Jelbe

[Imperator Bruteii]

Prime Minister Ryan Andrei met with Defense Minister Marshalle Bissell to discuss Jelbania's strategy in the upcoming conflict with Deltaria. According to reporters who were allowed to take pictures during the meeting, Bissell expressed great confidence in Jelbania's military capabilities. "Our men are willing and ready to deploy. The Deltarians are weak and are beginning to realize that the Zardic People will fight to the bitter end. Any victory that they have won is pyrrhic at best. The disorganized peasant soldiers that the Czar conscripts en masse will be no match for our better-trained, disciplined and organized legions."

[LordStephen]

Jelbania to Deltaria: Cease all military operations within 48 hours



Prime Minister Ryan Andrei today issued an ultimatum to Deltaria. "Cease all military operations within 48 hours, recall and free your child and slave soldiers, and open diplomatic channels for peace negotiations, or Jelbania will move forward with its military strikes."

The declaration comes as the Empire formally declared war on Deltaria, citing the clear infringement of the sovereignty of the House of Sebastian, and the independence of Jelbania. The new government, a coalition of the majority Industrial Jelbanian Union and the minority from the Grand Nationalists Party, immediately moved to prepare war plans, including raising the defcon level of the armed forces to 2, the highest level since the war of the old republic.

When asked if the ultimatum meant that the armed forces were yet to mobilize, Andrei said that the military is already on a "100% operational posture" but is placed on standby following the reply of the Deltarian government.

"If they insist to continue war, and disregard this opportunity for peace we are opening, then we will go to war. And we will bring the full force of the Jelbanian Empire."

[Cordwainer]

Leadership Reshuffle at Cosmopolitan Alliance Following Poor Election Results

Cordwainer moved to Shadow Foreign Secretary, Outsider Winstanley assumes executive power, Triantaphyllides appointed chairman
Sept 3511


New Man In Power

Leaders at the Cosmopolitan Alliance HQ were quick to act on poor election results that left the party with a disappointing 75 seats in parliament. Hortatio Cordwainer, the founder of the party, has been moved to shadow foreign secretary after insiders admitted that a more youthful approach was needed. And so in comes Gerrard Winstanley, a party outsider who was last seen running the Alliance's Anti-Fascist & youth divisions. Winstanley cuts a dashing figure, but whether he can match substance to style remains to be seen.


Cordwainer receiving his note of thanks from a lucky party member.

Winstanley is backed, however, by Kyriacos Triantaphyllides, party board member and figure who has in the past attracted a semi-religious reverence amongst party members. The reshuffle is a blow to Cordwainer and Lumumba, who now takes over at the Department of Defence. The pair are widely assumed to have been behind failed moves in 3508 to federalise the Imperial system, a move opposed by Triantaphylides. Still, the appointment of party outsider has been a major surprise to party followers, who are now uncertain as to which figure wields overall control.


Influential party insider Kyriacos Triantaphyllides, now CA Chairman.

Paula Paulsen, party member who was interviewed outside the HQ yesterday, remarked "I think it's wonderful. It was time for Horatio to stand down. I think we all recognise what he has done for the party & the country. I think this move puts us in pole position for the next election."

[NLP]

Rivet In Jelbania, IHRM pushes its campaign

Landing late at night, the spokesperson for the IHRM arrived in Jelbania. In the mourning she spoke on the border of Deltaria. "The land behind me is the setting of a story of hardship and struggles. I plead to the people of terra, take action. Aid Democracy by aiding the Deltarian Government." said Rivet in a town square of a border town. She met with Jelbanian leaders and is currently taking a small break at a hotel from her extensive travels. She will leave Jelbania at the end of next week to continue her travels.


Rivet with Jelbanian town mayor

[ButtSoup]

Jelbek Dawn

The elections before last were shocking enough, with a newly registered party taking close to 50% of the votes simply by running a platform based off Jelbek Nationalism. The success of that party, unfortunately titled the "United Northern Union Political Union" showed that the Jelbek were desperately waiting for a government that acknowledged them, that didn't shut them out of lawmaking with their "English" and their "French". It showed that there was enough room behind the Jelbek flag for many opposing political views. So when the Northern Union fell into squabbling over political viewpoints, they split into the Liberal Party and the Green Justice Party ; and between them, they've taken almost 5/6th's of the Imperial Parliament.


Jelbeks cast their ballots for Jelbek parties

So what's next for Jelbania? The Governer-General says "Some things will change, and some things will not". The Jelbek representatives have thus far shown an uncompromising opposition to the Sebastian Emperor, whom they call a 'foreigner', and many experts posit that it won't be long before new, Republican constitutions are drafted. Others wonder what will happen to the Terran and Canrillaise speaking minority, who have enjoyed ruling privilege for centuries. A bigger question for the international community is whether the new government of Jelbania will consider joining the Terran Defense Community, an organisation which has long supported of the previous Jelbanian ruling class, or whether they'll attempt to forge new allies in the north with their Brmtk and Pntk kinsmen, or in the south with the unscrupulous and unpredictable Deltarian Empire.

Governer-General Krsyijkai Jeztri says there's nothing to fear. "Non-Jelbeks will be treated every bit as well as any civilised nation treats its minorities. They will no longer enjoy an unchallenged right of rule over us, but we're hardly going to chase them out of the nation. They might not be Jelbek, but they're as Jelbanian as you or I. This is their home, and we are not Wantuni or Kalopians, who can't suffer to breathe the same air as each other. We are Jelbek, and we love all of Akim's children."

Foreign Minister Kezmai Jeztri also offered this "Unfortunately, the current tensions between Barmenia and Pontesi rule out any great pan-national union of the north. We've looked into allying with Deltaria, but on closer review of their domestic policies and their blatant disregard of basic human decency, we cannot ever agree to any form of alliance with them. To force every citizen of Jelbania to be complicit with the crimes of Deltaria would be almost as atrocious as the crimes themselves. As much as the Terran Defense Community is a continuation of the previous Jelbanian Government's allegiances, we feel that staying hand-in-hand with Zardugal and Cobura is currently our only true option."

[ButtSoup]

Imperial Twilight

The Sebastian Emperor of Jelbania has been forced out of office, with the Imperial title being abolished in favour of a Federal Republic. While it's been speculated that this decision might be opposed by the International Monarchist League, Jelbanian lawmakers consider that 'unlikely', given the recent belligerence between various Empires over the right to use Imperial trappings, not to mention the historic opposition of the IML to the original Jelbanian Imperial titles.

The Republicanisation of Jelbania is said to be "totally bloodless", which is uncommon in Terra, but not particularly unexpected in Jelbania. The Sebastian Emperors were not well-loved by the majority ethnicity of Jelbania, the Jelbeks ; and unlike many other Royal or Imperial houses, the Sebastians had very little to do with the day-to-day running of Jelbania. Calling them 'honourary figureheads' might indeed be overstating their importance, as no Sebastian has had anything close to resembling a public or international presence in living memory.

The new Jelbanian Head of State, President Krsyijkai Jeztri, claims that "There were some initial calls for a more forceful overthrow ; such as stripping the Sebastians of their lands and property, or forcing them by law to cease using Imperial titles, even in private. A few people even called for the exile or death of the Imperial family. These calls went unheeded by the majority of the Jelbek Liberal Party, as they are wholly unnecessary. We are not deposing the Deltarian or Indralan Emperors, we're deposing a line that has done very little politically throughout their entire history, and have never personally held political power."


Krsyijkai Jeztri, former Governer-General and now President of the Federal Republic.

But not everyone is enthralled with the new "Republic". Urbanised Terran and Canrillaise-speaking Jelbanians have long considered the Sebastians as the personification of their political supremacy over the argrarian and often nomadic Jelbeks. Many Jelbanians remain loyal to the Emperor, refusing to acknowledge the new President as anything but "the Governer-General", and proudly flying the Sebastian Purple in defiance of the Jelbek flag. Perhaps the most troublesome resistance to the changes come from the ranks of the military, in which a very small minority of Jelbeks currently serve, and loyalty to the Emperor is at an all-time high. So far two high-ranking officers from the Jelbanian Land Army have been arrested and confined to quarters, charged with conspiring against the government. At the same time, hundreds of enlisted men and petty officers have taken unauthorised leave, claiming that without an Emperor, their contract to serve in the Army is no longer valid. Jacques-Pierre Lafauchierre, a 23-year-old deserting midshipman of the Naval Forces, has become the public face of this movement, making numerous satirical tweets and status updates at his home before allowing authorities to recapture him peacefully. It's expected that the government might be pressured by public opinion into dropping all charges against deserting soldiers, and granting an amnesty-of-leave and honourable discharge for anyone else unwilling to bear arms under the Republican Flag.

[ButtSoup]

Ultimatum to Deltaria

President Krsyijkai Jeztri has given the Deltarian Czar an ultimatum ; either drop all claim to the title 'King of Jelbania' and formally recognise Jeztri as the legitimate 'Protector of the Jelbek Peoples', or face open war with the Jelbek Republic. Cynical political commentators are already lambasting the threats as "laughably and obviously empty", and conspiracy theory websites are being overwhelmed with conjecture and arguments over the true motivation behind the thread. General consensus is that the Jelbek government is attempting to encourage ethnic Jelbeks into military service, scare up the public support to prosecute deserters such as Jacques-Pierre Lafauchierre, and force other Jelbanian soldiers into remaining in service until the expiry of their contracts. It's also suspected that Jelbania has delayed her entrance into the Union of Majatran Nations solely for the purpose of pressing Deltaria into dropping these claims, as signatory members of the UMN are expressly forbidden from belligerence towards one another.

The Jelbek demands do have a legal basis ; the title "King of Jelbania" was recently created solely as a means to antagonise the Sebastian Emperor, and the honourary title "Protector of the Jelbek People" has been traditionally awarded to the most senior of the Jelbek clan-chiefs, and has never in all it's history been claimed by a non-Jelbek. Nevertheless, the threats have already made something of a ripple within the Deltarian government, where the outspoken cleric Tendaji Djaanfari has appealed to the Czar to acknowledge the legal correctness of the Jelbek demands, but the Czar remains silent on the issue. High-ranking members of the Men-Aside (the not-so-secret police of the Czar) have taken the time to mention that they're aware of the threat, but consider it toothless and unworthy of a response.


President Jeztri dismisses speculation that the threats might be empty as "cynical wrongheadedness"

President Jeztri has vowed that if his demands continue to go ignored, the Jelbanian Army will be mobilised along the Deltarian border in readiness for a full-scale invasion ; or more likely, as a palpable reminder that the ultimatum still stands. The state of Doron Akigo makes up almost half of the Jelbanian-Deltarian border, and has been historically known as a powder-keg of nationalist, secessionist and heretical rebellions against any non-democratic regime in Deltaria, and even the most modest of armed forces could create a significant impediment to Deltarian rule by supporting an independent Doron or Akigan state. Meanwhile, Jelbania's membership status in the UMN and MDC mean that erstwhile allies Zardugal and Cobura can do nothing but plead with both sides to show restraint and look on in dismay, as the least-affected of all nations involved in the Second Majatran War seems to be flirting with the possibility of starting a third great war.

[ButtSoup]

Foreign Minister 'executed' in Jelbanian Parliament

When Kezmai Jeztri attended today's Parliamentary session, he expected censure for his unprecedented break in tradition, in speaking against his clan and father in an international forum. But for some reason, he did not seem to expect the punishment that was handed down. To everyone else, it came as no surprise. The non-Jelbek members of Parliament were in for an excruciatingly awkward several minutes as the Foreign Minister slowly realised that no Jelbek would look at him, address him, or acknowledge anything he said, and the Jelbek speakers simply talked over him as if he did not exist. Only after a Canrillaise member of the Cosmopolitan Alliance spoke to him and was immediately mocked for 'talking to himself' did Kezmai Jeztri realise the truth. A family council had been called, he had been found guilty of the social crime of 'speaking against blood, in front of outsiders', and his father had sentenced him to death. He left the session in tears, and has not been seen in public since.


A member of the Cosmopolitan Alliance being derided for 'talking to himself' after attempting to console Kezmai Jeztri

For traditional Jelbeks of the Steppe, the death penalty means exactly that ; death. Once a man is sentenced to death, the Jelbek will not see him, and will not hear him. They will speak of him as if he were truly dead, and for most condemned, death comes quickly, and is welcomed over the world-shattering loss of everything and everyone they know. But for Kezmai, it might be a different story. He was sent to the University of Sebastian City for his education, and spent many years in the city living and working. He was the most instrumental person in bridging the great divide between the urbanised Jelbanians and the traditional-living Jelbeks, and it was only by relying on his guidance that his father, the President, managed to navigate the complicated and overwhelming arenas of urban living and modern politics. Perhaps, with one foot in the modern world, the traditional Jelbek execution will not affect him quite as harshly as it has others, and he will learn to make a new life for himself as a Jelbanian, or perhaps seek his fortunes in another corner of Terra. But if history is anything to go by, the story of Kezmai Jeztri isn't likely to end that happily.

Kezmai's funereal service will be held this Sunday, and as yet it's unknown if he will attend. His place as heir of the Jeztri clan now passes to his elder brother, Wrntukai Jeztri.

[ButtSoup]

Five-Star General Resigns "In Disgust"

57-year old General Terrence Fishburne has tendered his resignation, effective immediately, in protest of the new Jelbek-dominated government's belligerence towards Deltaria and the proposed military reforms, which have been greeted by shock, disbelief and outrage amongst the Jelbanian military, but are nevertheless being pushed through by the Jelbanian Parliament. After being denied his pension, he went directly to the media to vent his disgust towards the ruling government and their interference in military affairs.

"First, let me say that I have nothing against Jelbeks.", said Fishburne, "I'm pretty obviously Majatran by ancestry, and in the Imperial Army distinctions like that never meant anything. I've shared mess, barracks and been on hundreds of training maneuvers with them in my forty years of service, and I've even served with a few who lived old-style before enlisting. By and large, they're good people. But this new Jelbek government is coming dangerously close to forcing our nation into utter ruin and destruction."

"It doesn't bother me that they have a political majority. They're the ethnic majority in Jelbania, so it only seems fair. It doesn't even bother me that they've dethroned the Emperor, I never cared much for men who expect the world served to them on a silver platter just by the grace of whosoever's Royal nutsack they happen to be spawned from ; but for the love of Boh, Akim, or whoever else might be watching over us, would it kill them to ask for a little guidance from the people who've been running this country for centuries and actually know how she runs?"

"We don't have a hope in hell of matching the Czarist Army. Maybe, if the Emperor was still reigning, and we had Zardugal's backing, and the Deltarians were occupied on other fronts, maybe then we could achieve enough significant victories to force favourable terms. But attacking them alone, for childish and irresponsible reasons, with a mutinous army and against the wishes of the entire UNM? No, we don't have a chance. This war will ruin us."


Fishburne vents his anger and frustration to the Purple Stripe reporters

But Fishburne claims that even under Jelbek rule and against such odds, he's still a loyal soldier of Jelbania, and he'd still be willing and ready to march on Deltaria. Willing and ready, if it weren't for the planned reforms.

"Idiocy. Utter idiocy, there's no other way to put it. They want to force our soldiers to communicate only in a language barely half of them understand, dress them up as garishly-costumed harlequin clowns, and force them to assume formations that haven't been used since the damned Middle Ages ; just because those are the formations mentioned of when they tell their great, ancient hero's sagas to each other, over and over again. War has changed. You can't march a sixty-deep van against men with automatic weapons. They know what assault rifles are, what they can do. They use them to hunt wolves in the steppes, for Boh's sake. Why in the name of all that is sacred and holy would anyone ever think such a thing was possible, let alone desirable? Because Akim wills it? It's preposterous. But try to talk some sense into them, and before you know it you're out the door, replaced by some young horselord with a good bloodline, a clan status, the memory of a few dozen heroic tales, and absolutely no idea of how modern militaries work. And don't even get me started on 'Jeztri's Amazons'. Could the man be any more transparent? The virtuous women of the Jelbanian Armed forces did not sign up for that"

Asked if there was anything positive about the reforms, General Fishburne stated only this ;

"The President and his three top dogs intend to lead the armies themselves, personally, from the van. On horseback, with swords and lances is my guess, the unbelievable morons. With any luck the Deltarians will station a few good snipers on the border, and then perhaps they'll let our boys march home in peace after the first four shots are fired."

[Zanz]

Prime Minister promises to kill ten thousand Deltarians

Kezkai Sagzi, the recently empowered Jelbek prime minister of the nascent Federal Republic, has promised to kill 'ten thousand Deltarians' from atop his warhorse Mrjkai, according to translators.


The prime minister famously does not speak a word of Terran. He boasted to those around "Kae orzy Zalbí Drtárekai grzy idrkfetak Yrzá."

Sagzi's bellicose rhetoric is the latest in a string of official challenges to Jelbania's imperial neighbor. Jelbék tradition demands that the nation's leaders be first into battle, and Sagzi, President Krsyijkai Jeztri, and others have recently taken to parading triumphantly in war attire, shouting in Jelbék.

Ex-general arrested

The former five-star ethnic Majatran general Terrance Fishburne has been arrested by agents of the Interior Ministry today on charges of sedition and treason in a time of crisis, say sources close to justice minister Nkai Klune.

Fishburne recently tendered his resignation following impending military reforms that he termed 'utter idiocy.'


Ex-general Fishburne resigned in protest and was arrested for 'treason.'

Fishburne's family claimed that the former general was abducted from his bed late in the night following a Jelbanian Purple Stripe article that painted the new Jelbék government in an unfavorable light. The government denies these allegations. Fishburne has not been seen since his arrest and the Justice Ministry offered no comment.

'Executed' former foreign minister dies in apparent immolation

The charred remains of former Jelbanian foreign minister Kezmai Jeztri were recovered by Interior Ministry agents today after what was an apparent suicide by immolation on Knsulz, a major street in the capital Baofluz.

Police received reports of a reportedly 'deranged' man dousing himself in gasoline in the middle of the Knsulz around 11 AM. Notably, these reports were only filed by ethnic Jelbanian observers. By the time police arrived at the scene, Kezmai Jeztri had burned himself to death. Ethnic Jelbéks in the area refused to acknowledge the fiasco, walking by quickly. Such is the norm with Jelbék death sentences.

Jeztri was condemned to death by his own father, the president of Jelbania, for breaking party lines and speaking against the war to members of the Majatran Security Council. Such disloyalty is often treated in this manner in the Jelbék tradition. Following his sentencing, the disgraced younger Jeztri was not seen until the immolation today. Suicide is the most common outcome of Jelbék death sentences.

The president refused to comment on the situation.