The HTP and the SRP together have passed a large tax cut. The 40 % corporate tax was stricken out, together with the 20 % sales tax on luxury goods. Saridani industry is hopeful that foreign investors will be drawn to Saridan thanks to this new tax-freedom. "A well needed injection for this sluggish economy", says Joseph Harryson, a famous businessman in the Saridani IT-sector.
The Holy Traditionalist Party has proposed a package of laws to the Debate Hall, attempting to deal with the rapid decrease and aging of the Saridani population. Having the support of the State Reform Party, the laws where passed. The retirement age has been raised from 62 to 67 years, and public health is to be strongly promoted so that people can pull their own weight for a longer time. Fertility is to be increased by prohibition of contraceptives, more generous child benefits, and forbidding women from working full time. The government will also spread propaganda to promote procreation. It remains to be seen if these measures will pay off.
Seemingly out of nowhere, a new party, The Nameless Party, emerges out of the vacuum left by the departure of the Holy Traditionalist Party to oppose the State Reformed Party. The new party wins a staggering 39,4 % of the seats. Very little is known about the new party, which does not seem to identify with any recognized ideology.
Archbishop Quintinus I was getting out of his armoured limousine to enter his palace, when a bullet hit him in the head and killed him. The weapon used was a sniper rifle, and was fired from a window in a tower.
With the economic mismanagement and repressive social policies of the religious regime, it was only a question of time before something like this would happen. Too bad for the Archbishop that his body guard could not protect him in the end.
Saridan has turned into one big battlefield as the defenders of the state, the police and the national military fights against the paramilitary of the Nameless Party. The Nameless Party has proudly declared themselves responsible for the assassination of the Archbishop, and now seeks to overthrow the entire government to establish its own regime.
Who are the Nameless Party? It is predominantly a youth movement, and a negation of the religious values that have defined Saridan. Though the party uses twisted left-wing symbolism, it is not primarily a party for social justice. In their own words:
For too long have we lived under the oppression of religious morality. It is time that we unleash the beast within man and affirm the beauty of violence and bloodlust! Our objective is the mobilization of the entire nation for war. The world shall kneel before us! (we also promise to end unemployment)
The Nameless Army celebrates triumph after triumph, having conquered most of the coastal area of Warris, including the two big port cities of Mullenska and Asadma, as well as a large area surrounding the Cosworth-Pashuran-Armzdeela stretch. By capturing Parushan the Nameless Party has captured 90% of the Saridani metal working industry, and through Armzdeela they rule most of the Moshiran region, the all-round industrial powerhouse of the nation. Mullenska and Cosworth has given access to parts of the Saridani Navy. The Nameless Party now sends the bulk of its military in the direction of the capital city Golemia, while a few divisions cover their backs taking on the southern parts of the country.
The greatest weakness of the Nameless Army is their lack of aircraft, the Saridani Air Force being concentrated on the island of Surtilati where the rebels have no foothold. By trying to concentrate its forces in densely populated areas, the Nameless Army attempts to discourage the Saridani state from unleashing its Air Force on them.
After successfully taking over almost the entire Saridani mainland, the revolutionary army marches steadily on the capital city, chasing terrorized civilians and soldiers before them.
NP Paramilitaries marching through Ryder Village, Aldumor
Golemia has already begun preparations for shipping civilians and leaders from the capital to the port town Zappgrad in Surtilati. The process will be cumbersome, as the enemy possesses advanced military submarines, and naval vessels will be required to guard both the convoys and the two ports.
It is early in the morning of 9 December and fire and smoke fills the air as the siege of Golemia is under way. The Saridani-Kafuri forces have surrounded the city with palisades and watchtowers for the purpose of holding back possible enemy charges. These encampments have been under heavy artillery fire for many hours on end. Several suburbs, luckily evacuated, have been utterly destroyed in the process, and along with them a number of precious old church buildings.
The pitiful remains of Byrchstone Church.
The NP army has been able to carry out sneak attacks against the defenders thanks to their skillful use of camouflage and radar jamming devices, and taken out whole squads of Saridani-Kafuri soldiers this way, but now they must stop hiding and make a full-scale attack. The tanks are being refueled and repaired to prepare them for the coming assault.
With dwindling food storages and the fear of the defenders resorting to napalm and carpet bombing, the rebels know that the final strike must be made swiftly now if they are to succeed. And the rebel army assures the people of Saridan that it has an ace up its sleeve.