Destiny of Empires [Diplo Game] [Story Thread 9 - June 2011]

[Ottoman Empire (DoE)]

The Daily Turkey


Interviews on Current Events:

Our Mustaffa interviewed several prominent Turks on the most pressing issues of the day. Here are some excepts from interviews that will be appearing in full in our next issue...

Interview with Aysecan, Public Relations Minister:
Q: What do you think of India's recent request for the world community to condemn the acts of aggression against India?
A: What act of Agression? And by whom? India has accused or implicated no less than seven different nations in their recent published Congressional records.
Q: Seven?!? How do you figure that Madame Aysecan?
A: First, its Madamemoiselle if you please... Second, They accuse everyone with Rifles or Frigates, so they accuse China, Neandor, Inca, England, Vikings, Turkey and Russia. Who is left to do the condemning when you accuse everyone? How can anyone condemn anyone when everyone stands accused? India needs to conduct a proper investigation, and determine who they actually consider an enemy in this War. Then they should declare open War on these nations, and then ask for the world to condemn them as agressors, not just recklessly throw accusations against a wall seeking to see what sticks...

Interview with Suleiman, Chief Naval Advisor:
Q: What do you think of India's recent request for the world community to condemn the acts of aggression against India?
A: The Indian cowards have already announced that they are pacifist. Obviously a nation would attack them. It makes no sense not to attack a nation of cowards who refuse to fight for their survival. Announcing themselves as pacifist was a provocation for Japan to attack.
Q: But don't the Indians have a right to uphold the honorable principle of Pacifism?
A: Ha! The Turkish government is openly pacifist, but we do not let our enemies stomp on our necks. I detest the pacifist element of our government, but I have seen that it is only a portion of who we are. We are still men with Axes. This pleases me. I am Suleiman.
Q: But what if the Indian version of Pacifism is different from the Turkish version? Is that not conceivable?
A: The Indians are liars. They do not practice pacifism, they have been lying for years that thye are pacifist, but as soon as they are actually attacked, they quickly drop their so-called pacifism. Why did they not simply surrender and join the nation of Japan if they are so pacifist? They disgust me with their lies. I wish the Sultan would let me... Never mind.
Q: Let you what?
A: This interview is over!

Interview with Mahmud, substitute Messenger of Sultan Ahmed V:
Q: What do you think of India's recent request for the world community to condemn the acts of aggression against India?
A: The opening of the World War firmly established as a principle of international law, that lower ranked nations have an absolute, unqualified privilege to attack higher ranked ones. India, fully supported this principle by supporting and allying with Neandor and Vikings and France against England. Japan is ranked far, far lower than India, just as Vikings were ranked lower than England. So it is absurdly hypocritical for Indian to complain about Japanese "aggression."
Q: How are the two wars connected?
A: First of all, the World War has not ended, as this latest conflict is just a spin-off and continuation of the World War. The next thing to note, is that Vikings announced that they attacked England to expand and enrich their nation. Japan has announced the same. India supported the Axis alliance that included Vikings. What are they now complaining about?

Interview with Raul, Daily Turkey reporter imbedded with the Accolytes of the Brahman:
Q: What does the Accolytes 'Queen' think of India's recent request for the world community to condemn the acts of aggression against India?
A: All she said to me about it was that I shouldnt go back, and that soon the "others" would arrive. I have no idea who the "Others" are.

[India (DoE)]

Reports from the war to the Congress

As expected the last of our colonies in the Australia region have fallen. We have counted no less than 10 Japanese Riflemen. At current their Frigates are blockading our eastern cities causing massive starvation. We have yet to receive any form of demands or peace offering from the Japanese empire. It seems to us that they have a single goal, to completely destroy our civilization. They are a merciless broadsword swung against us without just cause or reason. We suffer their ill will with Indian patience. Currently in the matter of a few months a hundred thousand Indians will starve to death because of the Japanese blockade. The Turks have mocked our suffering. We continue to await other nations' response to this mindless and baseless aggression.

[England (DoE)]

A Response to India

Your offer of a colony exchange was very tempting, indeed it would certainly be to our benefit to accept such a proposal and we considered it for some time. As such an arrangement would be considered interference in your war with Japan, and would no doubt anger them we have decided to reject it. After considering the perspectives and positions of both combatants in this war England has decided to remain neutral. Despite the gain it would provide us, accepting your offer would violate that neutrality. We apologize and wish you well.

As your leaders have made repeated accusations that England armed your enemy we would like to set the record straight. While English inventors have mastered the hand grenade, our arms are limited to smooth bore muskets. The technology of rifling is sadly beyond our capability. No doubt India will not let facts get in the way of a good conspiracy. However, inspired by the decisions India has taken in the past, and her justifications for them, England has likewise sought to take advantage of a peace dividend by selling off some of our unused naval capacity. Multiple nations have purchased sturdy, English-made Ships of the Line at a fair market price. Like India, it is none of our concern what these nations choose to do with these ships after they are handed over to their control.

-Queen Elizabeth I

[Inca (DoE)]

The emperor would like to take this opportunity to remind the Indians that their currently lost "settlements" were themselves never Indian, but rather purchased by India after being stolen from their original owner.

That said, Inca do not really respect any natural claims on Australico other than those of Japan to the northern territories. As such, Japan seizing these territories for itself, after they were seized from the original colonizers, is of little concern to the Empire. Two wrongs later, a right has been found.

[France (DoE)]

The Royal Palace in Paris



They met in Marc Renaud's modest office, in the east wing of the palace.

"Ah, Prince Louis! Welcome back to Paris, Sire."

"Thank you, sir. It is good to be back."

"We have much to talk about, Sire."

"I gather as much, sir. But before we start, if you agree to stop calling me sire, I'll stop addressing you as sir, and we can get through this much quicker."

Marc Renaud laughed. Yes, he was going to get along with the young King just fine.

Louis went on .. "And before we get to anything else, I want to express to you my thanks, as well as the gratitude of the entire nation for leading France through a difficult period. I know my father would be proud of you too." He reached out to shake Renaud's hand, and with the mention of the late King Phillipe, both hands were trembling slightly.

"Thank you, Louis. I was just doing my duty. I wished events had turned out better."

"Well, we're here now, Marc. It is what it is. France is still strong, and from what I heard while I was stationed in the Isles, we are doing well economically."

"Indeed! The Conference of Metz, presided over by some of the nation's best scientists and other specialists, has spurred much improved finances and manufacturing. It is a good thing too. We had fallen well behind not only our neighbors, but a good portion of the world, in research as a result of the demands of the war."

Renaud continued... "Speaking of the war, all Viking troops and ships have returned to Viking territory. The army remains quite strong. We have some upgrading to do to modernize it, but I have directed much of our finances to research."

"But lets talk about other matters. Your coronation. And forgive me, I forgot to ask after your wife. She is well?"

"Claire Marie is very well, thank you."

"And no doubt glad to have you home unharmed."

"Yes. Indeed."

"Well, Louis we have much to discuss. Let us bring in some lunch and a couple of my top aides and we can get to it."

[India (DoE)]

Response to England


India's leaders have not made any public accusations. England was mentioned by one of our senior analysts as a possible source for Japan's upgraded weaponry, but that was the analysis of an analyst, not an official declaration. England should do well do be aware of the difference. Our activities in our own congress are public and as such you may well have misinterpreted what is discussed there. India has yet not made any public statements on the matter before this one. We do not accuse you, and following a secondary analysis it has been shown that England does not possess Rifles and as such can not be responsible for supplying Japan with Rifles.

However, you say that you have supplied many nations with ships yet you then also say that what is done with such ships are not your responsibility, it seems we are in agreement then. We have no issue with you selling Japan ships during peace time. As you have pointed out and our analysts have confirmed, you are not responsible for this. As such there is no reason for England to hold any grudge towards India and as such we wish to make you an offer. We wish to purchase a number of Ships of the Line, 5 to be precise in return for our Great Engineer recently made available to us.

[India (DoE)]

Response to Inca


It seems you have made an error. Settlers from Delhi colonized the city of Davinia in 1450. We purchased Brisbane from Neandor some time later to consolidate our hold on northern Australia. However, we are the rightful owner of Davinia. The colony of Agra was settled even further back in the year 920, by more Indians from Delhi. Both these colonies have been stolen by Japan through violence.
It seems you say in your letter that 2 wrongs make a right, which is in itself an odd statement, perhaps Indian justice is different from that practiced across the ocean, but how does the Japanese blockade of Calicut, estimated to starve to death tens of thousands of people in a few years factor into it? Does 3 wrongs make a right as long as India is wronged?

Many years ago we made an error when we said your claim in the western pacific was tenuous. We have many times said that we would acknowledge this mistake if you granted us the same respect and acknowledged that we had a claim to territories we had settled. Now you publicly state falsehoods about historical fact. We assume this can only be because of an error in your records, please have them corrected.




Finally, if you feel India has no claim to these territories, does the same apply for England?

[Inca (DoE)]

We have been saying that England has no natural right to the territories for some time now. We also have been saying that there should be no conflict over already settled territories, yet that the Japanese had an obvious natural right to many of the lands to the north of New Caczcoynaco.

[Vikings (DoE)]

“So we’re going to India?”

“Yes, Brynhildr,” replied Sigrún. “The Great War is over. Everyone in Europe is at peace right now. Our only work harvesting souls is in India courtesy of the Japanese.”

“But…I don’t WANT to go to India! It’s soooo far away,” Brynhildr whined as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. “With the war in Europe I could stay close to my big barbarian from Bifrost. But he is nowhere near India.”

“Now Brynhildr, you know that we are not given the choice of where we go. Mr. Wednesday gives us all our assignments, and even he does not know where we will be called in the future. Perhaps the Zulus will decide they don’t have enough territory and attack a neighbor. Who knows?”

“I still don’t want to go to India. Why can’t Sigrdrifa and Kára take India and we’ll stay here until the next war in Europe breaks out?”

Sigrún sighed and shook her head in exasperation. “The peace in Europe is like to last a long time per the treaty Mr. Wednesday signed. Again Brynhildr, we have no choice where we go. You’ll just have to leave your barbarian hunk here and see him when we get back.”

“But when will that be?” Brynhildr whined.

“I’d say that depends on the Japanese. No one thought that the Great War would end so soon, but the Damn Anglais threat to raze Valhalla to the ground put a quick stop to that one. Personally I wonder how Mr. Wednesday is going to let the world know that the Damn Anglais are unafraid to raze the cities of their enemies when it suits them. If everyone knew that, well, perhaps they would be less inclined to deal with such people. If they would raze such a holy city as Valhalla, what wouldn’t they do?”

“But Mr. Wednesday hasn’t said anything about that before, at least not to the other world leaders.”

“Mr. Wednesday has been very busy with the wrap-up of the Great War. I’m sure he’ll tell the world about the Damn Anglais in time.”

“Oh. Okay. So do I have to go to India?”

Sigrún sighed once more, “Yes Brynhildr. We really have to go.”

[Ottoman Empire (DoE)]

Damascus... The Fabulous Coastal Theatre...

Excerpt from Theatrical Publication...
Intrigued by the Enigmatic Vikings of the North, the Turkish people have become insatiable in their appetite for Viking tragedies, comedies, and romances. The Turkish peoples' interest in the 'Ragnarok' myth can only be described as obsession.

One of the latest Turkish Tragedies, depicts a Viking Hunter who is smitten by and then wooed by the mystical, powerful and lovely Goddess of Valhalla, Brynhildr. In the play, she assumes the form of a jackrabbit, to tease and evade her pursuing admirer. In the end, he becomes enraged and determines that he must kill her for her games and deceptions. Reviews have been mixed, but it has broken all records for tickets sold...

Ticket clips are available from the Warner Co. 'What's The Opera Doc?' Company, Istanbul (WTOD). Ask for the director of the play, an Englishman, Mr. C.Jones.

Price is $19.57 Turkish Lira each.

[Russia (DoE)]

At the Chernoe More beach

"Princess, Princess!"

"Mmmmm...Yes? Boris?"

"You were asleep at the beach, Princess. It is late afternoon and this wind and those clouds that are coming on the horizon are not promising a good weather for the beach anymore. I even think I see a rain is coming our way"

"Ahhh... OK then... Boris, give me a dry towel please, I think to dry myself and dress up - Catherine said almost shivering semi naked on the golden sand of the Chernoe More beach. The cold gusts of the surprising wind which came out of nowhere were getting stronger.



"Yes, My Lady - it seems the weather is going worse. It is pointless to stay at the beach anymore."

"But I did got some tan, aint I? I will be object of envy to all the ladies in Russia with this fancy tan!" Catherine's clear-ringing laugh was the only thing to be heard on the deserted beach beside the cries of the seagulls.

"Yes, My Lady - you look fantastic with this tan. And this vacation for relax, despite short was much necessary for you after those hectic days and nights lately with all this vicissitude of wars and riots."

"Yes, Boris - those were fantastic 4 days at the sea... Mmmmm... I will miss it.. I love the sea, did you knew Boris?"

"I can very well guess, Princess" Boris smiled more with his eyes than his mouth.

"I promise myself to get back once we manage this riot that some call Revolution"

In no time the rain hit the beach and Catherine with her companions reached for a cover from the heavy cold rain drops.

[OzzyKP]

Sorry Russia, as lovely as that pic is, we can't have pictures of topless women on the forum.

[Russia (DoE)]

Sigh... Men...

[Vikings (DoE)]

Catherine and Natasha of Russia,

You are hereby invited to enjoy the beaches near Asgard. Valhalla does not discriminate against topless women.


Signed,

Mr. Wednesday

[Mali (DoE)]

Official communiqué of the Ministry of Tourism of Mali:

Mali beaches offer an incredible combination of sunny weather (guaranteed 360 days a year) and sand as soft as silk, (alcohol is half price on weekdays). Especially for Russian citizens have a 20% reduction (swimsuits are optional).