Author Topic: Northfort News  (Read 92616 times)

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Offline DaveIronside

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #270 on: February 04, 2022, 10:52:15 PM »




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.




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.

Offline DaveIronside

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #271 on: February 08, 2022, 09:49:02 PM »




"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.

Offline DaveIronside

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #272 on: February 13, 2022, 01:49:52 AM »




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 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."

Offline DaveIronside

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #273 on: February 13, 2022, 10:40:20 PM »




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.

Offline DaveIronside

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #274 on: February 14, 2022, 09:56:33 PM »




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.





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.

Offline DaveIronside

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #275 on: February 19, 2022, 06:28:31 PM »




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."


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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #276 on: February 22, 2022, 10:27:19 PM »




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.

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #277 on: March 05, 2022, 10:07:41 PM »




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.
 

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #278 on: March 21, 2022, 09:12:57 PM »




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.

Offline DaveIronside

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #279 on: March 28, 2022, 08:38:31 PM »




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."


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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #280 on: April 12, 2022, 11:39:39 PM »




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.


Vehicle wrapped in the material

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #281 on: May 07, 2022, 09:39:30 PM »




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."




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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #282 on: May 19, 2022, 08:26:24 PM »




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.




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. 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.

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #283 on: May 23, 2022, 10:11:51 PM »




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 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. 

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #284 on: May 30, 2022, 07:58:52 PM »




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."

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #285 on: June 01, 2022, 08:38:32 PM »




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.




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.

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #286 on: June 03, 2022, 09:58:06 PM »




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 fighters from Ui Cenneslaig.


Offline DaveIronside

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #287 on: June 08, 2022, 09:30:51 PM »




OST-RIVERS TOURS TAKE TO THE SEA

Since 1907 the boating company Ost-River Tours ha offered luxury multi-day 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.




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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #288 on: June 10, 2022, 08:08:41 PM »




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. 

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #289 on: June 15, 2022, 10:40:47 PM »




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.

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #290 on: June 16, 2022, 07:39:58 PM »




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."

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #291 on: June 19, 2022, 12:17:45 AM »




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.

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #292 on: June 20, 2022, 10:34:06 PM »




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.

Offline DaveIronside

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #293 on: June 25, 2022, 11:52:46 PM »




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.





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.


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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #294 on: July 23, 2022, 10:24:26 PM »




QUEEN STASYA SCHOOL TARGETTED

Today a bomb exploded inside the Queen Stasya School in Northfort. 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.




Offline DaveIronside

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #295 on: July 29, 2022, 10:14:20 PM »




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."





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." 

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #296 on: August 03, 2022, 10:13:17 PM »




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.




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."

Offline DaveIronside

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #297 on: August 15, 2022, 11:50:21 PM »




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."





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. 


Offline DaveIronside

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #298 on: August 23, 2022, 12:05:37 AM »




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."


Offline DaveIronside

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Re: Northfort News
« Reply #299 on: September 07, 2022, 07:41:01 PM »




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."