NationStates Jolt Archive


Open RP: Fall of a Great Leader

The Darkening Sky
16-08-2005, 05:51
“…with a final score of 34-6. And now, to international news. We go to Melissa Dent, on location in the Darkening Sky. Melissa?”
“Thanks, Jim. I’m standing in the Darkening Sky’s capital, Luponueva, where we’ve just received word that the iron-fisted dictator Juan Cantreras has announced his diagnosis with lung cancer. Ironically, where his enemies failed, his characteristic cigars will most likely succeed. He has refused chemotherapy and will continue to lead his nation. With this announcement, much behind-the-scenes power jockeying will commence. It is uncertain as to what faction will emerge from the vacuum that will be left when the dictator leaves power, but it would be optimistic to think that violence would not play a part.”
“Thanks, Melissa. In other news, a large storm is building off the coast of that beleaguered nation. As if they didn’t have enough to worry about, now a hurrica-“

Juan Cantreras turned the foreign news station off. Their bias was strong but less than his own state controlled media. They got one thing right, however. The vultures were indeed circling. His prime minister, the party favorite, was in perfect position to take over politically. This was, assuming, that the changeover would occur peacefully. His highest army officer had other ideas. General Angrou had a firm control over the entire military, with the exception of Cantreras’s 1,000 man personal guard. For a nation with a modernized, 300,000 man standing army, even a personal guard of that size would be unable to protect any leader. The only thing keeping Angrou from making a move previously was Cantreras’s popularity with the people. I mean, he had single handedly taken an agrarian society and moved it forward into the new century. The people understood that only having one party and not being able to speak against the State were small prices to pay! Of course, there were those dissidents in the mountain areas that caused trouble every once in a while, but they didn’t matter.

Two people who did matter were his sons. They were conniving, worthless bastards. But they had his name, and a good portion of the populace might support them simply based on that. On their own, they’d probably just be pawns of one of the other factions. Oh well, he had done what he could for them. The little bastards would have to make their own way.

A knock came at the door. “President Cantreras? It is time for your speech.”
“Ah, Philip. I guess it is. It is time for the people to hear the news from my mouth. I have fought to keep it hidden for so long, it will be good to speak again. It has been too long!”
“It has indeed, sir. Much too long.”
The Darkening Sky
16-08-2005, 05:52
The crowd grumbled. Their president had not been seen in public for many months, and now there was a rumor that he was gravely ill. Unease has spread like wildfire through the center of the country where his power was centered. The central square was overflowing with bodies aching for confirmation of the rumor. Finally, the curtain stirred, and a wave of applause washed over Cantreras as he stepped free. He moved to the podium, ever-present cigar pinched between his lips. The president removed the cigar, and the crowd grew silent.

“Friends, it has been a long journey together. We have come so far! I am proud to have been your leader through these years of plenty. You have honored me by working so hard to give-“ and he stopped. He surveyed the crowd. Slowly, Cantreras raised his right hand to his chest, as if saluting the flag. The hand came away crimson, and a stain began to spread across the leader’s chest. He did not fall. He did not collapse. Rather, Cantreras simply…crumpled to the floor.
The Darkening Sky
16-08-2005, 05:53
“With the sudden, violent death of Juan Cantreras, the nation has been thrown into chaos. General Thomas Angrou has taken control of the nation’s formindable military and moved the 1st Army and the 2nd Motorized Battalion into Luponueva to ‘stabilize’ the city. The Presidential Guard has taken control of the Presidential compound and the Legislature Building. While not technically under siege, there is a great deal of tension in the capital. Marcos Trenton, leader of the legislature and next in line for Presidency, has ordered the takeover. The Guard has been fortifying the compounds in case of violence, but both sides hope such action is unnecessary. Melissa Dent reporting from the Darkening Sky.”
The Darkening Sky
16-08-2005, 05:54
OOC: Here’s the deal. The duly “elected” legislature is holed up in the Legislature with the Prime Minister Marcos Trenton in command of the elite Presidential Guard. They are surrounded by forces controlled by General Thomas Angrou. Also surrounded in the Presidential compound are Cantreras’s two sons. These two buildings aren’t buildings so much as fortress, designed with this outcome in mind. In the mountainous regions to the north and south of the central lowlands are lawless bands of malcontents, with the strange exception of the area around Gastonia. In the central regions, however, the powerful army is uncontested. The people are divided. Loyalists to Cantreras are located in the center of the country, but without his leadership they are not sure whether to support Trenton or Angrou. In the north and south are poor villagers, scraping out a living. They don’t much care for any side. No shots (except the one) have been fired yet, pending an investigation. However, the situation is a powerkeg, ready to explode.

EDIT: Just to head off future confusion, there are intentional holes in the story, such as: who killed Cantreras, etc. That may or may not be revealed in the future, depending on interest in the thread.

RULES: No WMDs. If you use WMDs, be aware that DS has more than enough ICBMs to turn any country into glass. Also, don’t give me that “missle shield” stuff. This is an MT RP, and a missile shield hasn’t been proven to work properly yet, especially against multiple warhead ICBMs. The people running DS’s silos have been instructed to fire if they detect any WMDs by any nation. So, no WMDs.

Also, I reserve the right to fire the IGNORE cannon at any time. It’s my RP, and call me drunk with power. Should interest warrant, please try to limit dogpiles. Six 200 million nations vs. a billion is ok, but one 20 million vs. twenty 2 billions= no fun. I’ll leave this to you, b/c I like open RP’s. Besides, the original participants have a tendency to disappear from time to time.
The Darkening Sky
16-08-2005, 06:29
bump
The Darkening Sky
16-08-2005, 19:44
*Encrypted communique from Prime Minister Marcos Trenton, duly elected leader of the Darkening Sky*

This is a plea for help to the international community. I, Marcos Trenton, am the legal and elected leader of this nation. General Angrou has surrounded the legislature and has ordered us to hand over the nation to him. WE SHALL NOT RELENT! Our great leader had foreseen such a difficulty, and the legislature is heavily fortified, with large stockpiles of food and water. However, these stockpiles shall not last forever. Please send relief!