A brief history of Republican Videssia: the "New Republic of Videssia". The most interesting change I added was the alliance forged between the Republic and the Onagir - the long term consequences of which i haven't really discussed. Comments? Ibrahim ---- Origin of the New Republic of Videssia The New Republic of Videssia, based in the highland city of Celoa, is the sole remnant of the old Videssian republicanism. After years of constant civil warfare, a prolonged stalemate has developed into an uneasy peace with the Videssian Empire based in the Arand delta. The New Republic is lead by Ardentius Fossernius, the first Grand-Suffet of the New Republic, the former governor of Celoa, who single-handedly rallied the scattered Republican forces from across Videssia at the beginning of the Civil War to his home-city of Celoa, and prevented the complete destruction of the Republic. The Grand-Suffet, the target of numerous Imperial assassination attempts, for many Videssians, is the Republic Incarnate, since it was his capable governance that saw the Republic through the Civil War, and frequent invasion, and prevented its collapse from the political instability that followed in the years immediately after. Fossernius though, is a devout Republican, and has worked hard to establish the Council of Suffets and the Senate in the manner done so by Agatius Fossern during the dawn of the Old Republic. More controversial, and even more importantly, was Fossernius's establishment of the Onagiri Compact. At the outset of the Civil War, the elite Ranalonian and Labrigand units rallied to the Republican cause, as well as a number of Phalanxes. In terms of military strength at the beginning of the Civil War, the Republicans were by far the strongest, but by the end many Republican soldiers had given their lives for their political beliefs, especially in the Siege of Celoa, the last major battle of the Civil War, and which broke the back of the Imperial Legions and brought about the beginning of the current peace. The New Republic of Videssia, because of its effective isolation from the Midsea by the Videssian Empire, has been devoting far greater energies to a policy of expanding its southern frontier into the lands of the Onagir. During the last days of the Civil War, the Grand Suffet, conscious of dire straits the Republican forces were in, struct an agreement with the clan-chieftains of the central Arand river. In a tale whispered in the New Republic by many awestruck parents to their children, Ardentius Fossernius trekked alone in the forests of the Onagiri. Captured by the warriors of the most feared Onagiri clan of the Arand river, the Gol, Fossernius demanded to be initiated into the clan, a customary right accorded to strangers by most Onagiri clans. Fossernius underwent the Ordeal of Brotherhood, a dangerous series of rituals that few survive, and emerged intact. During the ordeal, as is the custom, Fossernius met his spirit totem, the Golden Eagle of the southern forests, and coincidentally the totem of all true clan chieftains (though some contemporary writers argue that this is merely another example of Fossernius subtle political genius). Thus Fossernius was accepted into the Gol clan and made a blood brother of the Gol clan-chieftain, Asgul Goli. A month later, Fossernius appeared at the edge of a frontier village in the Republic, dressed in the clothes of an Onagiri, his right arm and right cheek bearing the royal Onagiri tattoo of the Golden Eagle, and accompanied by a band of young Onagiri warriors. The initial terror of the villagers was overcome once they realised the strange Onagiri was in fact a Videssian, which turned into shock when the local garrison captain recognised the Videssian as the Grand Suffet! Fossernius then instructed the villagers that the Onagiri were now citizens of the Republic, and allies of the true Videssians, that no hand should be raised against them, for the Gol clan and its blood-clans had agreed to an eternal compact with the Grand-Suffet of peace and friendship. He warned them that Onagiri would now come to their village to trade, and to other villages and towns and had to be treated peacefully and as brothers, and that they could now go to the Onagiri villages to trade in safety. Indeed, all that Fossernius spoke of came to pass, and soon trade developed all along the highland frontier with the Onagiri. Back in Celoa, Fossernius used his political power and influence to ensure that his Compact became law and applied policy throughout the New Republic. Though some violence and conflict occurred on the part of the odd Videssian or Onagiri, the political will of Fossernius and his blood-brothers the Onagiri clan chieftains have ensured that respective violaters of the Compact were punished (in one instance, the Gol clan punished a neighbouring clan for raiding a Videssian settlement by attacking and putting to death every man, woman and child of the guilty clan). The true value of the Onagiri Compact was not fully understand by most citizens of the New Republic until the Siege of Celoa, the last significant battle of the Videssian Civil War. In this battle, the Imperial forces of the Videssian Empire had pushed the Republican forces back into the highlands, and has besieged the city of Celoa. Thousands of veteran Republican soldiers died in the defence of Celoa, and the outcome of the battle seemed uncertain due to the overwhelming number of Imperial troops. On the evening of 30th day of the siege however, the situation began to reverse when Imperial forces started losing troops to ambushes from the wooded hills that surrounded the Celoan valley. Lacking the experience that the Republican troops had from serving on the Onagiri frontier, the Imperial forces tried vainly for a week to find the enemy forces hiding in the woods and hills, who were rapidly reducing the number of terrified Imperial troops. On the 38th day of the siege, the hidden Onagiri warriors revealed themselves, launching a coordinated attack with the Republican forces in Celoa against the bewildered and demoralized Imperial forces. By the evening of the 38th day of the Siege of Celoa, the Imperial Legions were utterly routed. The Republic was now safe, and the previous political opposition to the Onagiri Compact perpetually handicapped thanks to the relief of the siege by the Onagiri. Forty days after the Siege of Celoa had begun, the Senate received the clan chieftains who had come to the aid of the Republic, who entered the city in their tribal splendour to the applause of a thankful populace. Ga'asgul, the son of Fossernius's blood-brother, the clan chieftain Asgul of the Gol, was unanimously appointed by the Senate as the sixth Suffet, the Onagiri-Suffet. On the same day, Ardentius Fossernius, the Grand-Suffet and Restorer of the Republic, proclaimed that it was "a new dawn for Videssia and a New Republic for the Videssians". Thus the New Republic of Videssia as it is known today came about. Today, the Pragmatist policy under Fossernius continues, reversing the traditionally brutal policy towards the Onagir. Videssian influence amongst the Onagir has increased greatly, the presence of Onagiri traders in the regional towns and cities of the New Republic is has become increasingly common. Peace with the rest of Videssia has also meant a re-opening of trade, and the New Republic has been able to gain considerable market share of the renewed trade through its export of raw materials and exotics (thanks to the greater abundance of flora and fauna in the relatively underdeveloped highlands). ================================ Confidentiality Statement and Disclaimer ================================ This message is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed and contains information that is privileged and confidential. If you, the reader of this message, are not the intended recipient, you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this communication. 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