Update 3 - 2002 FF The Year of the Broken Bridge
As the rebel uprisings started to grow threateningly large on the Continent, the Princes began to stir. They did not - could not - simply wait idly for a convenient conclusion. Action needed to be taken and it was to come in a radical fashion. It was true that the Princes were trying to make out what this crisis would mean for the intrigues them between. The truth is, this was the final straw for the rival factions of the Princes. The Empire was founded on the supremety of the First Prince. The Princes had always schemed and plotted to grab the throne themselves. Now, as the Empire was starting to crumble, the factions moved to save what they could. And to do that, they had to get rid of the competition. Open murder of one of the Princes was considered too outrageous to mention between them, but now it was open conflict. The city of Everdrop was at the brink of a civil war.
This calamity was clevery avoided by the First Prince himself, who banished the five traitorous Princes. They were ordered to leave Moonshard and Everdrop forever, and quite rudely so. Two of the Princes who were considered brutish and warlike, Semnon and Barragh went to Turin. The other three, Malor, Trisan and Dellamar who were dangerous plotters and intrigue-makers simply disappeared after parting with the other two Princes at Turin. After this banishment, the Two Brothers (Semnon and Barragh) laid claim on what was left of the Empire on the Continent. Everdrop has not commented on this at all, and many think they are quite happy at getting rid of all their problems in one go. Others think the warmonger that are the Two Brothers will seek revenge. That will at any rate be after the rebels of the Blade Coast are quelled, and noone doubts that the bloodshed will continue at a prodigious rate. The ones who always suffer are the governors. Nothing has really been done by the Empire to relieve them in their war aginst the rebels. The separation from Moonshard and Everdrop has also decreased the sense of unity and loyalty in many regions. This,and the fact theat most of the rebels are winning on every front means that the Empire has shrunk dramatically over the year, and all the rebels have wazed in both land and power. Did I say all?
The Steppes: Sadly, not every rebel nation has made it this far. Jaid'Almain, after suffering a crushing blow to the local governor, Yberrin, has finally surrendered. The nation is no more, and the Academy is yet again under Empire control. This sad story from the Steppes (although Jaid'Almain technically did not belong to the Steppes) is overshadowed by greater events in the south of the region.
Down south, Shaba still continues it's steady advance. Although the front line has been silent through the year due to confusion regarding their new political situation (see below), Shaba expanded in the other direction, west and south. What is far more dramatic is the fact that the Bajuim and Karaim peoples have completely overthrown the Empire governors,and now claim themselves independent. They have returned to the anarchic nomad lifestyte they had centuries ago, and are quite happy with it. More land was to fall away from the Empire, as is evident in...
The Borderlands: Here, the prodigious nation of Delenlor has claimed yet another stretch of Empire territory after a successful campaign. With the clever use of Air Adpets to cross the interior lake, they managed to sneak past enemy lines. There they waited in the swamps for the main force to arrive and siege the local capital. The froces were deployed all around the city. Then the army of Delenlor attacked. Bowmen of the Wind hailed arrows over the city walls, which were simple obstacles with the use of the Air Adepts. Unfortunately, Empire Adepts managed to dispel many of the levitating units, and killed them as they plummeted to the ground below. Still, the onrush was too great, and the city quickly surrendered. This great victory combined with surrounding lands turning over to their side has, with the expansion of Ramon, split the Empire in two halves. The land south of Delenlor is no longer controlled by the Empire, and the governors (who were only loosely tied to the Empire anyway) have assumed the power of the land. The change is not overly dramatic, since the governors ruled pretty much as they wanted to under Empire rule. But they no longer wish to be a part of that, which is evident in their strong claims of neutrality - regardless of faction in the war. Moving north to the mentioned Ramon, we come to...
The Heartlands: The kingdom of Ramon has reached another milestone. Their nation is great indeed, and having ousted the Empire from the Coast yet again, the nation is celebrating. The Empire forces thatheld the coastal cities were waiting for reinforcements from Moonshard. They never came. Instead, the ships bound for them were taken to escort the banished Princes to Turin. From there, they had orders to return as swiftly as possible, sinice the Continent was no longer of any interest to the First Prince. Therefore, the Empire forces were attacked by Ramon instead. Using a decoy to lure the Empire into their grasp, Ramon sent a much larger army into the western flank, driving home thier attack as they swept eastwards to catch the enemy off-guard. The result was the liberation of the coastline. Ramon has also expanded much inland, as is evident through the said split of the Empire-controlled territories on the Continent.
Further west, the nation of Lochia benefits from the great confusion surrounding the events in the Western Shelf, and in Turin. Although it has not actively expanded, locals are turning over as they see it wiser to support the closer rebels instead of trusting on the Empire (or, more correctly, the Two Brothers) Many are pointing at Torinni/Turin's dreadful history and fate, and are afraid of yet another militaristic power to arise in the age-old metropolis. What about the Western Shelf, you ask? Well, on the...
Western Shelf: There is a definite rebel victory. The lands populated by the bulk of Tyrians are liberated, although many Solonians still live east of the mountain range bordering Westshire. The lands are divided between the three rebel nations, and Empire influence is completely wiped out west of Shaemar. Still, the rebels have a sketchy diplomatic status, and nothing is yet established between the three. Yet many believe they will coexist peacefully and fight to liberate all of their people from Empire rule. What may come after that, diviners can tell (or can't due to the Fog). The Empire thread is still far from gone, but the Two Brothers will most likely concentrate on their closest rebels. Something strange and beautiful might settle over the Western Shelf in the near future. It's called peace.
The Islands: Up in the northeastern corner, Felaskhar has begun it's rise. After the shocking news of the Empire, the fringe islands have turned over to Felaskhar for their own safety. many ships stationed there are also being converted to the use of the rebels. Felaskhar is already becoming a mighty naval power, but many doubt that that will continue when Moonshard finds them too large to ignore. that time may be not too far away.
Note that the Empire now has two stats. The one for Moonshard and the western Continent under the Two Brothers. No, the Princes are not necessarily brothers, but they are part of the bloodline after the first Emperor Fa... I mean Wu'di. They are elected for life through selection, where the most magically Adept of the bloodline assume the vacated seat. There are 10 Princes, although there are only five left in Everdrop at the moment.