-space-hotel.jpg?w=640&h=480&crop=1) connected to an EMAC/SmartWar inflatable habitat (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B330). The station has been utilised several times by both Morelanders and various CNN teams over the past few years however the RAS have today announced that they are hopeful of expanding the capacity over the next few years. It was former station resident Rachel Dixon who explained the mission to the media at todays launch. "If we're truly going to start exploring the solar system then the Universe its important that we find ways of being able to maximise payloads and space often runs out before maximum weight. If we can make habitats small enough to pack but then big enough to operate in we have an increased capability. The intention is to have a station manned by teams for 18 months continously. I think the aim is that we'll have three teams. If this is successful the next stage is to not have a space station oribiting Mundus but to send an automated habitat to Nergal and have it prove we can get people there and back. I think there is even discussion about a "Moon Station" intended to serve as a solar-powered communication hub, science laboratory, short-term habitation module, and holding area for rovers and other robots. The inflatable habitat could be ideal for this."

It is expected that at least two more habitats will be launched by the end of the year with the plan now being they will be added during the same launch. The process will be totally automated and then the habitats will be inflated a few days prior to the arrival of the first astronauts. Dixon has ruled out her involvement in the project saying, "While I'm still a certified astronaut I've been fortunate enough to go into space numerous times. I'm currently focused on stretching the Land Speed Record with the SSC Honeybadger project but once that is out of the way who knows what is next."




Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 13, 2020, 09:11:59 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D6GLgrjU0AE8VJV.jpg)

REMNS BEGIN SEA TRIALS OF NEW CARRIER

The nations Navy today took delivery of their new aircraft carrier which will be named REMNS Chamwick making it the first ship in the nations history named after what was at one point Technology City. REMNS Chamwick will now spend three weeks at sea undergoing a variety of drills, tests and checks before the navy formally accept the ship into service. Should REMNS Chamwick successfully pass its sea trials then the navy will retire REMNS Portworth which entered service in 1975. At present the final fate of REMNS Portworth is not yet confirmed however there are rumours that it will become a test bad for various naval projects. REMNS Chamwick will have an air compliment of 55 aircraft with 30 of them being Dragonskin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dassault_Rafale) fighters while the rest are made up of a combination of C-2 Greyhounds (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_C-2_Greyhound) , Dragoneye (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_Grumman_E-2_Hawkeye) AEWACS aircraft, Sea Dragon (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=10.msg14159#msg14159) strike aircraft and Sea Lifter (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_CH-53K_King_Stallion) helicopters. There is also the possibility that some of the VSTOL capable Dragonbreath (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_F-35_Lightning_II)  aircraft may also be repurposed if required as the ship can if needed carry up to 72 aircraft.

The construction of the replacement for the nations other aircraft carrier will begin next month. The REMNS Ostlake will be replaced by a Flagship Class Amphibious Warfare ship which will differ from the two already in service by being primarily equipped with Dragonbreath fighters as well as having a specially designed flight deck to allow it to carry out a wider variety sorties. The restructuring of the Navy will also mean that two more Noble Class Destroyers will eventually be acquired. The ships new captain Nick Pryce-Stanley accepted the command of the ship from King David who formally named the ship in a short ceremony at Portworth where the ship was constructed. The new Captain explained what will happen in the next few days, "We first head down the coast to Chamwick, better known as Technology City, there we will pick up our full compliment of aircraft. From there I've been issued a series of sealed orders to take us through various scenarios, drills and checks to put the ship through as much activity as possible. We hope the boys at the Portworth Dockyards got everything right but my experience is that often a few issues come up. Once we've identified them we'll head home and let them tinker a little. If by some miracle the ships perfect we'll see what the head of the Armed Forces has in store for us."

The King is tonight leaving for Royal Seleucid to watch the Mundus Games before undertaking a mini tour of Albion starting with the Ecclesiastical State, a short trip to Hygelac before visiting Runarvik, Vinista and Marseille. Non of the visits are State visits and are thought to just be an opportunity for the King and Queen to show support for causes and communities in various parts of the world.




Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 15, 2020, 10:57:13 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/766409160941240320/unknown.png)

KING SAVIOURS HONEYBADGER SUCCESS

King David today arrived at the Mundus Games to witness the opening day of the Rugby 7's. The King was sat in the crowd with several friends to watch the mornings rugby action which saw the team beat Cantabria 27-3. The King seemed pleased with the performance however his wife Queen Stasya saw her homeland Lodja defeated by Achkaerin. The pair were both seen wearing the Honeybadgers jersey and the King was seen enjoying a beer with fans who had made the trip to Royal Seleucid. After the match the King briefly meet with the players and staff in the changing rooms before speaking to the press to say, "As a nation we expect our rugby teams to do well and I'm excited that we got off to a good start today. I enjoyed watching the game, spending time with our fans, it was like the days being back at University and watching the Royals. One of the downsides of being King is that often its hard to take time out and just enjoy the great things we do as a nation and rugby is certainly one of them."

The King spent the afternoon on a yacht cruise around the Ipsus Blue and The Palm which he described as "remarkable feats of engineering and an excellent attraction for the city." In the evening the King and Queen headed back to the Arena to watch a women's football match between Royal Seleucid and Ikhan where the couple were joined by the royal family of Royal Seleucid. Relations between the two nations have in the past been frosty following the Cultist Genocide which took place under the reign of King Heydar's father King Akakois. It is estimated some 100,000-200,000 Cultists were killed during a series of co-ordinated attacks against members of the faith. King Akakois blamed rouge elements of the military for the genocide which took place while he was out of the country on a state visit to Vanora. The two Kings were seen chatting during the game and it is understood that King David presented Prince Golzar, the heir to the Seleucid throne, with a decretive wooden training sword and a 18th Century book on different swordsmanship techniques. The host won the game 2-1 and at the conclusion of the game the two King's were seen shaking hands before King David and Queen Stasya left to spend the evening at The Palm. King David described the meeting as "A friendly encounter which demonstrates that sport has the power to bring nations together. We kept conversation to sport, family and various other casual topics. We have determined that further interaction between the two nations is beneficial to both parties but we haven't worked out when formal talks shall take place."

Tomorrow morning the King and Queen will watch another event before flying to Meybad in the Celtic Protectorate where the royal couple will lead prayers in the cities Temple of Helus. Following the visit to Royal Seleucid the couple will spend time visiting several other nations in Albion on a series of unofficial visits that have been described by the Head of Royal Household, Quinn Germaine, as "social events that cater to the personal interests of both King and Queen. The King is keen to visit several historical sites and the Queen wishes to have a chance to witness nations she has never visited herself." With the nation of Cassiopeia declaring today that they are to welcome Ambassadors back to their nation and inviting other dignitaries to attend an event to mark the occasion there had been speculation that the King would perhaps change his itineary to take advantage of the chance to visit the nation however it was confirmed instead that the new ambassador would be accompanied by Tim Carpenter.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 17, 2020, 10:57:53 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/767092329617817630/unknown.png)

SURPRISE GUESTS AT MEYBAD WEEKLY PRAYERS

Today during prayers at the Temple of Helus in Meybad, Royal Seleucid, there was a surprise guest. While it had been wildly announced that King David and Queen Stasya would be in attendance they were joined by the High Priestess of the Cult of Helus, Skye Maddix. The attendance of the High Priestess was kept secret in order to avoid huge crowds gathering at the Temple which is relatively small. The King and Queen mingled with those in possession on a ticket to gain entry to the prayer ceremony while the High Priestess attended a meeting with the cities Priestesses. The King then acted as one of the witnesses to a 24 year old Seleucid man who was having a sword ceremony. Saiful Rashad had been a member of the Royal Seleucid military however when the genocide of Cultists began he deserted the military and helped guide Cultists into safe zones. His own father was killed as the two of them attempted to provide a rear guard for a village heading North, Saiful was later wounded protecting a landing zone being used by the Royal East Moreland Air Force. The King explained why he stood as one of those to vouch for the man's character. "I had heard of Saiful when we planned this visit as Aisha, the Priestess here, told me there would be a sword ceremony during my visit. The Code of Canley is clear that a duty is to protect those who can help themselves no matter the risk we put ourselves under. I know Saiful's father would have proudly stood beside his son today as he was presented with his own sword and the stories I have heard of the father and son duo make me proud to share their faith, I can not think of a single Cultist who would not have been willing to take the blood oath for this man and as someone the faithful believe is descended from Riamond Unasson it is the least I can do to show honour and respect to this man."

During the service Queen Stasya read a story of the life of the God Grasa to the congregation before presenting the Temple with a set of holy texts to be used in the Temple's educational sessions. The Queen stated, "The followers of Helus here took a beating several years ago and the community is still in some ways recovering. One thing they did not lose was their faith and perhaps they have even become stronger in it. It is important we help them ensure their children continue their spiritual growth and I'm proud that we can have done a small bit to help that here today.

The main address of the service was given by High Priestess Skye Maddix, making her first official trip to Royal Seleucid.

"I must begin by apologising that it has taken me so long to come among this community. The Cult of Helus is Royal Seleucid is a small band compared to your countryman and in many ways the community here is one very different to the other Cultist communities across Mundus but these things should never be held as an excuse for us not doing our duty by you. The Holy Land of East Moreland did show it would stand by you when you became physically threatened but once your physical safety was assured I should have done more to secure your spiritual safety and I did not. This will change. I look at the way the community of the Cultists in Royal Seleucid have faced adversity, first through an attempt by man to wipe you out, then by nature during the food crisis. Both times the Seleucid Cultists stood firm and in many ways now remind me of the God Jekar. The God of War was a man who would stare into the eyes of his enemy and make it clear even before a battle began that he was not someone who would be denied his victory. He made it clear to the Underlords that no matter what they did to him he served a high purpose, a higher power, a God greater than they could ever be. He had a power inside him that made him unstoppable and he was not afraid to fight for what Helus wanted for humanity.  Scared and wounded Jekar could not be perturbed, even when still alone he fights blinded to his own pain moving ever forward outfighting, outflanking whatever the Underlords threw at him. When knocked down he reached out his hands, pushed himself up on his sword and shield, standing before the Underlords, his jaw broke, his eyes blackened, gasping for air the foul godless beasts were assured of victory. Jekar could have run but instead took a deep breath and said proudly, "I am hurt, I am scared but you will not break me. I am wounded but not broken." His mental strength carried the day and following many victories Jekar helped guide us back to Helus. You....the people of Meybad, the Cultists of Seleucid have shown the world the same mental strength. You faced an enemy actively trying to end your existance and as a people you refused to accept that fate. You came together strong and unbreakable and you weathered that storm. You rebuilt, you took in the orphaned children of your neighbours, you help other cremate their children, you held wives grieving for husbands you watched over husbands left to bring up families alone and you healed as a community. Just as your community had regrouped you faced famine and again you stood together strong and unbreakable. You have all set the Cultists of Mundus an example of what it is to live with faith, pride and a sense of community. What makes me even prouder of you is the fact that not only did you come out the other side of these tribulations but when you emerged from the storms back into the sunlight you sought not once to revenge yourself. You once more opened your arms to you Seleucid brothers and sisters. You are people that I know Helus is proud to have follow him, you are people that should be proud of what you have achieved in the last few years and I will ensure that from this point forward the apparatus of the Cult does not forget you and will help you build Meybad and the other surrounding areas into a place Marissa herself would be pleased to live."

It was announced that the Priestess of Helus in Meybad, the highest ranking Priestess in Royal Seleucid was presented with funds of $20,000,000 to aid with Temple repairs, running faith schools, supporting youth groups and helping train new Priestesses. King David, Queen Stasya and the High Priestess visited several community groups in the area as well as dining at a local restaurant run by a former East Moreland Legionnaire who retired soon after the Cultist Genocide and moved to Meybad to help rebuild. The three Morelanders will spend the evening at the HQ of the Ui Cennesliag forces in the region before the King and Queen fly to the Ecclesiastical State while the High Priestess is heading to Bakkermaya. 

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 19, 2020, 11:01:14 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://static01.nyt.com/images/2020/07/16/world/16vatican/16vatican-articleLarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale)

KING TOURS THE VATICAN

As King David and Queen Stasya continue their series of informal visits across Mundus the pair have landed in the Ecclesiastical State. Upon arrival to pair seperated for the morning and early afternoon with the Queen touring several traditional leather and textile workshops throughout the area while the King spent his time exploring the nations historical buildings. King David has a well known love of history having studied the subject at University and gaining a Masters degree in the subject. The King was given a guided tour of the Vatican and was according to Royal Chief of Household Quinn Germaine, "thrilled to be given access to parts of the historic building most tourists don't get to see." The King was guided around the site by a local Professor of History and explained afterwards his feelings about the tour. "I find the stories that surround the birth and expansion of Christianity fascinating. I have never read the bible cover to cover but as a historian you at times have to dip into the faiths of other regions and people to fully understand what it is your studying. To see the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is to see an amazing work of art and I was honoured to be given a few moments of privacy to just look up and enjoy it. There is a great contrast between the Catholic Church and our own Temples, ours are quiet plain save for the trappings of statues dedicated to the God. The Vatican on the other hands is a beautiful explosion of colour."

Meanwhile Queen Stasya was seen with her own Ladies in Waiting at one leather workshop leaving with a variety of goods. Queen Stasya has had a long involvement with the fashion industry and seemed to enjoy her visits to some of the more affluent stores in the area. Speaking as she returned to the Vatican itself she said, "I am a big supporter of people trying to keep traditional skills alive. There is no better feeling than pulling on an item of clothing made to measure by someone at the very top of their field. Today I've acquired quiet a few garments that I will enjoy wearing and thank the craftsman for their hard work."

That evening the pair dined with the Pope and some of his staff in the Vatican at an event that was described as "informal and friendly." It is understood that King David did further confirm that the Catholic Church had been granted land by his sister Joanna before her death to build a church in Northfort however as of yet that land has remained untouched. The Pope was said to have been unaware of this as it was a deal concluded before his term in office began however he did tell the King to expect a ground breaking within six months. The Pope presented the King with a replica of an illustrated medieval bible having heard him speak earlier in the day of never having read the whole of the book. The King and Queen then apparently joined locals in a nearby plaza who were enjoying an evening dance before retiring to the East Moreland embassy. In the morning they would begin their journey to Hrothgor which is likely to take 48 hours. Once there they will visit the Nya Aland backed research station and stay there for 48 hours before heading to Runavik.



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 22, 2020, 08:18:11 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/JAzcl7cM4MR_2y9wGY0QC8_5WW1FW9RakI1zafGbgK5q1HPP0QVD9oXfrdSY5JNiWJyTmKpewQE601z4tutMgRvhx0rDpMhMnFttANbkSunq19cdkMtIjosDiuAqbOKkhUpULBOozot8wSfkf759HWtdnwq5Tc_qLqJXP0dbpcQi76Is2UztIZ4ac5kfY9ndRA)

KING SPENDS FEAST OF GRASA IN HYGELAC

As Cultists across Mundus began their 24 hour fast to mark the start of the two day long Feast of Grasa King David and Queen Stasya have arrived at Hygelac where they will spend the next 48 hours at the Nya Åland funded research station there. The station was at the centre of international politics several years ago when Toshikawa had planned to fire a series of missiles into the icey wilderness as part of a test programme. The scientists at the station however refused to evacuate and instead declared themselves a sovereign nation, an act that was supported by many nations across Mundus and thus forced the Toshikawan government to back down. Just a week or so later the team were instrumental in drafting the treaty that now exists to protect both Hygelac and Hrothgar. As a consequence of this treaty the scientists renounced their claim on Hygelac in favour of land on a small island in a river contained within Nya Åland. During the time of the crisis several well known individuals claimed citizenship of the new nation in order to highlight their cause, including King David.

The King and Queen arrived by sea plane and then were conducted to the research station by motorised sled along with fresh supplies for the station. They were given a tour of the facility and joined a "Penguin Counting Expedition." The monarchs spent several hours observing a colony of penguins helping the researchers monitor their numbers. Queen Stasya even had the chance to get up close with one of the birds as she helped a team attach a radio transmitter to the bird to help them monitor the birds location throughout the year. Meanwhile King David helped a team take samples of the pack ice using a boring drill to make ice cores. That evening the King and Queen helped prepare the stations meal however declined to eat as both are undertaking a 24 hour fast in order to celebrate the Feast of Grasa. Tomorrow however the King is expected to address East Moreland from the station having broken his fast with a traditional breakfast of soaked oats, cheese and apples. Queen Stasya, while following the Sisterhood of Helus, is also taking part in the rituals as both sects of the faith share many traditions. The Feast of Grasa is to celebrate the Goddess of Food and Drink. It is believed that she has the ability to grant great harvests and taught humans the secret of brewing mead and wine. People fast the evening before her Feast so as to better appreciate the gifts the Goddess have brought.

It is believed that this visit is the first time a monarch has ventured to Hygelac. Speaking to a class of students at a Primary School in Keepton via the internet the King explained, "We thought it important to come and see this place and the work done here to help us understand Mundus. Its an extremely beautiful place but very cold. We've got to do everything we can to look after the environment because even those of you damaging your local neighbourhood have an impact on Hygelac and the delicate ecosystems here." The King and Queen will fly to Runavik on Friday evening where they shall spend two days.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 25, 2020, 08:37:04 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://nechnif.net/17_antarctica/171223_ara/171223_cloudsherc.jpg)

KING LEAVES HYGELAC FOR RUNAVIK

Following an overnight stay at the Aland back research station at Hygelac the King and Queen of East Moreland today left to continue their informal tour by heading to Runavik. The King and Queen spent the morning helping prepare a traditional breakfast for the Feast of Grasa before taking part in a small boat trip to observe whales before heading back to the airfield. Before leaving the King announced that the East Moreland research station in Hrothgar will be expanded in the coming months and will begin an exchange with the station he had been visiting. Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker explained the decision from Northfort saying, "The King has seen how important the work being down in the South is and is determined to make sure East Moreland can help with similar work in the North. We've had a station at Hrothgar for several years now however the King was impressed with the Alander set up and think we can expand utilising some of their ideas. To further help our nations researchers the exchange of ideas between ourselves and the Alanders will be useful." The King has said an allocation of around $20million will be given to the East Moreland station for improvements and expansion.

The next leg of the royal journey is to Runavik where the King and Queen will meet with several government officials for dinner. The King while on an unofficial visit is likely to be drawn into a discussion on the matter of the island claims by a group of settlers seeking independence. Malcolm Tucker explains the King's stance. "King David has always been supportive of nations protecting their territorial integrity through long standing sovereign recognition and the FSC. As far as the King is concerned the islands are Runavik and I suspect that shall be the conversation."  Following the visit to Runavik the King is expected to head back to East Moreland.


(https://pagesix.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2014/03/gun.jpg?quality=80&strip=all)
PRINCESS TO ATTEND MEMORIAL SERVICE IN ACHKAERIN

Every year the Empire of Achkaerin holds a memorial service in early November to remember their fallen soldiers, a tradition dating back to the Great War. The memorial service has for the last few years invited foreign guests however no Morelander has attended until this year. With the festival also commemorating those who died in conflicts such as the Eugenics War and the Marseille Conflict, both of which see their fifth anniversary, it was announced that a delegation from East Moreland would be attending. The delegation will be headed by Princess Freya who is currently a serving Major in the Light Scouts. She will be accompanied on her visit by her husband, Red Legion officer Alex Redfern, as well as Foreign Minister Duchess Orlaith Kade. Princess Freya explained why this year the decision was made to send a delegation. "Five years ago our nation alongside our allies from various nations stood toe to toe across Mundus with forces who wished to cause the deaths of millions of innocents. Working with nations such as Seaforth, Achkaerin and various others we averted that fate. I served in Seaforth, while my husband saw action in both conflicts. We saw some of our friends receive injuries that changed their life and in some cases make the ultimate sacrifice. They may have worn different uniforms but they were our allies and so we will go and give our thanks for their service."

East Moreland remember those who lost their lives in military service during the Feast of Jekar each year on the 19th March.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 27, 2020, 11:14:52 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/19/02/1816EE1400000514-0-image-a-44_1513648923076.jpg)

REMNS CHAMWICK RETURNS TO PORT EARLY

The nations new aircraft carrier REMNS Chamwick has today cut short its sea trials in the Illumic and headed for Illumic Command. It was announced by the Ministry of Defence that the return was not scheduled and is due to "Unforeseen circumstances." Making a statement to the press the Minister of Defence Sir Harry Samuelson said, "the new carrier has completed two weeks of sea trials of what were scheduled to be a month. It has become neccessary for her to return to a port in order put right what we believe is a minor fault." It was revealed that a leak on the ships fresh water tanks had been happening for the last three days and the crew had been unable to rectify the problem completely. "The team on board have stemmed the leak several times having at first thought they had stopped it. Ideally the ship is expected to be able to stay at sea without rationing water for around 70 days the current situation means that is likely to be cut to 40. While it is by no means a disaster and the crew are not in danger it is something that shouldn't be happening on a ship we've paid so much for." The vessel is due to make port in the next 24 hours where a team from the Portworth Dockyards who manufactured the vessel will meet it and examine the problem for themselves.

Sir Harry also commented on the tests so far saying "The test had up until this point gone extremely well. The ship as a weapon of war functions well and should we need to deploy it the chances are we could operate successfully for a significant amount of time. The aircraft are getting used to the new carrier and in the time they've been at sea they have flown over 100 sorties successfully. It is our hope that the ship will be back up and running within a week and will return to carry out more tests. It is our hope that after a week of successful sea trials once the repairs are made that she will undertake a round Alba Karinya trip before simulating an attack on Portworth on its return."

It was also announced by the Commonwealth of the Unified Iwi that they are interested in buying the outgoing REMNS Portworth however for the time being Sir Harry has ruled that out stating, "Until we have the REMNS Chamwick fully operational to a standard we are confident can be taken into full combat we will not be removing the REMNS Portworth from our inventory. Once the Chamwick is up and running on active duty we may proceed in discussing the issue with our Maori allies."


(https://www.museumnext.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/goats_in_museum.jpg)

OSMANTECH MAKE YELLOWTONGUE RESEARCH AVALIABLE

While the rate of infection of the animal borne disease known as Yellowtongue appears to have slowed it is understood that the infection is still worrying farmers across the nation especially with the large amount of wild game in the countryside. Farmers have been largely keeping animals classed as belonging to the ruminants sub group enclosed. With Fleur recently calling for international co-operation in search for a vaccine the largest drugs company in East Moreland has announced that it has been working on the disease since its outbreak and is going to make all its data available to any party willing to also share their data and who are working on a treatment or vaccine. The CEO of the company is the daughter of its founder, Lord Lucas Osman, Joanna Osman made the announcement explaining, "This isn't just something we can sit back and wait for. This outbreak has the potential to cost farmers across Mundus a large amount of money and that could be a disaster. Here in East Moreland hunting for game is a way of life and obviously if this disease gets out of hand in wild herds of things like deer or wild sheep we could have a major problem." The company announced that they have developed some treatments that can cut down the risk of herds catching the disease however these have yet to gain approval for use as they need to undergo testing about whether the treatment will mean that meat produced from these herds would be safe for human consumption.

Joanna Osman explained also that should OsmanTech be the first to successfully develop a vaccine or treatment they would share it with other nations so long as "doing so would not leave us out of pocket. We have thrown a lot of resources at this and while I do not wish our company to profit off the solution as someone with shareholders and a wide range of other research projects ongoing I can not afford to just give away our companies funds." In the past OsmanTech have sold drugs to poorer nations at cost or in some cases even released patents to some drugs such as anti-retroviral used in the treatment of AIDS/HIV.



(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/770686153011232769/770721381519196180/unknown.png)

QUEEN ANNOUNCES PLAN FOR "WINTER PRIDE"

Queen Stasya has announced today a plan for a major fundraising concert to support East Moreland based LGBT+ charities. The Queen, who has just returned from a visit around Albion, made the announcement on her first public engagement back in East Moreland. She was visiting a hostel for teenagers run by the Freestone Youth Support Group which is a charity that support people with a wide range of physical, emotional and mental needs. The hostel houses 18 young people in supported accomodation and has just had a major overhaul to make it safer. The Queen visited and spent the day with the young people seeing a series of support sessions, helping cook communal meals as well as enjoying chatting with them. The Hostel's 18 individuals include 10 whom are without a permanent home due to matters relating to their belonging to the LGBT+ community. The Chief Executive of the Freestone Youth Support Group is Killian Strong who explained the organisation's situation. "While East Moreland has been supportive of transitioning for those who are transgender or permitting same sex marriages there is still a significant minority of people out there who cling to the idea that members of the LGBT+ community are outcasts. They forget that Helus at times made himself female to fulfil his goals or even at one point is thought to have had physical relations with males." While this last point is disputed by theologians it is widely accepted that nowhere does the Cult of Helus which dominates the religious background of East Moreland take an obvious stance on homosexuality. Mr.Strong continued, "We rely on being able to put young people up until they can get on their feet or home situations improve. We hope that once those who stay with us leave they are prepared for the world as an independent person."

The Queen hopes that her concert will raise funds that will support places such as this hostel as well as other similar projects across East Moreland. Speaking on the matter the Queen stated, "I come from Lodja where the idea of same sex relations doesn't carry any stigma, during my life I've had relationships with men and women yet in Lodja this would never have even been worthy of making the press I think. East Moreland while a lovely nation still occasionally has things like this that surprise me. A nation so devoted to trying to do right but at times failing to care for everyone. Its my hope we can support fantastic organisations such as this to continue their work until we reach a point where they are not needed." The Queen's concert will take place at the King Robert Arena in Northfort and 80,000 tickets will go on sale in the arena which will take place with the roof closed. The concert will also be streamed live on pay-per-view TV for a small fee allowing potentially millions across Mundus to tune in. So far no line up of bands or artists has been released.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 29, 2020, 08:01:07 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://generalaviationnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Dan-Reynolds-STOL-FI.jpg)

EMAC SET NEW WORLD RECORD

At the annual Ostlake Fly In event the East Moreland Aircraft Company have set another world record. The annual event see's aviation enthusiasts from across the Kingdom fly their aircraft into the Ostlake North Air Force base for two days of shows, events and showcases. Each year the arrival see's two competitions run at the same time, the most accurate landing and the shortest landing. A white line is drawn across the runway and measurements taken from this. The aircraft that touches down closest to the white line is awarded the trophy for the most accurate landing, the distance at which an aircraft can come to a full stop is then awarded a prize for the shortest distance. A normal landing by light aircraft can take around 100-150 feet on most light aircraft in optimal conditions however an EMAC test pilot using a specially designed aircraft set a new world record. Mike Prior was able to touch his aircraft down and stop the plane in just under 10 feet. The attempt (https://generalaviationnews.com/2019/05/16/video-a-world-record-setting-stol-landing/) is a departure from various other projects EMAC have undertaken as rather than focusing on speed this record required the exact opposite. EMAC CEO Sir Alan Maybury was at the event and afterwards stated, "We're always looking for innovations. Being able to land aircraft accurately and safely is vital for operations such as those on aircraft carriers and also in situations where for example an area may not have sufficient runway lengths. Obviously today's effort saw a stripped down aircraft but the specialised wing design and specialised engine are things we can adapt for other projects."

One such project may well be to create a new generation of fixed wing cargo aircraft capable of taking off from aircraft carriers. With the nations C-2 aircraft reaching nearly 40 years of service it is thought the Ministry of Defence may be looking at retiring the Navies current cargo aircraft. Although talk is of replacing them with helicopters the innovations of EMAC may still see a role for a fixed wing carrier based cargo plane.



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 09, 2020, 10:52:22 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/743887236499636275/775477792938524722/unknown.png)

KING APPLIES TO BE GUINEA PIG

King David was shot by terrorists in 2016 during an attack that saw his sister, High Priestess Joanna, and the then Chief Councillor Hugo MacGregor die. The King was shot in the lower back with the bullet exiting through the stomach and the injury required several surgeries to prevent the King having long term health issues however the muscle mass in his lower back has been largely removed meaning that the King often finds sitting or standing in one position for a long time difficult. The King has though today put his name forward to take part in a surgical experiment at the Legionnaire Legacy hospital in Ostlake. Over the last few years teams there have been working on techniques to help wounded soldiers regain muscle mass and have been largely successful. The process has previously only been used on patients legs but now the surgeons believe they are able to carry out the procedure on any damaged muscle mass and recently placed an advert in the nations military newspaper, the Northfort Gazette, asking for voulenteers with injuries to parts of their body other than legs. Upon reading the advert it is understood the King put his name forward. The project is being run by Dr. Simon Hindmarch who says that there is "no guarentee the King will be part of the new experiments. We will be considering several patients and those we believe best able to recover will be the ones we ask to come to Ostlake."

The process will see old scar tissue cut away and a "Biological Scaffold built." Dr.Hindmarch explains this process, "We take a pigs bladder and having scanned the patients damaged area create a kind of net in the shape of the missing muscle. This is then grated onto the area we have removed the scar tissue from. The patient then receives regular stem cell injections into the site and enter intense physical therapy within 48 hours of the operation. The stem cells essentially recognise the need for them to become muscles and as the scaffolding degrades they attempt to repair it, the exercise informing them that the scaffold needs to contract, bare weight and essentially do everything you expect a muscle to do. Over time the muscle acts just as you would expect." The procedure has been used in limbs for the last few years and most patients report a vast improvement in their abilities. In recent months the team have attempted the process on rodents and found they have a 50-75% improvement in mobility. The team have been given permission to attempt five human trials and these are expected to take place early in the new year.

The King has not spoken of the procedure however Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker explained the King's motivation. "His Majesty was an extremely active man however since his injury he's found it getting harder and harder to do many things he took for granted. The King has a very active young child and hopes to soon be a father again. The King tries as much as possible to be a positive role model in Princess Rhiannon's life and tries to be supportive both motivationally and physically in her activities. The King feels that if successful the operation could give him back much of his previous lifestyle and make him a better father, especially as he gets older. The King also has seen thousands of his former comrade in arms go into danger to preserve the safety of the Kingdom. If this process is capable of improving the life of an injured veteran then His Majesty believes if he can help the surgeons learn and perfect their procedure he has a duty to help them however he can."

The team have said that they will consider the King's request to be part of the test group in an identical way to all the others. Dr.Hindmarch concluded, "While we recognise the King has significant power he does not have the power to control how medicine is done. We will consider which individuals have the best chance of responding to the operation and they will be invited. Obviously if we get this procedure right and it works well there is no reason why years down the line maybe the King could have the procedure."



(https://www.navyrecognition.com/images/stories/news/2012/september/rafale_m_exocet_am39_charles_de_gaulle_french_navy_marine_nationale.jpg)

REMNS CHAMWICK DECLARES AIRCRAFT EMERGENCY

While the REMNS Chamwick aircraft carrier is in Illumic Command undergoing repairs it has still been carrying out drills for air operations. Yesterday however the vessel declared an aircraft emergency as one of its Dragonskin fighters ended up in the Illumic. The aircraft was launching off the deck when just a few seconds off the deck the aircraft saw an engine failure and the pilot immediately ejected before being recovered by rescue divers. The pilot was taken to local hospital however was discharged after just a few hours with a clean bill of health. An investigation into the incident has begun however it is expected that the pilot will be cleared of any error. A Naval spokesman explained, "We believe this was one of two problems but at this point we are not limiting ourselves to investigating just those. The aircraft suffered an engine failure with the pilot losing all forward thrust almost immediately. We believe that perhaps a bird strike or foreign object debris incident took place or that a fan blade broke causing the engine to go offline."

The aircraft was recovered and is being examined by specialists from the nations aeronautical safety agencies as well as EMAC who make the aircraft. Sir Alan Maybury released a statement following the Navies saying, "We would like to first wish the pilot well and hope he is in good health. The aircraft is being examined so we can find out what happened and we will play whatever role we can in that. The Dragonskin entered service just over 20 years ago and has a record second to non with both the Air Force and the Navy. It has clocked up hundreds of thousands, if not millions of hours of air time and there have been very few incidents of note outside of combat operations. We are confident that the aircraft will, if well maintained, be found to be safe." The Air Force and Navy have confirmed they will ground all the aircraft, except for in emergencies, until the conclusion of the investigation.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 18, 2020, 10:10:11 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://s.abcnews.com/images/International/paris-03-as-gty-190921_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg)

CLIMATE PROTEST STOPPED BY MILITARY

Following last weeks downing of a airliner by the environmental protest group known as "Climate Crusade" several protests in Northfort have today been broken up by the military. Around 80 members of the group began unveiling banners outside the Northfort office of EMAC-Airlines. In addition to the banners it was clear that some members of the group were about to utilise the recently seen tactic of gluing themselves to buildings or each other. The group were not permitted to get set up as one of the capitals Rapid Response Units (RRU) from the 2nd Mechanised Scouts arrived and began forcing the group to leave the area. The move comes after the group caused the downing of the aircraft heading into Eventide Airport in Seaforth causing the deaths of around 300 people including 30 East Moreland military veterans returning from a ceremony in Safraen. The RRU spent much of the rest of the day forcing the group into ever smaller groups and moving them from site to site stopping them from ever establishing a protest. Police also supported the operation and made 17 arrests. The robust military response is in stark contrast to how other protests in the capital have been handled in the past as explained by Lt-Col Williams of the 2nd Mechanised Scouts. "Following the actions taken by this group at King Robert International Airport and the tragedy they caused at Eventide Airport it is clear this groups mode of operation is to cause damage and mayhem. They turn up today using the same tactics as previously and this in the knowledge they have just killed 300 people. We therefore can not trust that they will not take any further reckless action. As such the various RRU's across the nation have been on standby to break up their attempts at damaging Northfort."

The Climate Crusade leader, who wished only to be known as Henry, believes that the action taken by the East Moreland government was heavy handed. "Today we have been pushed around with batons, had tear gas fired at us and at one point we were shot with paintballs. The King is clearly determined to ignore the impending global catastrophe at hand and is doing whatever he can to ensure the ears of his people are kept as far away from hearing about it as possible. Today we have been victims of brutality and have our right to peaceful protest denied. We will not stop from protesting until the King agrees to our demands to go beyond the Treaty of Wellow. It is obviously not our intent to cause harm to anyone, the incident in Seaforth was a tragic accident, we value all life as most of us are vegan and while we recognise we shall disrupt people's daily lives by our actions the destruction of Mundus is going to cause much more disruption."

It is understood that the King has commissioned a report into whether the group known as Climate Crusade should be labelled as terrorists in a similar way as the Realm of Cassiopeia have done in the last 24 hours.


(https://www.malemodelscene.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Johannes-Huebl-Massimo-Dutti-FW20-00.jpg)

KING TO HAVE SURGERY

It has been confirmed that on the 1st December the King will undergo pioneering surgery on his back as part of a experiment at the Legionnaire Legacy hospital in Ostlake. The operation is designed to help repair the lost muscle mass in the King's lower back and will help the hospital which specialises in treating veterans injured in conflict to develop a technique that has so far worked very successfully on limbs. The procedure is being pioneered by Dr.Hindmarch who reviewed the King's request to be part of the projects attempts to utilise the procedure for injuries other than on arms or legs. Dr.Hindmarch stated, "We reviewed all the willing voulenteers and the King was one of the few with injuries to his lower back. This is a muscle group notoriously difficult to help repair and the King was considered the healthiest and most active of those who applied. The King still manages to jog some everyday, has competed in rowing at the Legionnaire Legacy games and is a regular swimmer. The best outcome will be for those who have a mindset that will keep them active post operation and the King is likely to fulfil that criteria with ease."

The King is said to be excited about the process as Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker explained. "The King is delighted to be part of this project and is determined to do everything in his power to make this work. If the operation goes as well as hoped then the King will be able to do much more physical activity than he is capable of at the moment within four weeks. His Majesty is already mapping out options to put the operations success to the test such as attempting to once more climb Mount Highbeech, something he last did during military service." The climb up Mount Highbeech is 5, 248 meters and is one of the final tests in training for the Alpine Cadre which the King served in. The fact he is considering returning to its summit is leading some to think the King may reactive his reservist status in the military if successful. The Palace however have yet to confirm this.



(https://www.hellomagazine.com/imagenes/healthandbeauty/hair/2017101843310/outnumbered-karen-actress-unrecognisable-new-hair/0-220-887/outnumbered-karen-actress-now-t.jpg?filter=w600)

PRINCESS TURNS 7

Today the heir to the Morelander throne turned 7 years of age. Princess Rhiannon celebrated her birthday by first going to school at the Grange Mill Primary that she attended for the last few years before having a birthday party at the Palace for her family and school-friends. Her mother Matilda Osman was also in attendance along with her partner Formula Mundus driver Sam Halliday and Princess Rhainnon's three year old half-brother Oliver. The party included games of laser tag and a BBQ. The day however began by the Princess, her mother and father visiting the Ironside family mausoleum where the ashes of Prince Caspian, Rhiannon's twin brother are stored. The Prince died aged two and a half from complications from the genetic condition known as Hunter's Syndrome, a condition that Rhiannon's half brother Oliver also suffers from. Well wishes from across the Kingdom had sent gifts to the Princess including around 80 stuffed toys which the Princess has decided to donate to local children's hospitals. The Princess upon returning home from school permitted to speak with the media for a while with her mother in attendance and said, "Thank you for the presents. I've enough toys so I'm sharing with other children. I'm excited to play laser tag and eat jelly now."

In the coming weeks the Princess will sit entrance tests for the prestigious Northfort Academy for Girls which begins accepting students at the age of 8. The school has been the selected education establishment for every female member of the Ironside family since 1878. The Princess, if accepted, would remain at the school for ten years however it is highly likely that she will spend at least 12 months being educated overseas with many thinking that either neighbouring Vaguzia or Heyra to be likely although with the King now having married a Lodjain some suggest that will be a likely venue.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 09, 2020, 10:45:25 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://image.sciencenorway.no/1633823.jpg?imageId=1633823&x=0&y=0&cropw=100&croph=100&width=480&height=274)

YELLOW-TONGUE MAPPED

 Following months of livestock across East Moreland and other parts of Mundus having been kept isolated there has been a breakthrough in the fight against the Yellowtongue virus. Scientists at OsmanTech HQ in Chamwick (formerly Technology City) have announced today that they have successfully mapped the genetic sequence of the virus. The news has been welcomed by the East Moreland farming community who have seen their trade heavily impacted as several nations across Mundus have stopped accepting imports of certain types of animals. The virus has had an impact on the cattle, goat, sheep and deer herds of the nation with a total so far of around 61,000 animals having been culled to try and prevent the spread. There have been fears that the virus is running rampant through the wild deer populations that roam freely across Northern parts of East Moreland and that these have become a vector for the disease spreading. The crisis has been so bad that many restaurants in the capital Northfort which would regularly have served venision have either put up their prices because of a shortage of safe meat or taken the product off the menu completely.

OsmanTech are one of a number of East Moreland companies working on isolating the disease and working towards possible drugs or vaccinations against the virus. The company are part of a team of various businesses being supported by the East Moreland government and also co-operating with several nations across Mundus including several in the CNN nations and Fleur. It is understood that as part of this arrangement the genetic sequence of the virus will be shared with the agencies and businesses signed up to this deal. The current CEO of OsmanTech is Joanna Osman, the daughter of company founder Lord Lucas Osman, who has said, "This virus has a huge impact on our nation at the moment and is effectively holding parts of our economy and our traditions hostage. It is vital that at the earliest safe opportunity we can do something to help out. I suspect now that it could be a case that we have positive news in treatment or prevention in the next month or so as great minds across Mundus digest what our team have achieved."


(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/82/31/f5/8231f54baf53b15a82c883768a488cb7.jpg)

QUEEN WELCOMES FIRST SISTERHOOD GRADUATES

Queen Stasya today attended the graduation ceremony of the first class of Priestesses trained at the Sisterhood of Helus' first Temple. The Sisterhood of Helus is a breakaway sect of the Cult of Helus where its believers take the view that traditional scripture is wrong in certain respects with the chief disagreement being the fact that they view Helus as being female. The faith was established around five years ago by the self proclaimed High Priestess of the Sisterhood, Jinny Denman. Queen Stasya converted to the faith shortly after moving to East Moreland and has been an influential figure in supporting the growth of the faith through helping establish its initial Temples and even helping fund a private school operated by the blossoming religion which is thought to have almost 1million followers in East Moreland. In February just prior to marrying King David the now Queen helped the Sisterhood acquire a country house near Keepton to convert into a training centre for the Priesthood. A total of 12 women who had been Priestesses in the Cult of Helus enrolled on the course and have completed what Denman has described as "conversion training" making them now in her eyes qualified to preach the faith. Denman explained, "Why are excited that these ladies have despite in some cases decades of being misinformed come to embrace the truth of scripture. The nice thing about such women is that they already have many of the skills needed to be great Priestesses, the ability to organise, a drive to do good deeds and be active in their communities. They already have a strong grounding in the ways of Helus and simply just need to be redirected towards the truth. I am proud of their hard work and hope they will be the first of many to graduate."

Queen Stasya presented each of the women who will soon go to communities throughout East Moreland with a ceremonial sword to indicate their new status. The Queen addressed the graduating class to say, "When I first meet my now husband I was only just beginning to learn about the Cult of Helus and its ways. Naturally my desire to be part of his life made me learn more and more. I am eternally grateful that Jinny took me under her wing and taught me the ways of Helus and helped me see her power. I understand like many of you today that while there is great love for Helus in our nation and even wider afield across Mundus this love is misdirected. Today we have armed our first generation of educators and I hope they can do for Mundus what Jinny has done for me. I am a proud follower of the Sisterhood and I am today delighted to present these women the swords of their position. I wish them luck in their efforts ahead." The Queen also meet a class of 10 trainee Priestesses who will be taking part in a longer 2 year training course as this group of future preachers are converts from other faiths and include one woman from the Queen's homeland Lodja.

21 year old Toma Kovalchuk even credited the Queen for her decision to come to East Moreland. "Ever since I can remember I felt the faith of Sessifet wasn't right. I was also like many young Lodjains a follower of the gossip, fashion and intrigue of the royal court. Then Queen Stasya was a Lady in Waiting and I dreamt of being able to live a life like hers. When I heard she was in a relationship with King David I investigated the Cult of Helus and then when she converted to the Sisterhood I knew that was the right path for me too. While sadly I can't marry a King I can do the Goddesses work and that makes me happy." The Queen wished her countrywoman well and has indicated that she will closely following Miss Kovalchuk's career as the Queen stated, "It is my hope Toma will graduate successfully and then return to Gaia and help spread the word of Helus. I think she may well find willing ears."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 29, 2020, 11:43:36 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/793619000546033664/unknown.png)

KING HAS GONE UNDER THE KNIFE

The Palace have today confirmed that this morning His Majesty King David attended the Legionnaire Legacy hospital at Ostlake where he underwent experimental surgery on his lower back injury. The procedure took four hours to complete and effective saw a structure fashioned from a pigs bladder grafted onto the Kings old scar tissue in his lower back. This new structure will be regularly injected with stem cells which it is hoped will turn the area into something more akin to muscle than the current scar tissue. The procedure has been done on various injuries to soldiers who lost limbs in conflict however the King is the first to have it performed on his torso. While the King was sedated at Ostlake his sister, Princess Freya was encamped at the Palace in Northfort should anything have gone wrong. The procedure requires the patients to be active as soon as possible afterwards to encourage the stem cells to become muscle. The King's operation went without any complications and Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker explained that the King was up walking around the ward two hours after coming out of sedation. Five other soldiers with a variety of injuries similar to the Kings were also operated on during the day by teams at the specialist veterans hospital and early reports indicate the procedure went well in all cases. Mr.Tucker gave a statement saying, "The procedure is one that could change the lives of veterans, we've already seen members of the Achkaerin royal family look at the procedure. The initial reports from the surgical teams are that everything has gone well and now it just becomes a case of rehabilitation and monitoring of the stem cell element. The King is grateful for being given this oppurtunity and now intends to work hard to ensure its success."

The King is going to spend the new year at Ostlake to recover from the operation and will not attend the annual Freestone New Years Eve music festival. The King's role as host of the festival will this year be taken by Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside where she will oversee the Festival where Frank Turner will headline.



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 05, 2021, 11:02:35 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6e/bd/db/6ebddb72e5e5723f0db1645a3bb1c8d3.jpg)

QUEEN OPENS FESTIVAL OF DANCE

The annual East Moreland Dance Festival in Ostlake began yesterday and the 167th running of the event was opened by Queen Stasya. The 22 year old Queen was attending her first festival however that did not stop her joining in the enjoyment. The Morelander-Zimalian music star Travis Kalambay was seen enjoying some of the performances by a group of youngsters who have been part of music workshops he has been running for the past two months, he was then joined by the Queen who seemed blissfully unconcerned to be seen dancing with the musician. The week long music festival features a series of competitions, workshops and performances of almost every type of dance possible. The Queen attended several of the days competitions to witness junior contests in ballet, folk and jazz dance before that evening attending a Burlesque performance at the Ember Road Theatre. It was noticeable that King David did not join her for the day and this was explained by the Queen as she left the theatre saying, "David has been busy with his rehab from his recent operation. While normally being here would be something he would relish being sat watching performances most of the day are not good for his recovery. While he could naturally have got up and danced I'm sure my husband will forgive me for saying he is not the most graceful of movers on the dancefloor." The Queen is considered a good dancer in her own right having had ballet lessons at a young age and like many young Lodjian women is a regular attender of formal balls. Queen Stasya confirmed that she would spend the rest of the week in Ostlake where her husband will join her on Friday where the pair will attend the Ostlake Officers Ball before on Saturday the King returns to the Legionnaire Legacy hospital in the city for a post operation check up.

Queen Stasya also found the time while in Ostlake to visit the cities Temple dedicated to the Sisterhood of Helus, one of the growing number being opened in East Moreland. The Ostlake Temple is in a converted disused military drill hall and has only been open two months. The Queen spent around an hour there and was seen entering with a new sword to leave at the Temple as an offering.

This year several foreign dance troops are visiting the festival once again including the Lodjain Royal Ballet, a Paracambian salsa group and a Seaforthian Highland Dance team. It is expected that around 800 performances will take place around the city in the week ahead ranging from street performances to huge events in the Ostlake Metro Arena. The annual event is one of many cultural events the city hosts over the year including the upcoming Ostlake Movie Awards known more informally as the Ozzies and the the Ostlake Military Games. While the Dance Festival is not as well known as some of the other events it is still expected that around 700,000 people will visit the city over the duration of the event boosting the local tourism and hospitality industries significantly.



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 12, 2021, 10:27:21 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.therooftopguide.com/rooftop-bars-in-vienna/Bilder/SkyBarCafeRestaurant_4_slide.jpg)

SILVERHILLS SET TO HIT 1MILLION

The city of Silverhills is viewed by many as the entertainment capital of East Moreland. While Ostlake may host the ever more international Movie Awards the vast majority of the films that are viewed in East Moreland are financed, filmed and casted out of Silverhills. The city is also famed for its high class hotels, bars and restaurants and has become the trendy place for the rich and famous of East Moreland to hang out. The city had such an appeal that when she first moved to East Moreland the city was where Queen Stasya  purchased a home. The city has also over the last few years become a hub for many large retail businesses marketing themselves towards the high end and luxury markets creating thousands of jobs and thus helping the city grow. Many have also put the cities growth down to several trade and travel agreements between East Moreland and several other nations making it easy for people to visit cities around the world looking for high end places to visit.

The mayor of the city for the next three years is Francesca Gough who was elected last year and is Silverhills born and bred. The 34 year old mayor was the founder of the Gough Inn, a traditional East Moreland restaurant in the city. The Gough Inn is an example of the growing business in the city which the mayor believes is why the city has been growing. "People look at Silverhills and know that the city has opportunities. Those wanting to be famous come hoping to be the next film star but many end up in jobs in the bars, clubs and restaurants. We have a legacy from the days of the old Silver mines that gave the city its name and this attracts a lot of luxury brands and glamour. Combine all these things and Silverhills is where many young Morelanders want to be. It is our job though to ensure that once Silverhills has ridden the crest of this fashionable wave we are still in a position to enjoy a prosperous city." The Mayor is currently working with central government to try and negotiate tax breaks for the cities film and TV industry as well as examining support projects for making more affordable housing. Mayor Gough explained the need for this co-operation. "The film and TV studios here employ thousands of people. They are like a heartbeat of the city and if we can ensure they stay here despite competition globally then we ensure a long term future. The workers though need homes and sadly the beautiful old buildings in the city are fetching ridiculous prices. Ive managed to improve public transport so commuting is not an issue. There needs to be on the edge of the city nice affordable homes like we have seen in Portworth. When we become the 2nd biggest city in the nation we need the support of the capital."

While Northfort will always remain the capital of East Moreland it has seen itself relegated to the 3rd largest city in the nation and is today seen by many as the historic and ceremonial heart of the nation. If current population trends continue the city is likely to reach the 1million citizens mark by the middle of 2021.


(https://image.freepik.com/free-vector/cartoon-honey-badger_160606-274.jpg)

EMTV "EDU-CARTOON" SET TO BE HONOURED

In February last year EMTV launched an educational cartoon focusing on the adventures of a young Honeybadger called Stoffel. The show airs every Tuesday and Thursday in twenty minute episodes aimed at those aged between 6-10 and has been a huge hit with children and parents. Each episode see's Stoffel travel to a different place on Mundus, make new friends and have adventures. So far Series 1 has featured 28 episodes and seen the plucky Stoffel visit most nations in Alba Karinya and Ardia. The producer of the show is Jason Esri who explained the shows appeal, "The first thing is to get parents to like the character and feel comfortable letting have access to their kids. A Honeybadger automatically gets the interest of our own people and so we had a foot in the door. The programme is fun, bright and Stoffel shows a great example to the young people. I'm just really pleased it's gone so well."

The programme has been widely praised by educational professionals who have said that they have seen Stoffel help encourage youngsters to be quizzical about the world around them and also teaches them good habits. As a result it is to be given The Moreland Cross, a medal given for doing something seen as inspirational to Morelanders. The King announced the award saying, "Children across East Moreland have fallen in love with Stoffel, including my own daughter. We had an episode where Stoffel visited Vaguzia and learned a few words of Vaguzian, the next day Rhiannon was trying to speak the language. We've a new generation of Morelanders wanting to learn more about the world they live in while being made to be proud of our own traditions." The King did admit that the award was more to honour the efforts of EMTV's educational programming over the last 20 years when he said, "EMTV and people like Jason Esri have managed to entertain generation after generation of young people. Despite many of these shows being aimed at children they've even become favourites of grown adults. Stoffel is just the latest in a long line of these and I know he will be with us for a long time to come."

Jason Esri will be picking up the award from the Palace in a few days time and has said, "We're a team that hope our characters are seen as something to have fun with. The fact the King and the royal family have seen fit to give Stoffel an award shows they embrace that fun. I'm sorry to say though that as Stoffel is off on his latest adventure in Ardia he won't be able to collect it in person." The show has an average viewership of around 1million people and has made tens of millions of pounds in merchandising, 10% of which is given to charitable educational causes.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 17, 2021, 11:10:43 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c4/5e/85/c45e854dc76148c700f9c76847280655.jpg)

KING TO SUBMIT TO GUILD EXAM

It was announced today by the Royal Palace that King David has had a smithy built in the Palace ground as he intends to submit work in an application to join the Swordsmith's guild. The King will have lessons from Royal Blacksmith Maxwell Power who has made swords for several members of the Royal Family including Queen Stasya. In the past the King has attempted to make swords for both Prince Caspian and Princess Rhiannon however by his own admission both swords would have required "significant professional help". The tradition of sword making in East Moreland has both significant cultural and religious importance in the nation with it being both a symbol of military service and a person's honour. While in many nations individuals are permitted to carry guns in public in East Moreland it is a common site to see  people in public carrying blades. Not only do Morelanders see the sword as significant as a symbol it has become a common sporting good with Medieval MMA becoming a national obsession that has seen the Kingdom dominate the Mundus Games. The announcement of the King is spurred on by two major factors beyond just the sword being seen as a symbol of the Kingdom. The first is that the King reintroduced the idea of Guilds as a way of keeping traditional skills alive in the nation and as of yet very few people have applied to them for membership. The "Guild 21" programme was designed to help promote skills such as carpentry, blacksmithing and brewing by reintroducing the idea of apprenticeships and peer assessment of work. With these skills becoming largely marginalised by modern practices and technology many will see the Guild 21 programme as unnecessary. The King hopes that by signing up for the scheme himself he hopes others will follow in his example.

The second factor is that the work of Smithing is physically demanding, particularly on the back and shoulders. Following the King's recent operation on his lower back he is instructed to keep active in particular by exercising these muscles and this kind of work is thought to be an excellent form of rehabilitation. The King is, according to the Palace, hoping to submit his portfolio of work in the summer. While this may seem a rather quick ascension to Guild membership it must be noted that the King has spent a significant amount of time learning some of the skills having apparently spent many hours working with the Royal Smiths at Rockhampton and Ostlake. Should the King be admitted into the Swordsmith Guild he would become the first royal in the nations history to be a Guildsman by his own right rather than by honorary admission.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 23, 2021, 10:26:39 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://jrsy.tmsimg.com/assets/p19061332_i_h6_aa.jpg)

CHASE TAG TO BE IN OSTLAKE GAMES

It was announced today that the sport of Chase Tag will feature in the 2021 version of the Ostlake Military Games. The sport was introduced to the military as part of basic training as one of the many ways that fitness is promoted. The sport features a series of obsticles in a 20 meter by 20 meter square in which a chaser has 30 seconds to catch another competitor known as the prey. The sport promotes high intensity exercise and explosive bursts of energy which make it an excellent form of interval training. Many of the top class competitors in the sport come from the world of parkour and the training has proved popular with the new entrants to the Legions. The East Moreland Champion is Toby Seger who is currently in his last few months in Duke Legion for his national service. Seger was at the announcement and said, "The Legions introduced the sport as a means of putting people out of their comfort zones and encouraging us to overcome some of our fears. Its not easy to take a jump over a metal bar with a high drop the other side while being chased but a few weeks of trying the sport it can become second nature and muscle memory helps you go with the flow. I've been interested in parkour since I was 11 and so I loved it, I'd done the sport a while before doing national service and enjoyed seeing others take it up. It'll be an exciting sport for people to watch at the Games and who knows perhaps in years to come it can make its way into the Mundus Games."

The line up of events at the 2021 Ostlake Games will be unchanged with the exception that Tug of War will be replaced by Chase Tag. Lt-Col Butterworth of the Army Physical Training Corps is in charge of organising the Annual inter-military games and also establishing the syllabus all trainees undergo during basic training. "We made the decision several years back to find sports that very few if any trainees had experience in. This is a way of making sure that everyone has to learn new skills and overcome new challenges. We saw chase tag on YouTube and figured we would try it out and it was certainly something that gave a work out very different to what everyone is used to. The days of needing exceptional strength are fading and while being strong is still a bonus in the military good cardiovascular fitness is becoming even more important."


(https://www.outlandertvnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gaia-weiss.jpg)

HOPKINS TO HOST "OZZIES"

Royal Artist in Residence Jocelyn Hopkins has been announced as this years host of the Ostlake Movie Awards, affectionalty known as the "Ozzies". The 29 year old was at one time in a relationship with King David III and has opened a string of galleries across East Moreland, several of which have included small independent cinemas. She is also the grand-daughter of Sir Charles Townshend who is the leader of the Court of Canley heraldic order. Her older sister, Camryn Hopkins is currently in a relationship with King Andrew Rhodes of Seaforth. The nominations for the annual awards is due to open this weekend with several international categories open. There is much interest in the "Best International Film" category which has for the last two years been won by Tamoran Director Samira Hanifnejad who has made a reputation for making remarkable films based on historical events significant to Tamora and people of the Manist faith. It is expected that her latest film, a documentary on the recent Clysperis Civil War, will make the shortlist. Jocelyn Hopkins, who will not have a vote in the Awards, said "Hanifnedjad's films can at times be uncomfortable watching but they give a glimpse into the world that many of us never really get to see. The idea behind any great film is to make us feel emotions and having seen "Silence", "A Time for Darkness" and "A Nation Betrayed" you certainly feel like you've been on an emotional rollercoaster." The shortlists are yet to be released however bookmakers are already giving short odds on "A Nation Betrayed" making it a hat-trick for Hanifnedjad.

In terms of Best Morelander film it is expected that the biographic film of Melissa Gunning is expected to take the prize. The film tells the story of the 22 year old school teacher who died in the 2015 Missile attack on Freestone that saw 101 deaths. Gunning was teaching at a local school near to where the missiles struck and was able to evacuate 16 of her students from her classroom before being killed by falling masonry as she attempted to return to the classroom to check for other students. She became the youngest person admitted to the Court of Canley in 2017 for her act of bravery. The film has been popular in cinemas and has been nominated for four domestic awards.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 15, 2021, 12:30:20 AM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/images/1000w-q95-1-1586802331.jpg?resize=480:*)

EMAC PROVIDE ARMY WITH GRENADE LAUNCHED DRONE

The Army have today given a demonstration of a new mini drone that can be deployed using a standard issue grenade launcher. The EMAC Battlefield Aviation Tool (BAT) has been trialled in operations in the Moreland Alps over the last three months and has been reported to be a tremendous success. The BAT is no bigger than a regulation grenade round and can be carried by any soldier on the battlefield. In times requiring speedy aerial views of an area the BAT can be fired and will begin to fly using a system of an electronic propeller and glide fins. The battery allows 90 minutes of flight time and the soldiers can control it using either a joystick controller provided or through another control device. One of those using the device has been Captain Whitney of the Royal Marines who today gave a demonstration at Ostlake. "The device has been really useful, it allows us to watch over the battlefield, explore for hidden positions, monitor air and artillery strikes and even look for missing or injured soldiers. It has a massive variety of uses." The device can be retrieved and a new battery inserted meaning it can be reusable.

Following successful trials the Army have ordered 12,000 of the devices and EMAC will begin training operators in its use in the coming weeks.



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/770686153011232769/810659586569928734/unknown.png)
QUEEN RETURNS TO LODJA FOR MOTHER'S DIVORCE

It was confirmed today that Queen Stasya is returning to Lodja for a minimum of 7 days in order to support her mother through her divorce to the Queen's father Duke Tobias Pelagiya. It has been reported that the relationship between the Queen's parents has been rather problematic since details emerged of the Duke having affairs with prostitutes. The couple have been living apart for the last six months with the Duchess spending most of her time in Silverhills, East Moreland. The Queen is expected to be back for the Feast of Helus where her current schedule indicates that she will be leading prayers at the Sisterhood of Helus' temple in Northfort whereas her husband King David will be at the Cult's home temple in Northfort.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 18, 2021, 10:30:41 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i.insider.com/57c849c4b996eb94008b5a2a?width=1100&format=jpeg&auto=webp)

IRONSIDE TWO MAY "RUIN" FEAST OF HELUS

With less than 24 hours to go to the start of the Feast of Helus it is likely that Queen Stasya will not be celebrating the event in East Moreland following an engine problem with her aircraft while in Lodja. The specially designed EMAC jet is specially equipped for long distance diplomatic trips and includes a wide range of additional security features. Despite the East Moreland Armed Forces being the first to decommission nuclear weapons the aircraft, along with its twin often used as "Ironside One", would have been capable of launching a nuclear strike from any point on the planet. It is however one of these added security features which is preventing the aircraft from flying. Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker explained. "One of the important features is the aircrafts ability to track incoming missile attacks and help the pilot take avoiding action. That systems sensors have somehow malfunctioned and tells the pilot the aircraft is under constant attack." The malfunction created an emergency situation as it first registered while the aircraft was flying from the island of Iskar to Gaia which prompted a pair of Lodjain fighter aircraft to scramble to the scene. The aircraft landed without incident in Gaia and has been under guard by staff from the embassy and Red Legionnaires who are tasked to help train the Lodjian military. The problem however can not be fixed by local engineers and the Air Force engineer who travels with the aircraft requires specialist equipment as Tucker explained. "You can imagine that this aircraft is among the most sophisticated on Mundus and carries with it a significant security impact, not any avionics engineer is permitted to work on the aircraft even if they have the equipment. As it stands we are now hurrying the other aircraft to Gaia in the hopes of getting Queen Stasya home for the Feast of Helus."

The likliehood however of the Queen making it back is considered slim and as such it is likely that rather than celebrate the Feast mid-air the Queen will remain in Lodja and attend festivities at the East Moreland embassy in Lodja. This will come as a blow for the Sisterhood of Helus who were expecting the Queen to lead their ceremonies at their temple in Northfort, marking their first ritual carried out by a member of the royal family. The King is going to carry out the various rituals at the Temple of Helus in Northfort. The Feast marks the most Holy day of the Cultists year and marks the day that the God gave the faithful their Code of Canley. Across East Moreland families will be gathering and hosting a feast which is usually of venison, however this year as Yellow-Tongue has spread among the deer population many have considered Boar instead as the virus does not impact that species. Families will then present Helus with offerings that are usually personalised according to the family. Princess Rhiannon will, like with all Cultists feast days, spend the morning with her father and the evening with her mother Matilda Osman. It has also been reported that the Princess is likely to spend some time in Lijiang as Matilda Osman has been approached with tutoring there by the new Dragon-Emperor. With King David supporting the idea of students getting cultural exchanges via school partnerships with other nations it is unlikely the King will view this as a problem.


Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 21, 2021, 09:11:58 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/770686153011232769/812977585130045440/unknown.png)

NATION CELEBRATES FEAST OF HELUS

Yesterday East Moreland and Cultists across the globe celebrated the Feast of Helus. The celebration marks the day on which the scriptures tell us that the God gave mankind the Code of Canley, a set of rules by which mankind should live to make the world a better place. The feast day usually see's the faithful attend Temple for prayers and rituals followed by a day of celebration at home with family. This year, as with every year since becoming King, His Majesty King David attended the Temple of Helus in Northfort, a place which stands on the spot the Code was given to Raimond Unasson who is believed to be an ancestor of the current King. This year however the King was making his visit  without Queen Stasya as she was stuck in Lodja due to an aircraft malfunction. The King made an offering to Helus on behalf of the nation, this year opting to present the God with a silver sculpture showing the scene of Helus presenting the code to Unasson and the other Gods. This will be on display in the Temple until the next Feast of Helus and then will be placed in the National Museum along with offerings going back to the 16th Century.

Following the King attending Temple he visited a specialist care centre for children with genetic illnesses similar to those of the King's deceased son Prince Caspian and there served the children and parents a Feast of Helus meal. Normally Venison is the staple dish of any Feast of Helus dinner however this year with the Yellow-Tongue virus being traced in the East Moreland deer population Boar was served instead. The King was joined at the care centre by his 7 year old daughter Princess Rhiannon, his sister Princess Freya and brother-in-law Alex Redfern. Princess Rhiannon then spent the afternoon with her mother Matilda Osman while the King and the rest of the Ironside family spent the afternoon at Northfort Palace where they were seen partaking in an early evening horse-ride.

As has become the tradition East Moreland embassies across the globe invited local Cultist and East Moreland citizens living abroad to celebrations at the embassy including in Nya Aland, Fleur and Kopsje where religious displays are banned. As has always been the case these ceremonies were undertaken in private grounds of the embassy. In nations with less restrictive laws on religion the Embassy provided a taste of East Moreland cuisine to passers by at the Embassy with stands outside designed to share the day of celebration with the nation in which they are located.

At 8pm East Moreland time the King appeared on TV where he addressed the nation to wish everyone a joyous Feast Day. The King went on to state that over the next 12 months he would be donating $50million to the Mundus Goodwill Bank on behalf of the Cult of Helus and urged members of the Cult to make their own personal donations. The Mundus Goodwill Bank was established by a meeting known as the Interfaith Alliance which was chaired by the King's deceased sister High Priestess Joanna Ironside and has in the view of King David been "under utilised and neglected." The King identified several scenarios where the bank should have been "pro-active" by saying, "The Bank harnesses the good intentions of people of a vast array of faiths yet then waits for people to come to them. They now need to go forth and spread this money. I can think of several projects for them, we see Zimalia improving its health care system with support from Nya Aland and Tamora, the bank should support these efforts. When the Seleucid food crisis took place the bank should have purchased food and shipped it without waiting to be asked. We now have a potential humanitarian crisis in Topri and Merina. We need to get these funds moving." The King is expected to ask the current High Priestess to investigate appointing a Cultist representative to identify ways the funds could be spent globally and to "work with members of all faiths to ensure the people who need help the most get it."

Meanwhile Queen Stasya lead the Cultists, including members of the military supporting Lodjian re-training, in Gaia in their celebrations having failed to return home. It is understood the Queen hosted a banquet in a function hall in the city centre where, because of the Isle of Iskor's quarantine rules on Yellow-Tongue venison was able to be served. The Queen's aircraft has now been repaired and she is expected back in the Kingdom by Wednesday.


(https://e0.365dm.com/20/07/768x432/skysports-richie-gray-lions_5036451.jpg?20200711124524)

LIJIANG 10 - 63 EAST MORELAND
MacAllister takes armband

With the latest version of the rugby world cup being set to take place in Lijiang the rugby minnows requested the Honey-Badgers visit their nation as part of a series of warm up games to be a "test event". With Lijiang being effectively new to the sport on a major stage the East Moreland selectors opted to take a combination of players who had until recently declared themselves "retired" from the international game, current mainstays and youngsters fighting the make the world cup squad. 24 year old back row player Rollo MacAllister was named as captain of the 40-man squad which includes 38 year old John Martinson and 37 year old Martin Doorson both of whom have announced they will retire from all forms of rugby after this series. The pair had been part of the East Moreland team that won the nations first world cup and retired a year later from the Honeybadgers despite carrying on playing at club level.

The first game saw a largely uncapped team take the field in Lijiang's national stadium which was hosting its first international game. The Honeybadgers, playing under the name "The Kits" in order to reflect the nature of the squad, ran out comfortable winners and only were troubled on a few occasions. Rollo MacAllister spoke after the game saying, "I'm honoured to be skipper of the national team and to be asked to help introduce the game to Lijiang on this stage. Their a team that have some good potential but experience is a huge factor in any teams success. We've a week now to get ready for the second game and to explore the nation a little. We're here as a combination of opponents, ambassadors and advisers and the officials running the world cup are constantly looking for ways to help us be prepared for the games so I'm sure they'll do a great job at the World Cup."

17 year od Mark Itojey also made history on two counts during the match. He became the youngest player to represent East Moreland when he came off the bench in the 52nd minute and also became the first Black player to represent the Honeybadgers. Itojey's father, Rufus, moved to East Moreland 23 years ago from Zimalia and was in the stadium to watch his son take the field. After the game Mark said "I hope to get a decent amount of on field time and hopefully show the coach I deserve a place at the World Cup. I understand I'm still very young and I'm thankful for this opportunity." The nations coach Eddie Johns spoke after the game saying, "Mark put a good performance in. We'll monitor things before next week but I'd be surprised if he didn't perhaps start next weekend. This tour is a great chance for young talents to step up and stake a claim."

In the coming week the team will also take part in a few promotional events in the lead up to the World Cup including several tag rugby coaching sessions in Lijiang schools.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 04, 2021, 10:41:32 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/4/y/q/7/a/x/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.710x400.21q0gj.png/1609105158599.jpg?format=pjpg&optimize=medium)

ITOJEY LIGHTS UP LIJIANG
LIJIANG 0 - 68 EAST MORELAND

17 year old East Moreland back rower Mark Itojey won his 2nd cap for the Honeybadgers in the final test against Lijiang and took the plaudits as Man of the Match. Itojey made his debut in the 1st test and set a record as becoming the youngest player to appear for the national team however starting this weeks match he outshined many players with much more experience. Itojey scored two tries, created a further two and was a constant menace to the Lijiang scrum half. The match marked the final warm up test before the World Cup squad is announced and many pundits now think Itojey is a certainty for the squad. Martin Jonson, the World Cup Winning captain and now EMTV commentator, gave the young star his seal of approval saying, "The quality of opposition is not world class but you could see Mark could easily hang with the top nations. The boys got an extremely bright future ahead of him in the international arena. If I was selecting the squad I'd take him, he may not start every game or even feature once out of the group stage but he's hell of an asset."

It is expected that Eddy Johns will announce the World Cup squad tomorrow and that those players will head out to Lijiang shortly after. It was always likely the majority of the squad in Lijiang currently would be sent home and were only taken for the purpose of gaining experience. Many had speculated that King David may have attended the third test however the King did not show up, he has however confirmed that he will be attending the opening ceremony and the teams final group stage game meaning he will be making two informal visits to Lijiang.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 07, 2021, 11:11:27 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/770686153011232769/818251910796148736/unknown.png)

STONETON SEIGE FILM CLEANS UP DOMESTIC OZZIES

At last nights Ostlake Move Awards the film Stoneton Siege won an impressive five awards. The period drama tells the tale of how a group of craftsman and their wives resisted an attempt by the Borlanders to take over the small but symbolic town in the early 18th Century. The 3hour epic had been a labour of love for director Annabelle Deeds whose ancestors were one of the women who took part in the defence that is shown in the film. While some historians have criticised the film saying it shows an over-emphasis of the craftsman handling the defence compared to in reality a detachment of Red Legionnaires arriving two days into the week long siege the film has been widely praised for its rather gritty cinematography which saw many of the action sequences filmed using cameras mounted on the actors to make the scenes seem more intense. Annabelle Deeds carried off the Ozzy for Best Director while leading actor Thomas Kingsley took Best Leading Actor. Jane Wylde won Best Supporting Actress while the film also took Best Costumes and Best Soundtrack for its collection of re-mastered old folk songs. The film also featured a small cameo by Royal Artist in Residence and this years Ozzie Presenter Jocelyn Hopkins who played Beverly Townshend who is the artists ancestor who was burnt during the attack and died on the final day of the siege. Hopkins spoke of her pride at her involvement in the film which amounted to around ten minutes of screen time. "The men and women during the siege were not trained soldiers but did their best to defend their families and their Kingdom. It must have been terrifying and I was proud to be involved in this project to keep their memory alive. It was a lot of fun to make too but I don't think I'll be making a career from acting anytime soon."

Hopkins presented the various International Awards following the handing out of the various domestic awards.

The first Ozzie to be handed out was Best Animated Short which went to Pip which was made in Achkaerin. The film tells the story of a trainee Guide-Dog who proved to be rather incompetent until becoming a hero by saving a young womans life from building works. It narrowly beat Soul from Jungland by a single vote among the voting panel.

The next foreign award was then presented to Sarwar Khan & Sartaz Khan Barna for their song "Haanikkaarak Bapu" which featured in the sporting drama Dangal which tells the story of girls training to be wrestling champions in the male only sport of Parbhani traditional Wrestling. It marks the first time an Ozzie has gone to Parbhani. The category was interesting in the fact that three other nominated songs each tied with their votes from the panal.

In a story of firsts Jugland earned their first Ozzie when the Sci-Fi short "Good Business" won the Ozzie for Best International Short Film. It tells the story of a kind of double-double cross deal between humanity and aliens in the future. The runner up was Lego Airport, a school project from Achkaerin.

 Samira Hanifnejad maintained her run of collecting Ozzies when she scooped the award for Best International Documentary for her film "A Nation Betrayed" which looked at the recent Clysperis Civil War from the point of view of families that were directly impacted by the conflict. The film was a run away success in this category and cements Hanifnejad's reputation as a film-maker able to reach global audiences with her often hard-hitting stories. The Tamoran was honoured moments later when she took another Ozzie for Best International Film for "A Nation Betrayed" narrowly beating the  Izhitsan comedy film "The Unknown Saint".  Hanifnejad has now won "Best International Film" three years in a row.

All winners were presented with their own award as well as for the first time ever earning a place in the Ostlake Film Academy Panel which votes on the winners of future awards.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 13, 2021, 09:43:30 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/820400133430050856/unknown.png)

ARGEMONTO EMBASSY PREPARES FOR "OPERATION RATEL'S DEN"

Following the persecution of Cultists in Royal Seleucid a protocol was put in place to help members of the Cult of Helus facing persecution in other nations. The protocol is often referred to as "Opertaion Ratel's Den" in reference to the official name of the Honeybadger and is intended to help remove those in danger of persecution from imminent danger. Following yesterday's announcement from Argemonto that they were shutting Temples of the Cult the Foreign Office of East Moreland began making preparations for the implementation of the procedures that were last used in Ubriekkland which saw around 18,000 Cultist refugees expelled from the nation.

Explaining the procedure Foreign Minister Duchess Orlaith Kade said, "Ratel's Den is a process we first put in place when the Seleucid genocide finished. We were determined to ensure that the Cult would not be victimised in the same manner ever again. The process see's us work with local Temples to keep duplicate records of sword ceremonies. This has become a common practice as the main Temple of Helus in Northfort has kept records of all these ceremonies in East Moreland for at least the last 200 years and now digitalisation has meant they can do this easier and also can maintain a record for the whole Cult with ease. Using these records allows us to see who the genuine members of the Cult are in most nations across Mundus with established Temples such as Achkaerin, Royal Seleucid and until recently Argemonto. When situations such as this arise we arrange for our local embassy to be given access to these lists. If you then report to the embassy we check you're on the list therefore confirming you're a bonifide Cultist. This helps fast-track the process of us helping you claim asylum and our embassy staff will utilise the best approach to get the Cultist and their family to East Moreland. We've then a whole support network in place to help them. We have now given the Ambassador in Argemonto permission to utilise these protocols and if necessary issue Uppsala Passports. We have concerns that this closure of temples could be the first step towards stronger action and as the homeland of the Cult we have a duty to try and help the faithful if neccessary." The Foreign Minister said she is yet to be fully informed of what rules the Temples had broken that saw them be shut down but added. "It is the duty of a Cultist to be a good citizen wherever they may live. That includes following laws of their homeland as far as possible, when it becomes impossible for a Cultist to do so we must be ready to help them how best we can. If we can support these Temples to ensure they are complying with local laws and open to the faithful then we shall do what we can."

The leader of the Sisterhood of Helus has also spoken of her concern. The Sisterhood is  a break-away branch of the Cult of Helus which believes the God Helus was infact female and many of the other minor Gods were infact just aspects of Helus and the Sisterhood is not recognised as official by the Cult's High Priestess Skye Maddix. The Sisterhood's self proclaimed High Priestess is Jinny Denman who has said, "While we have no Temples in Argemonto yet we believe that any members of the Sisterhood should also be included in this fast-track asylum process. I shall be speaking to Queen Stasya in order to request she recommend her husband extend Operation Ratel's Den to all followers of Helus regardless of denomination." Queen Stasya converted to the Sisterhood from following Sessifet when she moved to East Moreland following her engagement to her now husband King David.

The King is yet to speak on the matter however with the Feast of Jekar six days away the King is perhaps likely to speak at length on the matter in his televised speech.


(https://www.janes.com/images/default-source/news-images/fg_3914998-idr-10996.jpg?sfvrsn=b124cc69_2)

NAVY TEST NEW RADAR

The Royal East Moreland Naval Service Fast Frigate Charles Townshend (https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/independent_order_ns/east-moreland-t1733-s30.html#p55873) has today completed a test of a new RADAR technology developed by SmartWar. The NRBS (Novel Radar Bathymetry Software) saw the Frigate undertake a survey of Portworth coast line and completely map the seabed in just a matter of hours. The software utilises the ships existing radar network with a small roof-rack mounted X-Band Radar system to create a map that would be useful for a variety of reasons. The test was considered a total success by the REMNS Charles Townshend's Commanding Officer Harvey Kelly who said, "We had expected to get about only half of what we actually did. We ran the test for three hours and were able to complete a map of the surface currents and sea-floor. Compare the area we mapped today using NRBS to what is normally done by sonar bathymetry. It took us three hours to map what normally takes two weeks to. While the NRBS one is not as accurate or detailed it is still more than adaquete for what we would need on a day to day basis. The new system also wouldn't work in deep seas however it has a large number of uses. Should for example a ship be lost close to shore this is a great way to find it, additionally if we had to undertake some amphibious landing in an area unfamiliar it would cut down scouting operations by a significant margin."

Martin Dawson, the CEO of SmartWar, was onboard the ship during the test and said he was "delighted with the outcome. We can see many uses, both military and civilian for this. Take for example the Uppsala Disaster, we had word that many ships found uncharted obstiacles close to Grunwald following seismic activity which changed the sea-bed slightly. This technology would have allowed for swift mapping and would ensure aid vessels could operate safely. To the best of our knowledge this is the first test of its kind using this kind of system and we hope to see it being utilised in the near future."

Sir Harry Samuelson the nations Minister of Defence has said that the software will undergo several more tests with other REMNS vessels however did say "It is highly likely we'll be placing orders for enough of these systems to be retrofitted to as many naval vessels as possible. We will be looking in the coming months at the construction of future naval vessels , for example we will agreed by the end of 2021 to construct a new King Robert Class Amphibious Warfare ship kitted for VSTOL air operations, we would at this moment be looking at this kit to be installed at the construction stage."

The test did throw up an interesting find with an almost perfectly circular outcrop being mapped about 5km east of Portworth. As Martin Dawson explained, "Nothing in nature tends to be perfectly straight or circular, especially after being battered by the sea, the fact this has been spotted could be interesting, or it could be just a discarded piece of construction equipment. We'll leave that to experts to work out." It is understood the University of Portworth are preparing to do further tests to explore what the object may be.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 19, 2021, 10:01:25 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cvhf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/DSC_8345-1500x630.jpg?x74613)

NATION CELEBRATE FEAST OF JEKAR

The Feast of Jekar is seen as the 2nd most important festival in the year of the Cult of Helus and today members of the Cult across Mundus celebrated with sword ceremonies, competitions and feasts. The day is dedicated to the God of War and Swords and is used to give thanks to the "Scarred Legionnaire of Helus" who convinced Helus to intervene in the war between humanity and the Underlords. The day is now used to mark a celebration of those who have been loyal to the Code of Canley and also pay tribute to those who have served various good caused through the year. As with most feast days the day began with the King visiting the Temple of the God in Northfort. The King was accompanied by 7 year old Princess Rhiannon and the pair were attired in traditional tunics, Red for the King and Red and White for the Princess. The King took part in the morning ritual which saw the Royal Blacksmith, Maxwell Power, use the Temple's grinding wheel to put a new edge on the sword held by the statue of Jekar and the King's own blade. The Queen meanwhile visited the Sisterhood of Helus' Temple in Northfort where she presented it with its first sword for their own statue of Helus-Jekar which they believe is merely a personification of the "Goddess Helus'" warrior side. Just like the King she had opted to wear traditional red tunic marking the first time since her coronation she has been seen in public wearing the attire.

Following the time in Temple the King and Princess Rhiannon made their way to People's Park next to the Palace where a huge fayre was taking place including charitable stalls, craftsman and oppurtunities to take part in swordsmanship events and practice. Princess Rhiannon joined with school mates to take part in a demonstration of traditional sword fighting techniques before being presented with a ceremonial wooden training sword for being the "Most Improved Under 11" at the Townshend Sword Academy, considered one of the most prestigious places to learn traditional swordsmanship. The Princess has been studying with Sir Charles Townshend, who is the leader of the chivalric order known as the Court of Canley. Princess Rhiannon was watched by her father, step-mother Queen Stasya, aunt Princess Freya and her mother Matilda Osman. The Princess was permitted a brief conversation with the media after the presentation and said, "I like learning with the sword because its important to know. Sometimes though I make mistakes and that hurts a lot but then I know not to do it again. I'd like to say thank you for my new sword and I want to get another next year."

The King, Queen and the rest of the Ironsides then retired to the Palace where it is understood that they hosted a feast and ball for members of the armed forces nominated to attend by their commanding officer because of work they had done to support communities. One person invited was L/Cpl Robert Weathers who was nominated because they had helped set up a homework club for students at a nearby school where the Royal Signalman supported students with science work. L/Cpl Weathers said, "I'm honoured to get an invite to the Palace on a day like today. I've always been proud of serving the military and doing my best to follow the Code of Canley and to celebrate at the heart of the faith is exciting."

Across Mundus there were other celebrations in which the various East Moreland embassies played a key role. In Meybad, Royal Seleucid, the embassy lead an attempt to try and replace swords that had been confiscated during the food crisis of 2019. Blacksmiths across East Moreland had donated new blades that could be distributed, a total of 476 were given out however as Ambassador Edward Stackhouse explained, "We believe well over 2,500 swords were confiscated during this crisis which we know of. Many more family heirlooms were also taken and we believe the number could be as a high as 10,000 today we went a small way to trying and restoring some families honour." Meanwhile in Paracambi the embassy staff had arranged for a Medieval MMA tournament among members of its embassy and the Bakkermayan one with 22 year old East Moreland guardsman Andrew Preston coming out victorious. Following his victory he said, "We wanted to celebrate with the local people and thought putting on a demonstration of the skills Jekar told us we needed was a good way of letting them see some of what we're about. To celebrate the feast of the beach though rather than the hills of my hometown Roberton is odd but fun."

Tomorrow there will be a large military parade through the streets of Ostlake where the King and Queen are expected to take the salute.



(https://images.mktw.net/im-243421?width=620&size=1.471264367816092)

VACCINE PRODUCTION HEADS INTO OVER-DRIVE

With scientists in Fleur having developed a vaccine to tackle the Yellowtongue virus which has been plaguing Ruminant species across the Kingdom for some time. The virus has impacted the deer population in the Northfort Royal Palace parkland as well as various farmers herds around Ostlake and Rockhampton. The new vaccine is said to be around 85-90% effective following scientists in Fleur taking advantage of an OsmanTech mapping of the virus. The company has now switched to mass producing the vaccine as it is estimated that around 400million doses will be required to vaccinate the majority of East Moreland livestock. Olivia Cole, the Kingdom's Science and Techology Minister toured the OsmanTech facility today and said, "It is vital that we now pump this thing out as quickly as possible and get it to our farmers and then see how we can perhaps get it into the wild populations. East Moreland as a nation relies a lot on wild game as a way of life meaning at present lots of traditional hunting has stopped because of the risk of this disease. We are now thankful that our joint co-operation on tackling this with Fleur has lead to them working out a path towards getting things back to normal and now its time to forge ahead and complete the journey we've been on side by side. The co-operation between Fleur and East Moreland has shown just how powerful large scale collaborations such as this can be in tackling problems and I know in the future we will look to build upon this fruitful and successful collaboration of work."

It is expected the first dose will be given next week however no details of how the vaccine will be made avalible has yet been confirmed causing many farmers to complain about the Agricultural Ministries lack of communication.




Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 30, 2021, 10:15:41 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://pic3.zhimg.com/v2-6f12ed20fe147c309fad7aa202da8552_b.jpg)

KING SAYS "FAKE LODJA WILL BE DEALT WITH"

Following what appears to be an attempted coup in Lodja by King Leopold the King of East Moreland has issued a statement giving his support to Queen Klara. On his way to meet with members of the Representative Council the King stopped and briefly spoke with the media saying. "Several years ago I was able to meet a young and driven Queen called Viktoria, she was someone who after 90 years of rule be the previous Queen was committed and desperate to drag Lodja into a brighter future. We worked side by side and I was proud to call her my friend. Together with our friends King Piripi and King Finley we formed the CNN, an alliance not born out of anything that tied us together other than mutual friendship between monarchs all of whom wanted to see their nations prosper. Sadly that bright spark was snatched from the world by someone desperate to obtain and further their own power. Today we have seen history repeat itself. A young Queen, one who has already put in place so many changes for her people. One who has worked hard to ensure her people were on a path towards an ever brighter future. She now has seen her attempts halted through the use of violence again from someone close to her. Just as last time the people of East Moreland will stand side by side with our Lodjain allies and make sure that Leopold is brought to justice. His fake Lodja will be dealth with."

It is understood that several ships are making their way towards Ui Cenneslaig where it is likely a fleet to support Queen Klara will be formed. As of yet no details are known as to what support King Leopold has in Lodja or whether his attempt was supported by groups outside of Lodja. The King was asked about Queen Stasya's reaction however he explained, "The only reaction that is needed is one of supporting our friends. The Queen supports that aim and will not be making a statement on the matter." The Queen is friends and former colleague of Queen Klara's Ladies in Waiting prior to marrying King David and it is not known whether the Queen has been in touch with them.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 04, 2021, 12:09:15 AM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/709845204689092691/828027949001342976/unknown.png)

QUEEN STASYA SPEAKS ON HOMELAND'S HEARTACHE

Following a series of attacks in Gaia that have targetted Queen Klara of Lodja her former Lady in Waiting and current Queen of East Moreland, Stasya Ironside has today visited the Temple of the Sisterhood of Helus. Queen Stasya arrived at the Temple accompanied only by her own small household staff. She was seen meeting with the High Priestess of the Sisterhood, Jinny Denman. The Queen spent several hours inside before addressing the media on her way out.

"I would like to thank the various nations that have reached out to us and offered us kind words and other support. While nations such as Tytor have offered us use of embassy space and others like Fleur support in returning Morelanders home at this moment in time my husband and his team of advisers feel that this will not be needed. We are thankful to the Ui Cenneslaig embassy, our CNN allies for their support which saw members of their embassy security detail digging our own brave men and women out of the rubble just minutes after the cowardly attack on them. There was once a time when I considered Leopold Hamsik a friend, a man that I thought acted with honour and integrity but following revelations of his bribing judges which lead to him tricking a young 18 year old girl into his bed that respect faded fast. Now I see him for what many in the international community do, a chancer, a coward and someone hungry only for power for their own ends. Leopold Hamsik has shown no care for anyone other than himself. He is currently holding his own son hostage as a puppet in his power-game. I am proud to be a friend of Queen Klara and witnessed first hand the love and care she has for the people she is Queen of. She has made greater strides towards transforming Lodja than anyone who has gone before her and I honestly believe had this incident not happened then within a decade Lodja would have seen so many changes to benefit its people. The world must now work on two fronts. The first is to give support to an amazing Queen who has always put the needs of her people at the front of her thoughts. The second is to bring the human filth of Leopold Hamsik to justice for the vast array of crimes he has committed."

Later in the day Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker was asked if the Queen's sentiments were shared by the King and he responded saying, "The words Queen Stasya spoke were unrehearsed and came from the heart. Her husband shares her sentiments but perhaps not her words. We thank all nations that have been in touch and as the Queen said at the moment we believe our CNN connections are the best route for continuing embassy conditions in Lodja we will take more advice as the situation changes."

It is understood that a Royal Naval fleet will be arriving in Ui Cenneslaig in the next 48 hours and from there proceeding to the Alucard. Mr.Tucker also confirmed that Queen Stasya had requested permission to return to Lodja to comfort Queen Klara however this was not permitted on grounds of "security". So far the location of the renegade HMDS Morelander has yet to be confirmed although several nations had now labelled it a "Pirate" ship.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 06, 2021, 10:37:52 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://assets.newatlas.com/dims4/default/c6bac28/2147483647/strip/true/crop/472x264+0+0/resize/472x264!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewatlas-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Farchive%2Fdemon.jpg)

DRAGON-GHOST DRONE LAUNCHES DRONE

The EMAC Dragon-Ghost Drone which is due to enter service later this year has today completed trials of deploying a 2nd drone from its internal weapons bay. The UAV released a loitering munition drone (LMD) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raytheon_Coyote) while at a height of 10,000 feet. The LMD weighed around 6kg and was carried within a bay capable of carrying weaponry or equipment to the weight of 150kg. The utilisation of the bay rather than hardpoints allows the Ghost-Drone to have fewer points to enlarge its radar cross section. The design is so unique that it uses engine gases to redirect airflows over its surfaces meaning the drone has no moving control surfaces further reducing points of observation for RADAR. The LMD was released and the Ghost-Drone returned to base with no incident. This follows the loss of one of the four prototypes in September 2020 due to issues that are believed to have stemmed from ineffective ice control. The LMD flew independently of the Ghost-Drone for around 90 minutes before being guided to strike a target boat in the Mhorish. The strike was considered a "great success" by the Admiralty and Air Force both of whom are expected to receive completed drones in time.

Sir Harry Samuelson viewed the tests and the Minister of Defence stated afterwards. "I was impressed, the last time I saw the Ghost-Drone it crashed and so this was always going to be an improvement. To be able to utilise this independent drone mid-flight could be a useful tool and one we will investigate further." It was explained by representatives of EMAC that theoretically a single Ghost-Drone could carry 25 LMD's meaning as Sir Alan Maybury of EMAC said, "Potentially we could fly a Ghost Drone close to the enemies air-space, perhaps even into it utilising the drones stealth credentials, from there we could launch these 25 LMD's, withdraw the Ghost-Drone and two hours later these mini-drones could be used to strike targets. Alternatively they could be used to swarm enemy air defences while a 2nd Ghost-Drone strikes targets with more conventional weapons. Today's test could be a useful tool for our military." One problem however as Sir Alan explains is "We need to look at a system for carrying so many, one issue is launching 25 successfully and the other is the volume of the weapons bay. The LMD is a light weapon all things considered but like anything it takes up room. We need to find a balance between the number carried and doing so without compromising the stealth features. Its a point for down the road."

The Ghost-Drone is expected to attempt carrier landings early next week to evaluate its usefulness for the Navy in addition to the Air-Force. The same weapons test saw the Spearhead Mk.3 missile complete a successful 700km flight meaning it is still some 300km off its final target distance.



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 14, 2021, 11:03:32 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/831986800062103623/unknown.png)

KING PREPARES FOR TOUR AMID INTERNATIONAL SHIFTS

The King and Queen of East Moreland are preparing to leave for a trip to Eskdale amid a series of international crisis. The decision to continue with the tour of Eskdale has been criticised by some as people believe that the King may be required to make some quick military decisions. This however was denied as a reason to cancel the trip by the Minister of Defence Sir Harry Samuelson who stated, "In modern times we have the ability to command troops from any point on Mundus. Decades ago it is true the Commander in Chief would have been expected to be in a bunker in Northfort, Ostlake or somewhere else making decisions. We can safely and securely relay that information to any point of Mundus so the King is perfectly capable of undertaking this tour and handling the situations as they develop.

The King visited the Royal Rifle Regiment Barracks in Northfort today for a scheduled inspection and spoke briefly with the media about the ungoing situation in Kaitaine and Lodja.

"Today is important to come here and see the work that the Royal Rifle's are doing in order to ensure that they are prepared for any scenario the current global situation may throw up. Currently we have eyes on two developing situations, Lodja and Kaitaine. If we take the situation in Lodja it goes without saying that we are standing squarely behind Queen Klara. She is and will remain the legitimate leader of Lodja until such a time as legally recognised processes change that. This therefore means that Leopold Hamsik is nothing more than a kidnapper and terrorist. We are holding him responsible for the deaths of our staff at the embassy, people who served their nation with dedication and skill. In the future a time will come when we shall ensure Leopold faces justice in front of a jury on charges of murder and terrorism. We are thankful to the Cenneg embassy for their support and co-operation. We currently have a fleet enroute to Ui Cenneslaig where they will resupply before crossing the Illumic in what we hope will be a move to sandwich the rogue ship that ironically we built. As for Kaitaine we are on the one hand pleased to see an end to conflict there and I believe the Cenneg, Tamoran and Chistopolian governments should be applauded for their action. While some nations are already talking of the West of Kaitaine being the "Theocracy" we do not yet recognise them as a nation. Currently the Truthsayers are classed as a terrorist organisation. This is a classification that is reviewed on a three monthly routine and we naturally will be watching the scenario there. Should the Truthsayers play any role in the West then we would be forced to do all we can to effectively put sanctions in place. This is likely to cause a few discussions as it is clear Ui Cenneslaig have a different approach to this matter. Should the Truthsayers in time provide evidence to further show they are taking actions to bring undisciplined and undisciplined members under control. Furthermore we have highlighted on several occasions our belief that the Truthsayers are engaged in the use of child soldiers and this must end. We however will end any and all arrangements with the East of Kaitaine under Soviet control including the closure of our embassy there in 3 days time. We have had in place a travel advisory in place for Kaitaine since the conflict and we repeat this now. It is our hope that the situation of the ceasefire can continue indefintley until a permanent solution can be found. While we are in Eskdale I shall be in constant contact with my sister Princess Freya who is going to be a steady hand at the briefing table. She is an experienced soldier in her own right and I trust her to ensure I am furnished with all the information I would need."

The trip to Eskdale marks the first meeting between the nation for quiet a long time and will see the King and Queen visit each of the three Kingdoms that make up the Commonwealth of Eskdale.



(https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/69/590x/Sir-Clive-Woodward-578113.jpg)
JOHNS SACKED.PETITION TO BRING BACK WOODWARD

Yesterday a Morelander coach lifted the Rugby World Cup however on this occasion it was while wearing a Lodjian tracksuit. Sir Clyde Woodward can now lay claim to be the greatest rugby coach in the history of the game having lead two nations to World Cup glory in his career. The former Northfort Royals player with 14 caps for East Moreland had what many consider an "average" rugby career however upon retiring and entering the coaching world his reputation has grown and grown to make him a legend of the game. Following his success at helping East Moreland become Munds Games Champions, CIS Nations Champions and World Champions for the first time and in their history and a runners up in 2016 Sir Clyde handed over the reigns of the National Team to his protege Steward Lahncaster who won the World Cup in 2017 before retiring on health grounds. The team however never truly recaptured that all dominating form that saw the Honeybadgers only narrowly lose a best of three series against the combined CIS team by a narrow margin under Woodward. Under the guidance of Eddy Johns the Honeybadgers have been criticised by some as not playing as expressive a game as under Woodward and of failing to bring through younger talent. It comes as no surprise with the team having on paper been expected to reach the final and failing to do so that Johns has had his contract terminated "in order to allow a full examination of the future of the National Team's set up."

Almost as soon as Lodja had lifted the trophy with Woodward at the helm a petition appeared online calling for the East Moreland Rugby Football Union to "do all in its power to bring Sir Clyde back to his homeland" and that he be given "full control over the sport in East Moreland." Within just a few hours the petition had reached 150,000 signatures however Mr. William Beaumont who is chairman of the EMRFU stated, "At the moment even if we wished to bring Sir Clyde back he is, as far as we know, under contract to the Lodjain national team. We naturally applaud what he has achieved with them and he rightly will go down as a legend within the sport. Taking a team such as Lodja which had hardly any rugby infastructure in place and 2017 and within four years turning them into World Champions is a story that cements his legacy as the best. Here though we must look at what has held us back. Part of it must be the coaching set up but as we saw Sir Clyde focused not just on ensuring we had the best and most cutting edge on and off field preparation but also an expectation of excellence. He started a mantra of "leave the jersey in a better place than you found it" and while I am sure every player has attempted to do that we have not achieved it. Over the next few weeks we will have to take a long hard look in the mirror and come up with a plan. The next chance for rugby success is likely to be the Mundus Games and whoever is in charge at that point must show just what we are capable of."

Bookmakers put the chances of Sir Clyde returning at 1000/1 as it is understood he has a two year deal left to run its course and has in the past stated how important he believes keeping your promises are. Furthermore the 65 year old has settled in Zhenya which he has turned into a centre of excellence for Lodjain rugby. There are also rumours the divorced father of two is in a relationship with a Lodjain journalist. The favourite for the job is Rob Backster who is the current coach at the Northfort Royals who seem on course to win their 11th National title. The 50 year old former back rower has 48 caps to his name as an international and was at one point the forwards coach at the Lodjain national side alongside Woodward.

Sir Clyde has spoken of his joy at the win. "It doesn't matter I'm not Lodjain as today I'm a very proud man. This team has grown over the last four years or so into a tight group who have essentially put their lives on hold to make their nation a rugby success. Let us not forget as well that they have won rugby's greatest prize while back home their is concern and worry about their family and friends. They took the field unsure what Lodja would be like on their return and I am sad to say I don't think they'll get the big celebratory return they truly deserve. My heart goes out to all those who have lost their lives over this and it really puts into perspective the insignificance of a ball game in a way. It is my hope that perhaps in some small way our victory can show just what a united Lodja can achieve."  Sir Clyde is expected to make a coaching return to East Moreland in the near future though as the annual end of season fixture between a Kings XV and the Honeybadgers takes place for charity. Sir Clyde said, "The traditional curtain fall to the season seeing the national side play a team picked by the King from the best in the league, and sometimes further afield, is always a lot of fun. King David reached out to me and asked me to coach his team on the day and naturally I've said yes. It'll be nice to come and see some old friends and enjoy a quality day of rugby for a good cause."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 26, 2021, 10:00:26 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/johannes-huebl-attends-the-etro-fashion-show-during-the-milan-mens-picture-id1156262035?s=612x612)

KING SPEAKS ON MAEA "DEBACLE"

Following the final decision of where to locate the Mundus Atomic Energy Agency the King has asked the East Moreland liason to that body to cast the determining vote. Mr.William Zaha, a respected Morelander administrator of the "Kilotonnes to Kilowatts" programme was tasked with casting the determining vote. The King instructed the vote to be cast for Rokkenjima stating, "The decision was not an easy one. On the hand I would have liked to go to Dartfordia and utilise the CSU University campus. That though was difficult to make happen. The campus is tied to the CSU by legacy and it is vital that the organisation retains a political independence. Additionally being part of a wider network of institutions would give the impression of working alongside them when this is not the case. Rokkenjima however was not an easy choice to make. The conduct surrounding their bid to host was not one I would consider exemplary and my feelings on the matter have been communicated to Empress Evanthe in private. Rokkenjima however were one of the key authors of this treaty and therefore should be permitted to see what seed they planted flourish. The damage has been done now however it is rectifiable. The organisation now has an outstandingly well respected scientific organiser at the helm.  Dr.Ulf Gren has managed immense projects such as the Large Hadron Collider and the Global Seed Bank. Both these projects have brought researchers from across the world together and I hope that success can transfer into the MAEA. Supporting him is Duchess Anna Davidson, a woman who instituted the largest environmental clean up in the history of Mundus and then managed to unite nations behind an Environmental Treaty of great success.  The mistakes of Rokkenjiman PR must now be pushed to the rear and the excellent track record of the leaders of the MAEA must be pushed to the fore and allowed to do its vital work."

When the King was asked with future relations with Lijiang the King has not ruled out them joining the organisation in the future. "I'm due to head to Lijiang to be part of an opening of a Art and Cultural centre opening. There will be a chance for me to meet face to face with the Dragon-Emperor and I'll be doing my best to smooth over the situation. It is my hope we can make them see the huge number of ways they can prosper as part of the MAEA."

It is understood the King will be heading to Lijiang in the next few days to oversee the return of several pieces of art work.



(https://osmangroupbd.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/osman_logo.jpg)(https://en.emac.es/images/emac-logo-m.png)

EMAC SPORT PROJECT AIMING GLOBAL

The East Moreland Aircraft Company have in recent years branched out from simply being the producer of aircraft. They have created a reputation for being involved in ambitious and record breaking engineering projects as well as supporting programmes in education across the world. Upon becoming CEO of EMAC several years ago Sir Alan Maybury spoke of converting it into a "Multi-faceted global brand" In an attempt to do this the company has crossed over into the sporting world partcularly motor-sports by backing various East Moreland based Formula Mundus teams. Last season however they also provided support to the Lodjain teams making their first international partnership. The company have also sponsored the Keepton RUFC team for the last few years and this season paired with Roberton AFC, a team owned in part by King David of East Moreland.

The company have now teamed up with fellow East Moreland company to place an offer on the table for SK Albrektberg. Lord Lucas Osman explained, "We have recently seen King David conclude a deal with the government in Jugland to allow East Moreland businesses some access to their markets. I believe that the OsmanTech brand should be exposed to the Jugland people and sport is a great way to do this. We are pairing with EMAC as they have a great deal of sporting experience and we think if our offer is accepted we could have something exciting."

It is understood that the EMAC-OsmanTech bid would see the two companies each claim 50% of the clubs shares and in return they would clear the clubs debts and pay the current ownership $1. The consortium have put together plans for a referendum by fans over whether the club should retain its SK SK Albrektberg name or revert to its former name Albrektberg Sports Fotballklubb, the club would also have a new training facility built which would be shared by local youth clubs. A new "Nationwide Academy of Excellence" would be set up where the team would attempt to recruit the best Jugland players at under-11, under 14 and under 16 levels. Finally the consortium have stated that they would ensure the manager received a "significant war chest" to help in next seasons campaign. It remains to be seen however whether the investment by a pair of foreign businesses is passed by the Jugland F.A
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 03, 2021, 09:36:31 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/743887236499636275/838855825929142293/unknown.png)

PRINCESS HINTS AT SPACE DREAM

Princess Freya was today visiting the Royal Aeronautical Society HQ at Chamwick and introduced the next step of the "Inflatable Space Station" project. The Princess also hinted that she had not ruled out visiting the Space Station herself one day. The Princess was seen trying her hand at several of the training exercises undertaken by astronauts and according to Dr. Steven Heanor the RAS's Chief of Astronaut training the Princess scored "reasonably well". The Princess was seconded to the Air Force from the Army for 18 months in 2018 where she qualified as a fast jet pilot, a route from which the RAS traditionally recruits astronauts crews. The Princess however believes that such an idea is "a mere dream for now." The Princess toured the latest replica of the station which is to be extended in six months time to give three interconnected pods that can be inflated and deflated at various times to increase or decrease the stations size. The pods used are expected in the future to be sent to other planets as a potential lab that can either be remotely or later manually operated. The first such test of these is to happen in the near future as Princess Freya announced. "Today we've agreed that the next Nergal (Mars) project will send one of these to the surface with the intention of monitoring its ability to survive the environment there. Its the first step towards exploring ways of long term manned missions to the planet and we're excited to be able to support it. Perhaps I can be the first person to conduct a royal visit to the planet."

There is expected to be a series of East Moreland based missions in the coming months as investigations into implementing a "spring clean" of space debris is examined by the RAS. Dr.Heanor explained, "We have the ability with the Golden Snitch project to move space debris and satellites that no longer function. We could be in the perfect position to safely de-orbit the material or send it off on a safe trajectory out the danger zone. With more nations joining the exploration of space we need to ensure we're not essentially walling Mundus in."

The latest launch to the "Inflatable Space Station" is due in early June.


(https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article20133024.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_Royal-Wedding.jpg)

OSMANTECH-EMAC PARTNERSHIP BAG SIR CLYDE

With news that the consortioum of one of the worlds largest medical and drugs companies and one of the leading aeronautical companies are close to taking over Juglander football club SK Albrektberg more news has come out of the consortiums plans. A spokesman for the takeover bid has stated, "There has been speculation in the local media that some fans are concerned. This is to be expected. We've a pair of companies coming in who have little understanding at the moment of the supporters passion. They need not worry as it is not our intention to make huge changes to the organisation of the clubs existing multi-sport structure. We have though secured the input of a sporting great. When the takeover is secured for three months Sir Clyde Woodward, the world's greatest rugby coach, will be part of the takeover. He will be given free reign to inspect the organisation of the club and make recommendations on how to improve the structure of something we believe is already in a strong sporting, if not financial position." Following his successful stint as coach of the Honeybadgers Sir Clyde lead the review of East Moreland sport that saw the team do extremely well in future Mundus Games by overhauling several institutions in charge of national games. He was also instrumental in helping create a national Medieval MMA Academy based upon the principles he used for his change to the Honeybadger. He then accepted the coaching job of the Lodjain national rugby team who became the most recent world champions. The spokesman went on to say, "I understand some of the fans are concerned about a reduction in the amount of sports on offer by the organisation. If I was them I wouldn't be worried. It is likely if anything that the number of sports on offer will grow. One good example is that we would very likely begin offering Medieval MMA lessons to juniors and then in five or six years time we'd likely see those juniors make their way into senior competition."

The takeover is due to be completed in the coming days once the Juglander sporting bodies green light the take over. The consortium have announced that they will install Sir Clyde as the clubs President for three months while he carries out his assessment and then replace him with "a person with a grounding in sporting excellence and if possible someone with inside understanding of what the people of Albrektberg want."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 09, 2021, 10:36:44 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://bucket.mn2s.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/14161331/Tim-Collins-MN2S.png)

MoD REPORT LOSS OF EKRABADGER

Sir Harry Samuelson, the East Moreland Minister of Defence, today has announced that the nations naval asset known as the Ekrabadger has been sunk in what is being called a "unconventional attack". The announcement came outside the Ministries HQ in Ostlake when Sir Harry stated, "I can today confirm that the Ekrabadger has been lost due to an unconventional attack. While transporting a group of Marines to help conduct operations in Lodja where our embassy was destroyed the vehicle had stopped for a self refuelling operation. While this was underway a visit from a group of Water Nomads was initiated. This visit was something that happens regularly to boats travelling through the Central Alucard Island Chain and the crew of the Ekrabadger believed the Nomads may have been a useful source of intelligence however it now transpires that the group initiated an explosion on the hull of the vehicle meaning it took on water and has since sunk. We are relieved that all crew were able to evacuate and are safe awaiting recovery. From this point forward we will be putting in place procedures halting groups such as this getting close to our assets and a robust search for the perpetrators will take place."

The Ekrabadger was often used by the military as a form of rapid transport for operations and has been utilised for a wide variety of uses including search and rescue and intercepting suspected smuggling. The vehicle was the largest serving ground effect vehicle in the world and was part of of the East Moreland militaries attempts at bringing in more of the vehicles for rapid response purposes. A second, smaller Ground Effect Vehicle is in service, the Ekrabadger II, however this is less capable of the range of operations undertaken by the now lost vessel.

An East Moreland fleet is enroute to the region and while the exact whereabouts of the crew have not been released it is understood they are "safe ashore" meaning it is likely they are on one of the hundreds of small islands that dot the Central Alucard. The Water Nomads have frequented these islands for centuries and have in the last few years at times called for independence or more control of the region. A standing TUNA agreement grants them an opportunity to gain citizenship of it's members nation but this has not really been undertaken. It is suspected at this point that this incident may be linked to the pro-sovereignty movement.





Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 22, 2021, 02:50:11 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://images.campsites.co.uk/post/10315/aa8ce14a-f2de-49d6-a669-948cfb193d3e/840/500/either/chatsworth-house-in-derbyshire.jpg)

DAY OF ROYAL ANNOUNCEMENTS BEFORE BIG DAY

The annual Festival of Greenflowers, which shares the date of the birthday of King David, is always a busy one for the Royal Press Office however it seems the various announcements that go along with the celebration have begun a day early. The Festival of Greenflowers celebrates the battle in which King Robert the Unifier defeated the Borlanders to essentially create East Moreland. When in 1982 King David was born on the same date it meant the Kingdom has enjoyed a double celebration as the monarchs birthday has been a day of festivity since the 16th Century. Traditionally the day has also seen various awards given to the military at the memorial service which takes place on the site of the battle at sunrise. Tonight will see the annual Vigil (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=150.msg16804#msg16804) by Red Legion at the stone that marks the centre of the battlefield known as King Robert's Throne and then throughout the day they'll be various rituals carried out.

Today however the Royal Press Secretary made an announcement that the King had received an early birthday present from his wife and in-laws. The Byron Estate on the edge of Northfort was built in the 17th Century for a noble family who then passed the house on through their generations until 2007 when the Estate was sold to meet debts. The Estate was purchased by a consortium who planned on converting the building into luxury flats however the group struggled to finanicially fund the project and struggled to get permission to change the building significantly. It is understood that the Pelagiya family purchased the Estate several months ago and intend to convert it into a family home as well as permitting the public to enjoy the gardens and lakes. The price of the purchase has not been confirmed but Malcolm Tucker the Royal Press Secretary stated "King David is excited to be able to spend time at the Bryon Estate. Its a place he has visited many times as a boy and hopes that now Princess Rhiannon will be able to enjoy the site as much as he did. Naturally the King is thrilled with the apparent birthday gift." The House has over 300 rooms which Tucker explains it is planned to let the public visit much of. "Queen Stasya is setting out a programme that will see around 1/3 of the house converted for day to day use by the Royal Family. There will also be private gardens accessible only to the Royal's, however the vast majority of the building will be open to the public for them to enjoy the site, and East Moreland's history. The estate will also be open for a variety of leisure activities."


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/770686153011232769/845655608325963836/unknown.png)

It was then later in the day that Tucker released a second statement on behalf on the Royals. The Royal Press Secretary meet the media at the gates of Northfort Palace and read a prepared statement saying. "It has been the wishes of Queen Stasya to wait until the 23rd to make this announcement however due to unforseen circumstances the decision has come a day early. It is my joy and duty to announce that Her Majesty Queen Stasya is pregnant with her first child. The Royal Family are overjoyed at the news and expect to welcome the newest Prince or Princess in late January. On behalf of the people of East Moreland we send Her Majesty all our prayers for her continued good health." The news was greeted with celebrations across the Kingdom. It is understood that the Queen has known for sometime before making the announcement and wanted to tell the King on his birthday however as of yet it has not been explained why the decision was made a day early.  The new child will be King David's third, however Prince Caspian passed away at the age of three following complications from a genetically carried illness known as Hunter Syndrome. The King split from his first wife, Matilda Osman, over disagreements about further children with the King being unwilling to risk having another child with the illness. However having discovered that it was Miss Osman who carried the gene it appears the King is keen to have more children.

The news of the new Royal arrival will be likely to make tomorrows celebrations even more memorable.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 28, 2021, 11:03:56 AM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/EBB7/production/_115134306_illustrationofmastupgradewithplasma-landscape-copyrightukaea.jpg)

SFR TO RUN ATOMIC TEST AT SEABROOKE

The nations largest nuclear power station is based at Seabrooke. It has in the past been using the repurposed fuel from East Moreland's now defunct nuclear weapons however at the smaller "experimental reactor" nearby on the site SFR are expected in the next few weeks to carry out their own experiment into the use of a device known as the Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak (MAST).

Initial results from an East Moreland based experiment could help clear a hurdle to achieving commercial power based on nuclear fusion, experts say.The researchers believe they now have a better way to remove the excess heat produced by fusion reactions. This intense heat can melt materials used inside a reactor, limiting the amount of time it can operate for. The system, which has been likened to a car exhaust, resulted in a tenfold reduction in the heat.

Mast Upgrade is one attempt to come up with a template for more compact, cheaper fusion reactors. It makes use of an innovative design known as a spherical tokamak to squeeze the fuel into a 4.4m-tall, 4m-wide space. By comparison, the containment vessel Iter will use to control its fusion reactions is 11.4m tall and 19.4m wide. But Mast Upgrade's tiny dimensions come at a price: "You're making something that's hotter than the Sun in a smaller volume. How you then get the heat out becomes a big challenge," said a spokesman
The core of the plasma within the tokamak reaches temperatures of 100 million C. Without an exhaust system that can handle this unimaginable heat, materials in the design would have to be regularly replaced thus significantly affecting the amount of time a power plant could operate for."

The new exhaust system being trialled at Seabrokke is known as a Super-X divertor. This would allow components in future commercial tokamaks to last for much longer; greatly increasing the power plant's availability, improving its economic viability and reducing the cost of fusion electricity. Tests of a Mast Upgrade have shown at least a tenfold reduction in the heat on materials with the Super-X system. Researchers said the results were a "game-changer" for the promise of fusion power plants that could provide affordable, efficient electricity. Against the background of climate change, fusion could offer a clean and virtually limitless source of energy.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 09, 2021, 10:27:52 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.flying-tigers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/c5-c1-Lockheed-C-5-Galaxy--960x619.jpg)

OPERATION DUCKPOND UNDERWAY

It was confirmed by the Ministry of Defence last night that a large scale aid operation is underway involved the Royal East Moreland Air Force and some Merchant Navy assets. What is being dubbed Operation Duckpond will see a series of flights by the Air Force utilising supplies kept at Ostlake military HQ for use on Joint Emergency Team missions or similar humanitarian operations. With Jugland currently experiencing a major water shortage caused by some as yet unknown contamination the supplies of water, filtration, rehydration packages and water purification tablets have been dispatched and are likely to be on the ground within 12 hours.  In addition to supplies being flown in the East Moreland Merchant Ship (EMMS) Steadfast, one of the nations four "Pre-positioning" ships has also begun to make a run towards Jugland. The Steadfast is usually deployed when the East Moreland military operate overseas and is generally fitted out to allow around 5,000 soldiers to operate using just the supplies on-board for 30 days. This means there is a substantial amount of bottled water onboard as well as equipment to help make more.  It is expected that the Steadfast will be in Jugland within 36 hours. As part of the airlift operation the military are also deploying a series of Watly filtration systems utilised by OsmanTech and used by the East Moreland military in several humanitarian operations to produce water from otherwise toxic sources.

The deployment has come at the first day of the annual Ostlake Military Games, a sporting and military spectacle that see's the various elements of the East Moreland military compete against each other in a wide range of events taking in such sports as cross country running, rugby and weightlifting. Alongside these events competitions testing military drill, shooting and marching bands also take place. Since 2014 there have been international attendees, originally from the CIS, then from "friendly" nations and more recently the CNN. This year however with the CNN heavily involved with the situation in Lodja it has been difficult to bring overseas teams over for the games and rather than the traditional four guest teams this year there are just two, Seaforth and Bakkermaya. This year in addition to the Ostlake Games tournament the final day will see a rugby match between East Moreland and Seaforth for what will be the first Rhodes-Ironside Shield. The opening of the games was attended by the royals and close to 100,000 spectators who will watch the events spread over the four military bases that surround the waters of Ostlake. King David spoke at the opening saying, "Seaforth and East Moreland have a long history together. We fought side by side to oppose Traansvaal expanding in the region, we united to ensure the USR would not return to the Illumic and through the CIS we have worked together across Mundus. Joshua Rhodes is a friend of mine and a Sword-Father to my son Prince Caspian. He is family. We miss him and hope that he is out there somewhere up to some mischief like he has in the past. Regardless I am pleased that Andrew Rhodes the King of Seaforth is co-sponsoring this shield in a sport both our nations love."

Air Commodore Edward Briggs has however made a cheeky statement regarding the Games and Operation Duckpond. "At short notice we have had to deploy a large number of our team to man the operation, we already had a large number of men flying things back and forth to Lodja and now this. With King David being a member of Pegasus Legion, one of the rival teams for the Games I believe he has only deployed the Air Force to weaken our rugby team" King David is expected to take part in the games, what will be his tenth, as part of Pegasus Legion's veteran rowing team. Several other members of the Royal Family are also expected to take part with Princess Freya representing Pegasus Legion in the rifle shooting, Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside taking part in the marathon and cross country while the King's Brother-in-law Alex Redfern is expected to represent Red Legion in a running biathlon. King David responded to Air Commodore Briggs by saying, "The Air Force are a workhorse for our military, they get manpower to where it is needed in a speedy and efficent way. They provide vital air support however they are well known to not like hard physical work so their chances of winning the games is minimal at the best of times." The games are seen as a way of promoting friendly rivalry between the services and the Navy currently hold the record for the most number of Games wins with 21. The games are now in their 107th year.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 18, 2021, 10:51:38 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.sporthilfe.de/fileadmin/images/athletenfoerderung/Foerderbeispiele/Anna_Seidel/img_anna_seidel_shorttrack_comeback_stronger_2_960px.jpg)

ARCHDUCHESS EYES HIGHMOOR RECORD

With the annual Highmoor Time Trial due to take place this Saturday the field of runners has been confirmed and among them is Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside, one of East Moreland and Mundus' most successful athletes. The time trial has been run on the 3rd Saturday of June every year since 1887 and the current record for men stands at 1hour 11minutes and 32 seconds and is held by Carl Preston who set the time in 1994. The women's record is currently 1hour 15 minutes and 28 seconds which has stood since it was set by Rebecca Menson in 1992. The race is considered a challenge not just because of the distance of 19miles but also because the race is around the various sections of the ancient walls of the city which involves several hundred steps many of which have been worn smooth by tourists over the centuries. The field is made up of the top 20 ranked male and female runners who compete in distances over 10miles as well as four guest runners (2male and 2female). This year organisers have offered a place to the Archduchess who won the Cross Country for the third time at the recent Ostlake Games. This will be the second time the Archduchess has competed in the event having previously done so in 2017 and finishing in a time of 1hour 17minutes and 2 seconds which saw her finish 2nd in the female event.

The Archduchess spoke about her hopes for the course saying. "I've got an eye on the record. I have spoken with Rebecca Menson a few times over the last few months and my times for 19 miles on the flat are similar to hers when she set the record. The issue though is the unpredicatble nature of the steps. They sap the legs and obviously the weather makes them a nightmare if its been raining. The fact you set off in a staggered fashion at 1 minute intervals is also unique, if you catch up with someone on a narrow point is can be hard to get past but on the plus side it gives you someone to chase, unless of course you draw the number one spot." The fact the Archduchess is taking part in the historic event has lead some to wonder whether she is set to take part in the Mundus Games this year and add to her 13 medal haul from both Winter and Summer Games. However with the King's niece currently serving as a Force Protection Officer in the Air Force it is not known whether she would have the time to dedicate to qualifying for the games. The Archduchess last competed at a Games in 2018 at the Summer Games where she won two Silvers and a Bronze.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on July 03, 2021, 01:58:27 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/743887236499636275/860856956502933514/unknown.png)

PROFESSOR WALTERSON FORMS "ORDER OF UNASSON"

Controversal Professor of History Ross Walterson has a long history of making bold statements connected to the History of East Moreland. The 38 year old from Roberton has published various works that have in the past called Paul the Explorer a "elaborate and carefully crafted fraud." while also shining light on the 10th century massacre of Odinists living in the Alps by the Cult of Helus under the then High Priestess Jessymin. Today in his hometown of Roberton however Prof.Walterson has announced his formation of the Order of Unasson, a militant religious order based on the various examples that can be seen across Mundus. Speaking at the Order's unveiling he said, "I have spent the last three years or so fascinated by how there are various groups out there devoted to serving religions by actions and not words. Infact that very mantra is the corner-stone of the Cult, "Deeds not Words". It is strange to think therefore that in all the time the Cult has existed no such Order has existed. I have seen how effective the Bene Gesserit's Sisterhood is at forming an effective system for their faith, then we have the Odinic Rite, the various groups in Drenovia, even Luna Isle in Achkaerin and the Maiden Sisters. At the end of the war between Underlords and the Gods it was Raimond Unasson who formed what is closest to a religious Order the Cult has ever had, a group of loyalists to Helus who stood together against the worst evil Mundus has ever seen. It is in his honour I have named the group."

Professor Walterson will serve as the groups official leader known as it's Marshall. A total of 41 others, mainly military veterans who have attended classes run by Walterson, have signed up. Over the last four years Prof.Walterson has offered free classes to military veterans on History in order to help them gain degrees and other qualifications. One of those who has joined up is former Royal Engineer Sergeant Christopher Atkins who said, "As a member of the military you feel you belong to something and now out of service I miss that. I like the idea that this Order will work to try and help the Cult of Helus and gives me a way of making the most of my skills. We're not about to head off invading people but take for example the Seleucid genocide, we could help. I see us as a group who will live and breath the Code of Canley."

Walterson is a graduate of Royal Northfort University where he was in a year below King David. The two were both tutored by Professor Marcus Merriman. Professor Merriman has described Walterson as a "history whirlwind. A man who latches onto an idea and pursues it until he either feels enlightened or its consumed his every being. He is a young man with a drive to constantly know more and apply it to the world around him." Walterson graduated with a 1st in History before pursuing further studies at first Roberton University before returning to Royal Northfort.

Walterson spoke during the launch of his relationship with the King, who has been invited to join the Order. "Should His Majesty take up my offer I would be thrilled. He would become the Grand Marshall and guide us, when not guiding East Moreland. I had the privilege of attending classes with the King when we were both younger and while we often did not share consensus on the past I respected his passion and knowledge. He would have made a fine scholar had it not been for his royal duties. I however sadly can not call him a friend as we did not really have a relationship beyond the classroom and our books." The King has been asked for comments on the founding of the Order but so far Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker has responded only with. "The King has his duties. So long as this Order does not infringe upon the laws of the Kingdom then we wish it, like any religious group, all the best."



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/743887236499636275/860864191673008158/unknown.png)
ARCHDUCHESS FINISHES 2nd IN WALL RUN

Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside finshed 2nd in the Highmoor Time Trial. She finished the gruelling route that takes in large sections of the cities old historic medieval walls in a time of 1hr 16 minutes and 22 seconds, a new personal best having taken around 40 seconds off her previous time. The winner of the event was 19 year old Anya Debdale who finished in a time of 1hr 15 minutes and 40 seconds, around 20 seconds off the women's record. The conditions for the day were considered "perfect" by experts however the Archduchess was seen to look like she had twisted her ankle slightly on one of the sections of steep uneven steps. For the first half the course she was within record breaking schedule. Following the medal ceremony the Archduchess congratulated the winner and said, "I had been considering a go at the Summer Games, however with my military commitments I don't think we'll see much improvement in my standards between now and then. We've great athletes like Anya who will carry the East Moreland challenge exceptionally well and they should be given a platform to shine. I have however secured permission from the Air Force to begin regular training back in the ice rink and will be making the Winter Games a target."

Debdale is also a member of the military. She currently has three months left of her national service and has been transferred to the Army Physcial Training Corps to help her prepare for the games. The native of Keepton said after her victory. "I'm full of mixed emotions. I know there are parts of the course I held back a little because of the nerves of the terrain. I could have got the record I think. On the other hand I've come away with a win, which is the main thing. I'm happy with my performance and will now be focusing on the Marathon and Cross Country for the Mundus Games. If I can perform half as well as the Archduchess has in the past I'll be proud of myself." It is understood that with the Archduchess being given permission to train for the Winter Games she will likely be transfered to base in Ostlake, the same place where the Army Physical Training Corps are HQ'd. "I hope if the Archduchess moves to Ostlake we can train together. She's a fountain of knowledge on the games and I'm sure we can help each other out."

The East Moreland National Championships in many sports begin in the coming weeks. The results of these often influence the way the Games team is selected.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on July 10, 2021, 10:08:27 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/743887236499636275/863515840293240842/unknown.png)

NIGHTINGALE SEAFORTH TRIP ENDS IN DISASTER

Chief Councillor Grant Nightingale has been murdered. The Kingdom's highest elected representative was on a visit to a memorial in Seaforth dedicated to the East Moreland service personnel who died during the Eugenics War. As the Chief Councillor was returning to host a reception at the East Moreland embassy a roadside bomb exploded. While none of the blast penetrated the vehicle he was travelling in the Chief Councillor had failed to fasten his seat belt and as the vehicle rolled suffered a "massive head injury" the four other people in the vehicle were aided from the stricken vehicle with concussion and bruising, two of them are said to have suffered broken limbs. The Chief Councillor was flown to a nearby hospital by Seaforth's emergency services however he was pronounced dead upon arrival. Nightingale is survived by his wife Victoria and two children Samuel and Gracie.

Hours after the death of Chief Councillor Nightingale was confirmed an organisation calling itself "The Lavandieres" claimed responsibility for the bomb in a message delivered to several media outlets. "All good things come for our Lord God who has guided our hand against the heretics from across the Illumic. In 2015 the vile worshippers of Helus and their associates saw fit to remove from these Celtic lands the authority of the Seafoth Triumvirate, a body of three wise guided by the most pious  Cardinal Anthony Jericho, may God have mercy upon his soul. Since then we have seen millions of Seaforthians turn their eyes away from the bible and the scriptures instead to embrace foreign Gods and ways. Even our once beloved royal family, the Rhodes, have turned into spineless puppets. The once powerful Rhodes spread the word of God far and wide, stood ready with a sword to defend it in the Crusades and yet now have become a liability. No longer will we tolerate heretical faiths coming to our shores to act as puppetmasters to our leadership. We call on King Andrew Rhodes to be baptised within the week, to restore the Catholic faith as faith of the Royal Family and to proclaim the Archbishop of  Eventide a member of the Royal Council. We have no ill will against the commoner worshipping a foreign God, in time the love of Jesus Christ will return them to the fold, we however no longer can tolerate our nation being a play thing of Satan."

King David spoke in the hours after the statement saying, "The nation of Seaforth have always been an ally of ours. Once more our two nations are facing a common threat. We shall stand shoulder to shoulder and face this. After all these years, trials and tribulations terrorists such as these Lavandieres should have learned we do not negotiate with terrorists." A similar stance was taken by King Andrew who stated, "We send our thoughts and prayers to the Nightingale family and all of East Moreland. We shall do everything in our power to ensure that the  Lavandieres, whoever they may be, are brought under control."

The Representative Council will meet on Monday and oversee the process of naming a successor to Mr.Nightingale. It is likely that the National Traditionalist Party which holds the largest share of votes will name their deputy Katharyn Ford as the interim Chief Councillor until the party elects a new leader. There will also be a need for a by-election in the seat of Keepton South.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 08, 2021, 03:50:51 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://e3.365dm.com/20/03/800x600/skynews-coronavirus-st-thomas_4954138.jpg)

HUNTERS LEGION MOBILISES AFTER HEYRA REPORTS

After confusing reports have emerged from across the border in Heyra that suggest some sort of coup may have taken place the forces of Hunters Legion have begun to mobilise. The various units have begun moving towards the nations eastern border and elements of the Air Force and even Navy have been witnessed carrying out what appears to be moves towards a deployment. Sir Harry Samuelson, the nations Minister of Defence explained, "At present we are still gathering information but we appear to have problems within both Alba Karinya Heyra and Elysium in Mid-Aranye. With incidents seeming to happen simultanously across Mundus we are acting on a worst case scenario that this is some attempt to radically change the government of Heyra but at present by who we are not sure. As such we are acting to, at best support those looking to flee the situation, and at worse ensure no loss of life. Over the next few hours we shall be carrying out a multi-faceted response to the situation."

King David is also said to be looking at convening an emergency meeting of the Illumic Councils, MICA and AKO in what is being describes as an "Extra-Ordinary Multi-Agency Conference". It would be the first meeting of its type should it take place.

The situation also casts doubt on the future of the "Naval Unmanned Helicopter (NUH) (https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/205073563726643200/873319281251721227/DFRBKP4WAAAXY1f.png?width=954&height=614) project that was due to begin between the two nations in the coming days. The NUH as a project put forward by the Heyran government and taken up by EMAC after the East Moreland military also showed an interest.


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/873935657440006244/unknown.png)

OSTLAKE REPRESENTATIVE NAMED NEW NTP LEADER

Lucas Blakeslee who is the Representative Councillor for Ostlake West was yesterday announced as the new leader of the National Traditionalist Party, the largest within the Representative Council. While it is yet to be confirmed this would effectively make him the Chief Councillor replacing the recently murdered Grant Nightingale. Mr.Nightingale was killed by a Seaforthian Catholic supporting terrorist group while on an official visit vacating the nations highest elected post. It was expected that the parties deputy,  Katharyn Ford, would win the vote for the parties leadership however Blakeslee managed to gain 51% of the parties membership vote.

Lucas Blakeslee is a 42 year old who has served in the Representative Council since 2018. He was a serving member of the Royal East Moreland Air Force until his election and served as a pilot of a maritime patrol aircraft. He has long voiced his opinion of including the Cult of Helus in more of the decision making of the government and for a policy of East Moreland seeking closer ties with Cultist populations across Mundus. Blakeslee is married to 30 year old Eloise Hadfield who is the daughter of respected Priestess of Jekar Anna Hadfield whom many believed could have succeeded Joanna Ironside as High Priestess. He has a two year old son called Robert. Speaking following his appointment as the parties new leader Mr.Blakeslee said "Grant (Nightingale) was an exceptional public figure and was doing a great job uniting people of our faith. I will be attempting to carry on his work and intend to try and use our party platform to ensure our nation goes from strength to strength economically, diplomatically and culturally."

It is expected that Monday evening Mr.Blakeslee will meet with King David and officially be offered the position of Chief Councillor.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 15, 2021, 12:49:55 AM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/743887236499636275/876243283632869416/unknown.png)

GREECHAN DNA SECURES MORE GOLD

It is well documented that Daisy Greechan (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=2062.msg18247#msg18247) is considered one of the premier athletes to have ever competed in the Mundus Games. The Navy rescue diver won 17 medals in in five games before retiring in 2019. The Greechan family however are still represented in the East Moreland National Swim team by the 18 year old cousin of the legend, Maisie Greechan-Clay. The 18 year old won two gold medals at the 2020 games in 100m Butterfly and 200m Freestyle. This year she has extended her distances and the move has paid off with her taking gold in the 400m breaststroke before two days later taking a Bronze in the 800m Individual Medealy. This now leaves the youngster with four medals to her name. She narrowly missed out on a relay medal however having complained of a shoulder tightness she was replaced in the team that went on to win silver. In a move that mimics her famous cousins career the youngster has switched from shorter spirnts to longer distances and will compete in the open water swim which Daisy Greechan won on three occasions. Speaking following her success Maisie said, "I know I'm always going to be compared with my cousin. Its a hard load to carry everytime I step into the pool but its also a spur that drives me. I don't want to let her down. I've switched to longer distances as in three months time I take on my national service and we've already agreed that I will serve my time with the Navy as part of their physical training corps. This will allow me to keep most of my training together. At present I'm not planning on making a career out of it but I know lots of athletes who join up with the same intent, love it and manage to juggle a military career and a sporting future. For now I'm going to focus on my 10km open water."

Team East Moreland are 17th in the medal table however many of the events East Moreland traditionally excels at are yet to come. Team Director Frank Ellington spoke to us saying, "It is always the case that swimming kind of front loads the medal table, it is a discipline that has a vast number of strokes, multiple distances and combinations. Heyra are clearly very good in the pool and we're not this time around. Things will change dramitically in the next few days I hope as we begin to see the schedule switch to events we're stronger in, especially as things such as the rugby reach the medal stages or the bladed events come into play."

The performance so far though has drawn the concern of Minister of Culture and Tradition Katy Garrett who is out watching the Games and who has in her cabinet portfolio promotion of sport. "We've seen over the last ten years of so big investment into sport in East Moreland. We are a nation that expects a performance when it comes to sports and at the moment the system is not delivering. We need to ask questions, why are so many young Morelanders slipping through the net. What do we need to do to set them up for success. Once the games are over we'll review where things sit and make the best decisions for East Moreland sport moving forward."


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/743887236499636275/876248578299932702/unknown.png)

GUSARD NAMED NEW HONEYBADGERS COACH

Paul Gusard has been today been named the new Head Coach of the East Moreland national rugby team. Gusard replaces the outgoing Eddie Johns who was removed following the poor performance of the Honeybadgers at the previous World Cup. Gusard leaves his post as Head Coach of Keepton RUFC where he has been in charge for four years. Gusard has lead Keepton to two domestic titles and a cup win and was at one point in the coaching staff of Sir Clyde Woodward who lead the Lodjains to their first world title. Gusard worked part time with the Lodjains as a forwards coach before leaving the Lodjains 12 months before their cup win citing a desire to spend more time with his family. The 45 year old had what could generously be described as an average playing career having turned out for Ostlake Marina RUFC, Keepton RUFC and King's Crossing as a blindside flanker. During his career he made two appearances for the Navy and also represented the Honeybadgers at Under-21 level on four occasions. His coaching style however has drawn major attention with the nations top club Northfort Royals having tried luring him away from Keepton on a number of occasions.

Gusard is currently out at the Mundus Games where he is working as a commentator for EMTV on the Rugby Sevens. Speaking from the stadium yesterday Gusard said, "We have a big job ahead of us. The shield of greatness the Honeybadgers carry has a huge dent in it. We need to straighten that out. We have a mantra in the Honeybadgers that you leave the jersey in a better place than you found it, last world cup we didn't do that and now we need to take a hard look internally and work out why." It is understood that Gusard has been given a two year contract and has been told that if the team fail to reach a semi-final his contract will be terminated. Reports of Sir Clyde Woodward returning to take the reigns of the Honeybadgers were proven to have been totally false as Woodward has signed a two year extension on his deal with Lodja.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 04, 2021, 06:52:13 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/770686153011232769/883762502847062116/unknown.png)

QUEEN CONFIRMS BABY GENDER

Queen Stasya has today confirmed the gender of the child she is expecting to give birth to in early January. In a slip during an interview with students at Northfort Universities Fashion course the Queen several times used male pronouns while speaking of the impending royal birth and was then asked outright by the media in attendance as to whether this was a slip of the tongue or whether the pair of them knew the child's gender. In response Queen Stasya said, "Following concerns about the King's previous children being born we thought it best to get as much information about the little one as possible, mainly to put our minds at ease. That included knowing the gender of the baby. We are really happy to be having a child together anyway but I know my husband is excited that we'll have a little Prince."

The audience at the students interview asked whether the couple had selected a name to which the Queen responded by saying, "We've discussed several names and have some in mind but that is something we will only announce once the child is with us." The Queen emphasised that the baby appears to be healthy and growing well.

Following the news bookmakers across the country began taking bets on what the new childs name would be, currently Sven, which was the name of King David's father is favourite at 2-1, while Joshua, after the King's close friend Joshua Rhodes, is at 4-1. Some suspect the King will select a name based on his love of history and the idea of utilising the names of his favourite historical monarchs and as such Paul and Robert are both at 6-1.



(https://teamengland.org/inc/img/cache/media/27171_1531470470-image(880x586-crop).jpg)

EAST MORELAND TAKE RUGBY DOUBLE

Following the disappointing rugby world cup expectations were high for the Mundus Games. Yesterday the Honeybadgers and the Honeybadgerettes both took gold under the guidance of new national coach Paul Gusard.

First the men's team defeated long standing rival Seaforth 21-18 before the women's team beat the hosts Arashkai 33-0. Following the men's success their captain Rollo MacAllister, who was a refugee from Seaforth at the age of 16,  spoke with the press saying. "I always have mixed feelings when we play Seaforth, on the one hand its my homeland, on the other is the nation that took me in no questions asked and gave me the life I love today. I sing both national anthems and in any other game I cheer as loudly for the Seaforthians as I do East Moreland. I'm proud to have been the captain today but its been a tough tournament and a great team effort. I'm just glad to get the new boss off to a strong start."

The men's team took to the stands to watch the ladies team romp home to victory with 18 year old winger Jess Breech scoring four tries and earning accolades as player of the match. Speaking with the press after the game the Ostlake University student said, "I've only been playing sevens for 12 months and I love it. The game could have been made just for me, a chance to get up to speed and run at people. I'm happy we've matched what the boys did and I can't wait to get home and show the University team my medal."

Paul Gusard applauded both teams performances saying, "Its been a tough 12 months for East Moreland rugby. We've now set the bar high and must continue to reach the high standards we have started with. We've a host of young talent coming through. People like Rollo are the cement that will hold a squad together and newcomers to international rugby such as Jess are going to take us to new heights." Gusard also confirmed moving forward that the men and women's teams will train together in all "non-contact aspects" of the game.

Following completion of the rugby at the Ostlake games it has been confirmed that a special five match test series will take place between the CNN and SUN. The series will feature two mens matches, two women's matches and a wheelchair rugby match. The first of the games is expected to take place in two weeks with Northfort hosting the first of the men's matches.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 15, 2021, 10:19:52 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/39/590x/dan_snow_historian-487708.jpg)

CHIEF COUNCILLOR CALLS FOR "COUNCIL OF HELUS"

In one of his first proposals since becoming Chief Councillor Lucas Blakeslee has today put forward a call for King David to work towards creating a "Council of Helus." The leader of the National Traditionalist Party explained his proposal in the Council Chamber today saying, "We have several nations that have a proud history of love for Helus. We also have nations who are embracing the faith. Ourselves, Bakkermaya, parts of Lymm, Achkaerin and Royal Seleucid have Cultist connections. We have seen King David work for co-operation between ourselves and nations we share much less with, the likes of Heyra, Hassfurt and even as of late Lijiang. These are all nations we share nothing of note with but we've made a relationship of sorts work. Imagine how easy and more meaningful that relationship could be if it was grounded in the faith we share." Blakeslee went on to outline his hopes that a "Council of Helus" would forge cultural and academic links between the nations as well as eventually putting in place missionary work to help the spread of the faith before culminating in economic, political and even military co-operation.

The proposal received a response from the King via his Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker. "The King is always open to activities that promote co-operation with other nations. While the idea of one based on faith alone is intriguing East Moreland is already well connected with many of the nations and regions that Chief Councillor Blakeslee has suggested. In the next few days the scheduled meeting between monarch and his Chief Councillor takes place, the King will no doubt listen to the proposal and consider its feasibility."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 25, 2021, 08:24:00 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://static.independent.co.uk/2021/05/09/18/GettyImages-1317128589.jpg?width=982&height=726&auto=webp&quality=75)

CNN LIONS 33 - 17 SUN ALL STARS

The first of a five test multi team series between the CNN and the Sovereign Union of Nations has been played today at King Robert Arena in Northfort. The match pitted the best players from East Moreland, Ui Cenneslaig, The Iwi and Lodja against opponents picked from Cassiopeia, Chistopol, Drenovia and Paracambi. The game was played in front of a full house with proceeds being split between the Global Childbirth Initiative and the Joint Emergency Team. The game is the first meeting between these two sides and in a weeks time the women's teams will meet to play the 2nd test in Cassiopeia.

The game saw long periods of domination by the forwards of the CNN however once holes had been punched explosive bursts from the back line saw tries run in at quick succession. The SUN team fired back just before half time however the 2nd half followed a similar pattern. The star of the game was Leo Vanapala from the Iwi who was playing at scrum half for the CNN. A total of 7 Morelanders were involved in the fixture with Rollo MacAllister taking the captaincy for the final 10 minutes following the departure of Ui Cenneslaig's Arthur McBarry with a suspected concusion. The match was watched by the Honeybadgers new head coach Paul Gusard who was impressed with the game, "Fixtures like this are a challenge for all involved. It takes time to gel as a squad and they had a few weeks following the Mundus Games. I hoped to see Morelanders like Ollie Smyth, Rollo MacAllister and Jamie George take the game by the scruff of the neck and they did well. I'm looking forward now to a trip to Cassiopeia next week."

The best of five series will see the women play next week in Cassiopeia before wheelchair rugby takes centre stage in Drenovia. Regardless of whether at that point the series being settled remaining fixtures will see the women play again, this time in Ui Cenneslaig before the men bring the curtain down on the series with a match in Paracambi.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 27, 2021, 09:14:08 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://media.tacdn.com/media/attractions-splice-spp-674x446/06/6b/93/d2.jpg)

NATION READY TO PARTY

Tomorrow marks Honeybadger Day in East Moreland, an annual festival begun in 1791 to mark the first introduction of the Honeybadger to East Moreland. The creature was spotted by King Richard I who learned about the animal during a visit to Izhitza. The King was so impressed by the tales of the animals intelligence, bravery, feraciousness and family loyalty that he believed it was the embodyment of what he thought the "perfect" Morelander should be and was such acquired ten pairs to be brought to the Kingdom. Despite the original ten pairs being kept supposedly in captivity they soon escaped and after several nobles tried to emulate King Richard the number of the animals sky-rocketed and today it is estimated somewhere in the region of 1,000 in the wild. The animal has become synonymous with East Moreland, even being added to the flag in 1801 and in 1932 becoming the unofficial name for the East Moreland rugby team. Every 28th September the nation have celebrated with huge street parties, sporting events and feasts.

This year preparations have already been completed in Northfort with bars and restaurants booked up months ago. Venues have been adding additional space outside allowing more revellers to take part in the days festivities. People's park, which runs parallel to the Embassy Row has been converted into a music venue and around 65,000 free tickets distributed among the residents of Northfort. An additional 10,000 tickets have been handed to charities connected to the royal family in order to reward those who work for them or to be raffled off to raise money. One of those is the MPS charity that King David is a patron of. The charity works with families and children effected by Mucopolysaccharidosis and related conditions, such as Hunter Syndrome which shortened the life of Prince Caspian. The concert will be headlined this year by Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls.

The King and Queen are expected to make an appearence at the music concert however with the Queen being pregnant it is thought they will not stay long. The royals will however attend the annual Northfort Parade which will honour the military and various charities that work across East Moreland. Similar parades will take place at other cities across the Kingdom including Ostlake where Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside is set to represent the Royal East Moreland Air Force in a charity Sevens rugby match against a celebrity team.

Embassies across the world will also host events having invited Morelander nationals in the nation they are based.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 03, 2021, 01:54:26 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://sm.mashable.com/mashable_sea/photo/default/indonesia-tank-boat-header-3_nmzd.png)

RIVER CLASS TO GET "BEEFY" REPLACEMENT

The River class patrol boat that has been in service since 1985 is set to be replaced by what is being referred to by many who have seen the design as a "Tank Boat". The ship will be built by Portworth Marine Construction and will be the first military vessel built by the company which has in the past constructed civilian cargo ships, even providing two of the five East Moreland Global Pre-Positioning ships. The weapons systems will however be provided by a combination of the East Moreland Rifle Company (EMRC) and SmartWar. A model shown to the media by the Ministry of Defence shows a dual hulled ship that is to be made out of composite materials to provide a combination of toughness and lightweight. The design will also allow it to operate in shallow waters allowing it to operate close in to shore. The initial models will be equipped with a turret which looks very much like a tank turret and will be capable of firing conventional 105mm ammunition as well as  Gun Launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile(GLATGM) capable of hitting targets some 5,000meters away. In addition a  30 mm cannon that can be remotely operated is mounted on the turret. It is also being considered to equip the ship with an EMAC Drone (http://www.northseadrones.com/nsd/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/6Y2.png) giving it aerial observation capabilities. There are already plans for another version which will be equipped with a missile launcher rather than gun.

Speaking at the briefing Sir Harry Samuelson, the nations Minister of Defence stated, "We have had the River Class as a workhorse of patrols around our coast for many years. Its done well but it lacks real punch. Situations with piracy and various other issues though means we need a beefy replacement capable of a wider range of operations. With a longer range, higher speed, a smaller Naval compliment and an ability to carry up to 20 fully equipped soldiers we have a whole host of options. We can use it for naval interception of things such as drug smugglers or people trafficing. We can use it for close in fire support for amphibious operations and a whole host of other uses. These ships will also be cheaper to maintain and purchase. The River class cost us around $15million per ship whereas the most expensive version of this will be around $12.5million. We think this investment will help ensure the Mhorish and Illumic ports are kept secure for the future."

It is expected that like the River Class the new ships will have hull numbers and not names.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 17, 2021, 11:44:12 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.quins.co.uk/uploads/159610366321236/resize_980_350.png)

CNN LIONS 52 - 14 SUN ALL STARS

The 2nd of the CNN v's SUN rugby test series has taken place in Cassiopeia as the women took centre stage. The men had already given the CNN a 1-0 lead in the test series however the women put in a bigger performance to keep the CNN in the hot seat. The 52-14 victory saw East Moreland's Jess Breech run in a hat trick of tries to give her the player of the match trophy. The series will now switch to Wheelchair rugby in Drenovia with the SUN All-Star's needing a win to keep the test series alive.

After the match 18 year old Breech said, "After the Mundus Games victory I wanted to keep my form going and now I'm excited to get my first international hat-trick, especially in a series such as this. We've now got to put our trust in the wheelchair team to mean that by the time we play again the series is in the bag." The final two games will see the women play again in Ui Cenneslaig and then the men will conclude the match by playing in Paracambi.



(https://bilder.t-online.de/b/83/61/06/90/id_83610690/610/tid_da/jubel-bei-schalke-naldo-vo-nach-seinem-treffer-um-2-0-endstand-gegen-den-bvb-.jpg)

EAST MORELAND PREMIER LEAGUE GETS CASH BONUS

It was announced today that OsmanTech have agreed a major sponsorship deal with the East Moreland Football Association. The large pharmecetecul company will pay $50 million a year to have their name associated with the league, a $30 million increase on previous arrangements. The new sponsership will mean that the clubs in the league will have significantly more funds allowing possibly almost all teams to employ players full time. While the deal is by no means the richest in world it will mean a significant financial boost for the largely semi-professional league. One team that will not see much of a change will be AFC Roberton who are owned by the Ironside family and have benefitted from significant funding over the last three years. The manager of Northfort United, the nations most successful team is Cliff Winters who spoke about the news saying, "Over the last few years teams like United have found it difficult to keep up with Roberton this now semi levels the playing field. Don't expect us to start spending stupid money like you see in some leagues but it would be nice for all our players to go full time."

The new season starts next weekend and Northfort United will be looking to win their 32nd title.



(https://newsroom.mbda-systems.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/1568016476_brimstone-ugv-mbda-min.jpg)

SMART-WAR TO FIELD TEST PBUV

Smart-War yesterday unveiled to the media their Precision Battlefield Unmanned Vehicle (PBUV) and confirmed that it will be taking part in a series of exercises with the Army to assess its suitability for front line duty. The vehicle can be remotely operated from hundreds of miles away and carries six missiles capable of striking targets with precision some 70km away. The vehicle will be deployed in an anti-armour role during the exercise. Smart-War CEO Martin Dawson explained the vehicles strengths saying, "This vehicle can carry a much more effective arsenal than a normal infantry squad can. The vehicle will, eventually, be able to be controlled by squads on the ground rather than back at base as these will be during the exercise. By paring up with other assets to gather data the vehicle will be able to deliver weapons with pin-point accuracy and with significant fire-power."

The technology is also being used to develop equipment for all terrain search and rescue vehicles and even for rural firefighting.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 12, 2021, 10:14:57 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/908829855481745488/unknown.png)

KING COMPLETES PILGRIMAGE

Over the last few days King David has completed the traditional pilgrimage undertaken by many members of the Cult of Helus before the birth of a child. The King was accompanied by his brother-in-law Alex Redfern who also accompanied him on his previous pilgrimage. The duo travelled via horse to Portworth where they collected metal from close to the Temple of Helus there, in this case the King was permitted because of his royal rank to gather metal from the "Forge of the Gods" cave complex. This metal was taken then to Ostlake where at the Temple of Jekar the King began the process of making a sword. It is traditional that a father begins the process of making a sword for their children just before they are born and that by the time the child has their "Sword Ceremony" the sword has been completed. It is though now not unusual for the father to begin the process however a skilled swordsmith completes the process. The King however has stated his commitment to completing the process himself and has even explained how he plans on applying to join the "Swordsmith Guild" upon completion of Princess Rhiannon's sword.

The King spoke with the press just before he began the construction of the future Prince's arrival. The Queen has already confirmed that they are expected a son and the King commented that scans have shown, "he seems to be shaping up to be a large baby in good health. Me and Stasya are very excited." The King was pressed to disclose the name for the child however stated instead, "We have several ideas but have not settled on a name yet. The first announcement will come when my Chief of Household fixes the notice to the Palace gates."

Speculation has already begun on the matter of Shield and Sword Parents with many calling for them all to be Morelanders following the debacle over the selection of those for Prince Caspian and Princess Rhiannon. With the Queen being Lodjain however it is likely some will be from her homeland.



(http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/model_ekranoplan_files/07.JPG)

REPLACEMENT EKRA-BADGER BEGINS CONSTRUCTION

Following the destruction of the Ekra-Badger by Water Nomads in the Alucard a replacement for the lost asset has been ordered. While the Ministry of Defence confirmed that there was always a plan to operate two Ekra-Badgers the one currently under construction is going to be equipped as a "rapid deployment vehicle" when the original plan was for it to be a specialist "Naval Interception" asset. The announcement came from Sir Harry Sameulson, the Ministry of Defence, who explained. "We have found it very useful to be able to move people and assets around the Alucard, Mhorish and Illumic. The Ekra-Badger was excellent for this and one day we will have two of them but that will now be pushed back."

The destroyed Ekra-Badger was targetted by a group of Water Nomads who were working alongside Leopold of Lodja who is currently waging an illegal rebellion against the government of the Queendom of Lodja. An inquest into the destruction ruled that members of the Royal East Moreland Naval Service operating the Ekra-Badger in the Alucard region had allowed "familiarity with the Nomads to allow security to become lax. This saw standard operating procedures ignored with terrible consequences that thankfully saw no loss of life." As a result it has been confirmed that two Naval Officers have been demoted, one sent to Ostlake Military Reform Centre for three months and two NCO's given formal reprimands and disqualified from promotion for six years.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 16, 2021, 09:32:36 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.efseurope.co.uk/images/2490/large.jpg)

ROCKHAMPTON MARKET BEGINS

The annual craft fair in Rockhampton began today after being opened by the Chief Councillor Lucas Blakeslee. The market sees hundreds of stalls selling everything from home made Venison Jerky to Swords. The festival lasts until the end of the month and will see an expected 1million people visit the market during that time. The market began in the 14th Century and has continued to be held every year except two. In 1681 the market was cancelled because of an outbreak of plague and then in 1702 the market was cancelled because of flooding which saw the marketgrounds outside the city walls underwater. On the first day of the market the streets of Rockhampton were busy with tourists keen to be part of the first day when traditionally special prices are offered. Alongside the market a series of musical performances are taking place in taverns and bars around the city and all local galleries and museums are open for free.

Upon opening the market the Chief Councillor read the traditional Royal Decree sent from King David that granted the market permission to gather for longer than 3 days, an old traditional law that in truth is not enforced anywhere in the Kingdom today. The Chief Councillor then welcomed guests saying. "The annual Rockhampton market is not just a market. It is a showcase of the excellent craftsmanship, innovation and imagination that East Moreland has. Whether it is traditional woodwork or amazing flying machines the ingenuity of Morelanders is incredible and Rockhampton will for the next few weeks be the centre of that." Mr.Blakeslee visited several stalls talking with artisans and was seen buying several items after the traditional haggling with those on the stalls.

It is expected that King David and Princess Rhiannon will visit the market over the weekend and attend a traditional folk music evening with performances from youth groups throughout the nation. It is not yet known whether Queen Stasya will visit the performance.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 23, 2021, 10:27:49 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/640x360/p02rq7sv.jpg)

GENERAL YACOBS TO ASSUME HEAD OF MILITARY ROLE

It was announced today that General Katie Yacobs will assume the position of Chief of Military Staff following the confirmation that Air Marshall Conrad Drake would be standing down at the end of the year. 72 year old Air Marshall Drake has acted in a position to have oversight over all three branches of the East Moreland military for the last seven years since the military reforms following the Regency Crisis. General Yacobs will become the first female to assume the role and will be assigned the rank of Field Marshall. Yacobs has been in command of the Army since the Regency Crisis when she was promoted from command of Black Legion. Prior to that she had served in the 2nd Light Scouts Regiment. The announcement was greeted with optimism by Princess Freya who currently serves as a Major in the 2nd Light Scouts and is considered a protégée of Yacobs. The Princess commented on the appointment while visiting an EMAC factory where she was having a test flight of a light aircraft she is considering purchasing. "The General is an excellent career soldier. She's experienced in front line operations and an academic master. She has helped a whole generation of Morelanders become better people and serve our Kingdom and I can think of no-one better to help take our proud Armed Forces forward."

The Princess was also had praise for the outgoing Chief of Military Staff, Air Marshall Drake, "Following the Regency Crisis we had to reform our military hierarchy and the Air Marshall has been a superb organiser. We have in place now one of the finest militaries on Mundus and I am proud to wear the uniform. The Air Marshall is instrumental in that happening and I wish him a long and happy retirement." The Air Marshall has said that he plans to retire to the countryside and enjoy time with his grand-children.

It is expected that Lieutenant General Maurice Gee will replace General Yacobs as the head of the Army as he is the current commanding officer of Duke Legion and the longest serving of the Legion Commanders. The replacement is likely to be announced in the coming days. A formal ceremony to mark these changes will take place early in the new year and is likely to be arranged to coincide with the birth of the new East Moreland Prince, due in the first week of January.



(https://www.thebusinessdesk.com/_files/images/mar_21/Spirit.jpg)

EMAC EYE ELECTRIC SPEED RECORD

Sir Alan Maybury, the CEO of EMAC, has today announced that the company are setting their sights on yet another speed record. The innovative aviation company have made a reputation for themselves by undertaking prestige projects to establish new speed records and using them as test beds for new technology and concepts. The latest attempt is to build an aircraft powered entirely by electric to set a speed record for electric aircraft. Currently the fastest speed flown by an all electric airplane is  210 mph yet EMAC have said that if all goes to plan they expect their aircraft, to be dubbed "The Flying Spark", to max out at just over 300mph. Sir Alan explained that the aircraft is powered by a 400 kWh (500+ HP) electric powertrain and contains around 6,500 powercells.

Sir Alan unveiled the scale model of the aircraft at EMAC's HQ in Chamwick and said, "The future of aviation has to be something powered by something other than AVGAS. Battery power is one such pathway to carbon neutral aviation and for that to be realistic we have to start upping the speed. The Flying Spark will allow us to test some of the issues an electric aircraft has when it comes to producing power. We hope to set a number of records for electric aviation. So far Achkaerin have established records for endurance with a remarkable circumnavigation, as a result we go back to our wheelhouse of speed, and we also hope fastest climb to 3,000 meters. If everything goes to plan we perhaps will even set a speed record for the fastest battery powered vehicle on Mundus."

The aircraft is expected to begin manufacture next week. EMAC are still also refitting the SSC Honeybadger to allow Rebecca Dixon to attempt to break the Women's Land Speed Record which currently sits at 522.783 mph. With the SSC Honeybadger having already set a record of 768 mph with Danny Jules driving it is expected that the car will smash the Women's record when Dixon finally tries. EMAC however have not ruled out Dixon setting not just a Women's record but an overall record. One stumbling block at the moment however seems to be finding a suitable venue for the record attempt. 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 21, 2021, 06:00:49 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/922890798343806996/unknown.png)

KING GIVES FINAL INTERVIEW BEFORE NEW CHILD ARRIVES

King David is expecting to take his family to Rockhampton in the coming days to prepare for the birth of his child, confirmed to be a son. It will be his third child but Queen Stasya's first. The King has been busy over the last few weeks preparing for dedicating some time to family once the new arrival takes place. The King meet with Shelly Coe from EMTV to discuss several issues prior to the New Year.

As we approach the end of 2021 its been a relatively quiet year on the Global stage. What for you has been the biggest challenge and the biggest success?

We've faced several key issues this year currently the ongoing situation in Lodja is the one we are most focused on. The potential for a bloody civil war there is still in the balance and we are doing all we can to ensure those responsible are halted and peace returned to one of our closest friends. Add to that the need to try and vaccinate hundreds of millions of animals against Yellowtongue in order to try and protect our agricultural industry then its been anything but quiet. We have though much to look back on with pride. Our partnership with Fleur that saw the creation of the vaccine for Yellowtongue helped push forward medical knowledge and our mass evacuation of Cultists from Argemento doubtless saved tens of thousands of lives. From where I've been sat in my office I'd certainly not call it a quiet year.

What do you think 2022 has in store for East Moreland?

There are several things I want to put on our agenda. The first is getting this business in Lodja sorted as soon as possible. Our troops there need to be able to finish the job and get home to their families. At the same time we've a promise to then fulfil to Paracambi in helping them and their neighbours in the region utilise Cobble Field for scientific and environmental uses. Beyond that I think there is a need to explore some of links with nations similar to ourselves that have not yet gone far. We had Chief Councillor Blakeslee call for closer co-operation with other Cultist communities across Mundus and at some point in the next 12 months we will be calling what at the moment we're naming a "Council of Helus" to get all Cultist communities in the same room for the first time in a long time. Be that Bakkermaya who are majority Cultist as are Seaforth, or even nations such as Lymm and Eskdale which have members of our faith in lesser numbers and in a minority. It is important our faith work more co-operatively and as the Holy Land as such we must take the first steps in that regard. Once this has been taken care of I want to get back to the business of ensuring every East Moreland can thrive and prosper.

Recent days have seen comments from Rokkenjima about two CNN nations what are your thoughts on these matters?

It puts us in a difficult situation. No one wants to get back to the days when we have power blocs like the CSTO, CIS and Warsaw facing off. We've shown huge amounts of co-operation between Cross Straits nations and CNN in the past. Be that the nuclear disarmament process, which I'm very proud of, or providing water aid to Jugland. The issue with the Maori and the FSC is one that places us in an awkward position. One the one hand I firmly believe that we as an international community have let down people like the Maori who have been victims of some of the most horrific crimes imaginable. Anyone visiting The Commonwealth knows only too well the deep scars that their communities have both physically and mentally. It is therefore easy to see why they would go to the ends of Mundus to bring those responsible to justice. At present this search for justice is one they have no chance of succeeding in and have clearly been pushed to extreme measures. On the other hand they have caused a nervousness in the region among shipping which is understandable. Escalating the situation by having stand offs between nations, and potentially the CNN and Cross Straits is not something any of us want and I have tried working with our contacts over at the Cross-Straits to avoid this. I believe a two prong approach is needed. The first prong solves the second in my view and that is to establish some global mechanism that will ensure not just those who targetted the Maori, but anyone who has been involved in historic crimes against humanity has no safe place to go to ground on Mundus. This I believe will automatically solve the second issue. However shipping has rules governing it and as such they need to be respected.

As for the issues between Scordisci and Ui Cenneslaig that was a scenario the likes of which Mundus has not seen in my lifetime, nor I suspect in many lifetimes. We had a nation in Ui Cenneslaig seeing its citizens slaughtered by terrorists for decades. After a brief cross border clash things seemed solved but flared up again and we stood prepared to act as peacekeepers however the use of chemical and potentially biological weapons against Cenneg forces being authorised by the Scordisci government was a travesty, this also brings me to my first point on historic crimes, no one has yet faced justice for this. In the aftermath disease and famine stalked the land and perhaps with hindsight things could be managed differently, however it is clear if you visit the region today that the impact of chemical weapons are still visible in regions and it is the Cenneg who are trying to clear this up. If any war crimes were committed by either side then naturally we must take action but to my knowledge only the government of Scordisci committed them.

For my part I will be making proposals to the international community in the New Year that I hope I can count on the support of all nations including the Cross-Straits, my CNN friends, SUN and any other part of Mundus.

After the birth of Prince Caspian and Princess Rhiannon you were very hands on with their care. Is this likely to be the same again?"

I pray to the Gods that the circumstances of that time are not repeated. Their birth was the best day of my life but also the most challenging. In one sense I had no choice but to step up and do everything, but in another I wouldn't have wanted to miss any of it. This time I pray it will be very different. For a start we know we are having a son, and before you ask no we will not be telling anyone the name, and Stasya will, I pray, be in much better health. Even now I try and do as much parenting of Rhiannon as possible and the same will happen with my son. I'm very excited.

There have been concerns raised by some that the new Prince would perhaps, as a result of Queen Stasya, be a follower of the Sisterhood of Helus rather than the Cult. Is this a concern of yours?"

I would not force anyone to follow a faith but choices have consequences. Our constitution says clearly the Monarch must be a member of the Cult of Helus. If either Rhiannon or my new son were to embrace a new faith then they may do so but in doing so they would renounce any claim to my throne. We have taught Rhiannon about the Cult, she knows about the Sisterhood just as she does faiths from across Mundus. Ultimately they will believe what they want to believe. With the constitution being only changeable by the subjects of East Moreland then if they wish this to change they have the power to do so but I will not champion this cause. East Moreland is the Holy Land of Helus and whoever sits on the throne accepts some responsibilities that go with this.
 


The King is due to announce in the coming days the New Years Honours list in which those Morelanders who have xcelled over the last 12 months are recognised for their achievements. This is one of three occasions in the year when such a list is produced, the others being on the King's birthday and the other on the Feast of Helus. It is expected that at this years announcements the Shield and Sword Parents of the new born Prince will also be announced.



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 28, 2021, 10:16:32 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2021-03/25/0/asset/507aca16de1d/sub-buzz-12505-1616631311-12.jpg?crop=634%3A431%3B0%2C0&downsize=700%3A%2A&output-quality=auto&output-format=auto)

NEW PRINCE ARRIVES TWO WEEKS EARLY

East Moreland woke this morning to the announcement that Queen Stasya had given birth to a healthy baby in Northfort Royal Infirmary. There was some initial concern as the baby was not due until the middle of January however Head of Royal Household, Quinn Germaine, has confirmed that the baby has been declared "in exceptional health." The news caught many off guard and with the Queen going into labour at around 9pm last night there was little time for the news to circulate before the official announcement was made at the Palace gates just after midnight. A crowd of some few hundred had gathered, largely press, in comparison to thousands who had arrived to witness the announcements of both Prince Caspian and Princess Rhiannon's birth. The first indication of the new arrival came as Quinn Germaine, dressed in ceremonial dress of the Order of the Shield for which she is a member thanks to her actions during the Regency Crisis. She carried a framed copy of a notification which was read to the assembled masses before being attached to the Palace gate. With a wide smile Miss Germaine announced, ""Subjects of His Majesty King David of East Moreland, Third of his name, I bring you reasons to rejoice, on this day Her Majesty Queen Stasya of East Moreland, first of her name, has given birth to a child. May the God's bless Prince Llewellyn, Duke of Keepton " The title of Duke of Keepton is traditionally reserved for the first of the King's children as it was the first capital of East Moreland, the title Duke of Northfort is traditionally held by the second child of the monarch and is currently held by Princess Rhiannon. Following the death of Prince Caspian the title Duke of Keepton has been vacant.

Crowds left toys and flowers at the Royal Infirmary which saw a large military presence outside. While the King was said to be at his wife and son's bedside Princess Freya briefly addressed the press to say "The family are delighted to welcome Llewellyn. His full name will be LLewellyn Polonyus Ironside and the choice of Shield and Sword parents will be announced in the coming days. We'd like to thank the public for their outpouring of support and while we appreciate these gifts we would urge people to donate them to a local children's charity. As all Morelanders know the MPS Charity is very dear to our hearts and does fantastic work with children suffering from rare genetic disorders. For now we ask that the press give the King, Queen and Prince time to bond and relax." It is understood that Princess Rhiannon was not at the Infirmary as she was due to be spending new year with her Mother, Matilda Osman, at Portworth. It was however confirmed that the 7 year old would be flown to Northfort immediately to meet her new brother.

In regards to the childs name the choice has surprised many. Llewellyn is a traditional name with meanings associated with leadership, while Polonyus is a more traditional Morelandish version of the name Paul, likely selected for the King's fondness for the adventures of the semi-mythical King Paul. Despite the Prince not even being a day old there has already been calls from some that Prince Llewellyn be placed ahead of Princess Rhiannon in the line of succession. This however is unlikely as the 2014 Inheritance of the Throne Act states clearly "In the first instance the throne and all its powers laid out in the constitution shall pass to the Monarch and their Consorts eldest child regardless of gender." This act was brought in when King David refused to put his daughter ahead of Prince Caspian despite the boys Hunter Syndrome.

On behalf of the nation the Northfort News congratulates the King and Queen on their new arrival and prays that Helus gives them a long and happy life.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: Libby on January 12, 2022, 11:35:00 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/833082927679275009/930917421093630012/unknown.png)

LODJAIN QUEEN GIVES FIRST INTERVIEW

48 hours ago it was confirmed that  Nataliya Kozel would be named as the new Queen of Lodja. This is a unique appointment for two reasons, the first being that at the age of 22 she is four years older than a Queen who normally inherits the throne of Lodja. The second, and perhaps most significant reason for her appointment being unique is that she has spent a significant time living outside the Queendom. For the last six years or so the Queen has resided in the Commonweath of the Iwi, first as her father was appointed Ambassador to the Commonwealth and then after not being selected as Queen four years ago she was appointed as an Emissary of the Queen, a kind of travelling ambassador. As Emissary she elected to base herself at Hunter's Bay, the capital of the Commonwealth, where she gained a degree in Geography. She is currently in East Moreland where she was visiting her friend Queen Stasya and her newborn son Prince Llewellyn. Keen to get word to her new subjects back in Lodja the young Queen agreed to conduct an interview with the East Moreland media.

As the new Queen of Lodja please accept our condolences for the death of Queen Klara. A tragic death caused by the ongoing situation with Leopold Hamsik. May we start by asking what are your intentions regarding that ongoing situaton

Thank you for you words. Klara was not just my Queen but my friend. That time we spent together before she was selected as Queen allowed me to see a funny, intelligence and magical girl who had begun to be a great Queen, she would have brought so much more not just to Lodja but to Mundus had she lived. Leopold has denied Klara a life, denied Lodja an amazing Queen and denied Mundus someone who would have grown into an incredible force of good. Someone who snuffs out a light that could have shined so brightly is not someone that can be permitted to gain even the smallest shred of power or control on Mundus. This self proclaimed Monarchy of Lodja exists only in the imagination of fools. I am saddened that so many people have been taken in by Leopolds insanity and must now be stopped. To any of those supporters listening or reading this you can extrecate yourself from the situation by laying down arms and turning yourself in. You have my word you'll be treated with the mercy and compasion Sessifet gave those who submitted to her. If you persist in this course of action then we have no choice as there can only be one Lodja. In the coming hours I'll be working with our friends to try and rectify the current confusion in my homeland and have this matter resolved sooner rather than later.

If it was possible to  set aside differences and negotiate with Leopold in order to bring peace and stability to Lodja would that happen?

If you had asked me that before the assassination I would have said it was a slim possibility. There was a chance that there could have been discussions on reforms, on accodating some of Leopolds ambitions. The moment though you send a missile into the house of your wife then any chance of such things goes out the window in my mind. While I believe Lodja is not a perfect nation yet and that some of the things Leopold is, in the media at least, calling for do make sense. There is though no way this can be done with Leopold at the helm or connected with it in anyway. Peace and stability will return to Lodja but Leopold will not be part of it. 

What can we expect from a Queen Nataliya set of reforms?

I think the first thing we need to do is recognise that the world Sessifet has created today is different to that when we first began recording her faith. Since the 3rd Century BC there has been some kind of Queen in Lodja, our current system of selecting a monarch was instigated in 1100 when Klara Zima was named as Queen. At that point it was an unmarried 14 year old girl destined to be he Guardian of Sessifet, the Goddess living inside her. Since then we've seen changes, as life expectancy increased and as the world's morals changed we saw it go up one year at a time until in 1859 East Moreland's Queen Staysa's ancestor,  Elena Pelagiya, was the first 18 year old to be named as Queen. We were lucky to have Queen Sonya for over 80 years on the throne bringing wisdom and guidance her experience allowed. We've now had three Queens in short order and all of us have been young, very young. We need to do something in that regard. I would hope the Priesthood would consider removing age as a qualification for Queen and instead looking at people who could do a great job in leading the nation.

I think the Conclave needs reform. Its been for too long the plaything of old men. We have only ever had one woman on the things, and no Plebs. While a Pleb may technically be from a family who have yet to give remarkable service to the nation that does not mean that service can not be on the Conclave. We have a Tribune of the Plebs appointed by the Queen to be the voice of the Plebs, but they are not a Pleb themselves, that doesn't make sense to me. I will be issuing orders that an election will take place and that any Lodjain aged over 18 may nominate themselves for Tribune of the Plebs. Only Plebs may vote and I promise the winner, whoever they are, a place on the Conclave.

In terms of the Pleb and Patrician relationship that needs to change to. There are too many restrictions on the Plebs. For example to be able to open a business they must have permission of a Patrician. This often comes at the price of the Patricians gouging a large share of the business for themselves. I am going to order the creation of the Queen's Business Portfolio. Any Pleb willing to pay a membership fee of $0.01 will be admitted and may use my name as their approval. Should however I find any business on the Portfolio acting illegally I will remove them and they will be forced to close. Any good honest business will have nothing to fear and Plebs will be able to run a business to benefit them not some already rich Patrician.

I will not though advocate the idea of removing the distinction between Pleb and Patrician. It is a central part of our culture, it has served us well and encourages people wishing to climb the ladder of social mobility to do something to benefit their nation. The idea though will be to make the process easier and less relaint on multi-generations being required to qualify. Currently four generations of family must serve in the military to qualify the family as Patrician. I will reduce that to two or maybe a system of a family contributing a set number of years service. I will also look at those working in the public sector in such jobs as teaching, doctors, nurses and other such professions also qualifying people.

Finally for now my ambition is to not be a Queen stuck out away from the people. The Isle of the Goddess is a beautiful place and a Holy home. It however sets the Queen apart from her people. I will be exploring the possibility in the short term of a home in Gaia itself, in the long term establishing some new royal house at the edge of the city. Rather than sitting in luxury in the Palace being an object to be marvelled at I intend to be a Queen that see's her people everyday. How can I solve their problems if I am so seperate from them.

You've spoken at length about domestic matters but as Queen you'll be responsible for interactions with many places across Mundus.  What is your opinion regarding the civil war in Centralia?

While Centralia sits across the Kyne from us it is always tragic when any war breaks out. I do not know enough about the Christian faith to comment on the Lord's Resistance Army. I do now Christianity has as one of its Ten Commandments "Thou Shalt Not Kill" and it is sad to see so many going against this from what I hear of the Guerilla Fighting. The recent broadcast of jets overflying their cities launching missiles is shocking and I hope it can be ended soon. The people must be given a chance to control their own destinies and while we ourselves are making tracks towards allowing that to a greater extent I recognise we ourselves are not there yet. Centralia I hope can walk a similar path.

Having spent a lot of time in the Commonwealth of the Iwi the next international incident is one that perhaps you will be more familiar with. What is your opinion regarding the navy developments in the Sea of Kyne?

Had I several years ago been on the cruise ship the Maori landed a helicopter on I would have been terrified. Would I have understood their reason for doing so, of course I would. Have the Maori technically broken the FSC, from my knowledge yes they probably have. However throughout history we have seen that at times for justice to come sometimes radical steps are needed. My question would be what harm came to the ship? To my knowledge none, while people may have paniced it became clear the Maori where there for one purpose. In the time since the apprehension of the Seleucid officer can we truly say Mundus has done anything to try and bring people who have committed horrific crimes to justice? I don't think we can. On the other hand we have seen the Maori do this once and Rokkenjima send a mighty fleet to their area. Yet we've seen other such breaches of the FSC, such as the capture of a Maori gas tanker by the Seleucid and nothing has happened. I know that during CNN meetings the Morelanders and Cenneg have talked of how they do not want to see repeats of the cruise ship incident, and they haven't happened again. Yet some five years later the time is right to take action. To me that does not make sense. A five year period in which the Maori have not broken the FSC and then they are effectively put on notice? One could argue a state of conflict still goes on between the Maori and the Seleucid as no formal peace was ever signed. I know first hand the Maori are a determined people frustrated that thousands of Seleucid perpatrators of genocide escape justice while the world does nothing, this is a bigger travesty than a nation who for the last five years have followed international law.

Lodja was a founding member of the CNN and has extremely strong ties with all three of its allies. What will relations with non-CNN nations look like under your reign?

One thing I like about the Isle of the Goddess was how easy it gave almost any nation on Mundus access to our highest levels of government. This is something I want to try and retain. I will never turn down an invitation to talk with anyone, nor will I ever close my door to them. Alongside the CNN Lodja are members of TUNA, an organisation that has probably done more than anyone else on Mundus to tackle ocean pollution. We are members of the Council of Albion, a body that is perhaps sometimes underutilised. Another underutilised agency is the Network of Crowns, Queen Viktoriya established it and yet we've allowed a creation helped by Sessifet to sit silent for too long. We've also neighbours we've done little to be true friends to such as Kermah and Paracambi. I think Aosta too are a nation that have been steadfast supporters of us in the current situation in the Alucard. With them applying for CNN membership I think I'd be delighted to build with them, especially as both nations are currently coming to terms with tragedy. A growing CNN is something that excites me.

Lodjain families, especially nobility, are traditionally from wealthy backgrounds. As you become Queen what is your net-worth? Do you follow that pattern?

I'm not going to try and deny the fact that the Kozel family is fortunate enough to be wealthy. My great-grandfather began an expansive property portfolio that the family have developed, sold off, reinvested in and sits comfortably on. It would be safe to say several generations of Kozel could get away without ever having what you would consider a job and still be fine. Personally though my bank account sits with very little in, I own personally very little property, a small beach house in the Commonwealth, a car and a few bits of gifted jewellrey. As heir to the Kozel estate though I know when, hopefully in the far off future, my father dies I would inherit everything however I've made it clear to family that this would be ridiciolous and so instead everything of value in the Kozel's will pass to my younger sister Yolana. As a family the Lodjain Times financial pages claim we're worth close to $50million, I meanwhile would be closer to $200,000. I suspect that makes me perhaps the poorest monarch on Mundus until such a time as I formally get coronated.

Thank you for your time. As a final question do you have any idea when you will make your way to your homeland

With the current situation there I'm not going to make a big target of myself by giving away such details. I will though first need to return to the Commonwealth of the Iwi to wind up some issues there then where in Lodja I go first is open for discussion with the people I need to communicate with back home. I want to be there as soon as is both safe and useful.



It is understood that King David has allocated a Red Legion security detail to the young Queen while she remains in East Moreland and has put Ironside One at her disposal to return to either the Commonwealth or home. The King today went on record to say. "I don't know Nataliya as well as many Lodjain nobles. She is though someone Stasya is very fond of and therefore I hope that is enough to allow me to call her a friend already. There is a strong bond between Lodja and East Moreland, even before my own marriage. I am confident that in the face of this tragedy we shall continue to build this relationship to become ever stronger."



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 17, 2022, 10:00:48 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/932739855904014336/unknown.png)

KING SUPPORTS NEW LODJAIN QUEEN. CONCERNED BY NEIGHBOURS "MAD SCIENCE"

King David yesterday made his first public appearance since the birth of Prince Llewellyn. The King attended the launch of this years Ozzie Awards which will be announced in early February. The King made time to speak with the media as well as mingling with members of the Ostlake Academy for Performing Arts who host the annual awards ceremony for the best of global film. The King confirmed that Prince Llewellyn was "doing brilliantly. He's at home in Rockhampton where things are a little quieter than in Northfort. We've enjoyed a few days of just family time and soon we hope to name the various Sword and Shield Parents. Princess Rhiannon is enjoying being a big sister and doing an incredible job at it. I had though forgotten just how loud a baby can cry, I suppose one saving grace is this time its just one baby."

The King was also asked about various international incidents ongoing, the first being the announcement of Queen Nataliya of Lodja. "I have very little knowledge of Nataliya beside what my wife has told me. I know the pair are close friends and rest assured Lodja and their new Queen can be assured of our ongoing support and co-operation. We are now at a point where it is very clear that Leopold Hamsik is a man of evil, he must be hunted down and brought to justice and we shall ensure that happens. Meanwhile Queen Nataliya is still in East Moreland while she puts together a strategy for her return home. Should she request it Ironside One will be put at her disposal and we'd naturally ensure everything that can be done to get her safely home will be done. Queen Klara was a friend to East Moreland and a young lady with a bright future ahead of her and I am certain she would have taken Lodja on that journey with her."

The King was then asked about the prospect of diplomatic actions being put in place against Heyra following long term scientific aims being announced that amount to a cloning project. "I find myself with a foot in each camp. One one hand my faith tells me that Helus is the creator of all of us, not some scientist in a white coat in a lab in Heyra. Meanwhile I was the father of boy born with an extremely rare genetic condition that lead to his death at the age of three. Caspian's condition is one that the process in Heyra to screen and engineer DNA would have removed. I can honestly say I don't know what I would have done if I'd been given the choice. His condition was something ordained by Helus, why I don't know and likely I'll never understand, meanwhile Helus granted us the ability to gain knowledge and as such temper his creations to improve our world. These are matters I've spoken to the High Priestess about on many occasions and my mind is constantly changing on this issue, which is why I have largely not sought to change much legislation on the matter in East Moreland. What concerns me though is the scale and purpose of this. This is not being done to prevent Caspian's condition forcing families to go through what we have it is being done purely for perceived economic reasons. While we have seen nations voice the prospect of sanctions and various other measures against Heyra we sit as their neighbours. We have a sizeable number of Heyrans who cross our border on a regular basis for business and pleasure. I am concerned about the future if those people are effectively clones and the implications it could have in the long term to have a large number of clones on Mundus."

Finally the King was asked on his views of the Kyne Naval situation. "I'm on record several times regarding that. The Maori should not have done what they have and steps have happened both publically and privately to put that message across. Since then the Maori have followed the FSC. To then take action so many years after the incident and with no issues even close to taking place this seems like overkill or an attempt to justify something else. Its a situation that needs to just end and Kyne co-operation be promoted. In the coming month I'm hoping to present to Mundus an idea to ensure that those who have experienced humanitarian crimes such as the Maori have can find justice but for now that is still a draft."

The King is expecting to go to Northfort at the weekend where Princess Rhiannon will return to school.   


Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 25, 2022, 09:56:56 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.swissvoyages.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/zurich.jpg)

KEEPTON WANTS GAMES

The northern city of Keepton has today unveiled its bid to host the 2022 Mundus Winter Games. At a media launch held in the city, King David, Archduchess Sophie, the cities mayor and cartoon character and mascot Stoffel confirmed that the city and the Alps that are close by are hopeful of getting the games. The bid would see East Moreland become a nation that has hosted both the Summer and Winter version of the games. Mayor Kelly Faulkes said she was confident of success. "Keepton is an amazingly beautiful city. I can't think of many places capable of hosting the games that will give such a stunning backdrop. The majestic Alps, a city full of historic buildings and the beautiful riverside. We're a city that despite being an ancient capital of East Moreland often plays second or third fiddle to places like Northfort, Portworth or Silverhills on the international stage but the games would plant us firmly in the minds of international audiences."

The King has co-signed a letter of application in which, as expected, he has agreed to abide by the spirit of the games to be inclusive and welcome all. "East Moreland has a huge extensive network of treaties with nations across Mundus, one of the things we've tried to do with all those is make it easier for cultural experiences and exchanges to take place. When Kelly asked me to support this bid of course I had no hestitation extending that to the world. Naturally I am biased when I say I believe East Moreland to be the most beautiful place on Mundus and I always like the idea of people coming and enjoying our nation. I'm a huge sports fan as everyone knows and I will be watching the games regardless of where they take place, however I'd be basing myself in Keepton throughout the games and taking in as much as possible. I'm confident our campaign will be well received but naturally we are not yet aware how many opposing bids will surface. I understand Tytor have put a bid in and they will be strong competition. I wish them good luck but at the same time desperately want us to be successful."

Stoffel, the cartoon sensation, appeared via video link but was also excited. "Honeybadgers usually don't like the snow, but we love fun. The Games look like everyone enjoys them and I want to see them myself. I'll make sure I get some special snow shoes and I'll be at every match, every race and every performance. No other Honeybadger on Mundus is as excited by the Winter Games as me and that's why we'll get to host them."

The final person to take to the stage during the launch was Archduchess Sophie who alongside throwing her weight behind the bid announced she will be attending national trials for long distance speed skating. "I've experienced the games as both a fan and an athlete. Regardless of where the games go I'll hopefully be there wearing the red and white once more. The chance of wearing that in East Moreland and in front of a passionate home crowd though is why every athlete goes into their sport. East Moreland is a nation that lives and breaths sport and competition. We've facilities that are the envy of the world, we have spectators who are knowledgeable and appreciative. The games in East Moreland will be a great choice." The Archduchess switched to speed skating following a successful long distance running career and has been granted leave from the Air Force to prepare for the games. The Archduchess currently has 13 Mundus Games medals of various colours to her name and is likely to have a chance to add to this haul in 2022.

There are still a few days left for other nations to get their bids in and at present East Moreland and Tytor are the only two nations to have bid.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 04, 2022, 10:52:15 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://etcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/shutterstock_editorial_10477167at.jpg?quality=80&strip=all&crop=0px%2C43px%2C2109px%2C1405px&resize=720%2C480)

QUEEN HOSTS GCI BALL

Queen Stasya made her first public appearance since the birth of Prince Llewellyn yesterday. The Queen held a ball at her residence in Silverhills to raise funds for the Global Childbirth Initiative. The Ball was attended by the organisations founder, Lady Matilda Osman, who is the ex-wife of King David. Lady Matilda founded the organisation following her own near death experience from a bleed during her pregnancy with Prince Caspian and Princess Rhiannon. The former Queen set up the charity that has helped fund and support midwifery across Mundus is some of the poorest parts of the world. The Ball held by Queen Stasya had around 200 guests all of whom had paid $500 for a ticket. In addition to the ticket fee paying guests a further 200 people who have worked for the GCI were invited. The Ball also featured a charity auction where items ranging from a steering wheel of the SSC Honeybadger to a flight with Princess Freya were bid on to raise even more funds. It is estimated that the evening raised in the region of $350,000 for the charity. Queen Stasya spoke at the event saying, "Witnessing the tremendous efforts of the midwives when I gave birth I realised just how much child-birth can be a lottery based on where in the world you are giving birth. I am fortunate enough to live in a Kingdom where everyone can expect world class care but I know very well that even in our own continent such a thing isn't the norm. We must do everything we can to make what should be such a joyous day one that is not then marked by tragedy. I am grateful to everyone who spent their money to attend this event, buy an item or just write a cheque. Their contributions will help ensure women across Mundus can have a safer pregnancy."

Lady Matilda Osman was also pleased with the event. "I am delighted to see the charity I began going from strength to strength. We've patrons across Mundus and I am delighted that Queen Stasya is joining our cause. She is a woman with a connection with many young people across Mundus and can help get our message out there. She is a great hostess and I'm thankful for her support."

King David did not attend the event as according to Queen Stasya the King was on "Babysitting duties in Northfort". The King did however send a signed Roberton AFC shirt signed by himself as he owns the club as well as the whole squad, Princess Rhiannon and Queen Stasya. The shirt fetched around $10,000. A portrait of the beloved East Moreland cartoon character Stoffel drawn by Princess Rhiannon went for £2,500.


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/935614046974132265/939288972008509440/unknown.png)

GREECHAN MAKES SMALL SCREEN DEBUT AHEAD OF OZZIES

TV views were left questioning the identity of one of the cast during this weeks episode of "Fearsome" a semi-historical version of the story of East Moreland's Queen Rhiannon the Fierce. The TV series is in its 3rd season and is telling the story of the legendary Queen with a slight twist in that it features the various Gods of the Cult of Helus lending a hand from time to time. The TV show this week featured the Goddess Melanor appearing at the end of a battle to help the Queen and then survey the scenes of the battlefield. The goddess never removed her armour but many viewers instantly recognised the Goddess, who had no lines, as Mundus Games legend Daisy Greechan. The shows director is Jasmin Naylor who said, "Daisy was one of the first people who came to mind, we wanted someone who looked like they could handle themselves in battle. Daisy is a tall woman with a powerful frame from years of swimming and her service in the Navy. We phoned her and asked if she'd be interested and she said that if we could fit shooting around her Naval deployments then she'd love to. She was a joy to work with and I think she came across brilliantly as the Goddess."

Daisy Greechan is currently a Second lieutenant onboard REMNS Chamwick where she serves as their lead Rescue Diver. She has only recently passed Officer training having risen through the ranks and was enjoying a month of leave when the call came. "I can never spend leave just sat around" Daisy explained, "I like to keep busy and try new things. I was asked to host this years Ozzies and love being involved with that. Onboard when not on duty I watch a lot of films so its great to meet all those actors and actresses I love watching. Then when "Fearsome" asked if I'd be Melanor I jumped at the chance." Daisy did not confirm whether there would be other appearances however the producers have a chance to include other actresses in the role as many stories of Melanor tell of her appearing to humans in different forms. Many fans suspect that scenes involving Melanor connected to battles will use Greechan while another actress may be called in for less bloodthirsty roles.

Rebecca Hendy plays Rhiannon the Fierce and thinks Daisy could have a career in TV and Film. "Today's films are more and more looking for strong female characters, both mentally and physically. Women able to be action heroes is going to be a big part of the future of cinema I think and Daisy has a professionalism and physique to pull that off." The Ozzies are due to be presented on the 10th February.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 08, 2022, 09:49:02 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.webshopapp.com/shops/201476/files/367616739/asg-ai-m70-mk13-mod7-sniper-spring-bolt-action-18.jpg)

"THREE MEN IN SHED" SNATCH WEAPONS CONTRACT

Since 1985 the East Moreland Rifle Company (EMRC) has secured every firearms contract issued by the armed forces of East Moreland. That impressive track record was yesterday broken after Minister of Defence Sir Harry Samuelson announced that the Northfort based "Shooters Co-operative Ltd" had won a contract to supply 2,500 sniper rifles to the East Moreland military as an "initial batch". The largely unknown company surprisingly beat the competition despite the Minister of Defence describing the company as being "Three men in a shed." At the press briefing the former marksmanship instructor at Red Legion smiled as he told the story of how the decision was made.

"We issued about 12 months ago criteria for what we wanted. As expected EMRC submitted multiple designs and several other businesses did so too. Then one arrived from the "Co-operative" and immediately I was interested. It looked good and if it could do what they said it could do then it would be a great asset to our forces. We took them down onto the range and put them through a variety of tests and narrowed it down to three about six months ago. The big issue we had was that EMRC is well known to be able to produce quality in quantity. Likewise Tymal who make weapons used by our Mundus Games shooters had a great reputation but the "Co-operative" was someone new. We deceided to set up a visit to their facility which was rather unimpressive compared to the others. It was a warehouse until in Northfort's western district that had a few 3D printers, some metal fabrication and various other bits, we saw four workers there. At that point I was going to pull the contract but speaking to James, Simon and Owen who run the business I was convinced that we could perhaps have found a gem. Currently they make bespoke hunting rifles, turning out maybe less than 150 weapons a year and only registered as a company to enter the bidding for this project. We're now proud to say they've got the contract and will be expanding their business to fulfil the deal. Our arrangement is a win win for East Moreland. Our forces get an impressive new piece of equipment meanwhile we've created some new highly skilled jobs within the nation. There is scope for increasing the size of the arrangement and no doubt the weapon will be made avaliable for export so long as the deal conforms to our export laws."

Owen Austin who is one of the "Three Men in a Shed" is delighted with the deal. "I've been a target shooter all my life, I learned in cadets at 13 and became hooked. For a bet one night we imagined designing our dream rifle and then a few days later the Ministry put out a contract. We thought we knew enough to put something together and with some trial and error we made the Mk.1 we never expected to even get a phone call back. To now have a contract worth a big sum of money is incredible. We've agreed to take on 50 new workers who will be learning a host of skills and we've already recruited 15 experienced gunsmiths. We hope that in years to come we can be considered to be as successful as EMRC."

Sir Roger Brandon the CEO of EMRC said "We're saddened to lose the contract but competition is good. Our first priority is giving our military the tools to keep us safe. We know our weapon would have been superb so if we've lost to the Co-Operative then I must say there weapon must be out of this world. We'll examine how we did and learn so that next time we're even better. We still have two superb rifles that we will be putting on the market to any nation able to import weapons from East Moreland."

The new rifle is expected to enter service in early May with Red Legion receiving the first 100.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 13, 2022, 01:49:52 AM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/935614046974132265/942225101611483216/unknown.png)

KING VISITS KEEPTON

King David arrived today in Keepton to tour the various sites dedicated to the Winter Games bid. The King first visited the Keepton University which will be hopefully utilised as accommodation for the athletes. He meet with students at the campus and experienced breakfast within the University cafeteria. "It was nice to sit and speak to people excited about the prospect of having their University become home to elite athletes. As a University graduate myself I know the pride we all have in our institute and its quiet a coupe to have the games potentially be here. Breakfast was good, it wasn't quiet an atheletes meal but a good start to the day. I was able to sit with the students and hear about their thoughts on our nations education system. Many of them have just recently left High School and its clear speaking to them that while they are in a position to prosper and take advantage of the great oppurtunity University presents they each told me of friends who are not perhaps catered for. Its clear over the last five years we've put a heavy focus on academic education but perhaps at the expense of more traditional vocational training. We're always listening and we'll be considering what we can do."

From there the King visited the ski-jump venue where he watched several athletes practicing. The King was offered a chance to have a go himself on one of the beginners runs but politely refused. "My back may be healing well but even in my prime I don't think you'd catch me doing the ski-jump. It amazes me that people have the nerve to hurtle down the ramp and jump into nothingness soaring huge distances. Its crazy." The King did however help staff cut the grooves for the skiers however East Moreland's top ranked jumper Alfie Greyman was critical of the King's work saying the grooves he cut were "about as straight as a right angle" and as such the work had to be re done.

The King next visited the Ice Hockey stadium where trials for the East Moreland squad were taking place. Head Coach Steven Dawes is currently cutting down the squad to the final line up and has been intensively training on what he hopes will be the actual ice used for the games. The King joined the players for a few shooting drills and was seen being rather nimble of the skates. Steven Dawes said "The King showed some promise. I think if we'd got hold of him as a teenager he would probably of been a decent player but you could see glimpses of where his niece perhaps gets her own athletic skills." The King was also joined on the ice by Stoffel who is the Keepton games mascot. The pair had a penalty shoot out competition which the King won 3-1.

In the late afternoon the King visited Doevale, the small town just outside Keepton that could be home to some of the sports in the games. On the end of the Doevale-Keepton trail the King joined local school children taking part in a snow-man competition. The King and his security detail finished well down the field in the competition after their giant effort fell apart with just 30 minutes left to go. The eventual winners were from Gillimarsh Primary School who won tickets to the opening ceremony of the games if Keepton is selected or if Tytor is selected they'll be taking a guided tour of Northfort Palace.

The final stop of the day was at the Royal School of Mountain Soldiering in Doevale. The School is the traditional home of the Royal Alpine Cadre's officer training which the King undertook when he was 19 years old. The Regiment's current intake of soldiers held a dining in night in the Kings honour. The King attended in full military uniform and presented the white beret of the unit to Lt. Robert Hawker who had graduated at the top of his class. The King spoke to the gathering after dinner and said "The Alpine Cadre is a home away from home for me. As a young man I was told by my father I had to serve my nation and the Cadre for a good length of time was the roof over my head, my brothers and sisters and helped make me the person I am today. My pride in the unit is clear to anyone who meets me. Even though by right I could wear the uniform of a Field Marshall in any Regiment in the army I always wear my Cadre captains uniform as this is what I earned. Doevale is the home of many happy memories for me and I hope soon many people from across Mundus will have their own happy memories of the hills around here."

While the King was busy in Keepton visiting the sites of the games Queen Stasya visited the Duke of Keepton's castle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gutenberg_Castle) During the games the Queen is planning on hosting another event for the Global Childbirth Initiative and has earmarked the Castle as a venue. Speaking after the visit she said. "We'll have many visiting foreign dignitaries. Some from nations that GCI have yet to make an impact in. Hosting an event during the Games will allow these people to learn about the organisation and to hopefully become supporters. I am hoping we could get some real big names such as foreign Heads of State potentially coming. The GCI is a brilliant charity and I hope to show it off a little." The Queen explained that should the games not take place in Keepton that she would still be planning an event of some sort in the future.

The winning bid is expected in the next few days. King David concluded his visit by saying. "I wish Tytor good luck with their bid. I'm confident Keepton will provide a splendid backdrop to the games and I believe the East Moreland team will do great things."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 13, 2022, 10:40:20 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/935614046974132265/942545650648743976/unknown.png)

QUEEN TAKES CONTROL OF AFC ROBERTON CHARITABLE TRUST

For the rest of the 2022 season Queen Stasya is going to be running the AFC Roberton Charitable Trust. The Trust was set up in 2018 when King David purchased a controlling stake in the football team and carries out fundraising events to support national and international charities. The team sported new sponsers on their shirt for this weekends home game against Keepton United. The teams iconic yellow and black kick no longer featured EMAC sponsorship and instead saw the logo of the Global Childbirth Initiative, a charity that Queen Stasya has taken a big interest in over the last few weeks. 5% of the profits of sales of the teams home shirt and 10% of profits from the teams away shirt have been paid into the trust since King David acquired the club. The Queen attended the game with Princess Rhiannon while King David was "tied up in national affaris" the Queen meet with the press before the game and said. "Its important we get as many people as possible to be aware of the work the GCI does and football is big business. If we can tap into some of that market and raise awareness of issues and raise extra funds then its worth a try." Princess Rhiannon was seen sporting the yellow and black shirt with the teams star striker Matt Cunningham's number and name on the back. Following the game the Princess and Queen meet with the AFC players and the Princesses shirt was signed by the squad and the Princess and will be auctioned off in the coming days.

The game finished up 2-1 to AFC Roberton moving them to 2nd in the league behind local rivals Roberton United. 21 year old Matt Cunningham scored both goals for the Kingsmen and finished up as man of the match. During the post match interview he spoke of the new charity sponsor. "In East Moreland we're yet to see football attain the status it does in places like Achkaerin. The sport is growing and I know fans across the world are always keen to absorb as much content as possible. I hope this partnership helps us reach a few more people and as such raise some funds for an important charity. We're in a unique position at AFC because of our royal patronage we have to reflect the connection in a positive light and I'm proud to wear the GCI logo on my chest."

EMAC had paid to be sponsor of AFC Roberton until 2024 however Queen Stasya confirmed this relationship had ended on "positive terms" as she explained. "I meet with Sir Alan and explained the situation of what I hoped to do and he was very supportive. We offered to pay off the contract from Ironside family funds to allow the GCI logo to be displayed however Sir Alan insisted that the money instead be donated to GCI. It also helped that EMAC are themselves considering buying sports teams across the globe having already acquired one in JUgland after buying EMAC Albrektberg. My understanding is that they felt unable to look into a take over in East Moreland while still sponsoring AFC Roberton. I'm grateful for Sir Alan for his support and understanding."

Sir Alan didn't attend the match but was present at the Northfort Royals V's Portworth RUFC rugby match in the capital. It is understood that EMAC are considering an offer for the Portworth based team as they seek to expand their sporting portfolio which see's them have involvement with two Formula Mundus teams and a multi-sports club in Jugland.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 14, 2022, 09:56:33 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/935614046974132265/942888514847137823/unknown.png)

KEEPTON WIN 2022 WINTER GAMES

The Mundus Games Committee today confirmed that East Moreland's city of Keepton will host the 2022 Winter Games. Following the close of the voting period Keepton edged out the Tytorian city of Vigil 11-7. Keepton's Mayor Kelly Faulkes made the official announcement saying. "I'd like to thank everyone who voted for us to host these games. Its an incredible level of trust that's been put in us and now we have to make sure the finishing touches are put in place to make sure these are the best games ever. We're ready, we're excited and we're confident that the games will go ahead without a hitch." The Mayor was joined at the announcement by the games official mascot the popular children's cartoon character Stoffel. The "Favourite Honeybadger of Mundus" will feature on a variety of merchandise during the games where the proceeds will go towards a variety of good causes including the Joint Emergency Team and Global Childbirth Initiave. Mayor Faulkes added "while the primary purpose of the games is to allow sport excellence we can also see that sport becomes a force for good. Its our hope that during the games several important global causes can benefit."

It is expected several VIP guests from across Mundus will be in town for the Games and Queen Stasya will be hosting several events for GCI during the games duration. It is likely that the Royal Family will base themselves in Keepton during the duration of the games however one member will be in the games itself. Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside will return to the ice having qualified with ease at the national Speed Skating Championship. The Archduchess finished 1st in the 2000meters and 2nd in the 3000meter events. The Royal East Moreland Air Force have granted the Archduchess leave during the games and it is expected she will transfer to the Physical Training Unit within the REMAF following the games allowing her to train new recruits while also competing in sporting events.

With the games due to start shortly business owners in Keepton are looking forward to the expected economic boost.



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/935614046974132265/942896435244990464/unknown.png)

EMAC ACQUIRE LIJAING FOOTBALL TEAM

The East Moreland Aircraft Company have today confirmed that they have taken ownership of Shenzen F.C who will now be called EMAC Shenzen. The move comes after Sir Alan Maybury confirmed the team had ended their relationship with AFC Roberton to allow the East Moreland based team to utilise their shirt space for sponsership from good causes. Sir Alan said the take over was part of a long term vision from EMAC. "In the next 24 months or so expect some big moves from EMAC. We're already planning a move into the automobile industry. We've several years experience running Formula Mundus teams, we've decades worth of collaboration on projects with major car manufacturers and now as electric cars seem to be about to take off in a big way we stand at ground zero with many other car companies. Now could be a good time to get our foot on the ladder. In addition we're keen to capitalise on our reputation for being a little bit out there. EMAC is going to invest in certain aspects of sport and fitness and as a result getting sports teams onboard is part of that strategy."

The club will be the second acquired by EMAC following the purchase of EMAC Albrektberg in Jugland. Sir Alan stated that the arrangement could be beneficial for both clubs. "We are going to try and put in place an arrangement between the teams that would allow youngsters to be loaned between the clubs to get experience of global football. We're also hoping in the long term to see an annual EMAC tournament between teams we acquire. We're excited about our future in football."

To mark the occasion 22 youth teams associated with Shenzen F.C are receiving new kits, training equipment and funds for coaches to attend professional courses.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 19, 2022, 06:28:31 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/935614046974132265/944654048034979900/unknown.png)

KEEPTON WHIZZKID QUALIFIES FOR GAMES

When the city of Keepton won the right to host the Mundus Games 17 year old Lucy Kelly was just 24 hours away from the final of the East Moreland National Figure Skating Championship. With a dominating performance the grand-daughter of decorated East Moreland soldier Brigadier Richard Kelly swept to victory with ease following a high tempo performance that wow'ed the judges. Lucy, who is on a sports scholarship at the Northfort Academy for Girls, said the motivation of competing in her home town was an extra motivation. "There will probably only ever be one Keepton Games in my sporting lifetime. I knew I just had to get there and now I can start trying to get over my nerves and focus on the Games. It'll be hard though."

The Northfort Academy for Girls has a track record of producing excellence in sport. Mundus Games legend Daisy Greechan was also on a sporting scholarship there and Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside completed her Morelander Highers at the prestigious boarding school. The Academy is also the school expected to play host to Princess Rhiannon when she turns 11. Mrs. Edith Jones is the current Head of Physical Education at the school and was delighted at Lucy's success. "We can't wait to see Lucy fulfil her dream. She's dedicated long hours to her sport and deserves every piece of success I know she'll earn. We are blessed to have access to fantastic facilities here and we're proud that Lucy will join a long list of those who have achieved greatness and attended this school. We'll be taking coach loads up to Keepton to cheer Lucy and all the East Moreland athletes on."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 22, 2022, 10:27:19 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(http://www.total-munich.com/media/k2/items/cache/f9a9b7c9f33a923e5475b478a62125ae_XL.jpg)

FIRST TEMPLE VISIT FOR PRINCE ON FEAST OF HELUS

Prince Llewellyn was today taken on his first visit to the Temple of Helus as the nations celebrated the most Holy Day in the Cult of Helus' calendar. The day marks the day when according to the Cults traditions the God Helus descended to Mundus to ensure mankind emerged victorious over the evil Underlords. Families across Mundus attended Temple where they gave gifts to the God. The first to lay gifts at sunraise in the Temple of Helus in Northfort was King David, Queen Stasya, Princess Rhiannon and joining the family for his first official trip to the Temple was 3 months old Prince Llewellyn. The King, as usual left a newly forged sword on the high alter while the Queen lay a shield. Princess Rhiannon gave a bunch of flowers she had collected from the Palace grounds and on behalf of Prince Llewellyn slices of cake were left. The family then joined worshippers for the rituals lead by High Priestesses Skye Maddix. During these the Priesthood washed the statue of Helus before laying fresh cut flowers around the alter and lighting a new candle which is expected to last the whole year. The King was then invited to address the congregation as is tradition. The King used part of the address to announce the Sword and Shield Parents for Prince Llewellyn. "Today we give thanks that in the depths of history mankind and the Gods emerged victorious against the darkness of evil. When the world was at its darkest humanity united and achieved great things. The thought of this has always driven me to want to carry that idea into my own ideas for how we should live. I want to help create a world were mankind works together to achieve greatness. I'm proud that historically we have created a network of friends across Mundus that have helped us, be it travelling to the heavens with the Alanders and the Cenneg, be it combating disease and hunger with nations as diverse as Achkaerin, Tytor or Seaforth. In more recent times we have faced down corruption and evil in Lodja with our friends there and our friends within the CNN, even there we have seen a new friend, Aosta step up and help us try and stop the work of a terrorist. I had this in mind when I drew up my list of Sword and Shield parents. As evil comes in many forms we must be constantly onguard against it and the more bonds of friendship we have the more prepared we can be. Therefore I am proud that the Sword and Shield parents reflect our old friends and what I hope will become new friends. As Sword Parents there shall be Queen Atalanta of Cassiopeia and Emperor Peter of Achkaerin. As Shield Parents there shall be Grand Duke Hugo Lascelles and Queen Octavia of Lymm. In these appointments we have the old friendships of Bakkermaya and Achkaerin, but alongside them I hope we have new friends in Lymm and Cassiopeia. Over the coming months rest assured I will be puttig what Helus taught us into practice to ensure we as a nation become stronger and we become better prepared to combat the next evil Mundus faces. The Gods told us "Be mindful of your deeds for when your time comes you shall stand before me and a horde of your ancestors. You must look each squarely in the face and tell them how you left your family name in a better place than you found it." It is my hope that by surrounding Llewellyn and East Moreland with likeminded people of strong character I shall leave the Ironside name in a better place than I found it. As today we celebrate our victory over evil we give thanks for all that Helus has given us a chance to enjoy. As the Holy Land of the Cult it is going to fall on us in the year ahead to show those Cultists across the globe that we love them, we see them as family and we shall wish each and everyone of them a happy feastday with many more to come."

The King and his family then left the Temple where the King and Queen distributed gifts of sweets to waiting children, this year also saw Princess Rhiannon distribute some however she was seen possibly eating more than she distributed. The family then headed back to the Palace at Northfort where the family were going to spend the day together.

Princess Freya began the day in Ostlake where she headed celebrations at the Armed Forces Temple of Helus. The sister of King David, accompanied by her husband Alex Redfern, presented the statue of Helus there with its own new sword and then proceeded to give a new set of Regimental Colours to the Royal Engineers. This new set of colours bore the battle honour of Mavrosia following their efforts several years ago the refugee crisis there. The Princess said, "Just as the God Helus refused to foresake us during our most needy time we too could not foresake our fellow Cultists. When they faced persecution we saw the Royal Engineers spearhead our attempts to bring as many as possible to their spiritual home. Today therefore seems a good day to recognise their deeds." Some other military honours were also awarded for actions having taken place in Lodja however five awards were announced but not presented to Red Legionnaires involved in actions in Heyra during the recent political unrest there.

The nation celebrated with feasts and parties in parks. In the East Moreland embassy in Seaforth gifts were exchanged between the Rhodes family and the ambassador. In Ui Cenneslaig the CNN ambassador, Sir Jacob Longe, hosted a formal banquet for the East Moreland staff based there along with guests from the other three nations. It was also noted that Aosta's ambassador to Ui Cenneslaig was invited perhaps giving a nod towards that nations proposed membership of the organisation.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 05, 2022, 10:07:41 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/949778752148242442/unknown.png)

2022 OZZIES ANNOUNCED

In a star studded ceremony hosted by Mundus Games legend Daisy Greechan the 2022 Ostlake Movie Awards, otherwise known as the Ozzies, have been presented.

The first of the international awards was the Best International Animated Short film. This was presented to the film "Dinosaurs: The True Story" from Tytor. The award was presented by prominent East Moreland artist Jocelyn Hopkins. It was then over to Daisy Greechan to present the award for Best International Documentary which went to the Achkaerin film "Pole to Pole: Cycling Not as We Know It" which featured the story of Sammy Lawson and colleagues who effectively cycled the length of Mundus. Lawson is the only person in the history of the Mundus Games to have more medals than Greechan. There was then a short musical interlude as the winner of the Best Song from a Motion Picture was performed by its composer. The song "I Can See Clearly Now" which featured in the Paracambi film based on their nations only Mundus Winter Games team who competed in the bobsleigh. The award presentation then resumed with the Ozzie for Best International Short presented by The Who frontman Roger Daltry before the band performed for the assembled crowd. Best International Short was won by the Horror film "Afraid" from Mktvartvelo. This then lead to the final and most prestigious award of the evening, the Best International Film, which was presented by Princess Freya and went to the Political Satire ""The Death of Stalin" from the nation of Nis. The victory of ""The Death of Stalin"" marks an end to the domination in that category by Tamoran made films.
 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 21, 2022, 09:12:57 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://api.army.mil/e2/c/-images/2010/09/01/84105/size0-full-army.mil-84105-2010-08-27-100849.jpg)

KINGS SECRET RETURN TO THE ALPS

It was two weeks ago that Northfort News journalist Sarah Kennedy was approached by the Palace to be present at a special event for which she'd be given exclusive access in return for secrecy until after the event. With her interest sparked she naturally agreed, as any journalist would, soon though she found herself up in the Alps around Keepton and it wasn't for the Winter Games.

I arrived at the appointed place just outside Keepton, a small village high in the Alps called Marwick. Its a village that to many means nothing however to the men and women of the Alpine Cadre it is home to a tall granite pillar. The pillar is known simply to those in the Cadre as the "Start Line" however myth has it that it marks the spot where Raimond Unasson, Helus most beloved human, began a valiant rear guard against the Underlords in an effort to allow the families of his supporters to escape. Across Mundus such tales are attached to many landmarks and monuments but what makes this one special is that at the end of every training intakes final week it marks the beginning of one of the biggest challenges of their life. The stone is flanked by a large cobble square which slowly is filling up with men dressed in combat fatigues carrying huge bergen rucksacks. A truck in olive green pulls up and more men climb out and begin distributing rifles among those waiting. The only different between the two groups is a bright white beret, those from the truck wearing one while those who arrived under their own steam wore black wool hats. The beret crested men were serving members of the Alpine Cadre with many remembering this day too well. Those in the wool hats posed by the "Start Line" with their sweethearts, their children and in some cases their parents, all keen to wish their loved ones well. The scene then changed as a pair of black SUV's pulled up. From one dressed in military attire was none other than King David and just as all the other had he hefted a giant backpack onto his shoulders and collected a rifle. The SUV emptied, first Queen Stasya who was holding little Prince Llewellyn and then Princess Rhiannon. The King acted no different to the others as he asked a member of his security detail to take a jolly family snap. It was clear what was happening today. The King was to undertake the "Trifecta" the final test of those wanting to join the Alpine Cadre, those who completed its challenge would earn their white beret and be members of the Alpine Cadre, those who failed would be "recycled" a rather undignified way of saying sent to regular infantry units.

The Trifecta is said to follow the same route as that taken by Unasson on his retreat, a distance of some 50 miles to be completed in 12hours 30 minutes meaning a soldier must maintain a pace of around 4 mph. While doing this through the Alps is a challenge most of us would tremble at a member of the Alpine Cadre must complete it by hiking, climbing a small cliff face known as Raimond's Wall and then abseiling it before crossing a river some 10 meters wide. The pass rate is around 70% annually with people failing by getting confused by navigation in poor conditions, injuring themselves on the uneven ground or withdrawing because of the cold. As the men preparing today kissed loved ones goodbye the Regiments commander, Colonel Stephen Oran, arrives and gives a pep talk. He reminds the 42 men of the history of the unit, the challenges they have already passed and finishes by wishing them well. King David though is unique among them, as a 20 year old he completed the Trifecta as a reservist at University. That day alongside long time friend Alex Redfern he was one of 52 men passing the test, with one failure. While a Cadre member is only expected to take the Trifecta once here was the King preparing to do it again at the age of 37 following major surgery on his back. We got a brief word with Queen Stasya as the NCO's checked everyones kit to ensure they had not just a heavy enough rucksack but all the required survival gear should something go wrong. The Queen said, "David was keen to do something that would show others in the military that the operation he underwent was a success and that it could help them. He was keen to show his children that despite setbacks they can still achieve. The White Beret he earned as a young man is something he is exceptionally proud of and in some ways he now feels he must re-earn that badge of honour."

With the sun peeking just above the Alps Colonel Oran shakes each man by the hand and wishes them luck. Having checked several NCO's carrying stopwatches are ready a whistle is blown and then Trifecta begins. The men make their way out the village, with several locals used to this spectacle coming out to wish them luck and many surprised to see the King with a rifle in his arms half running, half walking, a speed that the Cadre refer to as "Scuttling" out of the village. One of those is Henry Caldwell, a 71 year old who has lived in Marwick all his life. He remembers that with much more fanfare than today he saw the 19 year old Prince David heading out the village. Henry knows the unit well having witnessed every Trifecta start since he was 22 years old. Mr.Caldwell said, "I know that this is something I couldn't do and I don't fancy swapping with them. The weather up here even in summer can turn and crossing a freezing river is never fun. I have to respect the King for trying this."

We watch the group winding their way up the hillside and before long its hard to tell who is who. The Colonel spends some time speaking with the families and invites them all to join him for dinner at the units barracks in Keepton. We're invited to and follow the convoy of vehicles back to the barracks which will form the finish line. When we arrived we find the base is preparing for the final part of the Trifecta, the final shoot, within three minutes of arriving at the base a candidate must hit five targets using iron sights at a distance of twenty-five meters. With cold hands, exhausted and breathless this is not as straight forward as many soldiers would expect.

We join the group for lunch and surprisingly we're joined by the Royal Family. The Queen takes time to chat with young wives of the men running the route alongside the King, Princess Rhiannon plays with some of the children and cups of coffee and sandwiches flow. A series of notes are passed throughout the day to the Colonel from men coming and going, reports of progress from checkpoints on the hillside. There is concern as one candidate appears to have damaged his climbing harness, we're not told who that is though. After 10 hours we get reports that Candidate 67R is within the "Avenue" a straight mile long road that leads up to the gates of the base. People move to windows to see if it is their loved one and some ten minutes later a rather sweat soaked soldier appears, it seems like he's limping slightly and his fatigues have a slight rip in the knee. It is not King David. A young woman to my left gives a little clap. 20 year old Sarah Bates is witnessing her boyfriend Tim lead the candidates home. He's a young man from Rockhampton and the pair meet at their local bouldering club at the age of 14 and are now hoping next year to get married. She waves to him as he jogs past towards the NCO's standing their with their watches. Several serving members of the Cadre stand watching remembering their own triumph over the Trifecta, we can hear words of encouragement and polite claps as the sight of the finish seems to give Tim an extra burst of energy. As he high fives the senior Sergeant the clock is stopped, 10 hours 23 minutes, I'm told its an impressive time as Colonel Oran calls it "Red Legion Pace" the Colonel is proud that his unit is one of the biggest suppliers of manpower to the nations elite unit having only the Marines send more men into its ranks than the Cadre. We see from the window that Tim's rucksack is weighed before he's lead round the corner to where the firing range is set up, six gunshots ring out and then a few minutes later a bedraggled Tim enters the room a fresh white beret on his head. Despite the layers of sweat, dirt and being soaked through his girlfriend leads the family hugs as they congratulate him on his success. Queen Stasya adds her own congratulations as she watches down the "Avenue" hoping for her own sweatheart to appear.

For the next 90 minutes the "Avenue" and firing range fill up, some taking just five shots to complete their work while some such as relieved Curtis Farrell complete the shooting task with just one bullet left in their magazine. Despite being free to go home as soon as their task was done all stay and the warm tea becomes replaced with brandy and mulled wine to heat the tired bodies. With 30 minutes left to go we get told one candidate has been airlifted after suffering hyperthermia, it seems harsh but for him his chance to join the Cadre is over, Colonel Oran explains, "On operations each man has to be responsible for making sure he's operationally capable of doing the job. That means if you can't function because of the cold you're a liability. Its harsh but if after all the training he's had he can't manage his body temperature then we can't use him. He'll go to a regular infantry unit and be an asset there as he'll be well trained in regular infantry skills but also bring a wealth of unconventional training members of the infantry don't get taught. No training is ever wasted." With the airlift bringing the man safely back to barracks a sad family leave to check on their loved one. This leaves two men out there as the dark begins to descend. Candidate 78F comes in with 12 minutes to spare and some of the staff ask if he's seen the King, he responds between deep breaths, "I thought he was right behind me." He was infact four minutes down the road.

Looking like he was about to fall over King David wobbled up to the Senior Sergeant and completed his high five, the watch stopped at 12 hours 22 minutes and 7 seconds. With breath held the Kings family waited as we listened for the sound of gun-shots from the range, we heard five then silence. The King then entered the room a moment later the vaunted white beret proudly on his head. He is, as far as the unit records show, the only person to complete the Trifecta twice, mainly as Colonel Oran explains, "No one is stupid enough to do it twice." The King is congratulated by his family and Princess Rhiannon gets upset when her father won't let her wear the beret instead informing her she'll have to earn her own when old enough. The NCO's who have overseen the training of the 40 men who have passed come in and now great their new comrades as equals for the first time. The King at this points looks rather torn, it is clear he loves being around his old Regiment but for him this was not about joining up again. He speaks with me for a moment, "Today I wanted to be able to say that despite what happened to me years ago I was someone who was still capable of doing the only real job I've ever had. I enjoyed my time in the military and I still wear the uniform of the Cadre when ceremony allows. I needed to show myself I was still entitled to wear this white beret. I had the operation on my back to try and get back to the peak of my youth in some ways, this shows the operation was successful beyond what I could have imagined and I thank the medical team involved for getting me back here." The King joins in the traditional photo taken next to the mess' open fire place, a giant Moose head mounted above it, then there is the informal one, one with all the families on. As each soldier poses in the spot with their own family a number ask the royals to join them and the King, Queen, Princess and even little Prince do. The King is then asked by the Colonel whether he will present the Silver Axe to Tim who was the first man back. Alongside swords the Cadre carry small ice axes on their dress uniform and the quickest to complete each intakes Trifecta is given a silver one while all others are bronze in colour. The King naturally agrees and shakes the newly bereted man by the hand as he hands the axe over. As the day winds down and the exhausted men begin to head for home, which for most this evening will be hotels in the area, I ask the King whether this days events will have any impact on his relationship with the military moving forward. "I think my respect for anyone who serves is clear. I myself have the right to wear the uniform of any unit in our military. I could parade around in a Field Marshall of Red Legion uniform but that would make me a fake and be disrespectful to everyone who served and has earned a rank. I reached the status of Captain in the Cadre and that is enough for me. I'll never wear another units colours or any higher rank. Technically I could re-enter service now but lets be realistic I'm pushing 40 and the military needs younger men. I last served in Mavrosia and I am proud of how we helped refugees there. That was a good op to call my last. Naturally should I be called upon to serve I would, but I fear something very horrific must be happening to Mundus if that was the case."

The King disappeared to refresh himself before heading to that evenings games in Keepton. Now back in a trademark smart suit the King limped to the waiting helicopter having first said his goodbyes to anyone who had ran that day still waiting to leave. That evening it was noticeable on the TV that the King was clearly tired watching the Ice Hockey joined by members of the Lijiang delegation but I suspect most of us would have found it difficult to be awake after that days gruelling exploits.

The whole secrecy that had surrounded the day had been necessary, according to Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker, not to shield the King in case he failed, but rather to preserve the integrity of the event. Hordes of press lining the route or helicopters circling to show it in real time would have taken away the achievements of the other men for whom a new career is starting. The Alpine Cadre often describe themselves as some of the loneliest troops in the Armed Forces, tasked with patrolling the frontiers of the nation through the often snow covered Alps. Today they received 40 new brothers in arms and witnessed the return of an old soldier.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 28, 2022, 08:38:31 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/971E/production/_102468683_f35_raf.jpg)

HUGE PARADE MARKS FEAST OF JEKAR

An estimated 250,000 lined the route of a huge military parade in Northfort to mark this years Feast of Jekar. The Festival is dedicated to the God of War, Combat and Swordcraft and is often marked by individuals having their coming of age Sword Ceremony. This year the King had organised a huge military parade in the city which culminated with a fly past by the Royal East Moreland Air Force. The REMAF is celebrating the 100th year since the founding of the Royal East Moreland Aviation Regiment which was the forefather of the REMAF. The unit was founded to help develop the nations use of what was at the time a reasonably new tool of war. The year also marks the 80th Anniversary of the REMAF absorbing the Naval Aviation Force to form the REMAF that we know today. A host of vintage aircraft joined the fly past which ended with a trio of Dragonbreath fighters flying directly over the Palace in Northfort as members of the Royal Family watched on.

Earlier in the day the King had flown by helicopter to the Gods Forge in Portworth. It is believed by Cultists that the very first sword was smithed here by Jekar and given eventually to Raimond Unasson who most cultists believe is an ancestor of King David. The King left the components of a new sword at the forge and collected a new sword that was then taken to the Gods Temple in Portworth where it will be displayed for the year. He then flew back to Northfort for the days festivities. The King was noticably dressed in his Alpine Cadre uniform having only just recently passed the units "Trifecta" graduating test following his back injury. The parade also saw Princess Freya marching with the Light Scouts in which she holds a commission. Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside, fresh off a two medal haul at the Keepton Games, was present in her Air Force uniform and accepted on behalf of the service the Centenary Medal which will be made avaliable to all serving members of the Air Force and anyone who can prove they served five years before being honourably discharged.

Following the parade the King meet with veterans at a local veterans association where he hosted a BBQ and addressed the gathering. "Today we are proud to once more give thanks to Jekar for teaching us how to protect ourselves, and more importantly others. We currently have men and women in Lodja helping our allies protect themselves from a man determined to force a crown upon his head. He has murdered and maimed hundreds of Lodjains with insane missile attacks and we will stop him. It is our duty to ensure we do. Here at home we are giving thanks to those who have risked life and limb to ensure that we can live in the safety that we enjoy and we remember those who were taken from us. To anyone who has ever, or is, serving in uniform I shall be forever grateful and I am proud to have served alongside many of you. Today we have also given thanks to those who protect us from the Air. This year marks the centenary of our Air Force and I am confident that they shall go from strength to strength and that my descendant in another 100 years will be every bit as proud of the men and women in blue as I am today. I ask that the God Jekar continues to watch over us all, especially those serving under arms. May The Gods Watch Over You and Your Blade be Quick."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 12, 2022, 11:39:39 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://images-ext-2.discordapp.net/external/G4Zd8lyASk3NAFbucLz6ms6vMnIh8vxgj8cWwNintxU/https/intermatdefense.com/datafiles/content-images/cmiq40400414022527dee7c86.jpg)

SMARTWAR GET CONTRACT FOR MILITARY PROJECT

Martin Dawson the CEO of SmartWar has today announced that his company have been given a "substantial" contract to continue to develop "ThermalSkin", a specialised camoflague material for the armed forces. The project is expected to be relatively cheap for a military project however Mr.Dawson confirmed that it is likely to "see a decent amount of attention from nations considered friends of East Moreland."

The product is a thin thermal skin which can be applied much like a vinyl wrap to a car however the difference is that this material acts as a heat shield effectively cutting down the thermal output of any vehicle. Images released by the company show two mobility vehicles that had been left with their engines running for 30 minutes, one with the material applied and another without it. The one wrapped in the material showed a significantly lower thermal image. We were shown a demonstration of the material on a Landrover. A team of SmartWar experts produced what looked like a roll of wallpaper and proceeded to cut a piece to length and then removed the backing paper. The sheet was then applied to the vehicle and smoothed over using a sponge. Within a few minutes the vehicle was not only thermally shielded slightly but it also had changed colour.

Martin Dawson explained the product. "The material is effectively a thin layer of thermal insulation sprayed with a similar paint as that used on many stealth aircraft. The sheets can be made to any size, shape or pattern. We'd even be able to manufacture it in your favourite rugby teams colours. So long as the vehicle is reasonably clean the material will stay on for weeks without any problem. Once no longer needed or if a change of pattern is required then it can be peeled off and a new layer added. We've found it can be added to almost any type of ground vehicle. We're excited that this could be another piece of technology that can support our armed forces."

The exact details of the deal are not yet known however it was confirmed that Red Legion will be utilising the material in an upcoming exercise with Nya Aland forces at Red Base on the Alucard coast.

(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/709845204689092691/963568997071212584/unknown.png)
Vehicle wrapped in the material
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 07, 2022, 09:39:30 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://files.structurae.net/files/photos/2906/00_8british_embassy1.jpg)

KING APPROVES NEW GAIA EMBASSY

In preparation for the upcoming Lodjain coronation King David and Queen Stasya have been in Gaia. Today the King visited the new location for the East Moreland embassy which will convert a trio of buildings that form a residential and office block into a secure compound close to central Gaia. The previous East Moreland embassy was destroyed during the conflict in Lodja between rebel forces and the crown. During the attack Queen Klara was on the premises and several missiles struck the building killing 26 members of the East Moreland embassy staff. King David visited the site of the destroyed embassy and then attended the Ui Cenneslaig embassy which following the attack took in the surviving East Moreland staff. Currently the Morelander ambassador to Lodja, Sir James Fitzroy, is still based within the Ui Cenneslaig embassy.

The new embassy will converted in a few months and while the exact details of the security arrangements are being kept classified it is said by a Foreign Office spokesman that "the embassy will feature state of the art security and defensive features. We have seen our embassies been targeted by terrorists in the past and have learnt lessons to try and keep our staff safe, this was a very different type of attack but nevertheless we must try and ensure things like this can never happen again."

The King and Queen have been staying on the Isle of the Goddess during their stay and will attend the coronation tomorrow. The exact ceremony has not been revealed however speculation about a potential role for the King as he has been an escort to the future Queen at the coronations of Queen Klara and Queen Viktoriya. The East Moreland Queen, Stasya Pelagiya, has also been involved in past coronations as a Lady in Waiting. Queen Stasya spoke about the return to Lodja saying. "I am always happy to return to Lodja but this occasion is a rather sad one in some ways. Klara was a friend of mine and I had hoped to see her achieve great things. We now have a duty to help Natalya full fil her potential and I am pleased my husband will ensure we strengthen our bonds."



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 19, 2022, 08:26:24 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/942534735647879229/976909003512766585/unknown.png?width=920&height=613)

CNN STATION TO GET NEW SOLAR PANELS

A mission will launch next weekend to fit a new experimental set of solar panels on the CNN space station. The new panels, while not revolutionary new in their function or appearance are more productive than those currently fitted, at least in theory. The panels have been made by SFR in Chamwick and transported to Ui Cenneslaig where they have been prepared for launch on the 28th of May. A crew of three will spend two weeks on the station installing them and running tests. The crew will be made up of a pair of specialists from the CNN, a Morelander and a Cenneg, while the third member of the crew will be Stefen Zein a guest astronaut from Heyra who while not being involved in the space walk to work on the panels will be undertaking their own research experiment on the station.

It is expected over the coming months that the station becomes more active as in recent months the station has been left in a largely uninflated state in what has been described as a "standby" mode. The intention for the next 12 months however is to almost permanently man it with a variety of experiements of both technology and various scientific set ups. There is the intention of astronauts from all four CNN nations spending time there yet no confirmation as to whether further Heyran, or other nationals, will make their way to the station.



(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/a4/2c/53/a42c53bf06ccbd72903b5d3f3df64bc3.jpg)
PRINCESS TO HOST FESTIVAL OF GREENFLOWERS EVENT

With the nations "Birthday" just four days away the Palace has today announced that 9 year old Princess Rhiannon is to host her first official event. The Princess has invited 400 children from across the nation to attend a garden party at the Palace to mark the Festival of Greenflowers, the day that marks the anniversary of the Battle that ended the war between the Ironside and Barren families to establish the nation of East Moreland. The day also marks the birthday of King David who will be turning 39 this year. The King is having his own garden party with representatives of various charities and organisations the Royal family support alongside friends and family. The King will host his event on the front lawn and lake while the Princess will host her event in the forest. The purpose of the Princesses event is to show support for two charities, the MSP Foundation which deals with genetic illnesses similar to that which caused the death of her twin brother Prince Caspian and the other a childhood leukaemia charity. All children attending have received support from one of the two charities or had siblings with the conditions.

Princess Rhiannon gave a brief statement to the press while visiting AFC Roberton's recent game with her father and said, "I like parties and this will be a good one. We've got laser tag, ice cream and even my favourite strawberry laces from Rockyjimma. It'll be nice to make people who are feeling a bit sick happy and I wish when I had the leukaemia I had more friends. I'm very excited."

The King will also make his way to the site of the battle that morning following the tradition of "The Vigil (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=150.msg16804;topicseen#msg16804). At the site of the battle the King will make an annual offering to Jekar on behalf of those who died in the battle thought to have taken place in 642 AD.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 23, 2022, 10:11:51 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/978364206866911332/unknown.png)

KING AND NATION CELEBRATE BIRTHDAY

Today the nation came to a stand still as people took to the streets, parks and beaches to celebrate both the nations birthday and that of King David. The Festival of Greenflowers marks the anniversary of the Batthe of Greenflowers which brought an end to the Barren V's Ironside war that saw the birth of East Moreland in the 7th Century. Celebrations began the evening before when members of Red Legion carried out "The Vigil (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=150.msg16804#msg16804) prior to the arrival of King David and the royal family just before sunrise. The King, Queen, Princess Freya, Princess Rhiannon and Archduchess Sophie each laid wreaths on the memorial to those who died on the battlefield and joined in prayers for the nation. The group then made their way back to the capital of Northfort and visited the various Temples there to ask the Gods to bless the nation for the year ahead. Princess Rhiannon undertook her first ever individual official duty when she attended the Temple of Marissa and left a dagger on the alter.

Following the various ceremonial activities the King returned to Northfort Palace where he was joined by his family and several other guests. The annual military parade took place through the streets and a fly over was conducted by the REMAF. In Portworth a series of floatillas from the REMNS were seen along the beaches. During the military parade members of the Royal Marine Commandos were presented with a new battle honour for their Royal Standard. The Marines had been involved in the retaking of Zhoya during the recent crisis in Lodja and having successfully worked alongside Cenneg troops secured the island. The name Zhoya will now be embroided onto the units Royal Standard alongside other such recent conflicts as Safraen, Seaforth and Marseille. The standard was carried by Major Peter Grant, one of the escorts at both of King David's weddings who was also awarded a medal by the Lodjain government for the whole of the Royal Marines. Similar medal presentations were made to the REMAF and several other military units.

Following the military parade two garden parties were held. Princess Rhiannon hosted her party at the rear of the Palace in aid of MPS illnesses and  childhood leukaemia charities. Meanwhile King David celebrated his birthday on the front lawn joined by representatives of various charities and organisations the Royal family support alongside friends and family. The King's party was seen to continue until around 2 am and featured a guest performance from Frank Turner, one of the King's favourite musicians. Across Mundus celebrations were held in the various embassies and consulates while back at home huge street parties were attended by millions and People's Park in Northfort saw an estimated 200,000 people enjoy the traditional fireworks display. 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 30, 2022, 07:58:52 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/980901327548854322/unknown.png)

COBBLE FIELD HANDED OVER TO TUNA

Following the conclusion of operations and clean up in the Alucard from the temporary airfield of Cobble Field it is understood that the facility will now be handed over to the nations of the Alucard nations who are members of TUNA. The airfield was hastily put together to allow combat assets from East Moreland to access the Alucard without need for a lengthy naval journey. It is understood that during the Lodjian crisis the Emperor of Paracambi meet with representatives of East Moreland about concerns Emperor Benson had with the establishment of the facility. As part of those talks King David gave a promise that the airfield could be used for "peaceful endeavours". It is believed that the airfield will now be used as part of the TUNA organisations Alucard plastic clean up operations and a search and rescue facility.

Speaking to the media Sir Harry Samuelson, the nations Minister of Defence stated "During the operations in Lodja such a facility made sense and now it has no purpose for us. It is though clear that Cobble Field can still serve a useful purpose moving forward and with that in mind we have today seen the left of the military hardwear leave the island and all that is left are a small clutch of temporary buildings that I suspect TUNA will look to make permanent and with some fuel storage systems left in place that will not require a great deal of effort." It is also understood that the East Moreland military have also left several large tents on the site in order to provide the engineers from TUNA shelter. "TUNA is an organisation we respect" Sir Harry continued, "and we are grateful for their understanding during these recent operations and we hope that in some small way we can have contributed to their clean up project."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 01, 2022, 08:38:32 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/03/13/01/3223632700000578-0-image-a-79_1457831337153.jpg)

END OF AN ERA ANNOUNCED

The Ministry of Defence today confirmed that Brigadier Richard Kelly, commander of Red Legion, has stood down. The 78 year old officer informed the King of his decision to retire from military service several weeks ago and that a replacement has already been appointed and has been working alongside the well respected commanding officer. The new head of Red Legion will be Jim Corey, one of the three officers who served as Brigadier Kelly's adjutants. King David made the announcement of the replacement to the People's Council during his weekly visit there for questions. Speaking to the assembled members the King paid tribute to Brigadier Kelly. "In 1964 a young officer clambered into a tank for the first time and began a career that has seen him dedicate decades of life in the service of East Moreland. In 1975 he climbed to the pinacle of soldiering and donned the red beret. With only a short spell away from Aldcliffe he returned and began climbing Red Legion senior ranks to become in 2008 its commander. Under his guidance the unit has kept each of us safe and stood up to foes across the world. He raised the bar on what it means to be a member of that elite unit and put in place a selection process that that has acted as a conveyor belt for excellence. Many times he has been offered a chance to stand down, to retire and enjoy a life away from service but until now he has always refused. He feels now though that the time has come for him to make way for a younger man and he himself selected Jim Corey to replace him. I today am delighted to confer on Brigadier Kelly the rank of Major General and the title of Duke. No honours can repay a man who has dedicated so much of his life to the fulfilling the Code of Canley. I wish him the best in whatever he wishes to do in the future and now that while the newly gazetted Brigadier Corey has big shoes to fill he will raise to the challenge."

A short ceremony took place at Aldcliffe Barracks where the now Duke Richard Kelly was given a guard of honour from the base. Almost immediately after Brigadier Corey was welcomed to the base for the first time as commander of Red Legion. Corey is a 58 year old officer who joined the military as a gunner at the age of 22 following graduating from Keepton University with a degree in Management. He served in the Royal House Artillery for 10 years before becoming a Red Legionnaire and as is customary for officers in the unit spent time away with the Royal Logistics Corps before returning as a Staff Officer. For the last five years he has been responsible for running what is known as the "Killing House" which is a training facility designed for practicing close quarters combat techniques.

Duke Kelly has yet to state what he intends to do with his retirement. He is a keen fisherman and has two grand-children including Mundus Games Ice skater 17 year old Lucy Kelly.



(https://seapowermagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Tank_Boat.jpg)
RIVER CLASS REPLACEMENT BEGINS TRIALS

The replacement for the aging River Class patrol boat has begun trials with the Royal East Moreland Naval Service today. The vessel, which will be named the Ost Class, is designed to be able to be fast and agile while also being able to operate close to shore but also on the River Ost. The ship has been referred to as a "Tank Boat" and is made from composite materials  to provide a combination of toughness and lightweight. The ship will be equipped with a turret which looks very much like a tank turret and will be capable of firing conventional 105mm ammunition as well as Gun Launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile(GLATGM) capable of hitting targets some 5,000meters away. In addition a 30 mm cannon that can be remotely operated is mounted on the turret. It is also equipped a micro EMAC Drone giving it aerial observation capabilities. There will also be future models that will be equipped with a missile launcher rather than gun.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 03, 2022, 09:58:06 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/982378262640599090/unknown.png)

KEEPTON CIRCUIT TO GO INTERNATIONAL

Around 50km North of the city of Keepton the serene Alpine foothills are often punctuated with the whoosh of fast jets whizzing through a series of valleys known as the Keepton Circuit. The 100km long route weaves in and out of several wide valleys allowing aircraft to fly at just under the speed of sound at heights of around 100 meters above the ground. It has long been a popular site for plane spotters who camp out with their cameras on the slopes that border the Circuit capturing often spectacular images of jets whizzing by. The circuit has been in use since the 1950's and is a key part of all fast jet pilots training while pilots of various other types are sometimes required to utilise the circuit in the lead up to deployments. The circuit also contains the Blast Farm which is an area under Ministry of Defence control that allows the aircraft to deploy live weapons for training purposes. While the circuit is a familiar place for East Moreland aviators of all three branches of service it will now become a well known part of several other nations training. Sir Harry Samuelson and Air Commodore Edward Briggs today made an announcement from the air base at Alpine Three Barracks that informed the assembled media that a CNN Aviation School will be opened at the base. Sir Harry Samuelson said "The operation in Lodja illustrated to the members of CNN that while we are familiar in many aspects of military co-operation aviation missions require greater work. We have identified several other issues that will be remedied in the coming days as we have been discussing ways to improve. This is not a reason for panic about the state of CNN forces, far from it. We have regular exercises and the Lodja operation went as well as you could expect in a rather strange circumstance. We will always look for ways to make our excellent level of co-operation better. As a result our geography here presents an opportunity to allow partners to experience real low level flying rather than the use of simulations. It seems fitting that as cinema goers flock to see Top Gun we open our own Top Gun style facility here, I just hope we have less need for adventure here."

Meanwhile Air Commodore Briggs explained, "While it will remain the case that every Morelander flying fast jets will practice their skills here we will now welcome pilots from Lodja, The Unified Iwi and Ui Cenneslaig, in addition we have also agreed that in a reciprocation for allowing the use of Red Base in Nya Aland ten Alanders a year will come here for a month to use the circuit. While the focus of the training here will be on low level strike operations we can also use the fact we'll have so many different types of plane and nationalities here to conduct a vast array of training missions. The quality of our own aircrews will naturally increase because of the opportunities here and we hope our friends can also gain valuable experience."

The news thrilled plane spotter Lance Howard who is a regular photographer on the Keepton Circuit. "I enjoy the spring and summer days up here. You come with a nice picnic and your camera and have a hike in the foothills. You monitor the Notice to Airmen page on the Civilian Aviation Agency website to check if they are likely to be flying and then it just comes down to a lottery. You here a buzz for prop aircraft, a chomp for helicopters and a roar for the jets, thats the best. It grows as they come down the valley and then when they pop round the corner you actually begin to feel it. There are many points on the circuit where the aircraft are actually below you and they are the best shots. Its also a great social event as its very rare to be the only spotter up here and you get to know lots of people. I'm excited that we'll now get to see some other things and especially some of the older aircraft the Maori fly will look amazing."

Not all people however are pleased with the news including local farmer Joe Eddison. "I've farmed here thirty years and my father before me, the aircraft are a nuisance. We can't escape them and they often frighten the livestock. We often have to go out and calm them down after flights past and often its more than a few each day. This will now just make things worse. They need to fly higher and slower." Air Commodore Briggs did explain that farmers in the Circuit are paid an annual subsidy as compensation and that a decade ago the government funded noise insulation work on all homes within the area. The first foreign pilots are expected to arrive early next month and will be ten Croi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhoi_Su-57) fighters from Ui Cenneslaig.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 08, 2022, 09:30:51 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.cruisemapper.com/images/ships/1335-9a7ca45d93d.jpg)

OST-RIVERS TOURS TAKE TO THE SEA

Since 1907 the boating company Ost-River Tours ha offered luxury multi-day (https://images.docs.travel/operators/emerald_cruises/ships/emerald_sun.jpg) cruising holidays on the River Ost linking Ostlake and Portworth. For many years the company was even used regularly by the royal family with King David II having proposed to his future wife Queen Rebecca onboard one of the companies tours in 1914. In 2020 the company acquired a private multi-mast sailing ship from a Vanoran business man and began converting it into a cruise ship. Today the ship left Portworth and is expected to cruise round the coast of Alba Karinya making various stops along the way. The ship is to be named the Illumic Pride and features rooms for just under 300 passengers and 167 crew, she measures 163meters long and has a tonnage of 8,440 tonnes. While the ship has five masts which are capable of propelling the Illumic Pride at around 16knots it also has electric propulsion to allow it to make progress on still days. Passengers can enjoy two swimming pools, a snow room, spa, jacuzzi and cinema onboard as well as two different dining rooms. With expectation of trips costing in excess of $1000 a night it is likely to become a rather exclusive experience.

Among those intending to go on the ship is Queen Stasya who is expected to celebrate her 24th birthday onboard. The CEO of Ost-River Tours said, "Over the past few decades we've kept expanding the experiences we can offer guests. With our river cruises we've reached the pinnacle of such experiences and if the business is to keep expanding then we need to look for new oppurtunitues. The Illumic Pride came up for sale and while we lack the experience of ocean cruising the likes of Rokkenjiman based companies have we can offer something different. The chance to experience luxury with such a unique vessel is something we hope excites our guests and we look forward to welcoming them onboard." The ship is also scheduled to take part in the Festival of Sail where King David will host the gala dinner onboard.



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 10, 2022, 08:08:41 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/984886454817787924/unknown.png)

DINNER ON THE KING

As King David attended the first day of the Ostlake Games he utilised his time with the media to reveal his pride in the work of his Foreign Office. In the most recent study of nations use of soft and hard power undertaken by L’Agence Benjamin-Catherine from Heyra the Kingdom of East Moreland ranked 1st in terms of soft power and 2nd in terms of hard power. The King said that he was "proud of the work of our Foreign Office. Soft power is an indication of the fact that we have built up a network of positive relationships with nations across Mundus. Hard power is an indication of our potential of backing up what we say if needed. I actually would have preferred us to score much lower in terms of hard power, we are a nation that see's co-operation as a foundation for everything we want to achieve as a nation and I can only conclude things such as MICA talks, cultural exchanges with nations like Lijiang and our co-operation with Heyra over the Defence coup because of the hard work of the staff at our Foreign Office. Be it those that ensure the staff at Northfort get a decent meal for lunch, or to the ambassadors and their teams across the world, each person employed by the Foreign Office is an important cog in our soft power wheel. I want to thank them for the help they give me and my Kingdom and I would like to buy each of them dinner." The King confirmed that each of the approximately 27,500 employees of the Foreign Office would receive in Augusts pay slip a military meal voucher for £EM 50 that can be used in any eatery in East Moreland. Staff working abroad will receive an equivalent gift usable wherever they are based. The King went on to say " When I became King my father had often expressed a wish to see us more active on a global stage. I hope that he is sat next to the Gods smiling as he sees what his Kingdom has since achieved. We've been lucky enough to have our neighbours in the Illumic open their arms to us. Across Mundus our rugby loving friends in Lodja, Ui Cenneslaig and the Commonwealth of the Iwi walk hand in hand with us on most aspects of what we want to achieve and I'm delighted to count many of Mundus leaders as not just colleagues but friends. While it might sound like I'm saying mission accomplished I am not saying mission over. My academic mentor was Dr.Marcus Merriman, a man I greatly admire and whose scholarship I love. He had a saying that perception is reality, what a person or people are presented with as their daily experiences of the world become the way they think the world truly is. Their perception of Mundus becomes their reality, what we've tried to do is ensure people see what we truly are and we work to maintain a positive perception by as many people as possible. Over the next 12 months we have a lot to do, I want to ensure the MICA membership is settled for the considerable future and then focus on making some new friends. We have been lacking in engaging with Northern Midaranye and this as a history geek is a region of the world I want to learn more about. It is my hope that my Foreign Office can continue its hard work and next year we are still as well thought of."

The King was asked about other nations standings and he said simply, "They are not our concern. We can only ensure we are seen positively around the world. I think though it gives me an interesting insight into opportunities of which nations may want to engage more in the future. Its a tool diplomats and Heads of Government and State can use to help assess how others see them and I'm pleased at how we are seen."

The King then spent much of the day at what he described as a "Soft Power Demonstration." This years Ostlake Games has seen its five visiting teams raise a few eyebrows. While it was expected that the CNN nations would be invited only two were, The Iwi and Ui Cenneslaig have arrived at the games described as a cross between the Mundus Games and a military exercise. Lodja declined to compete this year siting a need to "reflect and rebuild" their armed forces. The other three foreign teams that will compete against the various Army Legions, Air Force, Navy and Cyber Legion are Eskdale, Nya Aland and Lijiang. On the opening day of the games the King watched the military drill competition, taking the salute during the demonstrations himself. The gold medal in that event was taken by Lijiang who King David described as being like "watching precision programmed robots" Meanwhile Queen Stasya watched the women's football where a final between the Navy and Pegasus Legion is lined up for tomorrow with Nya Aland playing Duke Legion in the bronze medal match. Events will continue over the next week with the unit amassing the most points winning the Prince Caspian Memorial Trophy. The Trophy is currently held by Hunter Legion who currently have yet to earn any points. 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 15, 2022, 10:40:47 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.pastemagazine.com/www/articles/2019/11/12/boliviacouplithiummain.jpg)

SSC HONEYBAGDER HEADS TO LIJIANG

Today the EMAC SuperSonic Car Honeybadger has left Chamwick and is heading to the salt plains on South Eastern Lijiang. The car is on a mission to try and break two world records. The first of those is the World Land Speed Record, a title that the car already owns having hit the speed of 776 mph in 2014 driven by Danny Jules. The second record is the Women's Land Speed Record which currently stands at 522.783 mph. The driver of the SSC Honeybadger this time is former REMAF pilot and Royal Aeronautical Society astronaut Rachel Dixon. The astronaut was both the first Morelander on the moon and also has spent longer in space than any Morelander. Sir Alan Maybury of EMAC has spoken about the project saying. "Its been nearly eight years since Danny broke the sound barrier in Dijel and the SSC honeybadger entered the history books. In that time we as a company have learned more about aerodynamics, jet engines and various other things that mean if we had put what we know now into the car eight years ago we could probably have squeezed a little more from it. We therefore think its worth a go."

Over the last 12 months the EMAC team have formed "Honeybadger:Next Generation" made up of around 50 individuals with only three being involved in the initial project. One of those is Charlie Ellis who had only been with EMAC three months when he joined the team responsible for the fuel system. Since then he has worked on several EMAC aviation projects and returns to the SSC Honeybadger this time as the lead of a team of three. "The SSC Honeybadger was the first major project I'd ever been involved in. As a 23 year old joining such a respected company I felt the pressure of being given a once in a life time oppurtunity. My CV will forever say I was part of the landmark project and I learned so much in those intense months. When Sir Alan asked me if I'd like to come back I jumped at the chance. I now get a great chance to give people like the 23 year old me the same chances I got and show the company how much I've improved as an engineer and raise the bar once again." The various members of his team have all been with EMAC less than 12 months as have 40% of those involved in the project. The various EMAC speed projects have always been used to help give EMAC's younger workers a taste of a high level project while also allowing the company to test out new ideas and patent new technology.

While Danny Jules was initially offered his seat back, and did undertake several low speed test runs in the updated SSC Honeybadger, he declined the chance saying. "I'm proud that I'll always have been the first person to drive a car at the speed of sound. The problem now though is that this is a young person's adventure and now I'm pushing 50 I think someone else needs to take the seat. Rachel is a fine choice. She's been through the g-force requirement, she's got the pilots reactions and calm under pressure. I've no doubt that the Dixon-EMAC partnership will get the job done over in Lijiang and I'll be delighted to be there watching as a spectator."

Rachel Dixon is presented with a rather unique oppurtunity. Throughout the history of land speed records the total land speed record has always been held by a man and the women's record been significantly slower. Currently the record is around 200mph slower for women then men. Should Dixon set a new world record for the Land Speed Record it would mean for the first time ever the male record would be lower than the womans. Speaking on that potential first the Flt.Lt said, "I don't really care for the talk on gender. I'm qualified to sit behind the wheel and the vast majority of the work is done by the engineers. Its almost like being in a rocket and just holding on to make sure it behaves." To date the modified SSC Honeybadger has reached 519mph, just three MPH lower than the current record. With the plan being that the SSC Honeybadger will begin test runs next week and then likely slowly build up speed Dixon is likely to break the womens' record several times before reaching the end of the project which is scheduled for the middle of July. Lijiang was choosen for two reasons. The first was a practical one, salt flats are ideal for such records because of their smoothness and generally are long enough to allow the huge distance required. The second is that King David utilised his connections with the Dragon-Emperor to gain permission. It is expected that the King and Queen will at some point visit the Majestic Empire of Lijiang to see the SSC Honeybadger in action. King David has been a keen supporter of the EMAC speed projects and is a self confessed car enthusiast. The King has one of the original SSC Honeybadger engines converted into a coffee table in the Kings Office and also has an office chair made from unused parts of the original.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 16, 2022, 07:39:58 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://img2.thejournal.ie/inline/4647755/original/?width=630&version=4647755)

CHAMPIONS AGAIN AND SHOCK APPOINTMENT

The Honeybadgers have reclaimed the title of World Rugby Champions following the conclusion of the men's tournmant in Vaguzia. In a close fought final game the Honeybadgers defeated Achkaerin 36 - 31 to reclaim what head coach Graham Roundtree has described as "our destiny." Speaking after the game the former internationally capped prop said "East Moreland views rugby as a central part of our cultural life. Its a sport that is used as a way of promoting team work, discipline and controlled aggression so its widely used in schools, cadets and the armed forces. Its our most popular sport and the government invest heavily in supporting the infastructure of the sport. Anyone who makes an investment is going to want a return and in our case that has to be world championships. Historically we've spoke about it being the job of anyone pulling on the shirt to leave it in a better place than they found it. Today the boys out on the pitch have done exactly that. Its impossible to leave it in a better place and once more the people back home will be celebrating."

With the tournament happening over the border in Vaguzia there were over an estimated 100,000 Honeybadger fans who made the journey, most without tickets, to enjoy the atmosphere. Among them was veteran Honeybadger Simon Sure, a former world champion. He hadn't got a ticket but watched in one of the fan parks with thousands of others. Following the game he said. "I know exactly how they are feeling. Its an odd mix of sheer exhaustion after weeks of bruising competition but mixed in with sheer pleasure. Every ache, every bruise and drop of blood is a badge of honour and tomorrow they'll wake up with aching bodies and killer hangovers."

Another fan who made the trip to Vaguzia to watch the final was King David who was accompanied by Princess Rhiannon. The King didn't speak to the media following the match but Princess Rhiannon said, "I liked cheering when we scored and I'm happy we scored more than Hackerin. We're celebrating with some ice cream later. I think rugby is good but prefer sword-fighting." The 9 year old did however get to visit the team on the pitch when her cousin, Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside's, partern Rollo MacAllister invited her down to enjoy the celebration with the team.

Despite the regaining of the world championship the East Moreland Rugby Union (EMRU) has called the World Cup a "partial success" after the women's team crashed out in the Quarter Final. Rory Overwood is the Chief Performance Director at the EMRU stated, "We've perhaps approached things in the past in the wrong way. The future will see the standard of women's rugby improve and we will lead the way. The often said mantra of leaving the jersey in a better place can not be just words. Everyone who pulls on the jersey has a duty to do so. We've failed in that. Already decisions have been made that the women's team will have access to the exact same facilities as the men's. We've already secured a new Head Coach for the women's team with Sir Clyde Woodward being welcomed back to the Honeybadger fold. Men and Women's teams will also when it makes sense train together and even share coaches for specialist parts of the game. A time will come when we will lift both trophies at the same year."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 19, 2022, 12:17:45 AM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.munich.travel/var/ger_muc/storage/images/_aliases/teaser_medium/3/4/7/5/265743-1-ger-DE/film-schloss-03-foto-redline-enterprises-sm-3000.jpg)

HISTORIC JUSTICE TREATY FINALISED

Moments ago King David signed what is hoped will be a significant international treaty. The Historic Justice Treaty seeks to create a system by which those nations who have in living memory experienced what could be considered crimes against humanity with the perpatrators escaping justice. The treaty was inspired following criticisms of the Commonwealth of the Unified Iwi's attempts at bringing former Seleucid military officers to justice. This criticism saw Rokkenjima actively patrol parts of the Kyne near the Commonwealth to monitor the Maori's naval activity. It is hoped that this new treaty may ensure that the Commonwealth now feel supported in their actions to bring the perpatrators of the killings during the Seleucid occupation to justice. Speaking at the signing at Northfort Palace the King explained the Treaty.

"The Treaty intends to make the whole process from investigation to punishment a multi-national one if required. Nothing in this treaty stops a nation from utilising their own systems to bring people to justice but it does ensure that they will receive support in doing so now.  A specialist investigative centre set up to mirror the work of the Otikoro Muhali Foundation that have brought several of the Seleucid perpetrators of the killings in the Iwi has been agreed. In fact Otikoro Muhali himself shall help establish this multi-international, multi-disciplinary organisation. Once we have evidence in place a Panel will try and secure the extradition of the accused to either the nation in which their alleged crimes took place or if that is impossible to the Treaties own system.  This Panel will be able to suggest the utilisation of diplomatic, legal and economic paths to try and secure that extradition. Finally once securely in custody a fair court system will determine the individuals innocence or guilt and if required any sentence will likely take place in East Moreland. The whole process is designed to make it more likely nations will permit such trials and proceedings to take place. It is my sincere hope that now this treaty will go from strength to strength and become a cornerstone of righting wrongs."

It is likely that in the next few hours Chistopol, Nya Aland, The Commonwealth of the Iwi and Cassiopeia will also sign the Treaty. The people of Chistopol suffered years of occupation at the hands of Soviet troops from Rodina and Kaitaine. Even their current monarch King Karlis fought against the horrors that were taking place against his people. The years of occupation by the Seleucid in the Commonwealth brought about millions of deaths and injuries that have still left their mark on the world. Meanwhile Nya Aland are likely to use the treaty to target members of the Gungnir who targetted Christians. Cassiopeia have already stated a desire to find and bring to justice rouge members of their military who in 2007 formed a junta that ruled the nation with an iron hand until 2017.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 20, 2022, 10:34:06 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://d1ldvf68ux039x.cloudfront.net/thumbs/photos/1704/3286771/1000w_q95.jpg)

OSTLAKE GAMES ENDS WITH OVERSEAS WINNER

The 2022 Ostlake Games have ended with the overall champion being crowned as Nya Aland. The team from Albion narrowly finished ahead of Pegasus Legion following the Nya Aland team finishing the final event, The Women's Great Ostlake Challenge, just 2.4 seconds faster than Pegasus Legion. The Great Ostlake Challenge is a team event where each leg is added together to give a final time. One person swims 10km in Ostlake, another completes a 15km Combat run and the final member cycles around the Lake, a distance of around 110km. Each person then fires at 10 targets 50 meters away with the EMRAC-10 within one minute of them finishing their event. Each missed shot adds 2 seconds to the time. The hard fought week long of events, both military and sporting in nature, was developed as a way of promoting inter-service rivalry between the various parts of East Moreland's armed forces however for almost the last decade teams from overseas have been invited each year. This year though marks the first time the Ostlake Trophy has gone overseas a fact not lost on King David. "We've been beaten on our own turf at our own game. Its not however as bad as it sounds. The Alanders are an excellent military nation with a rich warrior legacy. The Alanders had the whole of their military to pick a team from whereas our teams come from much narrower fields. I'm surprised its taken so long for a foreign guest to win but well done to them. It will mean we'll have to invite them back to gain our Trophy back but the Alanders are always welcome here."

The Women's Ostlake Challenge though did throw up a controversial moment. Mundus Games legend Daisy Greechan competed in the event for the Navy having already at the games won a gold for the Navy in the 5km Open Water Swim. Her time of 1hr 56 minutes 33 seconds which was 10 seconds faster than the qualifying time required for the Mundus Games. Naturally this sparked rumours that the Naval officer would perhaps come out of retirement however even before the Freestone native could say whether she could be tempted it was confirmed by the Mundus Games Committee that the time would not be recognised. A spokesman for the Games said "The qualification of times for the Games must be completed at a recognised and sanctioned event. The Ostlake Games is not such an event and as such Daisy Greechan has yet to qualify for the Games. There are still a handful of such events before the Games but sadly this was not one of them."

The organisers of the games, the Armed Forces Sports and Social Club (AFSSC) says that they are considering pushing for the Games Committee to in future recognise the Ostlake Games as a event that can produce qualification. As their Chairman Squadron Leader (Rtd) Andrew Finbar explained. "We see no reason why this could not become a qualification event similar to the national championships in various events. The standard of competition in events like Cross Country and the Marathon is high and we follow the regulations put down by governing bodies. We have just seen one of Mundus greatest athletes beat the qualification standard and she will be denied a place at the Games if she wished to go. In East Moreland the Armed Forces play a crucial role in sport and the participation in sporting events is encouraged for those who make a career out of the Armed Forces. I see no reason why we shouldn't be able to make it a pathway to qualification." Another Mundus Games legend, Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside also competed in the Games finishing first in the 15km Cross Country but outside a time to qualify for the Mundus Games. She also represented the Air Force in the canine agility course with her Husky security K9 Bandit, the pair finished third. Speaking after the Games the King's niece said. "If I'm being honest I had more fun in the dog handling than I did in the Cross Country. The second they make K9 agility a Mundus Games event I'm there."

The Games finished with the two traditional balls, one at Ostlake North and one at Ostlake South. The balls as always are attended by the King and other members of the Royal Family. The King first attended the ball at Ostlake North which is reserved for NCO's. There he began the traditional dancing with an Alander Private by the name of Melinda Westbork who had finished 1st in the Women's Triathlon. The King then travelled by the new Ost Class prototype to the South side of the Lake where he spent the rest of the evening at the Officers Ball with his wife Queen Stasya. The King has for the last two years competed in the Legionnaire Legacy events at the Games however following his back surgery he was deemed to not qualify for the events. The King said "I'm sad to think my Games career is over but on the other hand its great to think that other veterans can now get the same help. I in someways hope to one day see the Legionnaire Legacy Games no longer needed but I'm proud of those who have competed." 

Around 500,000 spectators turned out to see various events at Ostlake providing a welcome boost for the economy of the local leisure industry.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 25, 2022, 11:52:46 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/935614046974132265/990380191975092246/unknown.png)

IRONSIDE FAMILY TO FUND HCIC PLACEMENTS

It was announced today that the King and the rest of the Ironside family will make an annual donation to the newly created Historic Crimes Investigation Centre which is to be ring-fenced to create placements for young lawyers. Making the announcement following the signing of the treaty by Princess Anfisa of Lodja and King Finley of Ui Cenneslaig, as well as a statement of intent from President Feish of New Derusima the King made the following announcement. "It is vital this centre gets up and running as soon as possible. One of the potential issues could be ensuring we have enough staff and investigators to make it work. As a result I think we have a wonderful oppurtunity to help the Centre grow and empower some resourceful young people to make a difference. As a result each year the Ironside family will contribute funds to pay for fifteen law graduates to spend three years working for the HCIC. We will ensure that any law graduate from across Mundus can apply and stand a chance of being accepted if the Director-General believes they are the best equipped to contribute to the Centre. This is a fantastic opportunity for a young, recently qualified lawyer to get real life experience in building cases and maybe even prosecuting them. It will also ensure representation from as many nations as possible."

Meanwhile the 4th Battalion of the Royal Military Police have begun preparations for any future requirements of the Treaty. Speaking to the media following a tour of the wing that will be utilised for the Treaty the Battalions commander, Lt-Col Peters said, "Members of the Royal Military Police have always guarded the military prison here in Northfort. Generally all the Battalions of the Military Police take it in turns, we will though be removed from this duty and be custodians of what may become a very unique set up. I would like to think home nations will have the chance to ensure justice is done but I suspect that will not be the case or the King wouldn't have created this treaty. If extraditions to victim nations doesn't happen then I hope we get very busy." The facility features several single person cells, an exercise yard, communal recreation room and direct access to the execution chamber. Currently 217 prisoners are kept at the Barracks with a variety of sentences ranging from a Pegasus Legion Corporal serving three days for shaving Duke Legions mascot Ram to Borland terrorist James Clusky who is serving a life sentence on the high security wing. Clusky was sentenced in 2014 for his role in the Freestone Missile Attacks and was originally sentenced to death however following severe international pressure a relatively recently crowned King David commuted the sentence. The King has since said this is something he regretted having "prioritised East Moreland's blossoming international reputation over that of true justice." Following the decision of the King to commute the sentence he has vowed to never do so again and a total of five Borlanders have been executed during his reign.

It is hoped that with the King having an "Open House" for people to come and sign the Treaty as well as offering to meet with any representative will see many more nations sign the Treaty in the coming days.



(https://e0.365dm.com/17/11/768x432/skysports-ruan-ackermann-gloucester-rugby-union_4158802.jpg?20171117221802)

HONEYBADGERS TAKE ON THREE

Tickets went on sale today for a unique rugby match at the King Robert Arena next weekend. The world champions, East Moreland, will play three teams in one day in order to raise funds for various charities including the Global Childbirth Initiative and MSP Genetic Disorders. The match will be unique in that it will be played in thirds rather than halves and last 75 minutes rather than 80. The Honeybadgers will play the first third against a team from the Unified Iwi before then taking on Lodja and finally Ui Cenneslaig. While the opposition team will be limited to a maximum of three substitutes each third, with exceptions made for injuries, the Honeybadgers will be able to utilise roll on, roll off substitutions from a squad of 25 players. The match has been dubbed the CNN World Champion Challenge and tickets sold out in just over an hour with a capacity of 87,000.

Honeybadgers Head Coach Graham Roundtree has said, "This will be a great way of celebrating the world cup win while also raising some important funds for good causes. We've a lot of players who have come through the military sporting system and have worked with the CNN allies of ours and friendly sporting rivalries are the foundation of that alliance. I'm sure this will be a great spectacle for fans and a lovely way to bring the curtain down on a successful season."

Fans attending the game will also be able to watch the East Moreland women's team coached for the first time by Sir Clyde Woodward as they take on a CNN XV.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on July 23, 2022, 10:24:26 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/05/24/14/40BE583F00000578-4536602-image-m-101_1495631384114.jpg)

QUEEN STASYA SCHOOL TARGETTED

Today a bomb exploded inside the Queen Stasya School in Northfort (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=150.msg16577#msg16577). The school was opened in 2020 and was the first faith school to be operated by the Sisterhood of Helus. The school was unoccupied at the time however it has been confirmed that students will not be able to attend classes for several weeks as the site is made safe. Members of the Rapid Reaction Force were on the scene quickly and an extra prescence of the army was visible on the streets of Northfort throughout the rest of the day. As of yet the attack has been unclaimed however many have speculated that it could have been targeted because of the Sisterhood's stance on the faith of the Cult of Helus. The Sisterhood is estimated to have just over a million followers in East Moreland with Queen Stasya being perhaps the leading follower of the faith. The Sisterhood's leader is self proclaimed High Priestess Jinny Denman who released a statement a few hours after the explosion. "We are thankful that no one has been injured or hurt. This disaster could have murdered several innocent children had it gone off during classes. It is sad to think that we may have been targeted because of our faith. We have always experienced odd looks, muttered words and condemnation from some in society but we have never hurt anyone or provoked such an attack." Denman did however say that she would be requesting the security services provide extra security at the faiths three other schools.

Prime Minister Henrietta Quinn visited the scene after it had been declared safe and said, "East Moreland prides itself on welcoming people from across Mundus of all faiths and none. To think a faith school here could be targeted because of what it stands for is a sad feeling. Rest assured we will put in place the strongest possible steps that protect our children and allow them to access an education." The Queen is also said to have asked the King to ensure the safety of the schools in the last two weeks of term before the summer.

East Moreland is no stranger to terrorist incidents with the Borland Seperatists having carried out a range of attacks throughout the Kingdoms history with the most lethal being a missile strike on the city of Freestone which killed 19 students, three teachers and a further 22 people when they hit a school. While people are speculating a religious motivation the Security Services have not ruled out an attack by the Borlanders.



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on July 29, 2022, 10:14:20 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://media.2oceansvibe.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/5c0a386a6579459f9e61a24d754eee84.jpg)

NORTHFORT STREET BATTLE

The final day of the East Moreland school year has been marred by a shoot out between suspected terrorists and members of the East Moreland military close to the school run by the Sisterhood of Helus seeing two deaths. The Queen Stasya school was earlier in the week targeted by a bomb attack and security had been increased across the capital at a variety of potential targets. As parents came to pick up their children a member of the Royal Rifle Regiment assisting the Police noticed two individuals acting suspiciously. As the soldier approached to investigate he noticed one of the individuals had a rifle and the pair exchanged gun fire. Members of the Police, supported by other soldiers in the Rifle Regiment returned fire in support of their comrade and the students who were about to exit the school were ushered back into the school building. After five minutes of exchanging fire members of the Rapid Reaction Force arrived on the scene and a Red Legion marksman removed the threat. Both gunmen were killed and their identities are currently being investigated. The attack marks the second attack on the Sisterhood of Helus this week both at the school. So far no group has taken credit for the attacks. Minister of Defence, Sir Harry Samuelson, spoke about the attack saying "Clearly I am awaiting the results of on-going intelligence investigations. Rest assured steps will be taken to ensure the safety of both our streets and our schools. We will be increasing the amount of military patrols in the coming days and while students now have five weeks at home we will still be maintaining security around school sites, especially those used by the Sisterhood. Many schools are used during the summer holidays and we will do our best to ensure those activities are able to run in a safe way for our children."



(https://www.theolivepress.es/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/powerful-women-leonor-princess.jpg?mrf-size=m)

PRINCESS LEAVES FOR LODJA

Following an agreement with members of the CNN nine year old Princess Rhiannon will be spending a large part of the summer visiting nations in the organisation. The first of those to be visited will be Lodja. The Princess will be travelling with various tutors including Sir Charles Townshend who has been teaching her swordsmanship, she will also be joined on the Lodjain leg of her journey by Queen Stasya who will be hosting the annual Pelagiya family ball. The Lodjain nobility host a series of balls over the summer intended to promote connections between families and often includes making arranged marriages between them. Rhiannon, while too young to be attending the balls fully, will be joining the Pelagiya's for the ball along with her nine year old friend Evie who is the adopted daughter of Princess Freya and her husband Alex Redfern. The Princess will travel from there to the Commonwealth of the Iwi before concluding the CNN part of the tour with a trip to Ui Cenneslaig. Princess Rhiannon will also likely visit Bakkermaya on her tour before returning home.

ROyal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker will be accompanying the Princess and has said, "This kind of tour is important for many reasons. His Majesty King David believes tha when he came to the throne he lacked any deep knowledge of other nations and had no real experience of life outside East Moreland. He is determined that in the time between now and a long point in the future Rhiannon, and Llewellyn, will get to see a great deal of Mundus. While this tour will see the Princess in view of the media more than usual we would still request that the media keep a respectful distance from her and Evie allowing them to enjoy this unique opportunity." 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 03, 2022, 10:13:17 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i2.res.24o.it/images2010/2022/03/AE2qRTHB/images/b82dd592-9a5b-11ec-a620-ed1108022823-fotohome0.jpg)

ALPINE CADRE RECOVER "BOMB CACHE"

The Ministry of Defence have today confirmed that the Alpine Cadre yesterday conducted an operation to recover a variety of materials that could be described as bombs. The operation came in the area around Keepton and according to Minister of Defence, Sir Harry Samuelson, required "the specialist skills of the mountain based troops of the Alpine Cadre. Following a successful operation a variety of materials that could have been used to manufacture a bomb have been recovered. This operation came as a result on intelligence gathered connected to the recent attacks on schools connected to the Sisterhood of Helus." The Minister went on to say, "There was no suspect recovered and the site appears to have been a rather crudely camoflagued cave. We made the decision to seize the cache as we were unable to determine as to whether there were other entries possible to the cache."

In regards to the recent attacks Sir Harry also confirmed that the self proclaimed High Priestess of the Sisterhood, Jinny Denman, would now be given "special protection similar to High Priestess Skye Maddix." he also announced that "while the schools are now to be shut for the summer holidays we will be ensuring that a security detail is assigned to each of the Sisterhood's six schools across the nation. A wide ranging security sweep of them will be undertaken before students return in early September. To date no one has claimed responsibility for the attacks. The King is also believed to have asked for increased security for Queen Stasya who is perhaps the most well known follower of the Sisterhood's version of Helus veneration. The Queen is currently in Lodja accompanying Princess Rhiannon who is on a cultural visit to the Queendom.


(https://www.autocar.co.uk/sites/autocar.co.uk/files/images/car-reviews/first-drives/legacy/28_bloodhound_lsr_charlie_sperringc_imgl6081_1.jpg)

SSC HONEYBADGER COMPLETES "STEP ONE"

Early this morning in Lijiang the SSC Honeybadger team completed the first of several runs they plan to take on the salt plains of the South East of the Lijaing plains. With Rachel Dixon in the driving seat the car completed two runs that the EMAC team described as "a gentle nudge at the world land speed record." Dixon took the car up to what she called a "comfortable" speed and then having turned to come back in the reverse direction she "gave the car more boot". The two runs had an average of 523.2mph which means it now holds the Womens Land Speed Record which stood previously at 522.8 mph. The news was greeted with only muted celebrations however by the EMAC team living in a series of large camper vans on the edge of the plains. Sir Alan Maybury was on the scene and described it as a "satisfying day of work. We set out to try and push a little more out of the car, we know this takes time and we had three ambitions when we left East Moreland. The first was to set a new Women's record, we knew that was achievable as we already hold the overall record at 776 mph. The real work starts now. The record we set today will fall again and again until we get things finely tuned and before long we'll make a play at the 777mph mark meaning Rachel will hold both the overall land speed record and the womens. It is that ambition that is the second of our ambitions. The final one is that we can hit 800mph. That 23 mph may not sound much but actually at the speeds were talking about getting just a few mph more takes the successful combination of variables."

Following the run Rachel Dixon was part of the EMAC press conference and said "The car felt really smooth, we had no vibrations, we had no odd sounds. It felt tight and I was tempted to give it a bit more power but that wasn't what we'd planned. We're now on schedule to have several more runs next week depending on the weather. If the weather Gods are kind then hopefully by next weekend we'll have achieved step two of our plan."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 15, 2022, 11:50:21 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/1008860233340305468/unknown.png)

EMAC CREATE "SILO AIRCRAFT"

In 2917 the CNN co-operated to make the Land Portable Vertical Launch System, a canister similar to the Vertical Launch System on military ships that was capable of launching up to four precision guided missiles distances of up to 100km. EMAC have since been developing a version that could provide a rather unique capability to the Royal East Moreland Air Force. What is being called a "Silo Aircraft" has begun development and two tests have already been carried out in secret as Sir Alan Maybury revealed. "Over the last 12 months we've scaled up the size of the LPVLS slightly so it can now accommodate cruise missiles. We've also switched the way it is loaded. While the missile comes out vertically upwards on the LPVLS the Silo Aircraft will come out downwards. The concept is actually pretty simple. A standard cargo aircraft will load a series of these on its motorised pallet loadway. When required it will lower its back door and start the deployment of pallets just as it would if it were dropping say a Landrover or an ammunition drop. The pallet falls out the back and a parachute opens, the pallet itself falls away and then in succession up to four cruise missiles can be launched. They free fall before utilising their onboard engines to resume to target." The system has so far been tested with missiles simply falling to earth without a fire in mid air as Sir Alan explains, "We are still working on the communication between aircraft, computers, canister and missile so at present we are simply having the missile, or giant block of missile shaped wood, fall out and fall to ground on a parachute. It is our hope to show a missile launch in mid-air and strike a target by the end of the year."

The development has so far been tested on the C-18 Munduslifter aircraft which would allow a grand total of 45 missiles, which is 25 more than the B-52 bomber utilised in some nations. If successful it could transform the Munduslifter into potentially one of the largest capacity strike aircraft on Mundus. The aircraft would be able to stay outside enemy air-defences thanks to the potential 1,900km range of the missiles. Sir Alan explained further capabilities saying. "It would be our idea though that you would not need all 45 missiles in one go. We are therefore developing a Decoy Missile. It would drop in the canister and launch possibly hundreds of small drone type devices that would do nothing more than create signatures on radar. We believe we could potentially see a large missile strike create up to 1,000 potential tracks on an enemies radar thus improving chances of overcoming enemy air-defences. If we can crack the technology then we have some interesting potential plans." It is thought the Navy have also an interest in the system as it could potentially be used for precision dropping of mines or deployment of drones.

Sir Harry Samuelson, the nations Minister of Defence is looking forward to the results of the project saying, "The system of the Silo Aircraft could do two things of great benefit. It could add a real tool to our militaries kit, something capable of being a threat to sophisticated air defence systems. The second is its now cost. It requires no new aircraft, no new modifications, you're basically throwing a pallet out the back door. I understand its more complex than that in terms of target programming, guidance and the like but that's why Sir Alan and his team are so respected for what they do. They make difficult jobs seem simple."



(http://www.zwemza.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Bronte-Campbell16C.jpg)

GREECHAN GETS GOLD

Its a headline we've seen many times in East Moreland's sporting history. The Greechan family have today continued their legacy as being elite level swimmers when 19 year old Maisie Greechan-Clay took the countries first gold of the 2022 Mundus Games. The cousin of sporting legend Daisy Greechan came in first in the 50m Freestyle earning her the 5th Mundus Games medal of her career. She now need just another 12 to equal her cousins record. Speaking following her medal ceremony Greechan-Clay said, "I've some of the longer distance events coming up so I have three more chances to medal and then a relay. I'm looking forward to the competition and can't wait to get back in the pool. I think we've a good chance of bringing home a decent haul of medals this year." Having just finished her first year at Portworth University studying Forensic Sciences she has explained that she is likely to follow in her cousins footsteps career wise. "Universities in East Moreland are a hot-bed of sport so naturally I'll stay competing there for the time being. Once I reach the end of that though the best way to get support to compete is in the military. I'm considering the same path as Daisy as it certainly helped her stay on top in a very competitive event. Its a problem to think of in the future though."

So far East Morleand have three medals. In addition to Greechan-Clay's gold her club mate Sara Faulds won silver in the 100m Freestyle and the training partner of Daisy Greechan, Tamsin Whittaker brought home the Bronze in the 50m Butterfly. 

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 23, 2022, 12:05:37 AM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://themalestrom.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Eddie-Arnold-weight.jpg)

MORELANDER LIFTS GOLD

Royal Engineer Sergeant Edward Hall took gold in the Men's 105kg+ weightlifting in the Azavrelia. The East Moreland strong-man capped a good day for the Morelanders in the weighlifting which saw strength athletes take five medals in the eight avaliable weight categories. Speaking after his victory the 34 year old suggested that this will be his final Mundus Games. With two other medals under his belt he said, "I think weightlifting is the toughest sport in the games. The daily strain we put on every part of our body and the discipline needed is incredible. I'm not sure after 20 years of involvement in the sport I can continue to keep this going. It has a long term impact on health and I think its time to start to take more care of myself. Me and the wife will sit down in the coming days and discuss whether I'll be here in 2023. Even if I'm not here as a competitor I'd still like to be involved as a coach or waterboy."

Five more gold medals have been added to the East Moreland tally. The first of those came in the Mens 50meter rifle shooting when 21 year old Richard Winchester took the medal. The Keepton University student is captain of the Universities shooting team and splits his time between the rifle range and studying a degree in Chemical Engineering. Shooting success is somewhat of a family trait as his brother Greg serves in Duke Legion and took gold medals in two of the Ostlake Game shooting disciplines. Edward Hall's weightlifting success was emulated by first Sarah Rodgers who took gold in the Womens 63 kg category with her Silverhills Iron Family team-mate Claire Procter taking the title in the 75kg category. Royal Army Nursing Corps officer Captain Jane Wesley took the gold in the Trap shooting following on from her father winning a shooting medal in the 2017 games before retiring from competition. Family success continued when Maisie Greechan-Clay took her 2nd gold medal of the games as part of the 4x100 m Freestyle team. She was joined by Tammy Baker, Amanda Rimmer and Debbie Holister. GReechan-Clay had earlier added to her medal tally by taking a Bronze in the 800m Freestyle taking her games total to seven.

There was also a notable spectator at the games as young 17 year old Will Quigley won a silver in the Mens Freestyle Skateboarding. Former Chief Councillor Tim Carpenter was in the crowd. Carpenter set up the Freestone Skate Cadets (FSC) in 2019 as a project to help provide youth activities to people in his home town and Quigley was one of the first Youth Instructors to take up the call. Speaking after the medal ceremony Quigley said, "I think the work we've done with the FSC back home will see a lot more of us from East Moreland get here. I hope so anyway, we've some cracking young kids under the age of 10 that I think in the next four or five years could do much better than me. The projects been a lot of fun." A beaming Tim Carpenter praised Quigley saying, "Not only does Will turn up and train hard he stays well beyond what he needs to and helps others. Its not uncommon to see him spending hours with our mini-skaters, those aged 10 or less, helping them out. I know everyone back home will be excited to welcome our hero home and see his medal."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 07, 2022, 07:41:01 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/74875211b0b431f1f61433994e1e24b322cfc7c9/0_43_5568_3341/master/5568.jpg?width=1200&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=dd0e4b03a7d2d1cdf18983b9412dbec9)

SCHOOLS HAVE UNEASY RETURN

Schools across the Kingdom of East Moreland have today returned to the classrooms with a massive security operation proceeding the return. When schools broke up for the summer break the Queen Stasya School run by the Sisterhood of Helus in Northfort experienced attacks by as of yet unknown terrorists. Over the summer various raids uncovered several caches of explosives the same as those used in one of the attacks. Today as youngsters headed to school many were given staggered start times to allow explosive sniffer dogs to check the buildings, in addition members of the police and the military mounted patrols as students entered the school. There were no reported incidents however parents are concerned about the situation moving forward. One parent at a secondary school in Northfort said "Its great that the authorities have done a lot to ensure our children get to school safely but we all know this can't happen everyday and it shouldn't. Children shouldn't have to grow up seeing soldiers escorting them to school. We need to find who is responsible and bring them to justice."

The Ministry of Defence refused to comment on any long term measures that would be in place regarding school security. The Ministry of Education meanwhile said, "Education is vitally important. That is something King David has said many times and has been involved in global projects to promote it. We will ensure every student can safely access a world class education."



 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 10, 2022, 06:44:00 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1009164913974984825/1018208197804302367/unknown.png)

SWORD OF PRINCE LLEWELLYN TO GO ON DISPLAY

It was announced from the Palace today that the Royal Blacksmith, Maxwell Power, has completed the first sword for Prince Llewellyn and that for the next three months it will be on display in the Museum of Blades in Northfort. It is a royal tradition that on a Prince or Princesses first birthday their sword is presented to them however they may not formally wear it in public until such a time as they are permitted a sword ceremony. The sword can be of any design however on this occasion the Royal Blacksmith has fashioned a traditional Hunting Sword. Speaking as it was delivered to the museum Mr.Power stated "Its kind of an unwritten tradition that the swords carried by the Royal Family are varied, King David for example has a heavy cavalry sword (https://auction.gorringes.co.uk/Full/394/10504394.jpg) while Princess Freya has a sabre (https://www.michaeldlong.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/P59676.jpg). No member of the Royal Family has carried a hunting sword for over 150 years so I thought it was an interesting style to bring back." The sword has a bone handle and has a gold inlaid pattern upon the blade. It is designed for use one handed.

The Museum of Blades holds over 1000 swords that have a significant connection to the nations history including replicas of historic and theatrical blades. The Museum also houses any swords gifted to the King including a recently gifted blade from Lijiang in the traditional Lijiangian style. The museum is located in Northfort and is free to visit between the hours of 9am and 6pm Monday-Saturday.


(https://www.rjontour.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Oberlandesgericht.jpg)

"NEW IRONSIDE" JOINS FAMILY

A court in Aldfield today have approved the adoption of Evie Redfern. The nine year old was a refugee from Mavrosia who was rescued by Major Alex Redfern and initially made his ward following problems caused by separation anxiety. The girl has been raised by a combination of firstly Alex Redfern and his father a retired miner from Keepton. Soon though Princess Freya was also involved due to her relationship and then marriage to Alex Redfern. Initially courts had been unsure how the military career of both parties would ensure a stable home environment however following various monitoring visits by Child Support Services and various other agencies it was today determined that there is no reason why the girl can not be officially adopted. The court said that it was satisfied that with "extensive family networks capable of utilising sufficient resources there is no reason to doubt that Evie will be given every opportunity a young girl in East Moreland should have. We are therefore happy to make the existing arrangement for Evie's care permanent and we wish her and her new family every happiness."

Princess Freya has acted as the childs mother for the past few years and as such King David approved the use of the Ironside name for Evie who in effect has become the cousin of Princess Rhiannon. In a statement from Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker the Palace said, "For the past few years Evie has been part of our family in all but name. Princess Freya has been a fantastic mother figure and as such Evie has become part of the Ironside household, as such His Majesty the King see's no reason why, as with many blended families across East Moreland, that Evie should not share the name of her adoptive mother. The King is proud to have Evie as his niece in an official capacity."

Prime Minister Henrietta Quinn sent her congratulations saying "I have been lucky enough to meet Evie on several occasions. She has been through so much considering her young age. Losing her parents in Mavrosia, an evacuation, being lost at sea and then stranded with Alex and two other refugees. I am happy to think that like so many other Mavrosian refugees she has found a safe and happy home here in East Moreland."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 20, 2022, 11:01:42 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1009164913974984825/1021869882066866229/unknown.png)

KING VISITS TEN SCHOOLS IN A DAY

King David has today visited schools throughout the city of Northfort. The visits were unannounced to even the schools and the King apologised for disruption caused to the staff. The King said the visits were necessary "Over the last two weeks we have seen schools in East Moreland have an average attendance of just over 90%, this is far too low. I have always put a great emphasis on education as it is vital for the development of our children. Students need to be in school and we must do what we can to encourage that." Attendance has largely been down due to many parents being nervous of schools having been targetted in a recent run of terrorist attacks largely focused on schools run by the Sisterhood of Helus.

The King began the first visit at the breakfast club of Mill-Haven Primary School where he enjoyed breakfast with students and staff while playing board games. From there the King visited several secondary schools where he dropped into lessons and at one took part in a game of tag rugby. He finished the day off at the Northfort Boys Academy where he was a student in his youth. There the King attended a History lesson before joining the Academies Air Cadet unit for rifle drill. Following the visits the King explained that he hoped the visits would reassure parents. "I send my daughter to school everyday confident that everything is being done to ensure that her and all her classmates are safe. None of these visits today where pre-planned and I'm sorry if I've disrupted the day of the students. I think though it was vital to send a message. East Moreland schools are safe and we shall keep it that way."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 28, 2022, 10:34:31 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1009164913974984825/1024770417031921664/unknown.png)

QUEEN STARS HONEYBADGER DAY PARTY EARLY

While the rest of East Moreland woke up ready to begin celebrations for Honeybadger Day for Queen Stasya it seems more a case of continuing from the night before. The day marks the date when in 1790 King Sven I introduced the Honeybadger to the Kingdom after seeing one from Kermah. He believed the animal was the epitime of what a good Morelander should be and now every year on the anniversary the nation holds a celebration that is in effect a celebration of being a Morelander. While many waited until Wednesday morning to take advantage of the national holiday Queen Stasya was filmed partying with staff from her fashion label in Silverhills. The Queen though had by 9am made her way to Northfort and appeared to be no worse for wear as she joined her husband, King David, and the rest of the Ironside family for a breakfast picnic on the Palace lawns joined by several hundred families connected to good causes supported by the Royal Family.

During the day streets across the nation closed to allow huge parties to take place and People's Park in Northfort saw the traditional free music concert begin. Around 87,000 people were given tickets via charities involved, while the tickets were free those attending were invited to make a donation in place of an entry fee. One of those charities this year is the Visionary, a charity designed to support children in need of specialist aids for sight related conditions. Their CEO is Grace Parker who said, "Every year the music festival here gets us a large amount of donations. Its brilliant to see such a celebration have a huge positive impact." The concert was headlined by Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls which was introduced by Princess Freya and her adopted daughter Evie.

The Royal Family in the evening hosted a private function within the Palace which according to Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker was "for friends and relations of the Ironside family. Honeybadger Day is supposed to be a day of celebration for all Morelanders and the King and his family also like to enjoy the day especially while with Princess Rhiannon, Prince Llewellyn and Evie are so young. For the Ironsides the day is about letting their hair down too and enjoying being a Morelander." It is understood around 400 guests attended ranging from King David's former military comrades to Archduchess Sophie's sporting friends.

East Moreland soldiers on exercise in Nya Aland also celebrated by hosting a BBQ for their hosts and then enjoying a beach party at the Red Base training area. A spokesman for the unit said, "Even if we're not in East Moreland we're going to kick back with a nice piece of venison and a beer and celebrate the mighty Stoffel. The Alanders have taken good care of us while we're here and it was nice to invite them to enjoy traditional Morelander food and music while relaxing after a hard week of training."

The children's cartoon character "Stoffel" was also enjoying the day with the release of the first fully animated movie of the "Adventures of Stoffel" opening at cinemas. Shows sold out as parents took their children. While reciepts are still being counted it is expected to break records for the largest ticket sales for an animated films debut in East Moreland. The film see's Stoffel visit Northfort Palace on a school field trip and during his visit someone steals the King's crown which leads to Stoffel and his animal friends becoming detective. The film features a voice cameo of Princess Rhiannon as Princess Bunny. The Princess picked a Bunny for the character as it was the favourite animal of her Neu Urburzis friend Prince Augustin. A spokesman for the film said, "We know the Princess is a fan of the cartoon. The Stoffel cartoons are supposed to be fun, educational and reflect life in East Moreland. We've always mentioned the Royal Family in the cartoons but never actually showed them. We wrote to the Ironsides asking if any of them wanted to be involved and King David replied that we are his daughters favourite TV show and she was desperate to get involved. It was wonderful to have her do the 2 minute or so voice over and she picked the animal she wanted the family to be."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 12, 2022, 08:09:50 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/B9CA/production/_127026574_minibrain.png.webp)

LAB GROWN "BRAIN" PLAYS PONG

OsmanTech have today announced that they have completed tests that have seen them produce a "micro-brain" and have shown that it is capable of processing information. The scientists involved are lead by Dr. Thomas Campbell who said, "We have been discussing whether this is actually sentinent in the traditional sense, what is clear though is that we have shown that we can use the micro-brain to take in information from an external source, process it and then respond in real time." OsmanTech had been attempting to grow "micro-brains" in order to study microcephaly, a genetic disorder where the brain is too small. Live specimens of microcephaly are rare in research and the ability to effectively grow them in a lab holds a much greater promise of making a break through. The team have been taking cells from mouse embryos and growing them in labs until they reach a collection of just under 1million cells, a typical human brain contains an estimated 86billion cells. Dr. Campbell and his team have connected their latest brain to a version of the 1970's video game Pong. "We connected this mini-brain to the video game via electrodes revealing which side the ball was on and how far from the paddle in response the cells produced electrical activity of their own. The cells expended less energy as the game continued but when the ball passed a paddle and the game restarted with the ball at a random point, they expended more recalibrating to a new unpredictable situation.  It seemed apparent that the the mini-brain learned to play in five minutes and while it often missed the ball its success rate was well above random chance."

While the main purpose of these tests is to explore medical conditions like microcephaly the grown brains can also be used to conduct research into many other aspects of the brain. Dr. Campbell is about to begin work into Alzheimers whereas one of the other members of his team is about to begin work on the impact of alcohol on the way the brain works. The news has drawn criticism of some though saying that it is unethical as there is no way of establishing at the moment whether the brain is self aware. In addition some say the process of growing organs such as the brain is against the will of Helus.



(https://i2-prod.football.london/incoming/article24400142.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/1_CDK.jpg)

ODD DAY OF FOOTBALL ACTIVITY

East Moreland football supporters were left puzzled by some quick fire transfers today that have left people scratching their heads. At 9am this morning EMAC Freestone F.C announced that they had completed the signing of 21 year old Aland whizz kid Tor Eklund. Fans of Freestone were shocked by the news as the midfield playmaker has been a raising star for Krokom IFK, former Mundus Champions League winners. Seemingly Eklund had taken a large step down to join Freestone with most of the East Moreland league being semi-professional. A reported $50million transfer fee had been paid for the youngster setting a record for a transfer involving an East Moreland club.

Even before the ink had dried however Eklund was already on the move within two hours it had been announced that he would be joining EMAC Albrektberg in Jugland for the next two seasons on loan. The move will see the Albrektberg club pick up half the players wages during this period. Many believe this may be done to try and ensure that clubs are well within governing body financial rules and a first example of EMAC operating as a single club with many outlets. This is the first time a player has moved between EMAC owned teams. Currently EMAC operate sports clubs in East Moreland, Bakkermaya, Lijiang and Jugland, and while in Jugland football is the dominant sport of the club it offers a wide range of activities. 

Eklund has already begun featuring on promotional material for EMAC with his image being on an internet advert for EMAC Airlines.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 14, 2022, 08:00:45 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://images-ext-1.discordapp.net/external/nfQJI1VW6T97N-BTyoQCWaWS3rTmh5VmS5MRWbD4uMA/https/img.republicworld.com/republic-prod/stories/promolarge/xhdpi/udzfe6t8pcmfmdye_1653057567.jpeg)

SMARTWAR ENTER SPACE PROGRAMME

At the highly secure SmartWar "Playground" in North East of East Moreland a new large circular structure has been constructed over the last few months. Today press were invited to come and see what had been happening. The small campus of "Smartville" was established by Martin Dawson, SmartWar's CEO, in 2020 and has been used to establish obstacle courses for ground based semi autonomous vehicles as well as being used for several live fire exercises. The campus houses a maximum of 500 workers in University style accomodation as well as featuring several lesuire facilities. The new construction sits atop one of the hills in the area and is visible above the forest. Mr.Dawson meet the press to show them what they are calling the "Space Canon". As journalists are taken in for a briefing the projects co-ordinator, Professor Jo West, explains the concept. "We are aiming to try and produce an environmentally friendly and low cost alternative to launching objects into space. A team of us had been playing around with the idea of using a much smaller version of what your about to see as a way of launching hypersonic missiles. While we think that isn't practical at the moment we realised we could perhaps upscale and repurpose. The concept is to turn centrafugal force into an ability to put objects into low orbit and then potentially in future aim even higher. An electric drive spins our launch vehicle at an acceleration of some 10,000g. Once up to speed it is effectively fired up a chute where we aim for it to reach at least 7,500 kph and a height of around 60km the vehicle would fire rockets and enter an appropriate orbit. We estimate if successful a single space launch could cost under $500,000 and use significantly less fuel."

A test fire was conducted for the press with what was essentially an empty launch vehicle. The device weighed around 200kg and was fired towards the Illumic and reached a height of around 9,100meters before a parachute was deployed allowing it to splash down for potential reuse. Professor West says she hopes that in the coming months they can undertake at least one test fire a month and hopefully work in partnership with the Royal Aeronautical Society. She said, "I believe the RAS may be interested, while its early days it currently costs in the region of between $10million and $400 million to put things into orbit, depending on the vehicle used. We believe that we can offer an alternative for some eventually."

Martin Dawson did not rule out continuing a weaponised version of the system saying, "We've found a much more obvious application for this than where we had been going. We can perhaps still repurpose once more in years to come but we'll see what happens."  He then confirmed that a second public demonstration would take place next Friday.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 26, 2022, 10:43:28 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1009164913974984825/1034928591143714949/unknown.png?width=817&height=614)

"ROYAL" FACE OFF IN JUNIOR SWORD FINAL

The coming weekend see's the annual National Junior Swordsmanship Tournament and it looks like a clash between two royally trained girls will dominate the tournament. The Under 10's competition see's the top ranked juniors placed into two groups of four a round robin before entering a knock out style tournament. Currently Princess Rhiannon is ranked 4th in the nation with Evie Redfern-Ironside being ranked 8th. The Princess is part of the Townshend Academy which is run by Sir Charles Townshend the head of the Court of Canley and considered one of the best swordsman East Moreland has produced in the last century. Meanwhile Evie is trained at Aldcliffe Armouries which is run by Stephen Blanche, the father of World Heavyweight and Mundus Games Champion Louis Blanche. The two girls will compete in their 2nd match in the tournament. Lucas Cantrill is the current head of East Moreland's Medieval MMA Organisation says the presence of the two girls has brought an unprecidented level of interest to the Junior tournament. "We quiet often get large crowds attending all levels of competition but this case we've had a lot of requests from the media. We've turned these down as we don't want the Juniors to feel under undue pressure. The idea at this age is that they get experience in competition and that more importantly they have fun." The Princess has competed in four national tournaments his year and won two and her ranking would have been higher apart from the fact that she has missed several competitions due to family and security commitments. Meanwhile Evie has competed in more national competitions and averaged a forth place finish in each.

King David was asked about the competition by the media as he visited the Representative Council for his weekly questions by Councillors. The King said, "I'll be there cheering Rhiannon on just as I know my sister Freya will also be there shouting for Evie. The two girls are loving the sport and the skills they're learning and I know Rhiannon gets excited for her weekly lessons with Sir Charles. Swordsmanship is a huge part of our nations culture and I'm delighted so many youngsters are embracing it. I know on Saturday both will be giving it their best and I hope they both do well."

The Ameatur Men's Championship finals are set to take place on the following Saturday with an estimated 30million people tuning in to watch the final. Lucas Cantrill said, "I believe that outside of professional fights the men's championship tournament is the most watched TV in East Moreland, clubs across the Kingdom host events to watch it together and its likely the winner will be a future World Champion." For the last six years the winner has come from the Townshend Academy.


(https://cdn.autoportal.com/img/news/2434/main/main.jpg)
SSC HONEYBADGER EXTENDS RECORD

In Lijaing Rachel Dixon has extended the SSC Honeybadger land speed record. Just a few weeks ago she broke the womens Land Speed Record during testing with the jet powered vehicle. The overall land speed record stood at 776 mph and now the SSC Honeybadger has broken its own record by reaching an average speed of 781.2mph over the two measured legs. EMAC CEO Sir Alan Maybury was present and following the 2nd run said, "We made some new bits and pieces for the engine over the last twelve months and we've got some excellent data now. We also added a further 16 patents to our already extensive catalogue and will begin exploring how these can perhaps also be used by aircraft. We've learned some more about fuel systems too."

Sir Alan went on to explain the next speed record attempt EMAC are aiming for, something that is a far cry from SSC Honeybagder. "We discovered a guy from Seaforth set a record last year for the highest speed from a single litre engine powered by bio-fuel. It stands at  64.4mph, we think we can break that. The use of non-oil derived fuels are one way we as a planet can lead a more sustainable future. Showing the efficency of bio-fuel is a great idea." The current record was set using fuel made from the by-products of cheese manufacture while Sir Alan says he's planning on a partnership with Annie's Burger Shack chain of restaurants, "Its our hope we can take the used cooking oil from this nationwide chain and set a new record. We actually think we could hit the 100mph mark."

Rachel Dixon has also been retained for the Bio-Fuel record and as the new overall world record holder for land speed she said, "I've loved working on this project. While the speed might not be as white knuckle I look forward to continuing my work with EMAC. Not many people are going to pay me to do fun stuff in amazing machines. I'm proud to have been the person strapped inside the machine they've built and I look forward to our next attempt." While the bio-fuel project has yet to be given an official name early fans of EMAC's speed records have given it the unofficial name BurgerBadger.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 29, 2022, 05:50:42 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d2f2c771391710001b8309a/1564515741696-JPRK4MYJFX9R3P1KP1OR/UTSA_04+-+Copy.jpg?format=1000w)

KING DAVID III UNIVERSITY TO BE FOUNDED

King David has today confirmed that he is preparing to open his own University. The monarch has a long track record of promoting education and has himself obtained a Masters degree in History. The King made the announcement as he visited the village of Maselford to view a recent archaelogical dig that had discovered a series of graves connected to the war that created East Moreland. The proposed site for the new institute is expected to be about 20km from the village. The University is hoped to be the centre piece of a new settlement which will be called Ghuslawick, which translates into "Armed Forces Farm". King David explained the project to the gathered media, "We have a lack of Higher University provision in some rural areas. This is one such educational black hole. My hope is to achieve two aims with one project. The University will provide education to ex-members of the armed forces with preferential arrangements made in regards to fees. The longer someone has served the cheaper their University education. Anyone having served ten years will be receiving a free education. Around the University we want to have a village, that one day may become a town with the purpose of providing recreation and services to the students. Unlike Chamwick (Technology City) the aim of this will not neccessarily be to provide future employees for major companies but to allow those who have dedicated a portion of their lives to our nation to gain a future in civilian life that they deserve."

The King is funding a large part of the expected $400million investment personally by selling three unused royal properties. Three hunting estates have not been used by the Ironside family in the last decade and are valued at around $10million each. The King is also instructing the Ironside Family Art Trust to auction off all items that have "sat in crates for the past five years". While a total for this is not yet known Royal Artist in Residence Jocelyn Hopkins estimated that around $30million could be raised. Finally the King is planning on selling a variety of shares the family own said to be in the region of $18million. Within an hour of the announcement several other funding sources had been confirmed with EMAC, OsmanTech, SFR and Henley all committing to provide start up funds. It was also confirmed that the Pelagiya family, the Queen's family would be donating funding.

The University will focus its initial offering on Humanities and Languages. The decision to name it after King David III was taken following consultations with the Court of Canley for which a spokesman said, "Each monarch has attempted to create a legacy project during their life time. Many such as the King Sven Water Gardens in Portworth are often small scale vanity affairs. This is a rather ambitious project that will provide some function as well as keep the King's name alive. No one can doubt the King's commitment to education. Through creation of the largest student exchange programme on Mundus to the establishment of the CETO University partnerships the King has always pushed people to gain more knowledge so a University will be a fitting legacy."

The King also hinted that once the University is completed he would consider enrolling there joking "Perhaps I can become the first East Moreland monarch to become a Professor, perhaps by becoming His Majesty, King Doctor David Ironside alongside the other titles I own I could challenge President Elwes for longest title on Mundus."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 08, 2022, 09:25:48 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1009164913974984825/1039626516595740723/image.png)

KING PROUD OF NATIONS ACHIEVEMENTS IN ACHKAERIN

East Moreland nationals had good cause to celebrate this years Queen's Foundation Awards hosted by Achkaerin. Several Morelanders were nominated and His Majesty won a prestigious award himself. Martin Dawson of SmartWar was nominated for the award in physics following his teams construction of the "Space Canon" which is aimed at creating an environmentally friendly and low cost satellite launch system. The project has so far undertaken a handful of practice launchers . Despite the nomination Mr. Dawson was not too disheartened. The prize for Physics was taken by Dr.Ragnar  of Altonia who has begun working with a unique nuclear power technology. Mr. Dawson said, "The pistol shrimp project is something I love reading about. At SmartWar we've tried to solve real world problems in ways that seem a little unorthadox, its more fun that way. What Dr.Ragnar is doing is certainly well out there. I'm excited to see where they take it and I would really like to work with the Professor in some form in the future." With East Moreland and Altona sitting on opposite sides of the MAEA agreement it could potentially be difficult for the two to work together unless it is a non-nuclear based project.

The team at OsmanTech lead by Dr Thomas Campbell were awarded the prize for Physiology and Medicine following the creation of micro-brains. The team have been effectively growing small brains in labs to allow them to experiment with drugs for conditions such as dementia and alzheimers. In more recent months the team have even proven the brains to have activity capable of interacting with external stimuli. Dr.Campbell said, "I'm proud to accept the award on behalf of my team. We've got a lot to learn about the human brain still and these can help a lot. While the media seem to have focused on the novelty of the brains in a way playing a video game we are more focused on the medical applications. Winning this award brings more eyes onto our work and as a result we can start making more progress." The King applauded the winning team by saying "I've been a huge fan of OsmanTech for a long time now. Its exciting the work that they can do. I have seen the work they've been doing on several genetic medical conditions and if they continue making this level of progress I pray we'll one day see a day they win this award again for that."

The King had a personal success having been nominated twice for the Peace Prize. The King was nominated for his work trying to defuse the situation between the Federation of Dal Raithia and the Kingdom of Eigg. He was also nominated for his work creating the Historic Crimes Treaty. The King was awarded the prize for the work on the Historic Crimes Treaty. The King was nominated for this not just for being one of the two co-authors for the original draft alongside King Piripi of The Unified Iwi but also for his follow up work promoting the treaty and helping ensure other nations have signed up for it. The King highlighted the role of the civil service in the creation saying, "I go about ten times a week to the civil servants and have strange ideas. Some for national laws, some for things such as this, 9 times out of ten they tell me that its an idea that we can't follow through on, at least not yet. Occasionally they take an idea, polish it up for me and allow me to put the final shine on it. With this I also sat with Piripi and we've hopefully set a path ahead that can give people closure and justice. Its the beginning of several projects I have in mind." The King did not elaborate on the projects simply saying "Some things you need to keep close to your chest but when the civil servants say I can do it then I'll let you know."

The King spoke of his pride in those nominated and others working in the fields of the awards saying, "When I became King we were a nation that saw everything we do in terms of technology focused on our paranoia that had gone back centuries. Our scientists looked for ways to make bigger bombs, our engineers looked for ways to make better guns, our medics looked to treat battlefield injuries. We had a massive focus on traditional industries. Now we are a nation proudly pushing at the boundaries of science and technology, and not just for the benefit of our military. In the years to come I want us to sweep the board for these prestigious awards as it shows we as a nation are contributing not just to our own advancement but also to the betterment of Mundus. Great things lie ahead."


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1009164913974984825/1039644463825436723/image.png)

QUEEN's FASHION INDUSTRY MAKES HUGE PROFITS

Pelagiya Fashion Ltd, the Queen's business has today declared after tax profits of $36million. The company produces a wide range of fashion products at both "everyday" and "Luxury" levels of the market as well as a large variety of accessories ranging from purses to hair-bands. The company is doing a raging business in Lodja, the Queen's homeland where Queen Stasya is still seen as a popular fashion icon. The Queen made Pelagiya Fashion a "Not for profit" when she became Queen of East Moreland and speaking after the profit announcement she said, "The $36million will be used in several different ways. Each employee will receive a bonus inline with their time spent for in the company and their position. It is also my intention to look at our suppliers. We buy things like cotton from farmers in Kermah, I want to make sure that they are taken care of, not just as an individual family but also as a community. We'll be looking at building schools or hospitals, things like that in their areas. I also want to try and give students in East Moreland an outlet. We've extra-curricular things like "Code Club" that promote STEM subjects for youngsters in schools. What is lacking in my view is some more creative outlets. I've asked some of my staff to begin looking at how we support that. I never expected to be in a position where we have funds to be able to do so much."

The Queen is still rather hands on with the company and has utilised it to help raise funds for various projects including the Global Childbirth Initiative. The Queen has also released this years Winter Range on which she was, for the first time, chief designer for the infant range. In promotional material for the range Prince Llewellyn features in the grounds of Northfort Palace for some of the materials. The Queen said, "The winter range is something I'm excited for. I've never designed for little children and to see Llewellyn in things I've designed is a great experience. The range will hopefully open up new markets for us and help boost next years profits meaning that we can do even more good work."

The Pelagiya family is one of the richest in Lodja and despite Queen Stasya taking no money directly from the company the various licencing of the brand and collaborations she has with other companies it is rumoured the Queen has a personal fortune somewhere in the region of $17 million.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 11, 2022, 07:42:53 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1009164913974984825/1040693813200560230/image.png)

EMAC REVEAL PROJECT "COMMON-WARRIOR"

EMAC have today announced that there latest project is set to enter full scale prototype testing next week. The project called "Common-Warrior" is expected to be based at Ostlake and is hoped to enter service in the near future. The project sees a UAV designed primarily for close air support missions and target acquisition. Sir Alan Maybury explained the project saying "The aim of Common Warrior is to build a UAV that can carry out a range of missions designed to support the troops on the ground. The aircraft name comes from the fact that we are utlising many parts already featured in aircraft we produce. The costs therefore will be kept lower. Parts of the aircraft will also feature existing systems designed by our partners at SmartWar and it borrows quiet heavily from the Dragonbane and Dragonling projects."

The new design has once again sparked rumours that the Dragonbane may be due to be retired in the coming years however the Ministry of Defence have not been drawn on that at the moment.


(https://www.jedinews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Katee-Sackhoff-D23-Expo-Sept-2022.jpg)

PRINCESS FREYA TO LEAVE FULL TIME MILITARY SERVICE

The Royal Office of Princess Freya has today released a statement that on the 1st January 2023 Princess Freya will stand down from permanent military service. The 36 year old currently serves as a Major in the 2nd Light Scouts and has done tours of duty in Safraen, Seaforth and Marseille. In her career she also has served a secondment to the Air Force. The Princess joined the military at the age of 18 and for a short time was posted to the now defunct Blue Legion for those considered to have done something "dishnourable" the Princess was sent to the unit for a short period following "fraternisation with an undesirable element" . Despite this early set back she has been described as an "outstanding field officer and a fine example of what a commissioned officer should be." by Field Marshall Yacobs, the commander of East Moreland's Army and former Commander of the 2nd Light Scouts. The statement said, "It is with sadness that Princess Freya is announcing that she is standing down from full time military duties. She will continue to serve in the military by joining the Army School of Soldiering as a course conveyor. She will retain her status as a Reservist and will as a result be joining up with 5th Battalion of the 2nd Light Scouts. As such she will retain her rank and will be expected to serve periodically to ensure that she retains her skills. The Princess wishes to thank all those officers that have helped guide her during her career and all those Legionnaires that have served under her for their devotion to duty and to the crown. She hopes to maintain her links with the Regiment for many years to come but is looking forward to a new challenge of helping shape the future leaders of the East Moreland ground forces."

The School of Soldiering takes members of Army units and runs a range of courses intended to increase their skill levels. Those soldiers attending are then expected to return to their unit and pass their skills on. The Princess is expected to be running classes in small group tactics and counter insurgency operations. The school is based at Ostlake and some believe that the move will allow the Princess and her family to have a more stable home life as both Princess Freya and her husband Alex Redfern serve within the military. King David has spoken of his respect for his sisters service saying, "My sister has given 18 years of devoted service to this country with no favour given because of her royal status. I am proud of the work she has done and know that those attending the school are in safe hands. Our families military commitment continues through my niece Sophie and her commitment to the Air Force."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 20, 2022, 10:21:28 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://preview.redd.it/jbjceqxibc681.jpg?auto=webp&s=70fd4de7975468eeee251e45e494c8313491790e)

MORTAR ATTACK ON PRIVATE SCHOOL

The rapid reaction team for Freestone today responded to reports of an attack on The Sisterhood Academy, a small private boarding school dedicated to the education of students from families who follow the Sisterhood of Helus. This has been the third terrorist attack on schools attached to the faith in the last twelve months. In this case there were no casualties from what has been described as "an improvised mortar attack". Members of the Royal Parachute Regiment were on duty as part of the standard rapid reaction teams that support the police and responded to the attack within minutes. An abandoned truck with three cut down gas cannisters filled with some kind of explosive. The devices fired three improvised mortar shells into the school grounds. Two did little damage beyond destroying windows and two students were cut by flying glass however the third one exploded in the attic of one of the boarding houses and three students were rushed to hospital with head injuries. The three were described as being "stable" and were being kept in hospital overnight but are expected to be released in the morning. Police have yet to make an arrest.

The school is funded by the Sisterhood of Helus, a sect of the Cult of Helus that holds to the belief that Helus is in fact female. The faith has been targeted several times in the past including several shootings and a bomb threat. So far no one has been killed as a result of these attacks. Queen Stasya is a member of the faith and keen supporter of the educational establishments connected to the faith. She released a statement saying "I am heartbroken that children have been targeted by acts of terror. A child should be happy in school and not in fear of their life. I will be praying that those effected make a swift recovery and thank those members of both the emergency services and armed forces who responded."

No one has yet taken responsibility for the attacks. Minister of Defence, Sir Harry Samuelson, stated "The attack bears the hallmarks of similar attacks carried out by the Borlanders. While we can not be certain that they are the perpatrators we also can not rule out the fact that either they or some of their membership are behind the attack.  They have been highly critical of the Sisterhood and its leader Jinny Denman and this avenue is one that we are exploring." The security around schools connected to the Sisterhood is to be increased in the coming days.



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 30, 2022, 10:55:36 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/770686153011232769/1047632389058351145/image.png)

QUEEN GIVEN FIRST OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT ROLE

Queen Stasya has today been confirmed as the organiser of the "Pride 2023" marking her first appointment into a government role. The organisation of the Pride Celebrations for East Moreland have been overseen since 2015 by the Junior Minister for Equality and Diversity, a role that reports to the Minister of Home Affairs. In August Gregory Clarke resigned as the Junior Minister for Equality and Diversity stating that "It has been an honour to work within the government of King David and try and support those who believe they do not fit within the mainstream of our nation. Despite loving my job the time has come for me to explore other opportunities and I am grateful for the chance to return to lecturing at Royal Freestone University to teach Sociology. I wish whoever succeeds me in the role all the best." Typically the King has always filled positions within the government quickly however this time there has been a long delay. It is understood that this was while the King discussed with several key people, including Chief Councillor Lucas Blakeslee, whether appointing the Queen would be appropriate. The current Minister for Home Affairs is Sir Jackson Hardy who is said to have supported the appointment having today said, "Her Majesty has an excellent track record at activism. We've seen her champion the Global Childbirth Initiative and several other charities. With action needing to be taken in the coming weeks to begin organising a major event someone with the experience of the Queen is a wise choice."

The King made the official announcement in the weekly Council appearance stating, " I had never intended for Stasya to become an official member of our government. In the past few months though she has worked extremely hard to continue the legacies of previous Queen's of East Moreland in fighting for good causes. We are planning on relaunching Global Pride and we need a Junior Minister with the clout to make sure this goes well. In addition we need someone who understands the needs and concerns of  groups under represented in East Moreland. The appointment is one for the short term, my wife is likely to see through the position until post Pride and then refocus her efforts on various other tasks she hopes to accomplish for herself." The King confirmed also that he hopes that the Global Pride event which was started in Nya Aland will be revitalised stating, "The event has helped the LGBTQ+ community come together and also help promote the fight that continues in some countries across Mundus. It was a great celebration and a rallying point for campaigners to get together. While I am proud to think East Moreland has overcome many of the problems facing this community I am aware there is likely still more we can do."

Later in the day the Queen commented on her appointment saying. "I am proud to serve the people of East Moreland. I had no intention of interfering in the running of the nation only to work supporting causes I could make a difference to. Now my husband has given me a chance to do that in an official capacity and I am hopeful I can repay the trust he and the Chief Councillor have put in me. While I have primarily been tasked with organising a great Global Pride event I also hope I can be a mouthpiece for those who feel we still have more as a Kingdom to do to promote the needs of our ever growing diverse communities." Queen Stasya has in the past spoken of identifying as bisexual and has utilised funds from her fashion company to support youth LGBTQ+ organisations. Furthermore as a member of the Sisterhood of Helus she is a member of a minority religion within East Moreland that has found itself under attack in recent months after several of its schools have been victim of bomb and mortar attacks. As a Lodjain by birth she is also part of a growing immigrant community within East Moreland that many believe are under represented in society.

It is hoped that the Global Pride event will be held in East Moreland with Silverhills, Portworth and Freestone all pushing to host the festival.



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/201533878043672588/1047644574497128540/image.png)

RANSOMWARE STRIKE AGAINST BIG BUSINESS

An organisation calling itself the "Robin Hood Gang" have claimed that they have planted ransomware in several large "elite" companies across East Moreland. The "Gang" claims that they have targeted companies and indivduals that have seen elites exploit workers and make large profits. In a message seemingly sent to several media companies they explained that they have asked each company for a fee to release files or systems they have taken control of. They described this fee as being a "small donation" which they will be "redistributed" to those being exploited.

So far we have no details over which companies have been targeted however the "Gang" have claimed that they will release more details if their demands are not meet. After contacting the Minister of Technology and Science, Olivia Cole, we were told. "We are aware that there have been isolated incidents of ransomware. We shall be working with those affected to solve the matter. We urge anyone else impacted to come forward and we shall support them." Miss Cole is meeting with representatives of East Moreland's Cyber Legion, a military unit specialising in cyber operations to discuss what can be done to support those who have been targeted.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 09, 2022, 11:04:43 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1009164913752682608/1050897056761393232/image.png)

REMAF FORCE DOWN SMUGGLING PLANE

The Ministry of Defence have today confirmed that yesterday afternoon fighters from 22 Squadron forced an "Executive Aircraft" to land at Portworth. Just after 2pm three Dragonskin fighters were launched from the cities nearby air force base and intercepted an aircraft just as it crossed into East Moreland Air Space. The aircraft was a twin engine jet aircraft designed for luxury VIP transport. The three Dragonskin aircraft are reported to have made contact and initially had the pilot refuse to follow instructions to divert to the military airfield. At this point one of the fighters moved into a position behind the suspicious aircraft and when further communication was unsuccessful a series of warning shots were fired at the aircraft. At that point the aircraft indicated that it would conform to instructions that were being issued and followed the aircraft to Portworth Air Force Base. Once the aircraft was on the ground members of the Air Forces Ground Defence Squadron moved in and arrested the two person crew. In addition to the arrests the plane was searched and crates of weaponry was found.

This morning Sir Harry Samuelson, the Minister of Defence, briefed the media and said "The aircraft was found to contain 100 rifles, 40 handguns, 10 RPG's and a variety of assorted military equipment ranging from radios to webbing. The aircraft departed Lymm earlier that day and while airborne we obtained intelligence of its payload. As such plans were put in place to ensure that whatever was being carried did not reach its intended destination. We are pleased that what could have been a disaster of being forced to down an aircraft was averted however we will take whatever actions are required to ensure the safety of our nation." It was speculated by many that the weapons onboard would find their ways to either the Borlanders or the group responsible for the recent attacks on the schools belonging to the Sisterhood of Helus. The two crew members of onboard have been charged with aviation offences as well as offences relating to firearms smuggling. If connections can be made to the Borlanders or any other recognised terrorist group they would face the death penalty.



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 18, 2022, 03:44:23 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/1054045417953841152/image.png)

KING TOPS POLL OF HISTORIC MONARCHS

EMTV have announced that in 2023 they will begin filming of "Ironside" a TV series that intends to chart the history of the East Moreland royal family from the time Robert the Unifier set the foundations of the nation up to current King David III. To promote the programme historian Maddie Howard has been presenting a podcast charting the reigns of the monarchs and inviting the public to rank order what they consider to be the greatest East Moreland monarch. The current monarch King David III took the most votes with King Robert the Unifier, Rhiannon the Fierce and Paul the Young coming in as runners up. The King however has played down the result saying, "If I am honest I'm thrilled that the people of East Moreland are seemingly pleased with my reign. To put it up with the reigns of legendary monarhcs like our founder and Queen Rhiannon is a deep deep honour. I however think polls such as this are not really that reflective. People often have short memories and 1400 years worth of history is a lot of ground to cover." People responding commented on the fact that the King had established East Moreland as a key part of the international community and how he has built what could easily be argued as the worlds biggest diplomatic network. One responder stated, "When David became King in 2010 we were a nation that was so inward looking we couldn't even find Vaguzia. Now we've lead the way on some very important global documents such as the Historic Crimes thing, cultural exchanges and been a leading light in helping refugees. I'm proud of what we have become." others pointed to the Kings record on supporting the Cult of Helus. "Since becoming King we've seem a stronger Cult. His unquestioned support for Cultists around the world makes me love him."

The King was asked who he would have voted for and his response was Queen Astrid I. "As a boy naturally its the monarchs like Robert, Paul the Explorer and Rhinnon the Fierce who capture your imagination. Then as you learn history in more depth at school you realise Paul the Young did a tremendous job but now as someone who is a self confessed history nerd I would have to pick Astrid. Being a young Queen in the 14th Century was always going to be a challenge. She set the foundations for a stable future for the next 200 years. She reformed the tax system, introduced fairer court systems and began the navy that we see today. She was a legacy builder whose hard work is often forgotten about because of the incompetance of her son Kieran the Spineless but we should remember that she sent her son Kieran away for his own safety to the countryside and effectively raised her nephew Alfred the Liberator. It could be argued therefore that Alfred was more of a son to her than Kieran was and he was a good King who built heavily on what his aunt had done." In the poll by Maddie Howard Astrid was ranked 9th.

Professor Maddie Howard is also the official biographer of King David and said, "I am not really surprised by this poll. The King is popular and has lead a life so far that is certainly worthy of a film. A coup attempt, a soldier, dated some beautiful women and emotional moments like losing a child. As a result its likely people now will view him more favourable than many former monarchs. The truth will be if someone does this in a few centuries is the legacy of David III going to stand the test of time."

The King was visiting the set of "Ironsides" yesterday when the results were announced. On a snowy day in Ostlake the film crews were preparing to shoot one of the battles in the war for unification in the 7th Century. The producer of the show, Thomas Fairbrother, said that it was good to see the King taking an interest, "We're looking at a vast project, it'll take over a decade to put together everything we want but we're confident this will become a fantastic historical period piece with the ending constantly changing. We've got some large scale medieval battles to plan and then some modern war stories if we follow Princess Freya to Safraen and beyond." The King took part in some sword training of the actors playing some of the soldiers and rumours are spreading on the internet that the King may even have played a cameo role as a knight during the battle but neither the King nor Fairbrother would comment on this. The King however was asked who he would like to play him when the time comes to tell his own story. "I'd like to think someone like Henry Cavill. I loved him as Iron Man and Stasya likes him so why not."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 24, 2022, 03:19:49 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/1056222754254356600/image.png)

EMAC SKATES TO TOP SPEED

Yesterday EMAC were part of a project which secured yet another speed record. This time they team up with Åland speed skater Bjarne Erling Moen to set a new record for the fastest speed set by a skater on natural ice. Moen is the current Åland nation champion and previously the record stood at 93 kph. EMAC have been using sport as a way of promoting their brand in recent years with ventures in motor sports, football and now speed skating. The record attempt took place on Spikholm Lake and had actually been planned for two days ago however ice conditions were considered not perfect. The attempt saw a specially adapted vehicle tow a "Wind Catcher" to ensure that Moen had little to no wind resistance for his attempt. The run was completed over 3km and by the time came to slow down it was confirmed by the independent judges that he had reached a speed of 103kph. Sir Alan Maybury was on the scene and was pleased with the achievement. "We have the winter games ahead and we hope that we can somehow be involved regardless of where it takes place. Be that giving support to the Morelander team in terms of perfecting equipment or as a sponsor of the whole games. Sport is a great way of businesses like ours developing new engineers skills in an interesting way. Today the achievement is Bjarne's and we are delighted to have played our part."

Moen explained the challenges of the skate saying "I was literally flying over the ice. Every little bump felt like a threshold. Sometimes I even got really loose from the ice. Skating that fast is technically challenging and requires precision." Moen had attempted to beat his record several times in the past two years but struggled with a combination of bad ice conditions, poor weather and poor luck. "EMAC stepping in and having the ability to make the perfect aerodynamic conditions made that final push possible. I had hoped to beat my old record and add something. I thought I could maybe reach 100kph, but that was not based on anything. Through improvements in terms of ice, preparation and communication, we succeeded. But 100kph is so hard! When you see how fast you go on the ice, it really is bizarre. It was exciting. We couldn't go any faster."

Moen and EMAC have not ruled out a further collaboration. Sir Alan stated, "Speaking to Bjarne he was concerned the ice's natural imperfections cost him energy and a lack of energy at the end obviously prevents the final acceleration being as strong as possible. If we can find a way of making the ice smoother than we may be able to extend the record even further." The CEO of EMAC then announced that a 2nd record would be attempted soon. "Our job here in Nya Åland is not over. We've been working with the East Moreland team to perfect their equipment for the winter games. We have a guinea pig coming out to try and break the women's 1 hour record on natural ice. The record currently stands at just over 31km. We have recruited Archduchess Sophie to come and try breaking that. She's a champion speed skater at the highest level and a pheoneminal athlete. The 1hour is not a games event of course but the Archduchess is keen to give this a go. No "Wind-Catcher" will be allowed but we've worked on her skates, her clothing and helmet as shaving as much air resistance off as possible is going to help." The Palace confirmed that the Archduchess has been working with both EMAC and the Snow-Badger Project, a co-operative of sports companies manufacturing equipment, nutrition projects and training equipment for the East Moreland Winter Games team. In a statement issued by Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker it was revealed "the Archduchess does not intend to compete at the games as she is fully dedicated to her military career. The time taken for preparation at the games is incredibly demanding, however the Archduchess always wants to see Morelanders achieve and so if she can help by being an ice skating test pilot of sorts then she will."

Bjarne Erling Moen commented on the attempt at the 1hour female record saying. "I have huge respect for the Archduchess. Skating at speed for an hour is a form of torture. Regardless of her final distance if she gets anywhere near 31km then I'll be hugely impressed. I look forward to welcoming her to our homeland."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 30, 2022, 11:12:06 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/770686153011232769/1058493245254008922/image.png)

KING "IN DARK" OVER SEMELBERG

With an announcement coming from the Charterlands of Reenberg that the Prinicipality of Semelberg will now be underwritten by the Pelagiya family the King of East Moreland has stated he was unaware of any plan on behalf of his wife. Insiders from the Palace say that the first he knew of any arrangement was just a few hours before it was announced by the Charterlands Gazette and that upon hearing it he was "annoyed". One source who wished not to be named said, "King David has been careful to always walk a path of East Moreland not being expansionist. When he first came to the throne several nations built networks of military bases across Mundus and despite having ample oppurtunity to do likewise East Moreland never did. Historically East Moreland has always been considered the "Holy Land" for the Cult of Helus and as such there is no need to expand the nation in anyway. To have arrangements made so that monarchs from East Moreland hold royal titles in another nation was not on his mind." It is understood that the King had been under the impression that Queen Stasya was visiting the Charterlands in order to secure partners for her various fashion enterprises.

Later in the day Queen Stasya released a statement saying. "There were three major reasons for me jumping upon this oppurtunity while visiting Reenberg. The first was to help a historic nation maintain its national identity. This is something that East Moreland have always backed be it through CETO or promoting cultural exchanges. The second reason was to help my son Llewellyn. While he is always going to be loved as Prince of East Moreland he will be a royal without a task of his own. He will now one day become High Prince of Semelberg and as such be able to spread the wonderful ideals his father teaches him beyond East Moreland. Finally it makes sound business sense. The Pelagiya family have a variety of different business interests ranging from gas and oil enterprises, to spa resorts and a fashion brand. Companies always look for ways of expanding but the chance to invest in a whole micro-nation is a rarity." The Queen also stated that she intends to be very hands off saying, "While I will obviously take an interest and be a frequent visitor to Semelberg the day to day running will be done by a family appointed chancellor and my brother Henrik will also be moving there in the short term."

The Palace later stated that "the King has spoken with the Queen and has made sure that she is clear that this can not and will not be part of East Moreland's official policy. The Charterlands are a unique set up in terms of a nation and of course that requires a different approach from dealing with more traditional status nations but actively having involved is not something East Moreland shall do. King David will not use the title "High Prince" however he has always tried to give Queen Stasya freedom to deal in her own projects and as such if she elects to use the title "High Princess" then that is her decision. It has been made clear to her however that until he reaches the age of 18 and can make his own decision Llewellyn shall not utilise the title." Meanwhile the Queen has already utilised some of her newly acquired influence to announce that a Temple dedicated to the Sisterhood of Helus will be constructed in the coming months.



(https://www.forces.net/sites/default/files/styles/cover_image/public/Chief%20Of%20The%20General%20Staff%20General%20Sir%20Mark%20Carleton-Smith%20in%20Normandy%20070619%20CREDIT%20BFBS.jpg?itok=5-0PbErg)
MILITARY MOVED TO HIGH ALERT

During a visit to Portworth Dockyards to meet with equipment developers Red Legions new commanding officer, Brigadier Jim Corey, explained that the military was increasing its military alert level. The move sees the alert level raised from Black, where it is believed that a threat exists to Morelanders security either at home or abroad, to Black Alpha which is used for when their is a specific threat or target identified. The Brigadier stated, "While I can not and will not be drawn on the threat let me just say the fact it comes at a time when we have seen some sort of action against Rokkenjiman royals that has resulted in the abduction of Princess Asuna and also Daitō shortly after began erecting military checkpoints and seemingly evacuating their Emperor. There seems to be a move in the Cross Straits community towards some kind of potential instability and we have seen how that can often encourage others to try their luck. We will, as always stand ready to respond to any threat.

Sir Harry Samuelson, the nations Minister of Defence, also spoke about the situation as he joined the Brigadier. "We have been in touch through our ambassadors with the Rokkenjiman government. They know we will be praying for the safe return of the Princess and, as like when previously abducted, the Rokkenjimans know that the government of East Moreland will aid in any way that we can to help bring her safely home." Sir Harry explained that he hoped to convene a meeting of the CNN Ministers of Defence early in the New Year and that the ongoing situations would be on the agenda along with "procurement opportunities."

Meanwhile former Rokkenjiman political heavyweight Charles Ofdenson has also been released from custody on a technocality. Once released he has already discussed East Moreland apparently having a weapon in space in the form of the satellite capture system known as the "Seeker". Sir Harry rubbished these claims saying "The Seeker system is operated as a scientific tool and business not a weapon system. It is not inside the military chain of command and is operated by the Royal Aeronautical Society, a body that is a civilian scientific operation. The system has been offered out to many nations to solve unique problems and should be utilised more rather than blasting missiles into space creating micro-debris fields that complicate the study of space."

While at Portworth the Brigadier and Minister were both treated to a demonstration of the scale model version of "Common-Warrior" a combat UAV being developed by EMAC utilising only existing parts used in aircraft operated by the Royal East Moreland Air Force. Sir Harry said he was "pleased with the demonstration and exicted to see full size testing in the near future."



(https://image.saechsische.de/784x441/c/p/cpt5ep0r121hoaxm5pk8ln8ahntbkszx.jpg)
RECORD BREAKING ARCHDUCHESS RULES OUT GAMES NEXT YEAR

On December 24th an EMAC supported attempt at the speed record for ice skating on natural ice was set by Åland speed skater Bjarne Erling Moen as he broke the 100kph barrier clocking in a top speed of 103kph. On Spikholm Lake today in Nya Åland Mundus Games legend Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside set her own record. The Archduchess is a member of what EMAC are describing as a team "Test-Badgers" testing experimental equipment and techniques in order to give Morelander athletes an edge in the future of sport. Utilising specially aerodynamically designed helmets and skates along with a newly designed body suit intended to cut down wind resistance the Archduchess hoped to beat the 1hr endurance record by skating at least 31km. Without the aid of "Wind Catcher" utilised by Moen for his record the Archduchess took to the ice and after a brief warm up began the hour long session. At just after 10am local time the stopwatch reached zero and independent judges from sports governing bodies agreed that she had travelled a distance of 31.6km. Speaking after the event the Archduchess was naturally asked about making a return to the Winter Games and said, "There is no 2023 games on my horizon. Today hurt, a lot, I've been getting repetitions in working with EMAC, OsmanTech, Erra Sportswear and various other people involved in the "Test Badger" programme but that is nothing compared to the work needed to grace the games. Skating non stop for an hour is not something done in the Games, nothing like the endurance is needed however speed is and training for the two at elite level often means you do one or the other. I enjoy challenging myself but my first commitment has to be to the Air Force. I can fit testing around deployments and leave and still be helpful to the team so that will be my focus." She confirmed however that she had interest in other such challenges. "Sport and fitness is a passion of mine. Even if I'm not actively competing at elite level I will still take part in the Ostlake Military Games, I'll run for my squadron in inter-service competions and I hope to do more endurance challenges like this."

The Archduchess has won 15 medals at the Mundus Games and became the first person to win medals at both the Winter and Summer Games when she switched from Cross-Country and Distance running to Speed Skating. She is the 2nd most decorated East Moreland athlete behind her friend Daisy Greechan who has won 17 in the pool at the Summer Games. In 2018 the pair rowed the Mhorish for charity and the year before became the first female to solo trek across Hrothgar. When asked what she had planned she said that she hadn't yet made up her mind but among them would perhaps be to complete a triathlon in each continent on consecutive days.

The Archduchesses uncle, King David, sent her a congratulatory message saying "Once again I am proud of the sporting greatness of my niece. She is a great example of the sporting success our armed forces men and women aspire to. The military has been a great breeding ground for our sports stars, both in terms of Daisy Greechan and Sophie. It my hope that she can now put her feet up and relax for a while before proudly serving her nation in blue once more. I today stand as a monarch proud of the achievements of one of my subjects but also and more importantly as a proud uncle. I hope that soon we will be celebrating more success on the snow and ice as our athletes take to wherever in the world hosts this next Winter Games."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 24, 2023, 10:11:01 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/1066048556894535730/image.png)

ROYAL MILITARY POLICE WARN OF "PLASTIC GUN" THREAT

Following a series of military raids carried out in the hills around Keepton what has been described as a "sizeable and worrying" cache of weapons have been found. The cache was brought to the attention after a hiker wild camping in the region noticed what he considered suspicious activity during the night and reported it to the Royal Military Police. The next morning members of the Royal Marine Commando undertook an operation to cordon off the cache before members of the Royal Logistics Corps Explosive Ordinance unit moved in to secure the cache. The raid found 180 weapons and a variety of ammunition. Speaking to the media Lt-Col Robert Grant of the Royal Marines stated. "Today we have secure a cache of weapons found in the cellar of an old feed storage unit in the hills. There have been two arrests made relating to the cache and a sizeable amount of weapons recovered. Upon close inspection by our ballistics teams we have determined they were all 3D printed and finished with parts taken from airsoft weapons or just nuts, bolts and spring you can buy at any DIY store. Its clear that some criminals have been distributing the plans of these weapons and that they will be very hard to trace." The details of those arrested have not yet been released with some reports indicating that they are not thought to be members of the Borlanders which has lead to speculation that those in detention may be connected to terrorist actions against the Sisterhood of Helus.

Sir Harry Samuelson, the Minister of Defence, later in the day visited the Keepton Barracks to view the cache and during his stay he test fired one of the weapons. Following his visit the former Red Legion marksman instructor stated, "That is perhaps one of the most dangerous weapons I've ever encounted. It has the ability to handle very much like a SMG and has a decent level of accuracy. I think though it will lack the longevity of a regular weapon but the fact this can slip so easily through controls is a worry." The Minister added that the government will be looking at measures to stop the spread of such a weapon and will present the King with proposals for new laws in the coming days.



(https://publish.purewow.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/olivia-palermo-favorite-products-cat.jpg?fit=728%2C524)
"MILITARY ACTION NEEDS 21st CENTURY SENSE" SAYS DR.OSMAN

Former Queen of East Moreland, Professor Matilda Osman, has today waded into the issue raised first by the Cassiopeian branch of the Wild Mundus Organisation. Speaking from Portworth Marine Institute where she is a member of the research team looking at Dolphins in the Mhorish. As founder of the Wild Mundus Organisation she created an organisation that has attempted in several areas of the world halt the impact of human actions on all manner of wildlife. A law known in East Moreland as "Matilda's Law" effectively bans the transportation of animals listed as endangered through East Moreland territory and allows the government to seize such items and fine the person in possession. In the past she has also been arrested in Nya Aland protesting the whaling there as well as helping remove animals from Whale Farms there. Speaking to the media she said, "We have seen several acts carried out by Rokkenjima's military that have now damaged the environment. First we saw chemicals leach into soils and waters when they deactivated a military facility. Now we see the creation of an artificial reef, something that I should be applauding, done in such a way that it is likely to do more harm than good. I was once privileged to sit in on military planning exercises as Queen of East Moreland. I am well aware that training and testing operations take months, sometimes years to put into place. There is no feasible way that a vessel can be both operational enough to be a moving target while simultaneously being sunk as a reef. There are far too many chemicals involved and far too many forces that can change." The criticism of the Rokkenjiman military though was soon expanded to other militaries. "We see armed forces not taking much care of the environment. Our armed forces exist to protect us yet they damage our environment. We've seen just this month a multitude of tests of new equipment unleashing more pollution on our world. We have seen a drive for higher and higher standards of technology, such things requiring more and more resources such as rare earth metals for components. Ever more complex underwater systems confuse whales and dolphins, the exact animals Rokkenjima passed a law to protect the rights of. We are going to create a world that isn't worth fighting for as we damage animal life, their ecosystems and ourselves. It is my hope the action taken by my friends in Cassiopeia's WMO bring attention to this issue."

The spokesman for the King, Malcolm Tucker, stated "Lady Matilda Osman speaks from her own, very well informed, platform on her own behalf and I assume on behalf of WMO. East Moreland stands committed officially to supporting the actions put in place by the then Queen to protect animal species and while Lady Matilda helped re-establish the Wild Boar as a species in East Moreland that legacy programme is still moving forward with it being hoped the Pine Marten and Mountain Lynx to be slowly introduced." The "Rewilding of East Moreland" policy was introduced by King David but has been credited with being influenced by Matilda Osman. It is hoped by 2030 that around fifteen species that have either become absent from East Moreland or are "struggling" can become regular sights in the landscape.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 04, 2023, 07:17:32 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.inceptivemind.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Hermeus-Quarterhorse-aircraft.jpg)

EMAC UNVEIL TEST BED ON LANDMARK TEST DAY

EMAC have today given the media their first look at the HyperDragon, a test bed for a future UAV project capable in theory of reaching speeds beyond Mach 5. The announcement comes on the same day that the company demonstrated their "Switchblade" engine which converts from turbojet to ramjet while operating, a vital milestone in producing a vehicle capable of high speeds and sustained flights. As Sir Alan Maybury, the CEO of EMAC explained, "For sustained hypersonic speed in recoverable aircraft either two types of engine or one capable of converting itself midflight is needed. At lower altitudes air density prevents ramjets from getting to those speeds. The planes would burn up at those speeds at low level and at the very least the increased strength of the shock waves might just tear them apart. We need to utilise the traditional engine to break the initial supersonic barrier then gain altitude." The test revealed that the change over was "92% successful" and that in theory the engine would have reached speeds of "Mach 5.1".

The media were shown the HyperDragon which is a conventionally powered test vehicle. The current model is described by Sir Alan as being "Half scale and powered by a conventional turbojet. The idea will be to test the aerodynamics and handling at comparably low speeds. Once thats been checked and the Switchblade has been tested more extensively we'll marry the pair up at full scale. We believe the current test bed vehicle could be utilised as a UAV even in its current form. Its a project that has many possible outcomes but our ideal is to create a small high speed passenger aircraft that could carry out a variety of military roles."

The HyperDragon was flown and successfully completed a thirty minute test flight reaching a speed of 710mph from EMAC's Illumic Test Site. The company hope that it will hit Mach 1 next week.



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 14, 2023, 01:28:59 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/1075008877512364052/image.png)

KING SEEKS ANSWERS

Following as of yet unconfirmed reports that the Queen of Eskdale, Queen Diane, had an abortion in 2003 it is understood King David has contacted the Eskdale Royal Family in order to obtain answers. It is well documented that the two monarchs shared a romantic relationship for nearly a year when both of them were 18 years old and many suggested that the two would marry, effectively uniting Eskdale and East Moreland. The Kingdom of East Moreland in 2003 only permitted abortion up to 23 weeks and then only on the basis of cases of incest, rape or if the child was "likely to be born with a disability" which suggests that Queen Diane returned to Eskdale for the procedure. In any case the Queen never returned to East Moreland following her visit back in 2003 and completed her degree in Eskdale at her nations Air Force Academy shortly before that same year becoming Queen. It was reported at the time that the Queen's duties in her homeland prevented her from pursuing her relationship with the then Prince David. As a result the two have spoken very little since and now tension is likely to be increased. King David is on the record of being of the view that abortion should always be the last resort and has also stated that his dream is to have a large family. The two monarchs are both members of MICA and are expected to attend an annual event by the organisation.

Unnamed sources close to the royal family believe the revelation could have a profound impact. "The King was, despite opportunities, never a ladies man, in fact he has often found it hard to form relationships. His previous marriage to Lady Matilda Osman brought him two children, sadly Prince Caspian died at the age of two meaning until the birth of Prince Llewellyn last year the King had a single child in the guise of Princeess Rhiannon who is heir to the East Moreland throne.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 16, 2023, 07:48:23 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.looper.com/img/gallery/the-real-reason-you-dont-hear-from-jennifer-connelly-anymore/intro-1529966818.jpg)

ROKKENJIMA EMBASSY TOLD "SHELTER IN PLACE"

With clashes taking place between Daito and Rokkenjima over islands in the Rokkenjiman Sea the nations Foreign Minister, Duchess Orlaith Kade, has today confirmed that the Rokkenjiman embassy in Northfort has been told to "shelter in place." The instruction is usually issued to the whole of Embassy Row during security incidents within the city. This is a procedure all ambassadors are briefed on when they arrive in East Moreland and puts the embassy on notice that they will have members of the capital cities Rapid Reaction Force in large numbers on the two mile long street that houses the vast majority of embassies based in the Kingdom. The embassies are then expected to stay away from windows and doors and take shelter in whatever secure rooms they have, many embassies will also at this point issue arms to security details. This however is the first time ever that just a single nation has been given the order. The Duchess explained, "We have concerns that Rokkenjima can not be trusted. As such we do not want rouge Rokkenjiman embassy members wandering the capital. They will be confined to the embassy and in a communication issued to the embassy informing them that they will not be permitted to leave unless 12 hours notice is given. Then the only place they may go is the Northfort Air Force Base under a Red Legion escort. We will not take the risk of rouge elements damaging our nation."

The Duchess, who is the cousin of King David, also suggested that even when solved this situation is likely to mean mistrust exists. "We have seen over the past few years several issues. Most recently we have the reappearence on the political landscape of Charles Ofdensen. In his speeches he has painted us as some kind of enemy, this though is not the first time Rokkenjima has not been complimentary towards a relationship with us. In the past we've seen 64% of the Rokkenjiman population state they believe we have a bias against them and urged their Empress to "not play nice" with East Moreland. At one point RBC reported the most common words used by Rokkenjimans about my cousin were "'untrustworthy', 'vindictive' and 'liar'." If the reports of this action being carried out by rouge elements is to be believed then it is clear supporters of Ofdensen are likely to be swayed by these historic figures and statements prevalent throughout Rokkenjiman society. In short we can not and will not trust a Rokkenjiman. They can stay holed up in their embassy until the matter is resolved or they can accept an escort to the airport and leave."

Soon after the announcement was made two Bison (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=10.msg17619#msg17619) military vehicles parked outside the Rokkenjiman embassy with members of the Royal Marine Commando on guard. A Chameleon Tank (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=10.msg14382#msg14382) was also seen at each end of the street, this is common practice when the usual "Shelter in Place" instruction is given. Normally the instruction lasts just a few hours however this one could potentially last a much longer.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 17, 2023, 05:33:39 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.looper.com/img/gallery/the-real-reason-you-dont-hear-from-jennifer-connelly-anymore/intro-1529966818.jpg)

KING DAVID SHUFFLES CABINET

For the first time in over four years King David has reshuffled his cabinet without their being a need to. In the past four years appointments have always occured when individuals have died, resigned or retired however today the King said, "I have always tried to draw my cabinet ministers from people with a wealth of experience in the field they take over. I am not limited like some nations to picking them from within certain ranks and so I am looking for relevant experience at as high a level as possible. I believe that many of my cabinet have by nature of their service been outside their specialist field for a while now and that to ensure I have the latest thinking, ideas and knowledge the time has come to make some changes. Those who have served have meet with me privately over the last few days and I have thanked each of them for their excellent service to the Kingdom. I hope that if a time should come when I am forced to make changes to the cabinet they would consider serving again. Those remaining within he cabinet are in areas that I think we perhaps need to maintain stability or areas where their experience is vital."

The new appointments will, as set out in the constitution, need approval of both the Representative and Executive Council however with no controversial figure being named it is unlikely that their will be significant opposition. Among those assuming new roles is one political figure many assumed would never return to government. Tim Carpenter, former CTO Secretary General Tim Carpenter. The Freestone native is seen as a national icon having lead a popular uprising against Prince James and also established the Freestone Mark scheme to try and ensure people don't benefit from slavery. Freddy Armistead takes on the role of Treasurer if approved. Armistead was until July last year the lead editor of the respected Silverhills Financial Daily and has run a blog for several years offering people money saving advice. He is also co-founder of Marm Ltd, a micro-finance lender that has made $28 million last year. Blair Finch will take over as Minister for Home Affairs heading up matters such as policing, internal intelligence and immigration. Finch has served in the Navies police service and then as an adviser to the Representative Council on national security matters. As full list of the appointments has been published below.


Prime Minister - Henrietta Quinn
Deputy Prime Minister - Tim Carpenter
Foreign Minister -Duchess Orlaith Kade
Treasurer - Freddy Armistead
Minister of Home Affairs - Blair Finch
Minister of Defence - Sir Harry Samuelson
Minister for Science and Technology -
Minister of Health - Dr.Ned Gary
Minister for Business and Trade - Mick Sawyer
Minister for the Environment and Farming - Zavia Mathews
Minister for Education - Rudolph Thompkins
Minister of Transport - Pattie Comstock
Minister for Culture and Tradition - Katy Garrett
Minister of Justice - Darren Bone
Youth Minister - Robert Tinker

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 22, 2023, 09:00:55 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/crowded-park-goerlitzer-park-berlin-kreuzberg-may-germany-day-labor-day-first-70772628.jpg)

FEAST OF HELUS CELEBRATIONS

Today followers of Helus across the world have celebrated the Feast of Helus. The festival is dedicated to celebrating the chief deity of the Cult which follows the God and his associated pantheon. Helus is believed to be the creator of all the Universe and helped humanity defeat a horde of evil known as the Underlords from destroying all things. The day began with Temples across the nation cleaning their alters and washing their statues of Helus, some individuals who maintain shrines at home do the same. Families have then travelled to early morning prayers before spending the day feasting with friends and family. It is also common during the day that communities come together for street parties and share food.

The Royal Family are often a centre point of the days celebrations, especially as many of the faithful view the Ironside family as being directly descended from Raimond Unasson who was the leader of the human forces that made a final stand against the Underlords. During this final stand Unasson sacrificed his life to save Helus and as a result his unborn child was favoured by Helus. Many Cultists believe that King David is the latest in a long line of monarchs that originated from that event. As such King David was invited to address the congregation at the Temple of Helus in Northfort, the spot where it is believed Helus left Mundus for the final time. This year the King used part of his speech to comment on the ongoing conflict between Rokkenjima and Daito.

"Helus taught us "Loyalty to an unjust cause is a perversion of honour.". I am sorry to say this is a lesson certain members of the Rokkenjiman military have never learned. We have seen members of the Imperial Armed Forces plunge their nation on a path to war with neighbours Daito, a nation that was until recently their ally. To turn against a friend without warning is the lowest act of a coward I can imagine. We stand here today in the gaze of Helus puzzled by how so many people we once considered honourable can have committed this act of sin. Jekar told us that the highest duty of anyone is to fight for those unable to defend themselves and each of those Rokkenjimans who have raised a hand against their neighbour needs to realise the only person they are defending is an unrightous one. We though now stand at a point where our friend Hugo Lascelles has I hope put wheels in motion to bring this unpleasantness to an end and I hope the forces of Daito remember too that ultimate duty to defend those who can not defend themselves and recognise that there are still good honest soldiers among the Rokkenjiman ranks. It is our hope on this holy day that peace between neighbours can be achieved and today I send our best wishes to Grand Duke Hugo Lascelles not just as he shares our faith but to help him find a peaceful path.  Today marks a day for us as Cultists that light began returning to the world when the Underlords were defeated. We must each of us strive to bring light into this world and should East Moreland be able to help do that the Grand Duke knows he has our support."

The King went on to distribute gifts to those assembled and also helped his son Prince Llewellyn leave a gift of flowers on the alter of Helus as he attended his first Feast of Helus service. Ten year old Princess Rhiannon was part of the choir at the Temple for the first time. Having now turned 10 years of age she was permitted to wear a traditional white tunic shirt (https://images-ext-1.discordapp.net/external/Qe32n0pgCo0m4xW912kriwXsZpBSujNH88Zjop-Kl3c/https/i.ebayimg.com/images/g/UkAAAOSwzINa7HrV/s-l500.jpg). On special occasions these are worn by members of the faithful with those yet to have a sword ceremony wearing white while those who have been through one wearing red. The wearing of the white tunic symbolises that the Princess has begun preparations for her sword ceremony which she can undertake in a minimum of eight years time. The King spoke with the media on this saying, "Rhiannon is at an age now where she needs to begin understanding this much more. Previously Temple was a time for stories and singing, now she needs to make sure she is getting to understand what Helus needs us to do. She's a quick learner and I am proud of her and the whole of the Temple's choir today. They sang beautifully." Surprisingly Queen Stasya, who is a follower of the Sisterhood of Helus and not the Cult, also attended the Temple of Helus rather than a shrine of the Sisterhood. Her spokeswoman said, "The Queen wanted to spend the day with her family and therefore has come to the Temple here. She used her time during the service to say her own prayers in her own ways to the Goddess Helus and will visit the shrine on her way back to the palace." Rather surprisingly the royal convoy made a detour to that Shrine where the King and Prince Llewellyn accompanied Queen Stasya inside to lay gifts on the alter. Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker explained to the press, "Faith is an important part of life here in East Moreland and while the King loves the Cult he is happy to support his wife in her own faith. The Sisterhood has 1.2 million followers in East Moreland making it the 2nd largest faith, it would be a poor monarch who didn't appreciate his peoples differences."

After attending Temple many people in Northfort headed to People's Park which neighbours Embassy Row and Northfort Palace where there was a large musical concert. Tickets had been distrubuted for free through various good cause outlets and local schools however attendees were invited to make a donation. The headline act of the day was Frank Turner but performances also included Florence and the Machine, Biffy Clyro and 2Cellos. As usual a variety of charity stalls selling food and drink were operating and its estimated that a total of around $5million will be raised from the day for good causes. The Royal Family attended for a few hours before returning to the Palace where Princess Rhiannon was flown to Portworth to spend the evening with her mother Matilda Osman and the Osman Family. The remaining royals enjoyed a feast with close friends were "Junipur infused Venison and seasonal roasts" were served as the main course.

Across Mundus Embassies, with the exception of in Rokkenjima, also celebrated the day by hosting garden parties and inviting local dignitaries. In Lijiang the Embassy invited the local Foreign Office to play a game of rugby 7's where the East Moreland embassy won 38-5. In Lodja the Ambassador, Sir James Fitzroy, held a banquet at the Isle of the Goddess which was attended by Queen Natalya and several Conclave members. It is thought this is the first time an event celebrating a different faith has taken place on the island. Other overseas highlights included in Hygelac where East Moreland's scientific team joined with colleagues from Nya Aland to have their own "pre-Winter Games Games" which lead scientist Professor Joe Snowdon says "Alanders domintaed".

Celebrations are expected to go on late into the night and as usual many businesses have opted to give workers tomorrow off as well. The religious feast is also expected to give a huge boost to the hospitality industry as well as food and drink related businesses. The next major festival for the Cult is three weeks ago when the Feast of Jekar takes place and a huge military parade in Ostlake has been scheduled.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 26, 2023, 10:41:35 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/1079519481933607023/image.png)

BETTER AUTO GO CLASSICAL

East Moreland's largest producer of electric vehicles has today unveiled its 2023/24 limited edition model. Since its foundation in 2017 the company have released a new limited edition model every two years and this year they have taken inspiration from a classic car from the 1960's. The BetterAuto "Model 23/24" is an all electric car with a range of around 580 miles and is compatible with BetterAuto's battery exchange system. The chief designer was Karl Deacon who unveiled this years design saying "We wanted to do something that would in many ways surprise people. Lots of electric cars look really modern and we figured no one would see the 23/24 and think it was an electric car. It looks like something we'd have seen an old school James Bond cruising around in but its fully environmentally friendly." There will be a production run of just 8,000 of the cars and 3,700 have already been ordered. That order includes two by the Ironside family who have confirmed that Queen Stasya and Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside have both reserved one of the cars which is expected to cost $350,000.

BetterAuto have also confirmed that they are buying a further 27 sites across East Moreland for the establishment of battery exchange stations and are investigating the chances of investments in other MICA nations. A spokesman for the company said, "It is our hope that we can use the various treaties, charters and agreements that East Moreland has built to improve our offering outside the borders of the Kingdom. MICA should allow us to do that and there are a host of possible partnerships to be had."


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/1079524327764000879/image.png)

SIR ALAN TO ADDRESS ELYSIUM

The CEO of EMAC has confirmed today that he will speak at the Elysium Economic Forum. Sir Alan Maybury has been in charge of EMAC since 2014 and has seen the company make steady profits year on year however the thing that perhaps he will best be remembered for is seeing EMAC make moves outside the aviation sector. Sir Alan talked about his upcoming visit saying, "We at EMAC are keen that we can't just rely on being an aviation business. Things change and we need to find ways to keep ourselves relevant. We've done some interesting things over the past few years and I'm proud of what we've achieved. I'm going to Elysium to share with the world what we have learned in terms of diversification and endeavour."

Since becoming CEO of EMAC the former Air Force Engineering officer has seen the company begin operating airlines, smash speed records and acquire sports teams in four countries. Sir Alan has hinted that he will continue acquiring sports teams saying "Perhaps one day soon we can have an EMAC Mundus Championship between the masses of clubs we support." EMAC have also been involved in the "Team Snow-Badgers" preparation for the Winter Games by utilising their know-how on aerodynamics and light weight materials to prepare equipment for winter games athletes.



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/1079528296007602246/image.png)
ARCHDUCHESS BEGINS SECONDMENT

Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside is to begin a secondment to the Air Force of the Commonwealth of the Iwi. The move comes as part of the ongoing arrangement between CNN nations that officers will, form time to time, spend time serving in the forces of another member. With the Archduchess now four years into her military career and having reached the rank of Flight Liuetenant she is required to get experience outside her Force Protection role in order to gain further promotion. This means she must either serve in another Air Force role for six months, serve within the Army or Navy for three months or undertake a CNN secondment for three months. The Archduchess and her Force Protection K-9 "Bandit" will serve in a similar role within the Iwi's own Air Force.

The Archduchess is also expected to also act in a diplomatic role while within the Commonwealth. The niece of King David has said, "I understand I have a somewhat unique position. Not only am I serving military officer but I also have royal duties. A chance to build even greater friendships with the Maori is something I look forward to. I have huge respect for their nation and find their culture fascinating. I am excited to spend extended time there as on my short visits I've always found the place welcoming and loved my time in the Commonwealth." The Archduchess has also confirmed her long term partner, rugby player Rollo MacAllister, will be joining her in the nation. MacAllister recently completed a four year enlistment within the Army and has stated that he now intends to fully focus on his rugby career. He has signed a three month loan contract that will allow him to play for Hunters Bay Hākuturi who have finished fifth in the Commonwealths highly competitive domestic league for the last four seasons. MacAllister leaves Northfort Royals who have won the East Moreland league for four of the last five seasons.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 06, 2023, 08:16:34 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/1082377585977217095/image.png)

STAR STUDDED OZZIES DIS-H OUT AWARDS

Last night the Ostlake Film Awards took place in the city of Ostlake. The awards were presented this year by celebrated Morelander artist Jocelyn Hopkins who as well as being the "Royal Artist in Residence" has also worked on several theatre productions. She also hosts a TV documentary showcasing some of East Moreland's best young artists. While the awards began as a way of celebrating the best of East Moreland's film and TV it has since 2015 been open for several international awards. This year there was a significant change as Tamoran producer Samira Hanifnejad was not nominated preventing her from earning a hat-trick of best film awards.

The winner of best East Moreland Film was the dark comedy horror film "The Menu" which tells the story of an ill fated final service at an island restaurant. The award was presented by East Moreland swimming legend Diasy Greechan. The film also sparked controversey as it was one of the first films to win an Ozzie where the film was promoted primarily on a streaming channel. To qualify the film had limited showings in cinemas across the country to ensure that it meet the requirements for a minimum amount of showings in cinemas. The Ostlake Film Academy has agreed that it will meet with cinema representatives to discuss the future of streaming productions for the awards. Some have suggested that such platforms have their own categories.

As the awards reached the international portion of the night the first one to be presented was the Award for Best Animated Short Film. There were three nominations but judges selected the Altonan film Save Ralph (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G393z8s8nFY). The film is a rather bleak and dark examination of animal testing through a mockumentary with a rabbit used for testing. The award was presented by Lady Matilda Osman who said, "I think its incredible that such a heart-wrenching film has won. Getting awards such as this will bring more eyes to the film and hopefully it can make people think twice about the products we buy. I'm pleased East Moreland and many nations have taken steps to prevent this but I am sure more can be done."

Best Documentary was presented this year by former astronaut Rachel Dixon, the first Morelander on the moon. She presented the award to the team from Achkaerin who made "The Discoveries of the Oracle Space Telescope" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP42FVvp5Ac) which showcased various scientific break throughs made the Achkaerin's space programme over the last year or so. Dixon said after presenting the award. "When the Royal Aeronautical Society began to get involved in space exploration we always did so with an eye on trying to make the general public aware of what we were doing and in a way that was accessible for all. It's vital documentaries like this one from Achkaerin do well so that we can continue to enthuse people about space exploration and science in general. Unless we have a steady convey belt of youngsters interested in science and space we can't continue what we do. I'm looking forward to what the Oracle Space Telescope finds over the next few years."

The Award for Best International Short Film went to Altonan film Lie Detector (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjVVNuraly8) which is a comedy telling a humorous story of a job interview. The award was presented by Medieval MMA Gold Medalist and World Champion Louis Blanche. The Ostlake Native is currently preparing for a world title fight against log term rival Lucas Green which is due to take place in Silverhills at the end of the month. The champion said, "I spend a lot of time on social media just scrolling. I'd seen Lie Detector a few times and it always made me smile. I'm pleased its won and no doubt I'll see it a few more times before long."

The rock/classic cross over duo 2Cellos presented the award for Best International Song from a Motion Picture. The song from Dartfordia based Queen featured in the Eigg produced film called Highlander. The song "Who Wants to Live Forever" featured in the sci-fi fantasy which sees a group of immortal humans battle throughout time in an effort to become the last man standing. Stephen of 2Cellos said, "It is not surprising the film did well in East Moreland. Any film featuring sword fights and battles between good and evil will always do well. The song "Who Wants to Live Forever" is a beautiful song that is haunting and fits the film perfectly." 2Cellos also performed at the awards ceremony.

The final award of the evening was the Best International Film which this year saw one of the biggest fields in the awards history. A total of 12 films where nominated with two stories featuring Fighter Pilots making the final shortlist. It was however the Holmvik biographical film "Dis Two" which scooped the Ozzie. The Award was presented by Queen Stasya who is currently the Honourary Chairwoman of the Ostlake Film and Television Academy which runs the "Ozzies". The film charts the story of the short but bloody civil war in Holmvik which ended the monarchy there and installed a Republic. Leading actress Ester Heimisson, who played Rebekka Axelsen, was one of several who accepted the award. The Queen said after the ceremony, "We had invited Miss Axelsen but I understand she enjoys her rather secluded life. The film is inspiring and a real memorial to those who fought in that nations civil war. It must be hard to make such a historic film and do the story justice but I am confident this does."

At the conclusion of the ceremony many of those who attended were seen in the exclusive nightlife spots in the city where several people hosted private parties. One of the largest was held by the Queen who hosted a white themed party that is said to have raised in excess of $1million for various charities supported by the East Moreland monarchs.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 16, 2023, 10:49:23 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/1086046479870865458/image.png)

KING ANNOUNCES "SPORT FOR ALL" FUNDING

King David has today announced that through a mixture of state funding and corporate donations a "Sport For All" project will begin next month. The aim of the project is to get every Morelander, regardless of physical ability, to try to get involved in some kind of organised sport. The King made the announcement while visiting the Winter Games in Heyra saying "East Moreland has a culture of military dedication and service. Our national faith tells us that it is our duty to protect those who can not protect themselves. To do that our people have always tried to promote sport as a means of replicating controlled aggression and physical exertion required. When I was a boy I played rugby, skied and took part in my favourite sport, climbing, of course I've had the odd kick about of a football and these days I try and row four or five times a week. Our nation has a very low rate of obesity but we're beginning to see that climb. Rather than wait for it to become a problem I want to see everyone, regardless of age, undertake at least three sessions of 30 minutes worth of exercise a week. Currently our obesity rate sits at 17%, five years ago it was 15%, I would like to see us return to a lower rating."

The project will make around $280million worth of funding available for schools, clubs and local councils to promote sport. In addition sports teams can get tax rebates for running community projects. One of the clubs utilising the funding is the Keepton Walkers F.C. This is a club for men aged over 60 who play walking football two nights a week. Their Chairman is Frank Taylor who said, "Our aim is to run the first City Walking Football Tournament in Keepton, we want to have a weekend festival of walking football to celebrate the sport and hopefully get some more people to play. The money will allow us to rent pitches, promote the event and help new players with kit." The idea is being supported by Keepton United F.C, the current 3rd place team in the East Moreland Premiership. Their manager Adam Jackson said "I'm 59, so I'm hoping they hang on about a month and then I can play. I think this is a great idea and not only gives us older gents some much needed exercise but brings people together to socialise which can be hard as you get older. We've agreed the final will be played before one of our home games and we'll provide replica kits to those who need them. I'm looking forward to welcoming whoever is in the final to the ground."

The news has been greeted with support by East Moreland sporting icon Sir Clyde Woodward, former national rugby coach, who has taken a role helping oversee East Moreland's Mundus Games Committee. "I'm excited with this project. It will give minority sports a boost and hopefully we can uncover some really talent." Currently the East Moreland Winter Games team lies in 10th position in the medal table with four golds and a total of 15 medals. Sir Clyde commented on this performance following watching the men's Bandy team win Silver alongside the King. "We have the Alps, we have snow there most of the year round, we should do better. I think we maybe need to examine the way we used to utilise our military better for games teams, we've flirted with people competing outside the military and seen a decline in performance. I will be pushing for a return to action in large numbers of the military teams." Until 2018 the King's Sports and Social Association (KSSA) maintained teams in both the professional rugby and football leagues however these were disbanded and players encouraged to player for professional teams with special arrangements made for their military service. Similar systems were in place for other sports and in some special cases such as Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside and Daisy Greechan service has been shifted to allow them to compete at elite level.

The King will travel back to East Moreland this evening to begin preparing for the Feast of Jekar on the 19th of March. 



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/1086055655670042714/image.png)
FEAST PREPARATIONS BEGIN
[/center]

Members of East Moreland's Hunter's Legion, members of the REMAF, REMNS and Royal Marine Commando's have begun arriving in Northfort for this years Feast of Jekar. A parade featuring several thousand members of the armed forces, veterans and cadet groups will take place from the Palace, down embassy row, through the Temple district and into People's Park. King David, Princess Rhiannon and Queen Stasya will accept the salute from the march past after first presenting several regiments with new battle honours for their Regimental Standard. The King will also be presenting several awards for troops who served in Lodja. Following the arrival in People's Park a fly past by the Royal East Moreland Air Force will take place with a pair of newly restored EMAC Dragonjet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Vampire) aircraft featuring.

The Feast is a celebration of the "Scarred Legionnaire" of Helus, considered the God of War who refused to follow Helus' initial instructions to not interfere in the war between humanity and the Underlords as Helus believed humans had forsaken the relationship between Gods and humans. It was Jekar who finally persuaded Helus to join the battle and this ensured the survival of humanity. For many it is considered the second most important festival in the calendar after the Feast of Helus. The day is traditionally spent honouring the military, remembering those who have fallen in battle and many elect to have their sword ceremonies on these days. This year Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside is in the Commonwealth of the Iwi for the feast day and has been instructed by King David to undertake some diplomatic duties on the day. It is not unusual for embassies across the globe to celebrate the day in ways considered "inkeeping with Cultist traditions and those of their hosts."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 19, 2023, 06:28:18 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f1/7d/c8/f17dc8cb0ae7a193f8c5ee1bd5017075.jpg)

FEAST OF JEKAR SEES PARADES ACROSS KINGDOM

Millions of people across the Kingdom have today attended parades by the military as part of celebrations for the Feast of Jekar. The day marks the celebration of what is to many the 2nd most important God in the Cult of Helus pantheon. The faithful believe that Jekar is the God of War and responsible for persuading Helus to save mankind from the evil Underlords in addition to also teaching mankind how to use the sword and how to smith them. The celebrations began early in the morning when King David, Queen Stasya and Princess Rhiannon attended breakfast at Northfort Military Barracks where a large number of soldiers, sailors and airmen had gathered to take part in parades later in the day. The royal family helped serve breakfast to the rank and file before joining them. Following breakfast the royals made their way to the Temple of Jekar in the capitals Temple District. There a newly forged sword was placed on the high alter of the Temple while the old sword was taken away by a member of the armed forces. This year Flt/Sgt Millener of the Royal East Moreland Air Force's Air Defence unit took the sword which will be displayed in the nations Museum of Swords which contains over 400 years worth of swords forged for the Feast day by the Royal Families private sword-smith. After prayers the royals were joined by Princess Freya who joined them to watch the parade by members of the various elements of the military. The King took the salute of the parade which was followed by veterans and cadet groups. The parade filtered into People's Park where the King presented new battle honours to several units. It is tradition in East Moreland that each Army Regiment, Air Force Squadron and Naval Vessel has a Royal Standard presented by the monarch, some of these standards go back hundreds of years. For each campaign the unit has been part of a ribbon is presented bearing the name of the campaign and is then sewn onto the banner. This year units that fought in Lodja received new battle honours while several soldiers also received medals for actions during that conflict.

Around 8,500 sword ceremonies have taken place across the nation with those qualifying also receiving a letter of congratulations from the monarchy. In East Moreland it is tradition that anyone who has served the nation for a period of two years, has witnesses of good character and approval from a Priestess can be presented with a sword as a symbol of devotion to the Cult.

Celebrations took place at embassies across the world with the Embassy in the Charterlands hosting a feast attended by Prince Barthelomew of Semelberg, the principality now under the authority of Queen Stasya. Meanwhile in the Unified Iwi Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside hosted a feast for several Chieftans of the Iwi's. During this she presented King Piripi with a traditional East Moreland cavalry sword as a symbol of friendship between the two nations. The Ironside's are honorary members of an Iwi and the Archduchess has been spending time with them in the lead up to the festival. Meanwhile in Lodja the new East Moreland embassy was opened following the destruction of the old one during the recent Lodjain civil war. In that attack 4 members of the East Moreland diplomatic service died and their names are now enshrined on the new embassies gates.

The afternoon in Northfort saw a fly past featuring over 100 aircraft including the debut of the restored EMAC Dragonjet. The aircraft originally entered service in 1944 and served as one of the nations front line fighters until the late 1950's when it became part of the Air Forces training squadron. The aircraft were largely left to decay during the early 1970's and only one remained in possession of EMAC who displayed it in their companies museum. Sir Alan Maybury however has had teams of students from Chamwick University work at restoring it to air worthy conditions and today it returned to the skies as the final aircraft in the fly past. Sir Alan said, "The Dragonjet is an important part of both our company and our nations history. I'm excited its back in the air and I hope that its flights can become a staple of air shows perhaps across Mundus." The aircraft will be handed over to 642 Squadron which flies the nations historic aircraft.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 03, 2023, 01:03:26 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/1092408674607190116/image.png)

EXERCISE IN SEMELBERG BEGINS

Around 8,000 members of the East Moreland military have ventured over to Semelberg as part of a joint military exercise between members of the East Moreland military, Nya Aland and Semelberg militia. The exercise features representatives from the Army and Air Force and is expected to last five days. Minister of Defence, Sir Harry Samuelson, is attending the exercise as an interested observer. The former Red Legion marksman instructor stated "The exercise is important to the charter of Semelberg. They are a people undergoing a lot of management changes and it is important that we help and support them as much as possible, especially in light of the recent attack on the Sisterhood's temple construction. The people of Semelberg are Odinists and so we believe our relationship with the Alanders will be a useful way of us all working together, beside we have seen in Marseille that the Alanders are an effective fighting force so it will be good to work with them again." The East Moreland military have regular training exercises with some Aland elements as East Moreland has long operated a training area called Red Base in Nya Aland. The facility, an old fishing village, is used for specialist training by East Moreland's Red Legion as well as elements of the Nya Aland military.

At the conclusion of the exercise some elements of Semelberg's militia will travel back to East Moreland in order to receive some specialist training before returning home with some new equipment and skills which they will pass on to the rest of the militia. While initially the King had been keen to stress that he intended to have very little to do with Semelberg it has become apparent that after the attack on the new building works the King has begun to reverse that decision with royal press secretary Malcolm Tucker saying. "East Moreland have shown time and again that if you harm those who worship Helus we will take action. This is no different. We are hopeful of a long and mutually beneficial relationship"
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on April 11, 2023, 11:17:09 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://armadainternational.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/IWI-Tavor.jpg)

ARMS SHIPMENT TO SEMELBERG BEGINS

Following the successful completion of the training exercise between forces from East Moreland, Nya Aland and the militia from Semelberg the East Moreland military have begun the transfer of supplies to the Charterlands territory. It is expected that a total of 1000 firearms will be transferred along with several Bison (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=10.msg17619#msg17619) mobility vehicles, Light Guns (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L118_light_gun) and a number of Infantry Fighting Vehicles (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warrior_tracked_armoured_vehicle). In addition to the equipment a team of 20 instructors made up of members of the Royal Marine Commandos and Red Legion will be sent to help the Semelberg forces retrain on the new equipment. In a statement released by the Ministry of Defence it was stated "The Semelberg forces showed a tremendous level of resilience during the exercises and impressed both the Morelander and Alander commanders. It was clear however that they lacked a solid common training syllabus. Our aim is to square them away and slightly change the manner in which they operate. Currently they stand more like an infantry regiment but lack the equipment to be truly effective. In future the force will be more like a commando unit. The Semelberg forces we'll be working with have already made it clear they will be changing their unit name and we are looking forward to working with them for many years to come."

Queen Stasya has also today confirmed that the Temple for the Sisterhood of Helus has recommenced after being targeted by terrorist attacks several months ago. The Queen has also confirmed that it is her hope the Temple will be completed in time for the Feast of Rolaf at the end of June and that should that deadline be meet the Queen and Prince Llewellyn would attend festivities there. The Royal Press Secretary however would not confirm whether King David and Princess Rhiannon would be in attendance.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 07, 2023, 10:29:11 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1009164913752682608/1104867018710208583/image.png)

MEMORIAL TO OPEN ON GREENFLOWERS DAY

On May 23rd 642 at a field some 100km outside Northfort a battle took place that would change history. The Battle of Greenflowers was the decisive battle between the forces of the then Prince Robert and his brother King Niall Barren. While the battle hung in the balance it is argued by many that the arrival of around 1,000 peasants to aid Prince Robert swung the outcome, these peasants were mainly dressed in peasants white shirts and by the end of the battle many were dyed red in their own and the enemies blood. It was in these men and women's honour that East Moreland's military elite Red Legion are named. The field is today marked by several memorials and a visitors centre stands on the spot where it is believed that the forces of the soon to be King Robert the Unifier began the day. Each year memorial services take place at the sight and Red Legionnaires, past and present, undertake a hike to the battlefield and stand vigil at the memorial known as King Robert's Throne, a low flat rock on which it is believed King Robert was crowned on the battlefield. This year the ceremonies and rituals will feature a new addition as King David and the Ironsides will open the National Mausoleum.

There has long been a discussion on how to handle the human remains found on the battlefield. The Cult of Helus instructs that wherever possible bodies should be cremated and offerings to the God that will be reduced to ash should be included. Following the battle however there was insufficient time or wood to carry out the burnings and so the bodies were buried. Four graves have been discovered, one for the soldiers in Roberts army, one for those first Red Legionnaires, one for the enemy and one which we believe is for those unable to be identified. Now that many archaeologists believe that we have learned as much as possible from those grave sites a decision was made to make a more fitting arrangement. The work was largely carried out by Professor Stephen Roebuck of the Royal Merriman University. Dr.Roebuck explained how they had handled the situation. "Over the past 50 years or so the site has been mapped in a vast number of ways, first by photographers and experts armed with pens and paper. More recently we've utilised 3D scanning, satellite imagery and a vast number of other methods. We've photographic and written records on over 6,000 bodies and various other body parts, we've even a library of objects running to some 40,000 items. We've preserved as much as we can for future generations but now its only right those bodies cease being exhibits and are given proper rest. We consulted with High Priestess Skye Maddix, the Court of Canley and various other groups and we reached an agreement where a more fitting monument and resting place will be arranged."

The arrangement has seen a traditional stone structure built at a point equidistant between the four burial sites. The National Masoleum will also extend underground to allow storage of a vast number of funeral urns. Under supervision of the Priestesses of Jekar and members of Red Legion over the past twelve months the bodies have been exhumed for a final time and taken to Northfort Barracks where special mass rituals and cremations have taken place. Priestess Hayley Green is a 27 year old who was previously a junior priestess at the Temple of Jekar in Freestone but is among those drafted in for the task. "We've carefully prepared batches of the deceased brought to us by members of the armed forces. Each has been given the correct prayers and then cremated. The ash has been put into specially blessed urns and then stored. The urns are communal and in total we have just over 800 of them now." The process saw only bodies from the grave containing soldiers from Roberts army and the original Red Legionnaires. The decision was made not not do so with those unindentifiable as part of Roberts army or of the Borlanders as Miss Green explains. "The funeral rights are for those who followed the Code of Canley, who served Helus with honour and pride. We will of course make sure that the remains of those we can not for sure say are Borlanders are buried again respectfully, this time in individual plots. The Borlander grave will be left as it was."

The National Mausoleum will be officially opened by the King who will place the first of the new funeral urns into one of the specially constructed racks. He will then be followed by the Queen, Princess Rhiannon and then other members of the Ironside family in order of succession. Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker briefed the media saying "Honouring the fallen of the nation is very important to His Majesty. He is a well documented historian himself and this ceremony is a vital part of our nations heritage. The King is looking forward to helping ensure those who birthed this nation are properly honoured."

The day will also mark the King's 39th birthday. Following the memorial service at the battlefield site the King will host a garden party at Northfort Palace.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 13, 2023, 11:09:17 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/770686153011232769/1107060990023061514/cb2cedd0-bfc7-4f57-9d9b-7dcdadb12ade.png)

ROYALS MAKE TV DEBUT

As the first season of "Ironsides" drew to a close yesterday viewers were surprised when three members of the royal family appeared during the episode. The ambitious TV series is set to chart the history of East Moreland and the Ironside family from the time of Robert the Unifier in the 7th Century until modern day. As its producer Thomas Fairbrother explained the series is set to run for potentially decades. "We've filmed ten episodes, each just over an hour long and we've only just reached the part of story where King Robert actually creates East Moreland. We did our best to get the final episode which features the Festival of Greenflowers as close to the anniversary as possible and now we have to begin Series 2 from the aftermath. Of course viewers know what is going to happen so we can't create cliffhangers in the same way many series can but we can still create drama." The series has been showing Saturday evenings during prime time and has been getting excellent viewing figures however some have criticised Fairbrother for blending the historical story with religion. Several scenes have shown King Robert having visions of the Gods but Fairbrother has defended this. "I don't know if I'll be directing the whole thing but let me assure people my vision is that  as we come towards the modern day the Gods will feature less, anyone who reads history knows that the various monarchs talk less about the Gods as we approach the 20th Century and so we will reflect that. Also as we have less information from the early days of our nation's history the use of the Gods as a plot device have been useful."

In the final episode the Goddess Marissa made her first on screen appearance and the audience were surprised to see the Goddess played by Queen Stasya. The Queen appeared on screen for a total of five minutes and like the other Gods featured in the series spoke without moving her mouth, her lines were however not voiced by the Queen but instead by 19 year old singer Kelly Moran. Fairbrother explained, "We figured the Gods would just project their conversations like telepathy, while Queen Stasya was able to act the part we had a singing role for Marissa and young Kelly has the perfect voice." The Queen had dyed her hair blonde for the role and was part of a scene following the battle where the Gods discuss whether to support King Robert. Queen Stasya posted on social media following the premier saying, "I'd like to thank Thomas Fairbrother for this chance. I enjoyed the process and should Marissa need to appear again I hope he will give me a call. Kelly sang fantasically and I dream of having a voice like her." The King also posted that he believed his wife was "the only woman that could capture the beauty of Marissa". Some people criticised the portrayal however as the Queen is not a follower of the Cult as she is a member of the Sisterhood of Helus.

The appearance of two other royals though were less obvious. Half way through the battle scene a soldier is seen lifting King Robert up and handing him a sword before being speared in the back. That role was fulfilled by King David who explained, "We were on set to see the series being filmed and the mass battle scene looked exciting and so I asked if I could perhaps have a sneaky role. There are actually about eight guys from our security detail also in the scene and sadly on this occasion they failed to keep me safe." Just before the final credits role King Robert is shown walking through the Palace grounds at Northfort having liberated the city. A group of children in the background are seen playing with toy boats on the river and one of those was Princess Rhiannon. When the royals were asked if they intend to feature in other episode Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker said, "Silverhills is becoming a great producer of films, while Ostlake is the home of the movie awards Silverhills is the heart of our movie industry now. The involvement of the royals in this TV show bring new eyes to the product and we hope they will keep them on our film and TV industry. The royals enjoyed the experience but it is unlikely to become a regular event."



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 23, 2023, 10:35:10 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.corriere.it/methode_image/2022/04/16/Weekend/Foto%20Weekend%20-%20Trattate/[email protected])

NATION CELEBRATE

May 23rd marks a double celebration in East Moreland. The day is the birthday of both the Kingdom and its current King, David III. This year however there was added cause for celebration as the National Mausoleum (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=150.msg26932#msg26932) was also opened.

The day began at the site of the battlefield of Greenflowers as members, both past and present, of the nations elite Red Legion concluded the tradition of the Vigil (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=150.msg16804;topicseen#msg16804) where they stand guard over the battlefield the evening before. This year just before sunrise King David, Queen Stasya, Princess Rhiannon and Duke Peter Kade, the current ambassador to the Iwi, arrived at the site and distributed warm drinks to those who had undertaken the "Vigil". In addition one unnamed Red Legionnaire was presented with his Conspicuous Gallantry Medal for actions undertaken in Lodja. Like many awards given to Red Legionnaires the citation for the honour is classified for the next fifty years. Soon after this crowds began to arrive to take part in the commemoration of the battle that effectively created East Moreland. The royals were joined by Princess Freya, Princess Rhiannon, Prince Llewellyn and Archduchess Sophie. The family helped place several of the funeral urns of those exhumed bodies from massed graves into the newly constructed National Mausoleum. During the ceremony which was lead by the High Priestess Skye Maddix the King said, "Today we are finally capable of putting to rest in the correct manner the first Morelanders. The men and women we have placed in their final resting place made a decision that there was something in their life more important than there own personal safety. It is thanks to them that everything any of us have ever achieved is possible and we must today rededicate ourselves to making sure that we never let them down." Several members of the public left offerings to the Gods at the walls of the mausoleum. A trio of Royal East Moreland Air Force helicopters flew the royals back to Northfort where the King and his family attended a service at the Temple of Jekar. As has become tradition the Royal Standard of Red Legion was re-blessed and for the first time Brigadier Jim Corey, the Legions new commanding officer, left a new Red Legion sword at the alter.

As the royals left the Temple they made their way to a specially constructed grand-stand at the edge of the Temple District where a large march past by members of the Armed Forces took place. The fly past included around 200 aircraft including some vintage aircraft and some aircraft significant in East Moreland's aviation history. The final aircraft was the Dragon-Ghost (https://assets.newatlas.com/dims4/default/f4c907d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2091x1394+0+0/resize/2091x1394!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewatlas-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Farchive%2FDP049228.jpg), one of EMAC's latest projects. Sir Alan Maybury, CEO of EMAC, said "The fly past was a lot of hard work organising between ourselves and the REMAF, I'm proud we managed to get so many vintage aircraft airborne and its been fun to see the crowd reaction to some of them. I hope we can now start working with collectors, entusiasts and museums to get some of these more airborne on a regular basis."

The crowds began to filter away to the bars and streets of Northfort while around 100,000 people lined up to enter Northforts People Park to enjoy the annual free music event. During this time Queen Stasya went to the Sisterhood of Helus' temple in Northfort with Prince Llewellyn. Upon her return the royals had a private party to celebrate the birthday of King David. Archduchess Sophie and her cousin Duke Peter Kade attended the music festival in the evening to watch Frank Turner perform. The King released a statement in the evening saying. "I'd like to thank the people of East Moreland for their well wishes. I'm hopeful that my 39th year can be one I'm proud of. I have a lot of things I want to achieve and there are many oppurtunities out there to make sure the Kingdom continues to be a force for positivity in the world. Last year we were able to win several pieces of recognition from other nations. We must build on these relationships and I'm excited to visit even more nations."

The private party in the palace was attended by Queen Natalya of Lodja and Grand Duke Hugo Lascelles of Bakkermaya. It is expected that King David will meet with these two in the coming days. Queen Natalya also attended the music festival for an hour in the park.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on May 29, 2023, 10:43:41 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://warsawsecurityforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Mark-Carleton-Smith-400x400.jpg)

"A MUST WIN" SAYS BRIGADIER AS OSTLAKE GAMES LOOM
#

Brigadier Jim Corey has today told the media he is expecting a "wealth of success" for Red Legion at the upcoming Ostlake Games that start on the 6th June. The Games are an annual spectacular that takes place in the city of Ostlake which sits on the lake of the same name and is home to the Kingdoms military headquarters. The Games began in the 1700's as a way of promoting military excellence and have today expanded to not just include traditional military events such as Drill but also more modern skills such as parachuting and also sporting events such as Rugby Sevens. With a majority of East Moreland sporting infastructure being closely connected to the military the Ostlake Games have produced a number of Mundus Games champions, most noticeably Daisy Greechan and Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside. Since the early 2010's the games have even expanded to include foreign teams with the CIS nations once making up the numbers while now that will go to the CNN with one "outsider" guest nation. This year that has been named as the Charterlands of Reenberg, most likely invited as East Moreland forces have been helping train soldiers from Semelberg which is one of the Charters that make up the rather unique nation. The team amassing the most points each year wins the King Robert Trophy, currently held by Hunters Legion.

This year Brigadier Jim Corey intends to take the trophy back to Aldcliffe, Red Legions HQ. "We're the smallest unit in the competition but I have my eyes set on upsetting the odds. We have some disadvantages, for example we find it hard to put women into events. No female has passed Red Legion selection and so as a result we rely on those who are part of our Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing to make up the numbers. We though think if we can sweep the wins in the military themed events and sneak a few in sports like boxing then we can be up there, especially as I would expect us to sweep podiums in events like the Combat Run as that is basically our bread and butter." The Combat Run sees competitors carry a 25kg Bergen rucksack 10km with shooting posts at several stops along the way. "For me the King Robert Trophy is a must win, we are supposed to be the elite and have to prove it. Other years we've seen our team struggle as we've been in the middle of live operations somewhere on the globe and we already have the smallest pool of people to select from. This year we've no commitments." The Brigadier has tasted his own success at the Games. When he was a 22 year old he represented Duke Legion in the Field Gun Obstacle Course that won gold, in the same year Duke Legion won the King Roberts Trophy.

The competition is though likely to be fierce with several Mundus Games starts confirming their participation. Mundus Games Weightlifting Gold Medalist, Eddie Halls, will be representing Pegasus Legion in the Tug of War meanwhile rugby player Rollo MacAllister will be representing Hunter's Legion in the Rugby Sevens. It is also believed that the Navy will have two Greechans on their squad and the Air Force will have the talents of Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside. This year there is also another twist to the games as for the first time the Legionnaire Legacy games will count towards the King Robert Trophy. The Legionnaire Legacy games were established after the Eugenics War as a part of the "Battle Back" initiative that supported the rehabilitation of injured veterans. By helping them access new sports and opportunities it was hoped their recovery would be speeded up. Any individual injured while part of the military and aided by the programme may compete and represent their former unit. While previously it has been a stand alone competition that takes place at the same time as the Ostlake Games it was determined by the Ostlake Sports and Social Committee who are responsible for the games that they should become an official part of the Ostlake Games. The Committee's President is King David who made the announcement saying, "I have been a competitor in both the Ostlake and Legionnaire Legacy Games, both take massive levels of commitment to be competitive. I've always said that just because you don't wake at reveille and don't put on the uniform every morning that doesn't stop you being a Legionnaire. We value our veterans and this is another way of honouring them. I will be, if selected, part of Pegasus Legions coxed eight rowing team again this year. I've heard Brigadier Corey talk about Red Legion winning it, I shall be keeping my eyes on them and who knows if they pull ahead then we may just need to beef up security somewhere in the world." Pegasus Legion have a long connection to the royal family. Princess Freya's Regiment of the 2nd Light Scouts is part of that Legion and the King's late sister, High Priestess Joanna Ironside, was at one time their Lead Priestess. The Kings father served in the Legion and his uncle Duke Fraser Kade served as the 2nd in Command of the Legion up to 1999.

Tickets for the events have been selling briskly with only a handful avaliable for each day of the week long event. EMTV will be hosting coverage of the event. For the first time the final night will also feature a music event in one of the parks in Ostlake with tickets being made avilable via lottery with 80% of tickets being given to Ostlake locals for free. The event will coincide with the Closing Ball. During this the King is expected to start the dancing at the Enlisted Troops Ball with a recently graduated cadet, he then takes a boat ride over the lake to join the Queen at the Officers Ball. In recent years the Queen's attire has caused controversy and already fashion magazines are trying to find out which designer she will be wearing. It is also understood that King Aldwin of Weißenwald has been invited to the final ball.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 09, 2023, 10:12:51 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://perstoremyr.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/widan_el_faras_2001.jpg)

ROCK TO THE RESCUE

OsmanTech have today announced that they are to begin distribution of basalt to East Moreland farmers for free. In the foothills of the East Moreland Alps the city of Keepton has had a long history of being associated with mining. Currently the OsmanTech company operates a large open cast mine outside the city which they utilise as a facility for extracting minerals, ores and various other materials required for their operations. Recently however Environmental Scientist at the site working with Professor Simon Morley have begun work on a project that they hope will help reduce carbon dioxide while also helping farmers crop yields. If the project is successful OsmanTech hope it can be rolled out across the globe.

Dr. Morley has for the past five years been exploring the phenominum by which exposed basalt slowly reacts with water in the form of rain and carbon dioxide. This reaction creates bicarbonate ions which cling to the rock. This process can take millions of years however Dr.Morley has plans to speed the process up to the point that it takes only a couple of months. "Here at the Keepton Quarry we come across basalt a lot, along with various similar rocks. Our plan is to reduce these into a fine powder which can then be spread onto farmers fields. The powder acts as a fertiliser to plants helping crop yields and also improves the quality of grazing land. The powder absorbs rain water and carbon dioxide creating carbonates that eventually find their way into rivers through natural run off and from there into the sea. Once they've reached the sea they mix with calcium ions to form calcium carbonate, a solid mineral that traps carbon dioxide for millions of years. By this process we can help remove and regulate a lot of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere."

Joanne Osman, the CEO of OsmanTech, has said that the companies projections are that the company could distribute 185,000 tonnes of basalt a year by 2025 and this would have removed a million tonnes of CO2 a year. It's still a drop in the ocean compared to emissions. In 2022 its thought the world discharged about 37 billion tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. Miss Osman explained, "If the project works here in East Moreland it is our hope that we can look at moving this world wide and ensure an even bigger impact."



(https://mf.b37mrtl.ru/files/2018.08/original/5b61831edda4c8af508b457e.jpg)
OSTLAKE GAMES IN THE BALANCE

With the Ostlake Military Games about to enter their final day the competition is delicately poised. With only four events taking place on the final day there is just two points seperating the Royal East Moreland Naval Service (REMNS) and the Cenneg military. The final day sees the Ostlake Team Challenge, both men and womens versions, the final of the mens Rugby7's and the Drill Competition. The Team Challenge sees a team relay that sees a 2km open water swim in the lake followed by a 15km fell run, a series of 150meter target shooting and then concluded with a team 10km log carry. At the end of the Team Challenge all those who have taken part in the relay must complete a series of shooting drills. Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside is art of the Air Forces log carry team while the REMNS have Daisy Greechan as their swimmer.

The Rugby 7's is considered to have no impact on the final outcome of the competition for the King Robert Trophy as both the Navy and the Cenneg are not able to finish in the top five teams. It will be the Air Force and Duke Legion who will compete for the Rugby 7's final. Meanwhile in the Drill all eyes will be on Hunters Legion who won the Rifle Drill competition relatively easily and in the past 20 years the team winning the Rifle Drill competition has also won the showcase Drill competition.

Regardless of the final outcome the week long festival has featured some wonderful sporting action and a few shocks. In the Medieval MMA competition Mundus Games Champion and current World Heavyweight Champion Louis Blanche lost in the final to Sebastian Johnson who represented Red Legion. This is the first defeat Blanche has experienced in the last four years and has seen global fans of the sport clamour now for Johnson to be given a match for the World Heavyweight Championship.

The final day will also feature the much anticipated Ball that as well as being attended by the East Moreland monarchy will feature visits by King Finley of Ui Cennesliag, who could witness his countryman lift the trophy for the first time, and by Queen Natalya of Lodja, who currently lie in 8th.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 11, 2023, 05:30:10 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i2-prod.irishmirror.ie/incoming/article8952839.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/Andrea-Bocelli-Performance-At-The-Site-Of-The-New-Annabels-46-Berkeley-Square.jpg)

NAVY WIN OSTLAKE GAMES AS QUEEN TURNS HEADS

Following the final day of the Ostlake Military Games the Royal East Moreand Naval Service (REMNS) have won the King Robert Trophy. This followed the REMNS dominating the Ostlake Team Challenge taking gold in both the mens and womens events. The Navy also came 3rd in the Drill competition while their closest competitors for the overall title, Ui Cenneslaig, came 6th in the competition. The day began with the swimmers setting off on their 2km open win where unsurprisingly the REMNS womens team took a strong lead thanks to Daisy Greechan who set a new record for the open water portion of the Ostlake Team Challenge. Petty Officer Jessica Madeley ran their fell running leg and scored highly on the shooting portions before a team completed the log run finishing 41 seconds ahead of Pegasus Legion. In the mens version of the event Royal Marine Commandos competed in every leg of the competition and finished just 17 seconds ahead of Red Legion. Admiral James Thompson then watched as his team drawn from Portworth Naval Station finished in the Drill competition which brought the curtain down on this years games. Despite not winning the Drill the team celebrated louder than the Maori team that did knowing they had won the overall competition. The Admiral accepted the Trophy and following the presentation said, "I am proud of the hard work and dedication of the boys and girls that make this possible. To have the trophy once more is a joy and I can't wait to get it in the trophy cabinet down at Portworth. The Ostlake Games have been magnificent again and demonstrates once again that our armed forces have incredible sporting stars and dedicated warriors in every branch of service. I'd like to thank the CNN partners and the Charterlands for attending this year and wish them safe sails home."

The games have once again provided a boost for the Ostlake economy with hotels, hostels and eateries all being fully booked over the week long games. William Crown is the  owner of Barker Row, a steak restaurant close the the lake side, said that he had been fully booked each dinner service and that he had been booked up weeks in advance. Meanwhile the Crown Lake Hotel reported bumper profits during the week. Over 100 private boats were also moored in the various lake marinas with several having been witnessed hosting large parties during the games.

As is tradition the Games finish with two formal balls. The Enlisted Ball at Ostlake North began at 6pm and King David began the dancing. This year his dance partner was Legionnaire Poppy Stapleton of the Alpine Cadre. The 19 year old switched to the Cadre part way through her national service having determined that she wanted to become a career soldier. She completed her Alpine Cadre final assessment the same day that King David completed the officer version in 2022 as a way of demonstrating his recovery from his back operation. Legionnaire Stapleton said "To serve in the Cadre knowing its the most beloved unit of the King is great, but to then know I share the experience of qualifying with him makes it sweeter. The King was a real gentleman and we chatted about our favourite parts of the Dovehole countryside. He then wished me a pleasant evening and made his way across the lake." Legionnaire Stapleton was also presented with a symbolic "Kings Shilling" as a memento of the evening. The King took a boat across the Lake where he meet Queen Stasya to make his entrance to the Officers Ball at Ostlake South. As usual photographers stood ready to capture the gown of Queen Stasya who appeared alongside the King in a revealing metallic effect gown. The dress was designed by students at the Queens own fashion label and paired with no jewellery. The ball was also attended by several other monarchs including King Finley of Ui Cenneslaig and Queen Natalya of Lodja. Queen Stasya was seen spending significant amounts of time with both visiting monarchs and aides say she was discussing an upcoming "CNN Pride" event that she is organising. King David was asked his opinion of his wife's fashion choice and said, "When it comes to fashion I know less than a quarter of what my wife does. I don't always see things the same way but tonight she looked beautiful."

Around 250 troops from the CNN partner nations are set to remain in Ostlake for a further fortnight as the guests of the East Moreland military. During their stay they will take part in training alongside their Morelander counter parts as well as take part in recreational events.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on June 27, 2023, 11:00:16 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://pyxis.nymag.com/v1/imgs/74c/9a2/641a278eb6958c51a831d05da8169cf510-21-supercavitation-shkval-torpedo.2x.h473.w710.jpg)

EMAC SUPERSONIC SUB SOON?

EMAC have announced that at the opening day of the Festival of Sail they intend to showcase a "testbed model" that could become the worlds first supersonic submarine. Sir Alan Maybury, the CEO of EMAC explained the project saying. "We have already worked with Grayson Dockyards to help make torpedo's for the Navy, our current collaboration has seen speeds of around 200mph achievable. It is our belief however that we can, in true EMAC style, go much faster." The company have shared a concept image for what they are calling the Underwater Supercavitating Weapon System and Vehicle (USWSV) which appeared to show a rather unique shaped torpedo however as of yet no one has seen the prototype. Sir Alan explained the concept saying, "The USWSV would contain some kind of warhead and power source as a traditional torpedo would, what makes this capable of high speeds is the fact that it contains a tank of gas which is expelled through ports to make a kind of bubble, by travelling in this bubble they can travel at much higher speeds and in theory reach supersonic speeds. Once we master the idea with a torpedo we would be able to make this into a vehicle." Sir Alan points out that the vehicle would not be able to keep a high speed for sustained periods but could potentially be used for helping escape enemy forces or carry out hit and run attacks. By Sir Alan's own admission though the completion date for the project is some way of, potentially not until the 2040's. He did however say "We can not be put off trying to advance technology just because the completion dates are way off in the future, on every project we learn more and more and this helps us in other projects."

The test is scheduled to take place prior to the main parade of ships into Portworth. If successful Sir Alan has stated that he hopes to conduct a wide variety of tests over the coming months. It is believed that these could lead EMAC to be able to claim to have made the fastest underwater "Vehicle" to have ever existed.



(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/743887236499636275/1123367947612729475/image.png)
DUKE OF WINTERHAVEN NAMED NEW CNN ENVOY

Matthew Howse, the Duke of Winterhaven, has today been named as the new CNN Envoy. The role has previously not been seen as a permanent position but has instead been held by a rotation of individuals dependent on the global situation ranging from Princess Freya to seasoned diplomat Sir Jacob Lange. The King today confirmed the Duke will take the position for "at least the next 12 months" and will relocate to Claith at the end of the Festival of Sail in under to carry out his duties. The role involves mainly acting as a conduit between the four allied nations however has also included leading East Moreland delegations during various discussions. The 30 year old Duke is new to leading roles in global politics however the King explained that he believes the Duke is well equipped for his role.

"Duke Matthew Howse of Winterhaven has accompanied Sir Jacob on several meetings overseas and has been a regular part of East Moreland's sporting communities overseas visits. He has held a seat on our Mundus Games Committee and I believe he will shine as one of the next generation of our diplomats. I am confident he will be an excellent asset for a long time to come and I thank him for taking up this significant role for our nation."

The Duke attended Keepton University to study Law but upon completing his course never took up a training contract and instead entered the military where he served as an officer for five years in the Royal Marine Commando. Since leaving the he became heavily involved in Winterhaven RUFC taking a 75% share of the club in 2018. It was through his involvement with rugby, both representing the Marines and then running Winterhaven he found himself part of the Mundus Games Committee for East Moreland. He is also a frequent analyst on EMTV for their rugby coverage.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on July 10, 2023, 10:59:28 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.theswordshop.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/4/image/650x/51005e67a06b64a1769d8f4204ad6b6a/k/i/kih14.jpg)

PRINCE LLEWLLYN'S FIRST SWORD PRESENTED

Today marked the opening of the Festival of Sail and during the traditional opening floatilla and sword presentation it was the 18 month old Prince Llewellyn who featured heavily. The son of King David and Queen Stasya made history by becoming the first member of East Moreland's royal family to be formally enrolled as a Patrician of Lodja, a necessity for many high status activities in the Queendom. One Lodjain expert said, "The move means that the Prince is seen as a Lodjain formally in the eyes of the people there. While nobles of all nations are always treated as Patricians there is always a sense that this isn't neccessarily seen as a good thing as some Lodjains question the manner of some nations nobility. Prince Llewellyn will, I hope, feel now he is a Lodjain too." The Prince was presented with a symbolic silver bracelet by Queen Natalya of Lodja who became the first monarch of another nation to take direct part in the opening ceremony rather than just witness it. The bracelet will not be worn on daily occasions as even Lodjains only wear it on formal and ceremonial occasions.

Following the bracelet presentation Royal Smith Maxwell Power presented the Prince's first sword. Tradition dictates that before the childs second birthday a sword is picked out so that when ready the child can begin training with a sword. It is the duty of an individual to look after the sword until such a time is deemed to have arrived. The Princess will take on the title "Protector of the Sword" until Llewellyn is deemed capable of looking after the blade himself. The Princess, who is considered a promising swordswoman, inspected the blade before declaring it "more than fitting for a Prince". Maxwell Power has been a smith, specialising in swords, for the Ironside family for forty years having served an apprenticeship under his father Stephen who held the title Royal Smith before his son inherited the title. Mr.Power said "I have now made swords for five Ironsides, Princess Freya, Joanna and then His Majesties children Caspian, Rhiannon and now Llewellyn. I believe I have one final sword in me, unless of course we're blessed to have a new Prince or Princess, and that will be Princess Rhiannon's adult blade. I'm privledged to have seen the Ironside Royal Family grow through the years and I am happy to have seen smithing take a position front and centre of todays events." The 60 year old is currently training his grandson and grand-daughter to be smiths while his own son, Captain Evan Power, is Captain of the Forge at Ostlake and responsible for overseeing the production of swords for the armed forces.

The Festival of Sail lasts a week and has seen hundreds of ships attend the ports, quaysides and marinas of Portworth.



(https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/science/2019/04/24/195077154_REUTERS_A-transparent-mouse-is-pictured-at-the-laboratory-of-Dr-Ali-Ertuerk-in-Munich-xlarge_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqB6WIRW_ARw8FwaenPDZysqi7tcrJzlI87GQVuCUYsMU.jpg?imwidth=1200)

OSMANTECH MAKE "GLASS MOUSE"

A new step in analysing cancer medicines had been taken today in Chamwick. A team of scientists working for OsmanTech have created a "Glass Mouse", a transparent deceased mouse, that allows greater scrutiny of tumours and the impact of medication. The method involves removing all the fats and pigments from the mouse's body, using a chemical process. The mouse is then scanned using a microscope and different coloured dyes can be introduced into organs and tissues to help create a contrast.  Once this has been done the entire mouse carcass can be 3D scanned allowing unparalleled analysis able to pick up minute details previously unseeable. The 3D images produced by the scanning method can be stored online, making it easier for researchers to share and collaborate on their findings. Scientists at Chamwick are excited by the achievement as they believe the method could be used to improve the testing of cancer drugs, as it can detect tumours that are too small to be seen with conventional scanning techniques. There is also cause to be hopeful as the method could also be used to study other diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

The announcement was celebrated by OsmanTech's CEO Joanne Osman, daughter of the companies founder, Lord Lucas Osman. "The Glass Mouse is rather ground breaking. The concept will speed up the work of scientists striving to make new drugs to save lives. Not only will this help us defeat cancer but with some luck the work can also help those working to end Alzheimers and Parkinsons. I'm proud that we've been able to support these geniuses and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for what they can now achieve."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on July 21, 2023, 09:38:18 AM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://dapperdavecash.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/johannes-cover.jpg?w=620)

"ASSEMBLY OF NATIONS A NON-STARTER FOR NOW" SAYS KING

While attending his weekly sessions of question and answer before the Representative Council the representative for Freestone, Tim Carpenter, asked the King what his views were of the recent Social Media (https://independentorder.net/index.php?topic=180.msg27388#msg27388) post of the Empress of Rokkenjima. The King admitted he had not seen the tweet as he often regards social media as "Stasya's realm" however when furnished with a copy of the post did respond to the Councillor who was a former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Treaty Organisation.

"Mr.Carpenter is perhaps uniquely qualified among Morelanders as to the issues surrounding issues like an Assembly of Nations. Naturally over the course of the coming days we will watch what Her Imperial Majesty does with interest and respond appropriately, however it is my view that currently the Assembly of Nations is a non starter for now. Let me explain. We have seen over the majority of the last decade, two, maybe two and half versions of such a project and each time they have failed. With the most recent reincarnation of the concept, the Commonwealth Treaty Organisation the issue was transparently clear. It became a body that while designed to do good saw the same two nations time and time again left carrying the can and both ourselves and Achkarein buried far too many good people for that organisation while others sat back. There has been no significant change in the world that would lead me to think that a third such body would be any different. I also fundementally disagree with the perception that the Empress has of Mundus being some sort of Wild West. When crisis have reared their heads they have been solved even without such a body. Take the example of her homelands recent, thankfully brief, conflict with their neighbours Daito. It was Grand Duke Hugo Lascelles and the Ardian Assembly stepping in and handling the situation that brought it to a peaceful end, it is now members of Bakkermaya's military providing the backbone of peacekeeping forces. The Krimeon saw one small pirate incident and immediately the nations there organised and have in place an arrangement to secure that sea. There are countless other examples of where when required nations have found solutions that are peaceful and pro-active and they have done this without a Assembly of Nations. It would make me wonder that if the Rokkenjima and Daito conflict was played out on a global, and not regional level, would such a speedy and bloodless solution have been found? Nations across Mundus know that when needed East Moreland shows up, over the last decade, in particular the last half a decade, every humanitarian crisis that has faced Mundus has seen an East Moreland presence front of centre, sometimes alone and many times thankfully with Achkaerin. The disaster in the Union of Nordic Peoples, we showed up, the Cultist genocide in Royal Seleucid, we showed up, Safraen, we showed up twice, Mavrosia, we showed up alone, Yellow Tongue, we showed up. All of those were done without the CTO, in fact while the CTO was still discussing the Cultist genocide we had already evacuated hundreds of people. The Empress then should be well aware of why East Moreland would be so unconvinced of either the need for or desire for such an organization at this moment. I say these things not out of a lack of concern for Mundus' future, I would place my record and that of East Moreland's against any other nation in terms of the good we have done for others, and we shall continue to do so. Even recently we have begun working with The Eyrie to help promote better education, better understanding of each others cultures. We have offered aid to countless nations across the globe and shall continue to do so. I am proud to have sat in this very chamber people like Mr.Carpenter, who even when not embodied with political power of any type have sought to create a path to peaceful improvements through the world with his now globally recognised Freestone Mark. For now though should the Empress launch her project in a few days time we shall not be there, we shall sit back and watch, but despite not being in the tent, so to speak, mark my words we would not and will not sit ideally by in times of crisis."

Prime Minister Henrietta Quinn echoed the Kings sentiments saying "East Moreland has, I am proud to say, done a great deal to support the international community. One thing His Majesty did not say however is that there is a significant element that see the "establishment" so to speak as a threat to nation sovereignty and the S.U.N. embody that belief. In the past previous Rokkenjiman leaders have sounded rather hostile towards such people who do not share the view of the majority. This is not going to help create a global body designed to work together. In the past we even saw it lead to creating a counter organisation, the Cross Mundus Agency, which just as the C.T.O. did failed to achieve its aims. I have seen nothing so far that would lead me to imagine a third attempt would lead to different results. A simple fingers crossed and good intentions do not work."

The King later in the day said, "Should the situation change, should we see significant groundwork put in prior to any attempts then of course we shall consider the matter. I am at heart an historian and when the evidence changes so should our interpretation, at present though I see no reason to have changed my view from that of how I saw the C.T.O. I wish the Empress, as always, the best in her endeavors."

Public opinion in East Moreland seemed rather negative with one prominent TV channel running a poll asking "If the CTO was restarted tomorrow should East Moreland join" seeing 76% of Morelanders saying "No." 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on July 23, 2023, 08:35:34 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.zmescience.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/745px-Small_Boy_nuclear_test_1962.jpg)

UNSEALED DOCUMENTS COULD CONTAIN UNIQUE RECORD

A series of documents relating to the East Moreland nuclear weapons programme have today been unclassified and scientists and engineers have found one package particularly interesting. In 1957 a nuclear test took place in the deep Alps where a deep shaft was drilled for a nuclear test explosion. This shaft was capped with a specially made 900kg metal cap some 1.2 meters in diameter. During the test cameras caught the cap, which many called the "Man-hole cover" blow off at high speed. Experts having monitored the explosion and seen the footage suspect that the manhole was at one point doing a speed of some 240,000 km/h; 150,000 mph, which if it could ever be confirmed is likely to make it the fastest ever man made object on Mundus. The manhole cover was doing five times escape velocity and this has lead some to believe that it could have actually made it into space having reached an altitude of 100km. If this was the case it would also have made it the first East Moreland object in space and among the first objects from anywhere on Mundus. East Moreland's first person on the moon, Rachel Dixon, was among those who have been discussing the document. "Its rather funny to think that as a nation relatively late to the space race we might have some rather accidental early success. I know the scientists will take a long time pouring over all this and number crunching but in the grand scheme its kind of irrelevant. Accidently putting a drain cover into orbit isn't great science, but it is amusing. We're a nation that has attempted to push some technological frontiers and this kind of shows that sometimes things go wrong but with interesting results. Its my belief the thing likely disintegrated long before getting above the 100km line and even if it did it'll have burned up, I don't think some Vaguzian sheep farmer needed to worry too much."

Meanwhile Sir Alan Maybury, CEO of EMAC, also weighed in on the news saying, "This only goes to show that speed is the very life blood of Morelanders, our grand-fathers knew that speed barriers are there to be broken. Despite EMAC loving a speed record I think this is one that we will be leaving well alone. If its true though I'm proud to say its another speed record for our great nation, I'm just sad that this one goes to somebody other than EMAC." Sir Alan ruled out recreating the feat saying, "I think in the post-nuclear weapon age blowing up nukes isn't a good idea for any reason."

Other documents declassified include various letters from King David II, the current Kings great-grandfather, including a series of letters written to his daughter the later Queen Philippa I. The letters reveal details of their relationship while she was at boarding school at the Northfort Girls Academy. This included words of encouragement after she had failed Morelandish yet even though encouraging it shows the change in Morelander culture prevalent in the early 20th Century as King David II says the language is "following the Dodo and the dinosaur". Historians have described the declassification as a "treasure trove" of early 20th Century social history. It is the aim of the National Archive that all the documents will be made digitally available by the end of 2024.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on July 25, 2023, 11:31:08 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://blog.mensmarket.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/johannes-huebl-style.jpg)

"A SAD DAY" SAYS KING

King David today cut short a visit to Chamwick following news of various incidents across Mundus. The King had been visiting the city as part of a planned meeting to check on progress of various EMAC projects when he was whisked away by his security detail with no explanation. News then filtered through that Daito had been hit by a missile strike and then later that Mersch had been the scene of a targeted series of terrorist attacks.

The missile attack in Awara, Tochigi Province, Daitō was launched from the turbulent area of Kalasin and caused "thousands" of casualties. The government of Daitō have stated the nature of the attack leads them to believe there has been "direct involvement from the government in Pattani" or Kalasin separatists. The weapon used is believed to have also included a thermobaric warhead. Later in the day the King gave a statement on the attack saying, "I now my best wishes will be of no help to the people of Daitō. They shall have mine, and East Moreland's, prayer but that shall bring the bereved little comfort. East Moreland knows the horror of similar attacks having seen Freestone hit by two missiles during the early part of my reign. There we measured the dead in hundreds but it did not break us as a people and I am confident this shall not break the people of Daitō. We will stand ready to offer what support we can. We are active members of the Joint Emergency Team and through them we have always had ready to deploy specialist search dogs who can help find people trapped in rubble. These teams can and will deploy within hours of being given the go ahead from Daitō. In addition we can send water, food and various other supplies. While Daitō are a nation with a capable military we have assets designed for missile defence stored in The Commonwealth of the Iwi and we would consider, if required, loaning these. The perpatrators must be discovered and while I am a firm believer in people being free to determine their own future if this is separatists then I would urge them to cease these activities for fear of losing any international support they may have."

News then came of attacks closer to home when Mersch saw three of the leading candidates for the monarchy of Mersch assassinated within an extremely short time. Jasmin Volk, one of the daughters of a leading candidate is already in East Moreland following unsuccessful attempts on her fathers life however the King now offered refuge to others. "We were already working with the provisional government in Mersch to re-establish their monarchy, as was determined by a referendum. Now we have a major issue as in one swing of the sword terrorists have caused the plan there to collapse. We shall however help scoop those bricks up and re-set them. I gave my word that we would help support them as they restored their monarchy, and ensured the stability once loved there returns. We stand committed to this and any of the candidates for the crown shall find safety here. We will work with Prime Minister Dahl to make sure the timeline we were working on is reviewed and if required amended. It is still our hope to have the matter concluded before the end of 2023.

The King has moved East Moreland forces to a higher alert level and ships were already being deployed towards the Commonwealth of the Iwi for the annual CNN summer exercise. It is understood these ships may now be diverted to support humanitarian efforts. Meanwhile Princess Freya was due to meet with Prime Minister Dahl in Mersch shortly however the Palace will now not confirm or deny that the meeting will go ahead. 

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on July 30, 2023, 12:52:56 AM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/1134982432563658826/image.png)

JEKARS SLING SENT TO THE IWI

King David has today announced that six units of the anti-missile defence system known as Jekars Sling, is due to be sent to the Commonwealth of the Iwi. The system has been utilised successfully as part of a multi tier system to protect East Moreland from missile and rocket attacks similar to those that struck Freestone almost a decade ago. The system was quickly constructed by EMRC based on prototypes they had working at the time and since then missiles supplied by EMAC and software upgrades from SmartWar have made the system highly effective. The system has previously been deployed in Royal Selecuid during the crisis with Slava and in Lodja during the civil war. With current crisis in the Matildas having already seen missile strikes on a hospital ship, Daito and a bomb in Rokkenjima it is hoped these systems will provide peace of mind to the Commonwealth. Explaining the decision Sir Harry Samuelson, the Minister of Defence said, "We take our obligations to our friends seriously, we have technology that may be able to protect many parts of their nation. I would like to think that anything to the west of the Matildas can have some protection. We can identify and bring down missiles some 300km away so hopefully that will mean we're essentially a check point of sorts. This is especially true as the Commonwealth shares a border with one of the parties." The system will be flown into the nation within the next 24 hours.

In addition East Moreland's Royal Logistical Corps have been placed on standby to respond to the dirty bomb in Rokkenjima. Sir Harry explained saying "The Royal Logistical Corps are our nations go to for dealing with NBC incidents, they've contingency plans in place should such a thing happen in East Moreland and I don't see why this can't be done in Rokkenjima. Should the Rokkenjimans request it the Royal Logistics Corps will head over and see what help they can be in cleaning up."

Meanwhile the East Moreland Armed Forces have seen their Bikini State, or alert level, increased to Black Alpha which is the highest before being in actual war. Black Alpha means "A known specified threat against East Moreland targets either at home or abroad is expected to be acted upon in the near future" Sir Harry told us "Morelanders are used to such warnings, we've spent lots of time worried about the Borlanders and as such everyone knows the procedures we expect people to follow. Rest assured we will remain vigilant." The general public are reminded that in case of suspect terrorist activity they should contact either the police or their local military outpost.



(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/709845204689092691/1134915485100671166/image.png?width=1061&height=625)
QUEENS FASHION UNVEILING

Queen Stasya has today released the first images of the East Moreland and Lodjain uniforms for the Mundus Games. The Queen of East Moreland, a Lodjian by birth, has long been involved in fashion design and has run her own not for profit fashion house called Pelafashion. The Queen was approached by both teams to design their uniforms for the opening ceremony and today fashion shows in Silverhills in East Moreland, and on the Lodjain island of Iskor showcased the designs. Queen Stasya attended the show in Silverhills, modelling one of the women's outfits herself. The show saw not just the opening ceremony uniforms but the full range of team kit being paraded. The official team shop went live just moments later with all the profits of sales of replica versions of the East Moreland parade uniform seeing all profit going to junior sports teams across the nation. One of those attending the show was Mundus Games legend Daisy Greechan who said, "personally I'd be wearing the red dress, I like the fact its elegant but a little flamboyant. In previous years we've kind of just worn plain blazers with the nations coat of arms on, now we've something that will truly make us stand out. I like it."

Meanwhile in Iskor the Lodjian showcase saw their uniforms announced with the intention that any profits from sales will be used to help fund junior sports coaching courses. Queen Stasya was seen later in the day sporting one of the Lodjain uniforms at the post show event in Silverhills and said, "Lodja are a nation that places a great pride in having healthy bodies, sport therefore should be important, we though have not always done great at competitive levels and I want to try and do my little bit to make my native land successful. I shall though during the games proudly be wearing my red and white. Myself and David will head over at some point during the games and cheer on the team. I wish everyone great success and can't wait to see our team wearing my designs."



Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 07, 2023, 12:17:57 AM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1040694550236242061/1137882912176492624/image.png)

"ACHKAERIN TO ALDCLIFFE" FOR MED MMA HOPEFUL

Sergeant Demi Bennett is the current East Moreland Women's Heavyweight Medieval MMA Champion and heavily fancied to do well in the upcoming Mundus Games in Achkaerin. The 26 year old is now undefeated in sixteen bouts and enters the games on the back of a victory over Fran Merson to take the national championship in front of a crowd of 60,000 at King Robert Arena two weeks ago. Bennett serves in the Royal Engineers Regiment and has also represented Pegasus Legion in the recent Ostlake Games helping take the Women's Tug of War Championship as well as coming third in the gym challenge. Bennett however says the games will hopefully be her final moments in competition having confirmed that she is the second woman in the 21st Century to be accepted onto Red Legion selection. The first was Princess Freya who broke her ankle on one of the final selection tests and therefore was deemed to have failed, despite many saying the Princess had performed well throughout selection she has not attended for what would be her second and final attempt and has not confirmed whether she ever intends to. Bennett would if successful be the first female to enter the elite regiment in its history. Standing at just under 6ft and described by her Mundus Games team-mates as a "Gym Monster" the Rockhampton native is considered by many to stand a much better chance than the Princess. Sir Charles Townshend, who himself served in Red Legion and has been a guest coach at the Medieval MMA teams sessions has been asked about Bennett's chances, "From what I've seen she is a natural warrior, aggressive, intelligent and determined. She is however rather more muscle bound than the average Red, that can prove problems as she'll have to carry that muscle up and over some of the biggest hills in East Moreland and that's a challenge. Mentally I'd put her in the Legion tomorrow but the Legion doesn't work like that. For the media it makes so much better press talking of the first female Red but for now I want to concentrate on her winning the gold."

Bennett has served in the Seaforth's Eugenics War and Marseille and has been awarded two mentions in dispatches for clearing minefields under fire. The Red Legion selection process takes place twice a year, once in summer and once in winter, and has a success rate of less than 10%. Experts believe that both selection intakes bring unique challenges with one former Red Legionnaire instructor saying, "You turn up in summer and your facing the scorching sun as you hike through the countryside with packs weighing up to 80lbs on your back. Thats horrific especially as packs are weighed at the end and so taking water, which is a must in the summer, needs to be carefully balanced to make sure you don't end up with 79.9 lbs when you finish as that gets you sent back to your home unit. Winter is no easier as now you have to contend with the risks of frost bite and hyperthermia in the Alps foothills. Both are horrific but worth it if your successful."

The Games begin soon and Bennett is one of a huge number of military athletes competing.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on August 17, 2023, 11:07:10 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IGzk4CUT2cg/VyMxsHphFqI/AAAAAAABB2w/hI722pDo4Sstj5-xCU9KJLDUuEuyiERBQCLcB/s600/Infanta%2BSof%25C3%25ADa.jpg)

PRINCESS BEGINS MONTH OF LODJAIN SCHOOLING

With schools in East Moreland due to return from the summer holidays in mid September it was today confirmed that Princess Rhiannon has headed to the Isle of Iskor where she will spend a month attending Iskor Girls Junior School. The Princess is to be accompanied by her mother Matilda Osman who agreed to the move saying "My daughter is one day going to find herself having to work closely with the Lodjains so I know she needs to be prepared. I'm fortunate enough that I can join her and experience life on a beautiful island which gives me a chance to observe whales and dolphins with Oliver while she's at school. Its like a combination of a holiday and school." The Island is part of the Dukedom overseen by Queen Stasya's father Duke Tobias Pelagiya. It is understood that Princess Rhiannon has what the Queen has described as "more than passable Lodjain" and that she will access the full Lodjain curriculum during her time there.

Once the Princess returns to East Moreland she will begin her first year at the Northfort Academy for Girls, which takes students from ages 10-18 and has educated every female member of the Ironside family since 1750. While the Academy has boarding facilities she will not be a boarder as King David explained "We live just down the road and while I think boarding schools can give students a rich experience in life Rhiannon also has other forms of education she needs to tend to and that can't be done by the wonderful staff at the Academy. Beside there would be a significant greater disruption to the other girls educations and that is something I think is unfair." The Princess has been placed in Espada House, one of four in the Academy, the others being Sabre, Rapier and Long. Princess Freya was once head girl of Espada House and still holds the House record for Cross Country, with the schools record being held by Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside who was in Sabre House, which counted High Priestess Joanna Ironside among its alumni. It is said that Princess Rhiannon is a good student who excels in History and Painting.



(https://i0.wp.com/militaryleak.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/uvision-air-uvision-air-ltd-reveales-its-strategic-investment-in-spearuav-2.jpg)

EMAC TO DELIVER 5,000 MAN PORTABLE DRONES

The Ministry of Defence have today confirmed that EMAC have won a contract to provide 5,000 man portable micro drones over the next three years with an option to accelerate delivery if required. The WING (Weaponised Intelligence and Navigation Gadget) Munition is capable of being fired either from a device that looks like a slightly larger hand held flare or utilising the grenade launchers issued to some Legionnaires. Once launched WING can be controlled from a squad commanders communication device and can stay airborne for 35 minutes. During this time the weapon can transmit images up to 10km and can even be put into a autonomous mode where it will track a vehicle using visual sensors. It can also be programmed to follow a set route to relay images. There is a small payload capacity which allows it to be detonated alternatively it can simply land and be retrieved for reuse from a grenade launcher. Weighting in at just 250grams the device is thought capable of being carried easily in a tactical vest. 

Sir Alan Maybury of EMAC responded to questions saying, "The explosives won't take out tanks or anything with substantial armour but could certainly be used to take out infantry units or to help breach target houses. We're once again proud to have teamed with SmartWar for part of the project and as always we're honoured to do our part to support our armed forces." It is believed that the contract for the devices, training in use and control software will be in the region of £40million. 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 12, 2023, 10:22:38 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1009164913752682608/1151253157071048874/image.png)

KING VISITS MUNDUS GAMES

King David has today made his way to Valtheim to watch the progress of East Moreland's athletes in the 2023 Mundus Games. East Moreland currently sit in a disappointing 10th position in the medal table with 16 gold medals, including both the mens and womens Gold medal in rugby sevens. The King has sent each of the gold medal winners a letter of congratulations and all medal winners will, as always, be invited to a post-games celebration event at Northfort Palace. The King is thought to be especially keen to watch the finals of the Medieval MMA tournament within the games with East Moreland athletes tipped to do well having already taken gold in the Fortress Battle, a team event within the discipline that is usually only seen at the Mundus Games and a handful of other events. There have been voices of concern within the sporting community over the nations position in the medal table. Leo Mather, a coach at the Ostlake Sports Institute, said "Sport is a big part of our national heritage. Our Cult of Helus promotes the idea of healthy body and healthy mind and many of the sports we excel at tend to have a background in the militaristic psyche. We have though relied too much on the use of Armed Forces sport as a breeding ground for success and that can leave us a little behind everyone else. We have seen in sports such as cycling we've been left behind. Our once traditional power in the pool and on the track has begun to wain and now we're relying on combat sports and rugby to help us out. We've been promised significant investment in sport and its come but my issue is where its been invested. We've built excellent facilities for rugby and Medieval MMA and even promoting the expansion of football, whats needed now though is basic stuff everyone can access."

This point was matched by the King who has promised a future programme that would promote better involvement in a wider range of sports. Speaking from the East Moreland accomodation in the athletes village the King said "Our service men and women enjoy facilities for sport that I would say are on par with those here in Valtheim. While that's positive it means many of our top sports people only have access to those facilities for one or two years and only when they hit 18. Thats going to change. One thing that will be happening is the creation of a kind of payment scheme where school students reaching significant standards in fitness will be given extra funding towards further education, likewise if they achieve certain success in school sports the same will happen. We've invested a lot of time and effort into supporting academic excellence in East Moreland and now we will do the same for sporting excellence."

The King has also indicated while in Achkaerin he intends to make time to visit the former Emperor of Achkaerin who is still "medically incapacitated".


(https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/800a/2017/noninvasivee.jpg)

"TEAR POWERED" SMART LENS PRODUCED

OsmanTech have today announced that they have produced what they believe is the worlds first smart contact lense that is powered by human tears. The potential of Smart Contact lenses is thought to be wide with applications ranging from the use as displaying information directly to the wearer and augmented reality to monitoring health conditions such as glaucoma and diabetes. Currently the smart lenses that have been prototyped have required charging using either the use of metal electrodes or induction charging both of which require the use of potentially harmful wires within the lense. The new design features a lense made with a coating of glucose oxidase. This  coating reacts with the sodium and chloride ions in the tears, generating a current within the contact lenses. Using a simulated human eye, the team demonstrated that the battery could produce a current of 45µA and a maximum power of 201µW, which would be sufficient to power a smart contact lens. Laboratory tests showed that the battery could be charged and discharged up to 200 times. There is also the possibility of leaving the lense in a solution overnight while asleep to extend the battery life.

Professor Michael Thames is leading the team for OsmanTech and has said. "The fact the battery is so simple to charge and also much safer should the lense get damaged  actually means there is a larger surface area that we can use for various other functions, be that monitoring health or displaying information. Wearable tech is, as Bakkermaya's ZDS have demonstrated, the future for many of us. The applications are vast and we're going to explore them all." OsmanTech confirmed that it working with EMAC to investigate the use of the smart lense to be used for people operating in the battlefield who may have to control remotely piloted drones. Human trials have now been approved and OsmanTech is searching for 100 volunteers with glaucoma to try them out.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 24, 2023, 11:36:40 AM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/1155446471026552852/image.png)

STOFFEL II GETS ANOTHER ROYAL CAMEO

With the annual Honeybadger Day celebrations just four days away one of the most eagerly awaited events for the day is the release of "Adventures of Stoffel Part 2-The Magic Music". The follow up to 2022's box office smash see's the nations favourite cartoon character return in an adventure taking him to a "far away Kingdom" inhabited exclusively by Bunnies. While EMTV's film division have released numerous trailers and clips they have only today released some details of the films cameos. Speaking to assembled press the shows creator Emilia Benson said, "After the success of the first film we actually had people contacting us asking to be in the next one, mainly people who had kids who loved the film. We were also able to take the opportunity to include some interesting appearances from others." Princess Rhiannon returns in her role as "Princess Bunny" who hears of a problem in a "far away Kingdom" a friend has told her about and Stoffel and his friends head off to investigate. The far away land is inhabited entirely by rabbits which coupled with the cameo from Neu Urburzis Prince Augustin as a kind wizard has lead many to believe it is a veiled reference to one of East Moreland's overseas friends. Stoffel discovers an evil doer has acquired a magical musical instrument that can stop children dreaming and through team work and adventure the worlds favourite Honeybadger must get it back for it to be destroyed forever. The evil character is voiced by actor Ben Gilmore who has previously played King Robert in EMTV's epic historical drama "Ironsides". The role is his first voice work, the 49 year old said, "It was a lot of fun and I'm amazed at how the animated characters take on some of the form of the actors, spend ten minutes with Princess Rhiannon and you can see Princess Bunny. My career has always seen me play heroic good guys and I guess I'm slightly type cast for that, no bad thing. It was though fun to be the bad guy for once." Other cameos include a dolphin that helps Stoffel who is voiced by Daisy Greechan, a eagle that helps the team when they get lost voiced by astronaut Rachel Dixon and a rabbit band performed by Mumford and Sons. The film is expected to be a box office smash with the world premier taking place in Northfort the evening before Honeybadger Day with the Royal Family due to attend. Emilia Benson has also confirmed that the TV show will be back in the spring for its tenth series and that already a third film is being worked on and is hopeful of being ready for 2024. She also confirmed that TV rights have now been sold to several countries and therefore we shouldn't rule out in universe mentions of new places for Stoffel to visit.

With Honeybadger Day approaching several other key events are taking place. On the day itself street parties will be held across the nation and a huge free concert will take place in People's Park with Mumford and Sons expecting to headline. The King has confirmed that he will be spending it in Northfort while this year marks the turn of his former wife Matilda Osman to take Princess Rhiannon who will be spending the day with her mothers family in Portworth. The King has also confirmed that the Kermah ambassador will be his guest of honour at a garden party with royal press secretary Malcolm Tucker explaining. "A long time ago the first Honeybadgers arrived on a boat from Kermah and now its become our symbol. The King thinks it important to mark this bond between our two very different nations and as such it is only right the people of Kermah are included in our celebration in some way as because without them this celebration wouldn't be taking place."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on September 28, 2023, 09:29:41 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://i0.wp.com/www.decodedmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/berlin-love-parade.jpg?w=700&ssl=1)

NATION PARTIES

The 28th September has seen the Kingdom of East Moreland celebrate one of its major festivals of the year. Honeybadger Day marks the date on the time when the first Honeybadgers arrived in East Moreland, the creatures were brought from Kermah as King Sven the Grey had seen the animals there. During his stay the King believed that the animals had the characteristics of the perfect Morelander, bravery, intelligence, resilience and a love of family. The King purchased eight of the creatures from the Mombaka Tribe and brought them back to East Moreland where they were released on the royal estate in Rockhampton. Soon after several other nobles had imported the animals in order to be seen as fashionable and the animals soon became acustomed to the nation. Today the creatures are found in several of the forests of East Moreland and even have become a popular TV character.

Festivities across the nation have seen millions of people taking part in street parties and organised musical events. The King began the day at Northfort Palace following a visit to watch the world premier of "Adventures of Stoffel Two - The Magic Music" the night before. There he meet with the extended Ironside family for breakfast, one of the few occasions the whole Kade family have joined with the Ironsides in recent years as many of the family serve in overseas duties. The King then said goodbye to his daughter Princess Rhiannon who was travelling to Portworth to spend the festival with her mother, Lady Matilda Osman. King David then visited Temple and joined in celebrations at the Palace with guests invited by the family. Ambassador Ullah Teshiba from Kermah was the honoured guest at a large BBQ which is said to have featured six cows, four hogs, eight deer and a bear among the feast. The party also included several of the Mundus Games medal winners, while all those winning a medal were offered tickets some preferred to spend the festival with extended families back in their hometowns were many were guests of honour in parades through their neighbourhoods.

The evening was rounded off with a free concert in People's Park headlined by Mumford and Sons. Around 120,000 people are thought to have attended with large numbers also watching on TV. Globally embassies hosted their own events inviting their local community to join in. In Kermah the Embassy invited the descendants of the Mombaka chiefs who sold Honeybadger to a feast at the embassy while in Lodja a charity rugby game between the Embassy and staff from the Isle of the Goddess took place followed by a large cocktail party. The proceeds from the game went to the Global Childbirth Initiative.

Tomorrow King David and Queen Stasya are expected to depart, hangovers permitting, to visit Medusalin in the first visit by an East Moreland monarch for several generations. It is thought King David will observe the annual festival of the island nation.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on October 28, 2023, 01:25:30 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://image.saechsische.de/784x441/e/q/eq5qnhqfk6jow8m80vdlnj94qhtalzkf.jpg)

ARCHDUCHESS MAKES WORLD CUP "SQUAD"

With the East Moreland womens team making their squad for the upcoming world cup public eyes were raised with one name among the squad. Along with the 23 women who are part of the squad a list of extra backroom staff have been declared with Archduchess Sophie Harrison-Ironside being listed as "Fitness and Conditioning Consultant". The 23 year old niece of King David is a serving member of the Royal East Moreland Air Force and has over the past few months been undertaking secondary training to be a Physical Training Instructor within the Air Force alongside her current role as a Force Protection K9 Officer. The Archduchess has been working on her portfolio of coaching in order to claim her instructors qualification and has been working with Roberton AFC's womens team for several months. The Archduchess is a world class athelete in her own right having been the first person to win medals at both the Summer and Winter Games, she is also the current national record holder in several distances for speed skating. Alongside Daisy Greechan she also rowed the Mhorish to raise funds for charity and has trekked to the North Pole. National team coach Sarah Whiteman said "Having someone of the calibre of Sophie to work with us is great. Unlike many teams in the tournament we don't have a professional league back home, often are facilities are not world class and most girls play just for the love of the game. Sophie is an athlete who has experienced pressure at the very top of the pyramid of sport and that experience, regardless of sport, can only help the girls as we move into this tournament. All the girls from Roberton have reported for training in tip top condition and we hope that means in the short time we have before the tournament begins we can get everyone to an even higher standard. We've seen at big tournaments the smaller teams often end up getting torn apart in later stages mainly as a lack of fitness kicks in against the professionals, we're seeking to make sure that doesn't happen."

The Archduchess has kept her involvement to now low profile saying "I'm proud to be involved in the team. The girls in the actual squad though are the ones who are going to make the difference. I can only support. They're the ones who for 90minutes have their fate in their hands. I'm just privledged to be along for the ride and if Sarah things I can be of any help beyond coaching then I'll do what I can."

Leanne Williams is the captain for the tournament and an AFC Roberton player, she is also a tattoo artist. "We all go into the world cup nervous. We're right down the list in terms of bookies favourites and we understand why. We go out though thinking we can get a result everygame. If we can get through the group stages then anything is possible in knockout football. We saw that in the first Mundus Champions League tournament when Northfort United, a team like ourselves full of post men, butchers and a bank manager, nearly got a result in the final. Lots of us have never played in big tournaments so having a Mundus Games champion alongside us will hopefully mean we've someone who can help us cope with the added pressure. I think we're all ready and excited to get to Abertone and try and get the job done."

Meanwhile a crisis has hit the mens team as star striker, Leo Jenkins, was seen being helped into an ambulance yesterday following an accidental clash of heads in training. The 22 year old has been red hot for AFC Roberton so far this season scoring six goals in eight games. Team manager Gary Northgate confirmed the hospital trip saying, "We think he'll be fine for the World Cup, maybe not the first few games. We'll have him assessed for concussion and obviously his safety and health is first in our thinking. If he needs a bit of extra time we can probably work around that. I've been frank with him though if the doctors timeline for his return mean he will miss two games then sadly he'll be staying in Roberton."

The blind football teams have already left for Abertone. The teams had been attempting to raise funds for their visit as the sport receives very little governing body funding. This saw a "Go Fund Me" set up to try and support their competition efforts. The teams exceeded their hoped for $50,000 when OsmanTech's CEO Joanna Osman stepped in and said the company would ensure the team were "well looked after." With the blind teams not playing together regularly at all the extra time in Abertone is being used to get match practice in with the teams playing several games against Abertone City's Universities teams. Joanna Osman said, "Its a shame that our government can't fund disability sport better. Quiet rightly when someone in the military gets permanent injuries the government throw money at oppurtunities for them to get active again and in no way do I dispute the fact they deserve it. Where East Moreland falls down though is supporting other disability sport with the same passion. If that means OsmanTech has to step in then so be it. We're proud now to say we sponser the Blind Football teams and this will not be a one off package, we're talking to the EMFA about a long term deal for a whole host of different ability teams."


(https://www.jfdglobal.com/download_file/view/2362/253/)

EMAC AND PRD JOIN FORCES

The Royal East Moreland Naval Service today took delivery of the prototype of an joint East Moreland Aircraft Company (EMAC) and Portworth Royal Dockyards (PRD) project. Known at the moment simply as Project A-1 the partnership is the first of its kind between the two companies that have long all but monopolised the procurement process within East Moreland. The Project is advertised as an "air transportable hybrid-electric powered insertion vehicle capable of operating in three states." The vehicle is to be utilised by the Royal Marine Commando for the next few months to asses its full capabilities.

From details given to the media the vehicle is capable of being dropped from a cargo plane by parachute as its crew parachute seperately. Once in the water the vehicle can carry up to eight people and be fitted with a variety of remote controlled weapons systems. On the surface its acts like a traditional speed boat capable of reaching up to 30knots while capable of covering 150 nautical miles however it can sacrifice two of its seats for an additional fuel bag extending the range to 300 nautical miles. The vehicle  can then be put into "stealth" mode which makes it semi submerged, this however limits it to a 5knts. Finally if required hatches can be shut and using pre-installed breathing equipment the vessel can travel fully submerged at a speed of 4knts for up to 30nm, however again two crew spaces can be sacrificed for additional 30nm of range. In terms of weaponry two .50cal machine guns with the potential to be remotely operated can be fixed and the consortium believe in future heavier weaponry can also be utilised.

The Royal Marines are duo to head to Lodja soon for training and it is expected Project A-1 will go with them.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 01, 2023, 10:05:55 AM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/770686153011232769/770691749966381116/unknown.png?ex=6553a61f&is=6541311f&hm=02909a407ca0566a03a375b8b57c5d49a46ae83295628c783b23d9d768df6c16&)

QUEEN UNDERTAKES "RELIGIOUS RITE"

Yesterday morning Queen Stasya was seen leaving the Temple of the Sisterhood of Helus. The Queen later confirmed that she had spent the last two days there undergoing various religious "rites". The Queen's Head of Household, Alexander Samuel, said "Her Majesty has spent the last 48 hours at the Temple, praying, fasting and offering gifts to Helus in the hopes that she will bless her with another child. The King and Queen have been trying for some time to conceive and so far been unlucky. The Queen determined that asking the Goddess Helus for help was important." The ritual itself was not explained however other followers of the Sisterhood of Helus who have undertaken the ritual explained that the ritual begins with a fast of 24 hours at the end of it offerings of fresh meat, vegetables and flowers are laid on the alter and prayers said. The participant then smears blood from the meat on their face and eat a small meal made of the same items left as an offering. Once eaten the participant then begins a vigil for the final 24 hours during which they pray and must stay awake. It is believed that by showing such devotion to Helus that she will bless the participant with a child. Queen Stasya was guided through the ritual by High Priestess of the Sisterhood of Helus Jinny Denman.

Jinny Denman explained that she was now confident that the Queen would be pregnant soon. "Her Majesty has, since her fortunate conversion to Helus, been an incredibly pious woman. She attends prayers, has lead rituals, supported our social programmes such as establishing faith schools and acts as a fine example for others. Today she has again shown her devotion and with the bloodline of Unasson in the King the two will combine to make a child very soon I feel. We are fortunate that the King has seen fit to take a beautiful and healthy woman as his wife following the betrayal of his first wife. Young Prince Llewellyn is threiving and I am praying that the Queen will have a daughter too to help carry on the holy line." Originally Denman had been critical of the King's relationship with Queen Stasya believing that the King should wed a follower of Helus however once she converted away from Sessifet Denman embraced the relationship and has been very supportive of Queen Stasya since describing her once as " a great pillar of our blossoming faith" The Sisterhood of Helus is a relatively new religion having seen Jinny Denman split from the mainstream Cult of Helus about a decade ago. The religion now boasts around a million followers in East Moreland. Its main difference is that it views Helus as female not male and that the various Gods are more like avatars of Helus rather than seperate Gods.

Later that evening Queen Stasya attended a performance of the Royal Ballet in Silverhills at an event that she had sponsered. She was not joined by the King who was involved in "meetings in Northfort". The Queen posed for photos and answered a few questions from the media saying, "I've loved being a Mum to Llewellyn and would like him to have another sibling. He's very lucky to have Rhiannon but I think someone similar in age is important. I would love to have a daughter and now with Helus' blessing I'm certain it will come." The Queen also commented on her recent flirtation with foreign affairs having signed an agreement to make Semelberg, a part of the Charterlands the Pelagiya family have taken leadership of, a member of the newly formed Council of Small Nations. "It was not my decision. Prince Bartholomew believed it was a policy that would help the small Principality and so as a result I was delighted to sign the agreement for him. This has zero impact on East Moreland, it just gives Prince Bartholomew a chance to have his people's voice heard on a global scale." The King has declined to comment on the matter other than by saying he wishes the newly formed Council "all the best". Prince Bartholomew is set to visit Ostlake soon where it is believed he will view military equipment that his nation may be buying in the near future. 
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 03, 2023, 11:09:30 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/1170100110877798460/image.png?ex=6557cfa5&is=65455aa5&hm=2a51cb7221d512d0b9d8a478675433fdfb8b9b97dd6b928f7dbd5aee4ed979f3&)

KING TO CHANGE CITIZENSHIP LAWS

Today King David arrived at the Representative Council to introduce his proposal to change East Moreland's citizenship rules. The Citizenship Act (2023) will, if the King signs it into law, change the current rules which require someone to either be born in East Moreland, have two Morelander parents, be granted Citizenship by the monarch or successfully applied for naturalisation having completed five years residency after which they complete national service. Under the new proposal an individual wanting to become a naturalised Morelander would no longer be expected to have completed national service however will be required to have resided in East Moreland for ten years and then successfully sat a citizenship exam which may only be taken in Morelandish. There will still be the option of completing national service once a person has resided in East Moreland for five years at which point they will be eligible for citizenship in seven years assuming they pass the citizenship exam. The King explained the reasons for the proposed changes. "East Moreland has a proud record of taking in refugees from across Mundus, when Seaforth fell we opened our doors, Mavrosia kicked the Cultist out and we offered every single one of them a place of safety here. Lakhzovia's strife saw more refugees air lifted to Hunters Vale. These people have, along with an increase in birth rate, seen over a decade our population reach its highest point of approaching 100million people. Some of those people are now reaching a point of being able to claim citizenship and while we welcome them we still have a large number who are seeking to return home rather than becoming fully Morelandish. We have in Northfort a very good Mavrosian school for example and they are doing a great job keeping their culture alive. My concern is though are they Morelanders? We have some wonderful success stories of people who have come here, embraced our culture and traditions and I'm thrilled to call them Morelanders. Take for example Rollo MacAllister. The young lad came over here during the Seaforthian wars, earned a degree and under Mundus Games rules brought in for the Seaforth situation represented East Moreland helping us win Mundus Games golds and World Cups, I was proud to be able to grant him citizenship and then since he's become a stalwart of our rugby landscape, a legend in the game. He served in the Royal Rifle Regiment and despite the odd appearence in a kilt he is as Morelander as anyone else. I want to make sure people like Rollo can still have a speedy route to citizenship, he would for example have only had to wait a year longer, meanwhile people not as intigrated will naturally take longer."

The move was welcomed by Mark Thompson who is the leader of the Conservative Party within the Council. "We've become concerned about our population growth for a while, its unsustainable I think and while our party believe traditional families are best we believe that being the refugee centre of Mundus is something that must end. I don't want us to shirk our responsibilities under the Code of Canley but we can support the refugee process in other parts of the world easily. If we are having people become Morelanders it needs to be beyond a paper exercise. We believe only Cultists, and by that I mean proper Cultists, should be able to become a Morelander as the love of Helus is ingrained into every fibre of a Morelander."

Chief Councillor  Lucas Blakeslee said that he plans to present several amendments to the proposal in the coming days of council. "Naturally I need to sit down and read the King's proposal in detail with my fellow NTP members. We obviously want to support the King and we trust that his actions always come out of a place of best inentions for his subjects. The King though at times can be a little removed from the thinking of the general public and that is where we come in. Over the next few days I'll be combing through the exact wording with our legal teams, fellow Councillors and the people we represent. Already I think we need to do more to ensure that the idea of Cultists having time removed from qualification needs to be solidified so that it goes beyond a box ticketing exercise. I also think we need to recognise service in other ways than the military. The King for example used Rollo MacAllister as an example of someone he granted citizenship to because of the way he represented his nation. I think formalising this as a route could be an important matter."

While the Representative Council is merely an advisory body King David has not signed into law any Act that has not had the approval of both the Representative and Executive Council.

Following the presentation to the Representative Council the King meet with several of the Councillors who have been campaigning to change the nature of East Moreland's Higher Eduction system. The group lead by Councillor Melissa Lusk of Freestone North, believes that the current system where students pick just three subjects is too narrow. The 26 year old Councillor explained to the media, "The 21st century is a changing employment landscape, A.I., automation, a more interconnected world and climate change are all going to change the way the world is in the next couple of years. Having 18 year olds entering the work place with such a narrow focus is going to massively limit their potential and we need to change with the times." Lusk described the meeting with the King as "Productive. The King is a man who values education and learning and he was very open to the points we made. He has asked us to draft a proposal for change and once done he will consider it before returning to the Council with his own proposal. I think we have a great oppurtunity to make our education system the envy of Mundus."

After leaving the Council building the King meet up with Queen Stasya, Princess Freya and Major Alex Redfern at the funeral of family friend Clinton Baptise the 82 year old high class tailor. Mr.Baptise owned the "Crowned Unicorn Tailoring Salon" which was established in 1961 on Mr.Baptise's 20th birthday. He had completed national services military requirement and then found himself sent to work in various museums where at Northfort National Gallery he found himself repairing clothing for displays after which he apprenticed as a tailor and joined the Seamstress & Tailors Guild in short order. In 1962 he was called on to make an "emergency suit" for young Prince Edward who at the age of six was refusing to wear any he owned to his grand-father, King David II, funeral just 24 hours later. Mr.Baptise's work was so well received that from that point on he practically became the royal tailor. King David III was a regular customer and estimated, as he spoke at the funeral, that he owned "a vast quantity of Clinton's work and each one was made with skill and love." Mr.Baptise has no living descendants and has left the company and its only store on Crown Plaza to Queen Stasya on condition that it becomes part of her company "Pelafashion". The Queen's company is a not for profit enterprise that helps young Morelanders and Lodjains get a start in the fashion industry and raises money for charities. The Queen said, "I've only ever worn one of Clinton's creations and I loved it, his blazar suit is still one of my favourite pieces and I love the way he made my husband always look very handsome and dapper. Its my aim to ensure that the business sticks to the ideals of Clinton and that the two young apprentices he'd been working with get into the Guild in the very near future and I'd like to think we can trust both of them to help lead the Salon into the 21st Century. I know I have a reputation for being a little extravagant and maybe a little flamboyant for Morelander tastes but the Salon will not be influenced by me, perhaps I'll just make David creative director." The Queen confirmed that should the two apprentices get enrolled in the guild that they would feature in Niameck Fashion Week in Neu Urburzis sometime in February.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 18, 2023, 09:34:01 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.seaforces.org/marint/Royal-Navy/Amphibious-Ship/L12-HMS-Ocean_DAT/L-12-HMS-Ocean-002.jpg)

HUNTER VALE TO REACTIVE AMID EVAC OFFER

Following the discovery of what are being labelled "rape camps" in Kalasin the King has authorised REMNS King Robert to offer to help those found there. In a statement released from the Palace the King stated, "At the start of this conflict we placed assets close to the Iwi in order to help protect our friends in the Commonwealth. Our first instincts upon hearing of these camps and the horrors within was to order our assets to begin military action however I am very aware that forces from the former CSTO are already heavily occupied and it is my belief they have more than enough resources to get this done. The sudden appearence of these camps may provide a distraction to those operations in terms of caring for those impacted. As such we are offering our fleet, and will be urging the other CNN assets in the region to support, in order to remove those from danger. Utilising vessels such as REMNS King Robert and airfields in the Commonwealth we will re-open our refugee centre in Hunter's Vale. This facility has been used countless times for refugees from Mavroisa, the UNP, Lakhzovia and various other global flash points. The facilities there will allow us to offer complex medical care and if required emotional support and counselling. I also offer any support required to bring those responsible for this war crime to justice. Our formation of the historic war crimes treaty shows our commitment to go to considerable lengths to ensure justice is done. "
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on November 23, 2023, 09:06:42 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://www.wiltshire999s.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/SDN_6563-750x469.jpg)

FREESTONE F.C FACE EJECTION FROM LEAGUE

While the eyes of the international footballing community might be on the world cup in Abertone the East Moreland Premier League have today been rocked by a scandal which may see Freestone F.C ejected from the league. The club were part of a random drugs test on Monday and while no players tested positive for any banned substance the drugs testing teams, who also inspect the clubs medical records, found evidence of a systematic attempt to enhance player performance using Lugworm Haemoglobin. The substance is used in several medical forms, most notably in patients after transplants as the Haemoglobin has been noted to be a universal blood substitute that can transport 40 times more oxygen than human haemoglobin. The chemical also has an extremely short detection period of just a few hours. It has been determined that it is likely that Freestone F.C players had, on several occasions, been injected with the substance around 30 minutes before kick off as the impact is almost instant. It would have allowed them to work harder on the pitch than they normally could by allowing their blood to carry more oxygen to the muscles. The players would then play the game and should they be selected as the random player for drug testing the substance would have dissipated enough that there would be no trace of it in any test. However the substance is not routinely tested for in any case. The club deny any wrong doing however it is understood that viles of the chemical were recovered and as it is a prescribed item it was illegally held by the club, therefore Freestone Police have also become involved.

Many of the vials were from OsmanTech who released a statement saying. "We have no knowledge of how Freestone F.C would have acquired the items in question. We provide top quality extracts of this haemoglobin to health care providers but once delivered it is out of our control over how they distribute it. We would however withhold sales to any individual or company that circumvented the prescription process." Jessica Osman, who is the companies CEO, added "We have always tried to be ethical and we shall co-operate with any investigation by the national F.A or the Police. This product is not intended for any non-medical purpose and actually if a controlled blood doping programme has taken place they have denied supplies to legitimate medical outlets."

The club have so far declined to comment however the F.A have said that the clubs games will be allowed to continue until an investigation is completed however all members of the clubs medical staff have been suspended from "footballing activities" by the F.A. In addition a F.A obeserver will be present in the Freestone F.C squad to ensure no blood doping is taking place. Should the club be found to have carried out a systematic doping programme they are likely to have their licence to operate as a club withdrawn which will see them unable to complete the season. Alternatively if it is found to be more isolated then the club could face a two point deduction for each case discovered. Currently Freestone sit 2nd in the National Division which is the 2nd tier of East Moreland football. They have no players in the current world cup squad.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 16, 2023, 10:31:02 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/1185673511889535016/image.png?ex=65907781&is=657e0281&hm=57fed02f7b6db1d9ef812200c9c43e1f92264f48d5a6c6e46dd8114151a7611a&)

QUEEN HOPES FOR "JOYOUS" 2024

Speaking today at the Temple of the Sisterhood of Helus in Northfort Queen Stasya spoke about the upcoming new year. The Queen was attending a ceremony to swear in the latest group of Priestesses to qualify. The Queen spoke with the media following the ceremony saying. "The year 2023 has been one that has been only OK for me. I've seen my faith come under attack by snipers, bombers and other terror attacks. I've seen our nation targetted by terrorists from Mersch and at times I've made decisions that have made my relationship with my husband a little tense, for example my families assistance to take control of Semelberg. While that has now been proven to be a positive for all parties it wasn't at first. I've seen my desire for a 2nd child go unfilled and that has also made my husband sad. We desperately want a little brother or sister for Llewellyn and Rhiannon." The Queen however has said she has strong hopes for 2024. "I'm confident the new year will be extra special. We are praying for a joyous 2024. We plan on expanding the missionary programme of the Sisterhood with at least three new schools, one in Bakkermaya, one in Semelberg and one in Lodja. Beyond that myself and David will be trying to get pregnant to ensure the Ironside dynasty becomes strong. I also have some big plans for my fashion business and I think we'll be able to make some big waves in the New Year."

The Queen later went to visit St.George's Church to take gift baskets for the Church to distribute as part of its Christmas Homelessness Project. Bishop Clyde Buckley said. "We are trying our best to make sure no Morelander, regardless of faith, is out in the cold. We may be a very very small minority here but that doesn't mean we can't play a big role. The Queen has always been supportive of social projects and to have her visit and bring us support is lovely to see, especially at this special time of year." The Queen delivered the baskets containing food, drinks, toiletries and sleeping bags before joining with some of the Church goers for mince pies and gingerbread coffee.


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/1185703008563110039/image.png?ex=659092fa&is=657e1dfa&hm=2da7f4da75d719f3ff54e24b8e1bbf04b00ae3953de37c6768713f850856a1e4&)

PRINCESS PICKS FREESTONE HEADLINE ACT

With the Freestone New Year Festival quickly approaching this year traditional four day party in the city of Freestone will feature a "Youth Stage" where all the acts are going to be picked by children under the age of 16. The Grand Marshall of that stage on the 31st December will be Crown Princess Rhiannon. The 11 year old Princess will be selecting the act that will help see in 2024 on the stage furthest to the East of the city. The Festival see's a total now of eight stages dotted around the city with acts ranging from classical orchestras to major rock bands. Announcing her choice of act the young royal has opted for a set from Avril Lavigne who she explained in her announcement was "my Spotify most played of 2023. I just love her and her music is so fun." The stage will also see performances from Lewis Capaldi, Zara Larsson and Jess Glynne. Other children who have selected artists to play include those who have won awards over the past twelve months for local acts of bravery such as 14 year old Mary Orson who selected Lewis Capaldi. The 14 year old had managed to rescue her elderly next door neighbour from a house fire and will be one of the guests of honour.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 17, 2023, 04:02:08 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/709845204689092691/1185888770206224414/image.png?ex=65913ffb&is=657ecafb&hm=1d7150fb53b5e661ded11cdf71fecf5d9f590c91d85d753ea682f980b93edbc8&)

PRINCESS "PROUD" OF THE "NORTHFORT ERA"

Today Princess Freya visited the studios were various Star Wars related media is filmed. The Princess is said to be a keen fan of the franchise and was snapped on set with several of the cast from leading shows. The Princess was also questioned about the recent address from the Empress of Rokkenjima who stated "The Northfort Experiment has failed miserably, leading to losses of life not seen since before the Covenant/Commonwealth era. Do we persist on this path or do we, collectively, decide that our pride is not worth this continued loss of life?"

The Princess spoke on the statement saying "In 2017 East Moreland and Achkaerin made a brave decision to leave the Commonwealth Treaty Organisation. It has become clear by then that the two nations were shouldering the weight of the organisation. As I trudged my way across Marseille I had been promised support from Rokkenjima and while my boots and uniform became caked in the mud of Marseille not a single Rokkenjiman got so much as a spec of dust on their uniform. Proudly the CTO forces succeeded in returning freedom to that nation and as a result also Acquitane. But lets not forget as we hiked across Albion with heavy packs on our backs Rokkenjima picked fights with Nya Aland almost prompting a second war on that continent. Since 2017 we saw conflict in Lakhzovia, a nation where the Utmen were being persecuted and once again the Moreland military entered the fray and established a massive air bridge back to East Moreland taking tens of thousands of refugees out of harms way. Add into this mix our actions to remove those facing religious persecution in Mavrosia and the subsequent aid operations around the world I find it hard to understand that we are somehow responsible for losses of life. Meanwhile we have seen Rokkenjima repeatedly provoke conflicts and conflicts with its friends and neighbours, ranging from destruction of former overseas bases causing environmental damage, a brief unfortunate war with their neighbours in Daito and constant falling outs over matters such as where to base organisations. My brother has created a diplomatic network for East Moreland that is clearly the envy of Mundus. When his time comes, many long years from now, Rhiannon will inherit a legacy that she will find extremely difficult to live up to. In the time as King of East Moreland David has created a foundation that has allowed us to co-operate with nations beyond the imagination of many. The More and Mundus Network established a school exchange programme open to all nations of the world that has seen thousands of young people form life long friendships around the world making our future one where our leaders of tommorrow will have an understanding of culture far in advance of many of their predecessors. The Cultural Exchange Treaty Organisation has allowed sites around the world to be protected, advanced scholarship and returned valuable artefacts to rightful owners. The Uppsala Convention, what is now a cornerstone of international law has my brothers fingerprints heavily all over it. A network to protect and prevent trade in animal products in the guise of the Wild Mundus Organisation was pushed by him and his former wife. The Global Childbirth Initiative   has helped establish world class medical training for midwives across Mundus. The Joint Emergency Team was an idea formed by him and Peter Knutsson of the UNP and has worked in some of the most dangerous situations across Mundus. Even the Mundus Refugee Agency that was part of the CTO lives on in the guise of the East Moreland established International Refugee Support Agency (IRSA), whose work East Moreland has borne the brunt of. Anytime, anywhere that there has been a need to help those in danger, to help those in need there has been an East Moreland boot on the ground alongside East Moreland money. I believe firmly that without the so called Northfort Era there are people on Mundus who would never have been born. The Empress knows me well, she spent time on pilgrimage with me, she spent time with me at my home, she knows East Moreland is famed for two things, the first our remarkable punctuality, the second that when we say we'll do something we do it. The best example? There had been talk of removing nuclear weapons from existance and while everyone else talked East Moreland not only dismantled our own but then supported others to do the same."

The Princess was then asked why she believed the Empress would take a shot at East Moreland in her speech. "I have no idea" The Princess explained, "We have often seen in the past Rokkenjiman politicans and royals talking a good game but often one that places them as some kind of leader. While the Empress may talk of the need for an international forum I think the regional approaches have worked very well. One need only look at Grand Duke Hugo Lascelles solving several issues in Ardia using that approach. Rokkenjima seem to believe offers of vast sums of money are the way forward. While we in East Moreland have given overseas aid we have never had to dangle it as a carrot to be our friend or by jumping through hoops access it. If someone needs clean water an East Moreland plane carrying it will turn up and a Royal Engineer will dig a well if thats what is needed, or better still train someone from that nation to dig it. I am proud of what we have achieved and when the time comes that my brother stands before the Gods I firmly believe that they will welcome him to the afterlife with pride knowing that they created such a man. Is this something the last few rulers of Rokkenjima can say? I would urge the Empress to drop the combative and competative nature of her calls for diplomatic engagement and instead just turn up."

The Princess filmed several short clips with characters from the Star Wars Universe that will be used as part of charity campaigns in the new year. The Princess has also confirmed that when her commission comes up for renewal in February she will be moving onto the reserve list. The Princess said, "I've had a long enjoyable career in the forces. The long treks though across places like Seaforth, Marseille and Safraen have taken a toll on my knees and as such I think its time to bow out of full time active duty. My brother has always allowed me to come and go as a part of his government by placing the 2nd Light Scouts above my duties as an Ironside and I love him for that. Now though its time that I support him in what you could describe as the family business. That diplomatic success we've enjoyed could always use a second pair of hands and I'm keen to add a few stamps to my passport, only this time leaving the bergen and rifle behind." The Princess has confirmed that she will initially be focusing her attention on helping ensure the Mersch situation is resolved in "short order" and that she hopes to also spend some time working with the Semelberg Armed Forces.

King David has yet to formally respond to the comments from the Rokkenjiman Empress however his Press Secretary Malcolm Tucker stated, "His Majesty is aware of the comments and hopes the Empresses has not resorted to taking up the methods of the old Rokkenjima. King David would value the friendship of Rokkenjima and its people yet today that may well have taken a backwards step." King David is due for the final round of questions before the Representative Council of 2023 on Wednesday and it is likely questions on this topic could come up.

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on December 20, 2023, 10:04:33 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1133457882831147089/1187126989937709088/image.png?ex=6595c12a&is=65834c2a&hm=ade47631e05ee797d68a38b9dde9b60e769820f0579544c93ad21890dada95c5&)

KING FACES TRICKY COUNCIL APPEARENCE

Today the King made his scheduled visit to the Representative Council where, as long as diplomatic duties permit, each Wednesday he answers questions from Councillors for a minimum of 60 minutes. Today however the King was in the chamber for a total of 97 minutes as topics ranging from the recent bomb attacks in Nya Aland to the Empress of Rokkenjima's verbal attack on East Moreland. The King began as always by laying out his itinerary for the next week which included attending Princess Rhiannon's parents evening tomorrow. Questions began when the representative of Silverhills Central, Giles Mitchell, asked "Does the King intend to send military forces to Nya Aland following the recent attacks that have seen members of the East Moreland military targetted at Red Base."

The King responded saying "We send our best wishes to the people of Nya Aland who at this time have lost loved ones. We gave a commitment many years ago that the Alanders and Morelanders would be friends and I see no reason that should change. The Alanders face uncertain times but they can be certain that we shall support them if requested. At the moment Sir Harry Samuelson is in contact with their military and should the situation change so would our force dynamics."

Next was Chief Councillor Lucas Blakeslee who asked. "The recent report in Rokkenjima of their Empress calling some kind of Northfort Experiment into doubt what kind of response can we expect from our own diplomatic service."

The King answered by saying "There is no experiment going on in Northfort, at least not diplomatically. Whatever the Empress was refering to clearly relates to manner in which we do business and as far as I am concerned business in terms of our international relations and decision making is good. There are no plans from my side to change the way in which we interact with other nations."

Simon Mannix from Portworth asked if there was " a return to the days of anti-Moreland hate within the Rokkenjiman nation."

To this question King David replied, "We've seen no polls like we did in the past. The Empress has spent time in  East Moreland so while hopefully she may express issues with our administration then I would hope the respect for our nation still exists. The Empress has a long connection to our nation dating back to several incidents and I know she has spent time with my sister. It is these things that have therefore surprised me that we have been criticised."

Melissa Lusk, founder of International Refugee Support Agency (IRSA) and one of the Representatives for Freestone asked. "It would seem to those reading the Empresses address that there seems to be a move towards a new form of the CTO or similar. Do you believe such an organisation can be created and that it is sustainable?"

The King told the Assembly. "We took a decision to walk away from the CTO because it didn't work and our shoulders, along with Achkaerin, could not bear the load anymore. As such it worked out best for us to leave and walk away. I so far have seen nothing to make me walk back towards such a body. Nothing the Empress said would lead me to think otherwise. She has just spoken of her wishes and dreams of such a body but for dreams to become reality it takes hard work and dedication and I do not believe Rokkenjima are in a position to pull that off at the moment."

Next Sir Richard Ballen of Northfort Forest District asked "Do we put the Empresses words down to anything in particular or do we think her naivety on the world stage is showing?"

King David replied sternly saying "The Empress, like any royal, is in a position of privilege. While we may try to say young children deserve a normal childhood that is not going to happen for royal children. While I want Rhiannon to enjoy growing up, experience the fun of being a child, she is only too aware that one day she will be stood here before you. She is eleven years old and already being groomed for the crown. Rokkenjima should have, and probably did, prepare the Empress for the crown being on her head. The nature of royalty is that sadly the moment I go off to see Helus Rhiannon is in charge, while I pray that is in many many long years we also all know it could be tomorrow. While an eleven year old Queen of East Moreland would be unworkable I am confident that because of the support network around Rhiannon that on her 18th birthday she could run a nation. I am not going to disrespect Rokkenjima saying they have failed preparing the Empress for the throne but the situation there has been a complex mess for several years. I would also point out we have had leaders of similar ages who have been great leaders. Let us remember Queen Viktoriya of Lodja was 18 when she came to the throne and by 19 had helped redraft large sections of the MCUR, had helped forge the CNN and forged diplomatic links with a great number of nations and she was not born into a royal family. The Imperial Address is a key moment in Rokkenjima's annual calendar. The speech is written, drafted, practiced and revisited. While the Empress claims she spoke from the heart. It was a decision she made. She is in the business of making decisions and now must deal with what happens next."

Finally Sam Rushden from Keepton asked " What is the long term plan for East Moreland and Rokkenjima relations."

The King concluded saying, "I will borrow an often stated phrase from Rokkenjiman diplomacy. Our doors are open. We will not go cap in hand to Rokkenjima expecting them to solve this issue. We will continue our so called experiment by making deals throughout 2024 that benefit every Morelander, support those in need around the world and help bring peace and stability to people across Mundus. There are multiple ways of moving forward. Some have begun, others may happen in due course but I have more pressing and more important concerns than dealing once more with a spat from Rokkenjima. Much has changed from those examples in the past and we do not chase friends."

The King concluded his question and answer session by taking a question from Jack Robinson from Stoneton who asked whether the King supported "the ADSN call for independence for Troyes".

The King said. "I have always, and will always, support the idea that people should have the final say in how they are governed. Following the Regency Crisis here in East Moreland I put before the public the first constitution of this Kingdom. Within it is a mechanism for, if the people ever wish......and I hope they don't, making East Moreland a Republic. If the people of Troyes truly wish to be independent we must establish a way of fairly and openly gauge that. If the people truly then support rejoining Marseille and the removal of Seaforth forces then I'll support that. I always find it strange people travel around Mundus claiming territory and the Seaforth involvement in Troyes is yet another puzzling moment."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on January 03, 2024, 11:00:14 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://musicserver.cz/img/big/38690.jpg)

NEW YEARS CONCERTS RAISE £6million

The annual Freestone New Years Eve street festival has confirmed that this year it has raised EM£6million. The annual event see's the city close its roads and set up a series of themed stages around the city to see in the New Year. This year most eyes were drawn to the newest stage which represented young people. The stage was located just inside the old city walls and saw six acts play throughout the day, all selected by young people from within the Kingdom aged under 14. The headline act was selected by Princess Rhiannon who had selected one of her favourite artists, Avirl Lavigne, to headline. The Princess also introduced the act saying that all monies collected during the performance would be donated to charities dealing with childhood lukemia and bone marrow donations both in East Moreland and Neu Urburzis. While he was not seen on stage Princess Rhiannon had invited Prince Augustin of Neu Urburzis to join her on stage however the youngster was apparently stage shy. The Princess said she was happy to introduce Lavigne as it meant she could "stay up past my bed time and listen to music really really loud." It was estimated that around £250,000 was collected during the hour long set. Following the performance Lavigne said "I loved performing. I've attended Freestone as a spectator several times but never performed. Now I get to headline. I'm thrilled it was also raising funds for such a good cause I just hope the Princess and her friends enjoyed the show."

On other stages acts such as 2Cellos, The Who and Freestone's own Billy Bragg were part of the perfomances. The King was in attendance as was Queen Stasya and several friends from Lodja. The Queen also hosted a small after party to raise funds for the Global Childbirth Initiative.


(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1133457882831147089/1192236761850597466/image.png?ex=65a85802&is=6595e302&hm=491cd990796a8d5ac9ea105bc942e9fd241594322568b6d0f7192dcbae49f2f2&)

KING RESPONDS TO PRESS RELEASE

With the Empress of Rokkenjima releasing a statement effectively saying she had been coerced into making anti-East Moreland statements it was today the turn of the King of East Moreland to respond. The King was visiting the Temple of Jekar in Ostlake when approached by the media. The King said, "I appreciate the Empresses honesty and bravery. The statement though will on its own change little. If there are voices in Rokkenjima preaching anti-Morelander sentiments and that is against the Empresses own stance then I would suggest a line up change. Its like rowing a boat and the Empress must be coxon, if you've someone pushing their oar when they should be pulling you just go round in circles and make no progress. Just like a functioning government. As always East Moreland is committed to working co-operatively with any nation that shares our goals and ambitions. We will await further communication from the Empress once matters have been sorted."

The King has said that in the coming days he will be visiting Gusano in hopes of finalising some CETO business before hopefully hosting Eboricum.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 14, 2024, 12:57:04 AM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/324270106177699860/621794718497636352/unknown.png?width=1440&height=162)

(https://minesto.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/minesto-towing.jpg)

FIRST TIDAL KITE INSTALLED

In what may be a world first the company SFR have successfully generated energy using a system known as a tidal kite. The company believe that they have successfully adapted a small scale wind turbine utilising a kite to work underwater. The device they have installed is located in a channel between rocks and the coast just to the east of Seabrooke. A mechanism weighing 28 tons and with a kite wingspan of around 12 meters has been installed onto the seabed. When the current running through the channel is correct the kite is released and using an automated steering pattern it goes into a figure of eight pattern turning a turbine and thus creating electricity. The company released the system just after 9am this morning and by 11am had reported that it was up to speed and generating around 1.2 megawatts, enough to power around a 1,000 homes. The project manager, Clare Laughton, explained that the device is likely to be rolled out in other areas in the near future. "Here at SFR we've been looking for innovative power solutions for a decade now. We've managed to input several hundreds of megawatts a day into the East Moreland grid utilising a range of green technologies including wind, solar and various other methods. Today we're adding to that offering. Its our hope sites can be found that ensure the safety of the maritime related industries while also giving cheap and green energy. The beauty of this tidal system is that the sea currents are much much more predictable than things such as the wind and sun and as a result we can ensure this system gives a regular input to our grid. We have a system of acoustic deterrants on the kite itself to mean that to marine life in the area its likely to be considered another big fish in a large ocean."

The system will now be monitored for six months and if successful other sites around the nation will be looked at. SFR have also recently won a contract to ensure that Northfort Palace is entirely energy independent and fully renewable by 2030.


(https://www.parismatch.com/lmnr/r/960,640,FFFFFF,forcex,center-middle/img/var/pm/public/styles/paysage/public/media/image/2022/03/01/09/Emily-Ratajkowski-en-bataille-emotionnelle-pour-garder-le-moral-pendant-le-coronavirus.jpg?VersionId=mcIk7uRJxoRVcFXR7IfWtWIgawWqt2Fg)

QUEEN TO WALK AT FASHION WEEK

With Niameck Fashion week starting soon in Neu Urburzis it has been confirmed that the Queen's not for profit fashion label Pelafashion is to feature and in addition the Queen will be one of the featured models. The event is the highlight of the fashion calendar on Mundus and as such the Queen has been an attendee for many years. In a statement released by the Queen's Head of Household Alexandra Samual the Queen has said "From the age of about 12 I remember flicking through glossy fashion magazines to see what people where wearing at Niameck and trying to get my hands on the cool stuff. I first did a small show there when me and some friends at University did a small boutique and the same year I walked on a runway for the first time. I'm excited to use the fashion show as an opportunity to let Morelanders best young creatives flourish." It is expected that the Queen will showcase Pelafashions leading collection, "QS1" in a major show while several smaller shows will also take place for young up and coming designers. The Queen's statement said, "Every year we take some 14 students out of University who have come from disadvantaged backgrounds and give them two years of work experience before offering them support setting up their own fashion collections, brands or boutiques. We've decieded this year that the best of those students will get the opportunity to dress the Queen and hopefully some other VIPs." It is understood that Princess Adelheid, who is the patron of the shows, has also been invited to walk the show.

Pelafashion became a "Not for profit" in 2021 and has since used all its profits to fund projects that support charities such as the Global Childbirth Initiative while also supporting the next generation of creative people. One of those who has benefitted is Sarah Forsyth a 23 year old who last year opened her own small boutique in Silverhills. "I struggled to get through University as I came from a single parents family and Dad worked as a security guard so money was always tight. In my final year Pelafashion approached me after one of their team saw my work at a student fashion show. I was offered an apprenticeship with them, a scholarship to finish my studies and then two years later they believed in me so much that they gave me an investment to open Forsyight a small store where I sell my own designs and those of a few other local people. We do commissions too. We just finished our first 12 months and while we're not making enough to retire on I was pleased that I managed to finish year one in the black. Without the support of Pelafashion I'd have never been in the position I am."

Agnizka Tarak is the Lead Operating Officer of Pelafashion and a childhood friend of Queen Stasya and she said, "We're thrilled to help people like Sarah. We want to create a vibrant and creatively challenging community in the fashion world so the more success the better. We know Sarah has three members of staff helping her run her boutique and so we help create jobs in the industry beyond what we do here ourselves. It allows us to generate income that allows the Queen to do good works globally." The conditions of investment into stat ups is that the Pelafashion company get 5% of the businesses shares for the first three years or until the initial funding is paid back, whichever comes first. The Queen has also announced that in the coming days she is looking at making "significant updates" to her attendance to the fashion wek.



(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C40Z9sSDZ6o/XMbCut5j5MI/AAAAAAACFvE/Hz8QcNBya88sMLFaLbqPlGkxV2LCD-iNwCLcBGAs/s595/Infanta-Sofia-birthday.jpg)

RHIANNON HAS "MEME" IN NOTEBOOK

Today King David responded to reports about his daughter, Princess Rhiannon, being caught up in some viral social media joke in Neu Urburzis. With reports of an image portraying her as a Viking screaming the words "Holmgang" being seen many had become concerned about the message it put out. The King when asked by the media said that the Princess was aware of the image and while "Not fully aware of what Holmgang means thinks the picture is great." The King went on to explain, "Rhiannon is someone who has found a deep interest in our nations martial culture of swordsmanship and in her younger days at the Festival of Sail was taken by the appearance of the Alander Vikings. She's read up on many aspects of Alander Viking culture and I have encouraged her to appreciate cultures from across Mundus. She has a deep respect for diverse faiths and finds the Odinic faith, like I do, one that has many similarities with the Cult of Helus." The King then announced that his daughter had printed a copy of the picture out and glued it to the inside front cover of her school notebook.

The King then spoke seriously about the situation in Nya Aland. "We are watching the situation with great interest. I've been in touch with our friends there and if required we will offer support. I can confirm Morelanders there have come under fire and responded in kind but with more success. We will not be withdrawing our forces and if required we will send more manpower if requested. Statements from the Gungnir for ritualistic combat is no way to run a nation and shows just how out of touch with reality they are. I'll be speaking with my daughter about the meaning of the word Holmgang and how it is a misuse of the skills that we teach her in swordsmanship lessons with Sir Charles Townshend. We believe firmly that these skills are for defending the weak not for giving yourself power as this Magnus Odinsson seems to want to."

The King then proudly confirmed that his daughter had been selected to compete for the Y8 Girls Swordsmanship Team in the City of Northfort Championships. "My daughter has started Y7 this year and is settling into her new school well. When the school coaches asked if I'd sign to let her compete against girls a year older than her I had no hesitation in saying yes. If she is successful its a great experience however if she loses then the lessons she'll have learned from fighting better competition will make her more determined. I don't want her having an easy path , I want her challeneged."
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 14, 2024, 08:45:40 PM
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/743887236499636275/770025610499063828/unknown.png?ex=65e4e1bb&is=65d26cbb&hm=bf54d469d7c40dc2e8459164d62e188855892accdb68e3237a134ceb8587c798&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=1440&height=162)

(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/83F7/production/_132638733_gr_9vd7g.jpg)

OSMANTECH MAKE "MEATY" RICE

OsmanTech have today unveiled what they hope will be a new addition to "a toolkit that will allow us to tackle malnutrition globally in an innovative way." Dr. James Durham who has been leading the project began to explain the development to the media by describing the rice as "a potentially eco-friendly way of boosting protein intake at an affordable price. The rice is grown in special vats after going through a process where the grains are coated in fish gelatin and then exposed to beef cow cells. The rice then grows with a combination of rice and beef proteins growing in the grain. Once grown the rice can then be used in exactly the same way as traditional rice. "We believe that perhaps this rice can be grown and then stored for situations such as disaster relief or famine. In the right conditions the rice can be stored for around five years so we could seriously stockpile the stuff. We are still perfecting the process but so far research shows that the rice contains around 8-10% more protein than traditional rice and slightly lower increases in fat content. This could be important in helping people get a more balanced diet in times of hardship." The rice was tested by the assembled media teams and was said to taste more nutty and a little sweet compared to traditional white rice. The rice also had a kind of pink tinge to it which was unusual.

OsmanTech have plans to improve the process involved and the rice is added to their "Golden Rice" which has been shown to improve the amount of Vitamen A in diets. The company are hopeful that the new rice will also help in terms of environmental concerns. "Protein is something that we all need to grow" Dr.Durham explains. "Those of us who enjoy eating meat know that this can often draw criticism from environmentalists for being damaging in terms of its carbon footprint. Traditional beef farming produces 49.89kg of carbon dioxide to make 100g of protein. Our estimates are that this new process will take just 6.7kg of carbon dioxide to produce the same amount of protein. We're a greener alternative." The company hope that they can begin mass production of the new rice by the end of the year.
Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on February 25, 2024, 06:27:58 PM
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/743887236499636275/1211305710529552454/image.png?ex=66002c5a&is=65edb75a&hm=aff4babb5d794ed426588609148c6c8eebc5187957ca5d72ef3f98890ca64ad5&)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/743887236499636275/1211307782251352105/image.png?ex=65edb948&is=65db4448&hm=e2b8fc715e07461e117f49eb858ac0f38ee37787cb21c33379d6b7b08653b7f0&)

KING AWARDS HIGHEST MEDAL TO LEGIONNAIRES IN HIT SQUAD

The Palace have confirmed that today King David has meet, in person, with the members of Red Legion who were responsible for the operation that killed terrorist Kyle Barren. The King meet the men of Red Legion at their units HQ in Aldfield and presented each of them with the nations highest military honour, the Kings Medal. The awarding of these four medals now mean that the King has awarded five King's Medals during his lifetime, all of them to anonymous members of Red Legion. It was also confirmed that several members of the National Intelligence Agency who had sourced the information which allowed the strike to take place have been awarded the Moreland Cross which is avaliable only the civilians who have done things considered "inspirational to Morelanders". In a statement released following the King's visit to Red Legion HQ the monarch said, "I am exceptionally proud of the Legionnaires who undertook this operation. They have demonstrated exceptional skills and courage and are an example to every member of the armed forces in terms of what a well trained and dedicated Morelander can achieve. They however are only as good as the intelligence they are given and our hats must be raised to those members of the Intelligence Agency who were able to put these men in a position to carry out their mission. This nation, and the rest of Mundus, owes everyone involved a debt of thanks."

The Palace have also confirmed that the body of Kyle Barren, the self proclaimed "King of the Borlanders", has been dropped from a naval maritime patrol aircraft into "the deep ocean" however say they will not confirm the exact location nor even the body of water. The bodies of the other Borlanders killed during the attack, another six individuals, have been similarly disposed of in unconfirmed locations. A spokesman for the High Priestess of the Cult of Helus stated, "The Cult of Helus is very clear that the deeds we do in life shall determine our place in the afterlife. I am firmly convinced that Barren and all those that follow him will have no afterlife of worth, just that they shall now know the eternal pain and torment that they have caused."

Title: Re: Northfort News
Post by: DaveIronside on March 17, 2024, 12:07:00 AM
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/743887236499636275/1211305710529552454/image.png?ex=66002c5a&is=65edb75a&hm=aff4babb5d794ed426588609148c6c8eebc5187957ca5d72ef3f98890ca64ad5&)

(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1153532412559622184/1218697172690931773/D_g5HDOX4AIsN0i.png?ex=66089b30&is=65f62630&hm=052c8f3b8f9479f17676792c394f8964d469034dbb55d89baaaa655fcc91ad42&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=586&height=613)

KING HONOURS NAVIES LONGEST SERVING MEMBER

King David and his sister Princess Freya have today travelled to Ostlake to honour the nations longest serving member of the Royal East Moreland Naval Service. Petty Officer Bryan Charles joined the navy  as an 18 year old in 1976 as an engineer and served aboard ships until 1996 at which point he became part of the training establishment at Ostlake training the next generation of naval recruits. In 2003 he became the leading rating for the Maritime Engineering School at Ostlake and was often seconded to Portworth Royal Dockyards to consult on naval projects. In 2015 he was due to retire however the honourary post of Chief Post Master of the Navy became available and with almost unanimous backing from the leading ratings aboard each of the navies ships he was offered the role. The honourary position sees the now 66 year old welcome each ship returning to homebase with its mail as historically the holder was responsible for ensuring all postal communication was accounted for. Now the role is generally held by a member of the Navy "held in high regard by their fellow ship-mates and who serves as a first class example of naval discipline and order.". While the role is mainly symbolic the holder is given a small cottage at Ostlake and paid a small pension in addition to any other income they may have. Petty Officer Charles today celebrated the beginning of his 48th year in the Navy, setting a new record for a rating. The two royals attended a parade at Ostlake East where the crew of REMNS King David I, Bryan Charles' former ship, paraded alongside this years engineering recruits. The King and Princess presented the new recruits with their certificates of proficency meaning they have completed this section of their training before presenting the guest of honour with a model of the REMNS King David I along with the Queen's Medal which is awarded for "services to the monarchy above and beyond that expected of a Morelander." In addition the Mess Hall of the Ratings Mess in the Engineering School will now be known as the Petty Officer Charles Mess. Speaking at the ceremony the King stated, "I'm exceptionally proud to be here and present Bryan with this. He is a wonderful example of service and dedication. I have been coming to Ostlake for almost forty years and Bryan has been a fixture of those times, it is wonderful to see someone like him who clearly loves the Navy and his nation."

Following the award Petty Officer Charles said, "I have never wanted a career outside the Navy and even though my role may be symbolic I take great pride in it. To get a chance to welcome back home everyone who has gone to sea and been willing to sacrifice time with their family in service of our homeland is a great feeling. I've done hundreds of welcome home ceremonies and I've loved everyone of them. My hope is they let me carry on for a good few years yet." The 66 year old is quiet often seen rowing out to meet vessels as they return to Ostlake and the King and Petty Officer Charles later went for a row out to REMNS Portworth which is preparing to head to Bakkermaya.

Princess Freya presented Petty Officer Charles with a replica of the ships bell from REMNS King David I and added, "People like the Chief Petty Officer are the backbone of our wonderful armed forces. I'm honoured to have served in the same military as someone willing to give close to their entire life to serve their nation. As far as I am concerned Bryan should be permitted to stay in the Navy until he chooses to retire and when he finally does I for one will be pushing for a ship to be named after him. I'd like to place on record my thanks and that of East Moreland." Petty Officer Charles was also honoured by his favourite rugby team, Ostlake RUFC, who will make him their guest of honour at tomorrows league game against Keepton.