NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: this thread is part of the rp being planned here:
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=498544 Interest Thread
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread....4#post11684224 OOC Thread

Semi-IC:
Government Information
Conventional Long Form: The Imperial Republic of Caladonn
Conventional Short Form: Caladonn
Government Type: Republic
Capital: Calad (IRL London)
Head of State: Supreme Consul Aramil Holimion
Head of Government: Consul and Admiral Jeriath Galatar

Social Information:
Population: To be determined
Languages: Caladonnian (Official, it's a comination of Anglo-Saxon, Latin, and Norwegian), Gaelic
Religions: To be determined

General Military Information: (Coming soon when I ascertain what's reasonable for this time period!)
Total Peacetime Personnel: 15,000
Wartime Personnel: 35,000

The Imperial Navy:
Total Ships: 150
Types of Ships (Men per ship in parentheses):
Cogs: 50 (100 men each)
Longboats: 100 (50 men each)
Naval Personnel: 10,000

The Imperial Army (Mainly consisting of landed marines):
Peacetime:
Total Soldiers: 5,000
Types of Soldiers:
Infantry: 2,000
Cavalry: 500
Longbowmen: 2,500

Wartime:
Total Soldiers: 25,000
Types of Soldiers:
Infantry: 10,000
Cavalry: 1,000
Longbowmen: 14,000

Army Personnel: 5,000 peacetime, 25,000 wartime

As dawn broke over the River Lothern, it was payed little heed by the Senators of the Imperial Republic of Caladonn even as it washed the ornate Senate Chamber in a golden light through the high stained glass windows depicting the fall of the Empire from centuries ago.

On some days, when the business of the nation was light, the Senators would gaze out from the Citadel over the glassy waters of the harbour, the forest of ships, the white walls, the bustling crowds. The first Consul, Jerian Stoneglad, was wise indeed when he positioned the greatest building in all of Caladonn atop the Citadel, overlooking the capital- the Senators were oft reminded of the great nation they represented, and worked all the harder for it.

Still, despite the romantic visage, each of the 100 Senators were focused intently on the speaker from the Rostrum in the center of the room. Above him the green, white and silver of Caladonn adorned with the great dragon watched supremely over the proceedings, the initials S.P.Q.C- "Senatus populusquq Caladonnus, For the Senate and the People of Caladonn" another reminder of the great tradition seated on those in the room.

The man on the rostrum spoke, as his forefathers and their forefathers had spoken before him. Still, the importance of today's debate was unquestioned- indeed, some dubbed it of so great import as to shake the very foundations on which the world was founded.

And yet, in many ways, what the man, Consul Aramil Holimion, spoke about, was simplicity itself- exploration.

"My fellow senators, I have droned on long enough already," he said. "You all know what is at stake here, the very growth of our nation! Our longboats have ventured forth, in many cases discovered new lands- lands ripe for the taking, if they are primitive, or lands willing to enter into a mutually beneficial mercantile relationship.

Senators, we cannot let this opportunity pass us by! If we turn inward, become xenophobic, introspective- then all the men who have ever sat in these chairs, all they worked for will be for nought. Our nation has the makings of greatness, and great it shall be if we begin today!" He sat down amid thunderous applause.

The Senatorial Magistrate, Haldron Firnath, intoned, "We will now vote on the Consul's proposition of expansion for the Imperial Republic of Caladonn."

And then they voted. The conservatives, the superstitious, they were strong; yet, those who wished for change were stronger. It was a clear three-fourths majority- Caladonn would expand.

As per the order of the Imperial Senate, Caladonnian longboats have set out in many different directions. To the North were the lands of Iceland, and farther off Greenland, settled by the relations of those who had come to Caladonn generations before. Admiral Tuliarn has been despatchedwith a significant fleet to meet with these fellow Norsemen, and urge them to join the Imperial Republic for the greater good.

Imperial strategists are eager to go through with this plan for Caladonnian expansion, but are also looking to the Continent. As a naval power, control of the access points to the inner seas would be greatly beneficial. Therefore, a fleet along with Imperial Engineers and some civilians have been despatched to the southernmost tip of Iberia, a place called Gibraltar. Here is rumored to be a great site for a fortress.

Likewise, the islands that guard the entrance to the Baltic sea in the north would go excellently with Imperial naval power. However, there is one difficulty- this land of the Frisians, as well as Jutland, are under the domination of the bloated Alshorian Empire. It is well known that the Alshorians are under assault from many angles, and perhaps could be persuaded to cede control of this area to Caladonn. Therefore, a diplomat has been despatched to meet with the Alshorians.

Finally, little is known about the seas to the south, so several cogs are sailing in that direction to ascertain what lies there.

Exploration Update- Two Weeks Later
Two weeks have passed, and the news has been good from the exploratory ventures mandated by the Imperial Senate. In the North, Admiral Tuliarn has reached Iceland and sought a meeting with their Allthing. He knows that Iceland and Greenland have been looking for a trading partner closer to the Continent to exchange their unique products for the luxuries of afar, and hopefully they will be willing to go further and enter into a union.

In addition, the Caladonnian diplomat that was sent to the Ralish has arrived. We have yet to see whether the response of the continental giant will be beneficial or not.

To the southeast, the fleet has landed at the great rock of Gibraltar. Rudimentary defences have already been set up, while the engineers have planned a great fortress to control entrance to the inner sea. A camp on the other side of the strait has also been established, though any plans for permanent fortifications there are far off.

Farther south, there has still been no word from the cogs...

some time later, in fact only a day before the Caladonnian ambasidor returned, if not all in one piece, a member of the house of shadows arrived upon Caladonn's shores. she was new to her rank and task, infact the yongest and first admited to the upper levels in some time. the network was expanding, and it was best to send the untrained spy masters to set up it's less critcal new elements.

reguardless of the machinations which had lead to her presance, one Raven Sveltin Jianj was now head of the house of shadows in Caladonn. a fairly meaningless title at this point, as she also constituted it's entire membership.. but this would soon change.

after a fair bit of consideration, she decided it would be best to base her operations outside the capital... but no more than two days away on foot.

and so she set off to find a place to make her headquaters, and to set up her cover.

With word of the insulting Ralish declaration reaching Caladonn, the entire military was mobilized, with a massive expeditionary force despatched to the Danish islands.

Caladonn invites representatives from Osteia, Kamasha, Angermanland, and Terror Incognitia to travel to Calad.

OOC: Once your diplomat reaches Locke he will send some one in his stead, Locke himself is slightly tied up ;)..nothing to worry about, but we will accept.

The Cogs sent south, to the islands known as the Canaries, have arrived, though they have not yet ascertained much about the land they are in.

Consul Jeriath Galatar, the second most important man in Caladonn, spoke to the Icelandic Allthing. Word of the meeting had spread, so many representatives of the Greenland settlements were also there.

"Greetings, my brothers," he began. "As you know, our three lands are closely related by blood and trade ties. It was Vikings who settled both our lands from Norway, and since then we have had profitable trade, with Iceland and Greenland supplying sulfur, whale and seal meat, and oil, and Caladonn providing timber, food, and luxuries from the south.

Now, the people of Caladonn seek to strengthen that bond. We feel that our lands should be united as one, to form one great Empire of the North, stretching from beyond Eriksfjord in Greeland to the southern coasts of Caladonn. We can profit from trade as never before, with Caladonnians traveling to the north to purchase your products, and of course, vice versa. Lastly, we will be undefeatable, as our navies are strong enough to trump any other in the known world, and our brave and valiant men can intervene on the Continent at our leisure, as Caladonn is now doing against the insidious and vile Alshorians.

Tell me, brothers: Who is with me?"

Consul Jeriath Galatar, the second most important man in Caladonn, spoke to the Icelandic Allthing. Word of the meeting had spread, so many representatives of the Greenland settlements were also there.

"Greetings, my brothers," he began. "As you know, our three lands are closely related by blood and trade ties. It was Vikings who settled both our lands from Norway, and since then we have had profitable trade, with Iceland and Greenland supplying sulfur, whale and seal meat, and oil, and Caladonn providing timber, food, and luxuries from the south.

Now, the people of Caladonn seek to strengthen that bond. We feel that our lands should be united as one, to form one great Empire of the North, stretching from beyond Eriksfjord in Greeland to the southern coasts of Caladonn. We can profit from trade as never before, with Caladonnians traveling to the north to purchase your products, and of course, vice versa. Lastly, we will be undefeatable, as our navies are strong enough to trump any other in the known world, and our brave and valiant men can intervene on the Continent at our leisure, as Caladonn is now doing against the insidious and vile Alshorians.

Tell me, brothers: Who is with me?"

The crowd of nobles in the room showed their undivided attention to the speaker nodding as he brought fourth good points, during the speech voices from the crowd once and awhile would say,

"Here, here..." in agreement.....

After he wrapped up the speech a large man about 350 pounds, 6'2 stood up,

"Your proposal sounds good but, you speak of war with The Ralish empire...they have many nations to back them with mercenary forces, Osteia..Madestan...and their own army is large and strong, how are we to defeat such an alliance...even with our powerful navys combined, the Osteian heavy horse, the Madestan warriors....they do not scare me, but..it's risky.."

Others in the room listened quietly.....

The crowd of nobles in the room showed their undivided attention to the speaker nodding as he brought fourth good points, during the speech voices from the crowd once and awhile would say,

"Here, here..." in agreement.....

After he wrapped up the speech a large man about 350 pounds, 6'2 stood up,

"Your proposal sounds good but, you speak of war with The Ralish empire...they have many nations to back them with mercenary forces, Osteia..Madestan...and their own army is large and strong, how are we to defeat such an alliance...even with our powerful navys combined, the Osteian heavy horse, the Madestan warriors....they do not scare me, but..it's risky.."

Others in the room listened quietly.....
"I thank you for your question," Galatar responded. "I am able to speak freely, since I trust you as brothers and the force to attack northern Ralish has already departed.

It is true that they are a large Empire, but their size only hastens their downfall. They have grown corrupt and decadent, relying on the forces of questionably loyal foreigners to fight with their every-further-stretched Guard. It is not only that the Ralish is declining, but we and others like us are rising on the fringes of the Continent, eager to set the world stage away from where it has been for hundreds of years. Already, Osteia is in revolt, with the Ralish's most powerful vassal declaring open independence, with Caladonnian support. The lands of Terror Incognitia, across the channel from Caladonn; our own brothers to the North, the Kalmaar; and the far-off riders of Angermanland, all descend upon the Ralish with a gathering fury born of generations of living in the shadows next to the Alshorians. Not only that, but due to the recent alliance with Kamasha, we are sure to gain another nation on our side soon enough.

Caladonn seeks but a small part of the Ralish; we only wish to take the farthest northern lands of theirs, to control the entrance to the Baltic. With the most powerful navy in the world, we can blockade the islands of Frisia away from the mainland, and take them one by one, by starving them into submission and selective slashing raids. The Ralish has sent a large force to Frisia, it is true; but they cannot have sent more men than they sent to fight Osteia, which was 20,000, and those men will be spread out between the Frisian mainland of Jutland and the islands, while the Caladonnian expeditionary force, with 20,000 well-trained soldiers, will be able to concentrate on one of these three parts at a time, while the enemy is already weakened by blockading and raids. The Ralish subjects of Madnestan and Airidiris are far away, and already concerned with Angermanland.

In short, my friends, there is nothing we can lose, and a great deal we can gain. I ask you now: Will we, together, work for a better future and a dominant Empire in the north, or not?"

"I thank you for your question," Galatar responded. "I am able to speak freely, since I trust you as brothers and the force to attack northern Ralish has already departed.

It is true that they are a large Empire, but their size only hastens their downfall. They have grown corrupt and decadent, relying on the forces of questionably loyal foreigners to fight with their every-further-stretched Guard. It is not only that the Ralish is declining, but we and others like us are rising on the fringes of the Continent, eager to set the world stage away from where it has been for hundreds of years. Already, Osteia is in revolt, with the Ralish's most powerful vassal declaring open independence, with Caladonnian support. The lands of Terror Incognitia, across the channel from Caladonn; our own brothers to the North, the Kalmaar; and the far-off riders of Angermanland, all descend upon the Ralish with a gathering fury born of generations of living in the shadows next to the Alshorians. Not only that, but due to the recent alliance with Kamasha, we are sure to gain another nation on our side soon enough.

Caladonn seeks but a small part of the Ralish; we only wish to take the farthest northern lands of theirs, to control the entrance to the Baltic. With the most powerful navy in the world, we can blockade the islands of Frisia away from the mainland, and take them one by one, by starving them into submission and selective slashing raids. The Ralish has sent a large force to Frisia, it is true; but they cannot have sent more men than they sent to fight the Ralish, which was 20,000, and those men will be spread out between the Frisian mainland of Jutland and the islands, while the Caladonnian expeditionary force, with 20,000 well-trained soldiers, will be able to concentrate on one of these three parts at a time, while the enemy is already weakened by blockading and raids. The Ralish subjects of Madnestan and Airidiris are far away, and already concerned with Angermanland.

In short, my friends, there is nothing we can lose, and a great deal we can gain. I ask you now: Will we, together, work for a better future and a dominant Empire in the north, or not?"

The large man closed his fist and raised it,

"Here, here brother...i will stand beside you.."

seeing how the man who appeared to have alot of influance, agreed to join caused others to rise aswell,

"Aye, togeather.." one man commented..

Wispers and low voices were heard through out the room and groups at a time started to stand up rasing their fists in the air to show approval, the big man nodded to the speaker with a serious expression on his face.....

The large man closed his fist and raised it,

"Here, here brother...i will stand beside you.."

Others seeing that the man who appeared to have alot of influance on others agree to join caused others to rise aswell,

"Aye, togeather.." one man commented..

Wispers and low voices were heard through out the room and groups at a time started to stand up rasing their fists in the air to show approval, the big man nodded to the speaker with a serious expression on his face.....
Consul Galatar clasped his new supporter's hand firmly, joy written on his face. "I thank you, my brothers," he said. "I assure you, we shall not let you down."

With the joyous news of the union between Caladonn, Iceland and Greenland announced, the Senate has taken steps to bind the three lands together. Icelandic and Greenlander Senators, mainly drawn from the ranks of the Allthing, are already on their way to Calad, while the militaries of the three lands are reorganised into a cohesive fighting force.

The expeditionary force in the Islas Canarias and Maderas to the south have begun a blockade of the islands- no contact is to be allowed between them unless they agree to join Caladonn. The 1,000-man expeditionary force is being readied to take the islands, one by one, unless their chieftans agree to join the Imperial Republic.

Denmark

To the Ralish, this was nothing but part of the continental Germanic lands.

2,500 Imperial Guard were raised, well instantly on hearing of the troubles to north. Over a thousand Madnestian mercenaries and several thousand local mercenaries were not hard to hire.

Over 6,000 Militia and Men-at-Arms were easily raised. And 12,000 peasantry.

Alshor, Persia... here. These were the most heavily peopled parts of the Empire. This was the most defencible part of the west. More than Pyrennia or Osteia. 24? 25 thousand? About that many men were assembling on Jutland and the surrounding soils.

But, the islands...

The Ralish desperately wanted the enemy to land on the continent.

No opposition faced the occupation of the Danish islands. It was hoped that such a feeble situation would encourage an invasion of Frisland... where upon the Enemy would face more soldiers than he had in all his armies combined.

Certainly if the enemy landed on the continent, he would face incredible odds. If he did not? Then a navy was required, and time would have to be taken.

Denmark

To the Ralish, this was nothing but part of the continental Germanic lands.

2,500 Imperial Guard were raised, well instantly on hearing of the troubles to north. Over a thousand Madnestian mercenaries and several thousand local mercenaries were not hard to hire.

Over 6,000 Militia and Men-at-Arms were easily raised. And 12,000 peasantry.

Alshor, Persia... here. These were the most heavily peopled parts of the Empire. This was the most defencible part of the west. More than Pyrennia or Osteia. 24? 25 thousand? About that many men were assembling on Jutland and the surrounding soils.

But, the islands...

The Ralish desperately wanted the enemy to land on the continent.

No opposition faced the occupation of the Danish islands. It was hoped that such a feeble situation would encourage an invasion of Frisland... where upon the Enemy would face more soldiers than he had in all his armies combined.

Certainly if the enemy landed on the continent, he would face incredible odds. If he did not? Then a navy was required, and time would have to be taken.
OOC: Actually, I made a war thread for this... the link is on the first page. However, I'll just post a little bit here.

IC: The Caladonnian marines and fleet have occupied the Frisian islands, finding no resistance. They have fortified them and building harbors, and the assimilation of the people of Frisia is a major goal, with new trade and representation opportunities for the Frisians.

The Imperial Senate has been eager to get to grips with the enemy, but Consul Galatar, now returned from Iceland and an experienced soldier, has counseled caution. With the opening moves complete, Galatar has requested an audience with the Kalmaar commander on how to proceed.

OOC2: I think we should continue this in that thread...

--------------------

With rumors of the Ralish building a fleet, Caladonn must maintain her naval superiority. Thus, merchant cogs will be outfitted for military service, and new cogs and longships will be laid and sent to the North Sea.

OOC: Bump for Osteia...