The Morheim Crown Chronicle

[Morheim]

QUEEN TO ADDRESS NATION TONIGHT

 

Queen Julia The Younger is expected to make a speech to the nation tonight that Royal Press Secretary Malvin Van Tuck has described as, "One of the most significant in her short reign." It is expected that the Queen will take to the balcony of Thale Grand Palace and address the people, a moment that will simultaneously be broadcast on QMTV live. It is expected that the speech will formally announce that she is assuming the full powers of monarch, having recently celebrated her 19th birthday. Until now the Queen has allocated much of her day to day work to the Prime Minister and various members of the Cabinet. The move may surprise many as it was thought the Queen would wait until her 21st birthday to assume the full remit of Queen having first completed her studies in History at Thale University. It is however understood that the Queen has now decided that she will instead study her three year degree part time, possibly over as many as six years, in order to allow her to fulfil her duties.

Julia The Younger gained the throne in 2016 following her mother, Julia The Elder's abdication following a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) following a series of collapses between 2014 and 2016. It is known that Julia The Elder is still active in helping advise her daughter however she is dedicating much of her time and effort to her own health. The Elder is, according to some experts, still likely to play a role in the nation until her health falters much further, with some suggesting that she may take a seat on the Royal Council, possibly as a Minister, however this has yet to be confirmed.

Royal Press Secretary Van Tuck also said, "Tonights speech is likely to be watched by the world, we have a young monarch taking her first steps into the world's spotlight. Our nation has been rather quietly going about its business for many years now and many young people in our nation feel they are not benefitting from a more global world view many nations have. As a young person Queen Julia is likely to feel a similar way and tonight she will explain the future she has selected for our people." Large crowds have already gathered at the Palace in anticipation of the Queen's first official speech and the changes that it might bring.

[Morheim]

QUEEN OUTLINES HOPES FOR "BRIGHT GLOBAL FUTURE" 

With the plaza in front of the royal palace in Thale crowded with interested citizens Queen Julia The Younger gave her first formal speech from the Palaces balcony. The 19-year-old has spoken previously to the nation via video and radio but this is her first big public speech and it was greeted with great interest particularly by younger Morheimians who hoped to hear that the nation would begin to cast aside its insular ways. The Queen appeared on the balcony flanked by her elder brother Prince Isaak who was dressed in his Air Force uniform, the crowd gave her a warm reception on what was a cool but clear evening. The Queen looked nervous as she waved to the crowd before taking a leather bound folder from an aide and beginning to talk to the crowd. 

People of Morheim, today I am pleased to be speaking to you at the start of what I hope will become a great adventure. Since I was born I have witnessed the Queendom go along as a passenger in world affairs, sitting on the sidelines happy to not get involved in anything just so long as it didn't change our lives here. That is no way to live your life, the world is an exciting place and while at school and University I've spoken to many young people who wish to explore it. With this in mind I fully intend to lead that expedition out of our self imposed diplomatic wilderness. Over the course of the next few days you can all expect measures to be taken to both make Morheim a nation that is seen as a friend to all, while at the same time welcoming visitors to our nation who wish to explore our homeland. 

My first action will be the creation of two new organisations, the first is the Morheim International Academy of Science and Technology (MIAST), this organisation will seek to improve our nations standing in the Scientific world, it is my dream that by inviting the best and brightest to work with our own scientists, engineers, programmers and other such people we can become a leading light in many fields. To help achieve this it is important to have a target and we shall set our sights high. Our nations aviation companies and institutes are going to begin work to put one of our countrymen into space by the end of the year. We have already the capability of placing satellites and probes into space but we have yet to place a person into orbit. This shall change and MIAST shall lead the way. 

My second action will be to create something to support the thing I love: the study of History and Archaeology. It is my hope by the end of this week to have invited EVERY nation in the world to Thale, and that here we shall create an organisation dedicated to sharing cultural and historical understanding to create a brighter future where nations can share their own culture while at the same time protecting their heritage for future generations. Historical sites around the world face any issues ranging from vandalism to the issues created by pollution. By working together with others Morheim can ensure places such as our Temple of the Four is cared for in the best way possible, while allowing others to learn about our culture, and sharing their own with us. 

It is important however that we remain true to our way of life, therefore I will be creating a new Ministerial position on the Royal Council, that of Minister for Culture, it shall be there responsibility to ensure opportunities to celebrate what it means to be a Morheimian are created and that our nations heritage becomes a central part of our way of life. 

Finally I would like to thank those of you who have patiently stood by while I have come to terms with the great responsibility that stands before me. I had always known one day I would be Queen but I expected to be much older. The people of the Queendom have supported both me and my mother through this period of hardship and for that I can never repay you. All I can do is publicly state that until I can no longer carry the burden I shall devote myself to making sure Morheim is a place where every citizen feels valued, loved and safe. I wish you all a good night and a safe journey home. 

Following the finish of the speech, the Queen was seen to hug her brother and give a visible sigh of relief. She then remained on the balcony for a short while allowing the media to take photos and was very briefly joined by her Mother, the former Queen, who appeared to struggle to walk. Various political commentators agreed that the speech, while briefer than expected, was one that was clearly aimed at the youth of the nation who have been the most vocal in wishing a more international approach to government. This, however, brought criticism from some older members of the public who believed the speech promised the world more than Morheimians. It only remains to be seen how the world will respond in the coming days and just who will accept the invitation to Thale. 

[Morheim]

CROWN PRINCESS BEATRIX TO JOIN HASTANSTADT MILITARY ACADEMY

Royal Press Secretary Malcolm Van Tucke today confirmed that the Queen's younger sister, and current heir to the throne, Crown Princess Beatrix will be attending the much venerated Hanstanstadt Military Academy to continue her studies once she reaches the age of 18. The youngster has been a member of the nation's Air Training Corps youth group since the age of 13 and currently holds the rank of Cadet Flight Sergeant in her school's squadron. She was photographed just two weeks ago taking part in the ATC's annual drill competition where her unit came third, and her Commanding Officer has in the past described her as, "a talented young leader willing to get her hands dirty." Princess Beatrix has spoken before of her desire to join the Air Force as an Engineer and did a period of work experience with 14 Squadron last summer where she helped maintain their heavy transport aircraft.

Hanstanstadt Military Academy offers students aged between 18-25 the opportunity to study a wide variety of subjects to degree level while at the same time building upon skills required by the regular armed forces. The Academy is not part of the Armed Forces directly but through its Alumni and various connections, it is able to boast of extremely close links with the services, over the last 10 years 91% of students passing through the Academy have gone on to work either in the Armed Forces or within the Defence Industry. Crown Princess Beatrix has elected to study Aeronautical Engineering and will join the Academy at the end of February.

The move is supported by her elder Sister, Queen Julia who said, "The armed forces are a vital part of our nation and while I don't think I would have thrived in the military environment I respect massively anyone who can. My sister has always been interested in aircraft and I think she'll be an asset to the Air Force." Meanwhile, the pair's elder brother, Prince Isaac, who is currently serving as a helicopter navigator on HMNV Victory, said: "My sister should have joined the Navy, but I am proud that soon she'll join me in uniform and make a very fine officer."

[Morheim]

QUEEN TO OFFER EMERGENCY FLOOD SUPPLIES TO GALLAMBRIA[/center]

In an announcement this morning Queen Julia the Younger announced that it is her intention to have the government offer the nation of Gallambria, who have recently experienced an Earthquake. The nation keeps a warehouse of bottled water, non-perishable food stuffs, generators and various other emergency supplies in case the island community on Rokeveen or nearby coastal areas get flooded. The warehouse has not been used for around two years as new flood defences have yet to be challenged, leading some to say the Queen is sacrificing reserves that may yet be needed. This however was challenged by one of the National Emergency Response Team (NERT) who said, "Last time Rokeveen flooded we transported everything the population there would need for just over two weeks, we used around 35% of the stockpile that we have in place because this occurrence is so common people are prepared."

The Queen explained her move saying, "Disasters like flooding we can predict and defend against, one's that Gallambria is experiencing we largely can't. For a long time we would have been content to sit and send them our condolences, perhaps a few people would have changed their Facebook status, or tweeted. Few would have done anything of any practical use and Morheim would have watched from a far. We have the resources ready to, not wave a magic wand and solve or their problems, but to at least try and make sure no one dies from things like cholera or starvation. Our faith teaches us to try and ensure balance exists, how can it exist when we have supplies for a disaster and we do nothing."

The move was applauded by the Elementium faith, the leading Priestess saying. "Nature sends these disasters to test whether in the face of adversity will mankind join together as one. For too long we have spoken in our places of prayer about helping the needy, helping the starving and the poor. We do that but only on a national level, the Gods do not work nationally, they work throughout the Universe, and so our response to these issues must be placed where it is needed not where it is easiest."

The Queen is expected to write a letter to the government of Gallambria formally offering this support in the coming hours.

 

Edited January 19, 2018 by Morheim (see edit history)

[Morheim]

ISLE OF LAREN TO BECOME WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

The Isle of Laren which lies off the Southern coast of Morheim is set to become a massive wildlife sanctuary. The island which is considered sacred to members of the Elementium faith is to ban hunting, fishing and capturing of wild animals. It is hoped that the protection will help Morheim fish stocks as well as create tourism on the island which is home to 1000 people. Legend tells that the island was the first land created when the Four Gods came together and that all living creatures originated either on its land or in it's seas. The move has been pushed for by the islanders for the last five years and Queen Julia, as head of the Elementium faith, has agreed. There can now be no fishing within 1 mile of the island, something experts say will help replenish fish stocks in the area as the islands rocky shores will provide a safe haven for young fish to grow up. 

The island is also home to a massive Deer population, some of which have been traditionally hunted for their meat. This practice too will stop on the island, except for once a year when vetenery experts will assess the island herd and cull any numbers above that which can be supported, something one expert said is "highly unlikely". The Island is due to be visited by the Queen in the coming days as she inspects the repair to the Island's Temple which had its roof damaged in a storm around 6 months ago. The 700 year old Temple is the oldest still in use in the nation. 

 

[Morheim]

QUEEN SUCCEEDS IN FIRST INTERNATIONAL TREATY

Moments ago Queen Julia the Younger signed the Treaty for Cultural and Historical Exchange, the first international treaty to be created in Morheim. The 20 year old monarch fully assumed her duties around six months ago following the abdication of her Mother on health grounds. The nature of the treaty is to ensure the preservation and study of historical sites and artefacts across the globe, and support other nations in their endeavours, hopefully leading to more cultural understanding between nations. The contents of the first attempt by the Queen to forge a treaty shouldn't be a surprise as she is completing the study of her combined History and Archaeology degree on a part time basis. The treaty will enable Morheim scholars to visit sites globally, as well as host visiting exhibitions from partners across the world. 

The signing ceremony which is still underway was held in the plaza outside the Royal Palace in Thale and was well attended by the media, scholars and invited guests. The Queen gave a short speech before signing the document, so far the ceremony has seen @Kaitaine and @Derthalen add their signatures and it is hoped many other nations will in the moments that follow. The Queen did however present an interesting spectacle, the 20 year old is rather fashion conscious and opted to wear a suit, shirt and tie for the signing, something that has become a trademark, normally these are immaculately made and it is well known the Queen has staff check the state of them before appearing in public. This time however there was a large white mark on the sleeve, leading many experts to think the negotiations for the treaty must have been only just completed before the signing meaning Queen Julia had no chance to change before hand. 

[Morheim]

QUEEN ANNOUNCES NEW TRADE ZONE

 

 

Queen Julia today has announced that there would be the construction of the Morheim Trade and Industry Zone (MTIZ) in order to promote international trade. The Queen was speaking on a morning news programme when she outlined the plan. 

"We will be using the former Whaling Port of Aisfeld, it will be renovated and the old industrial areas which were once dedicated to the support of the Whaling industry will be converted into small factory units. The hope is to help secure foreign investment for manufacturing industries. What the plan is based on is creating jobs. I have agreed that any company establishing a unit there and employing more than 200 Morheimians and having 80% of a manufacturing process take place there will be exempt import duties. We will additionally give each company fast track visas should they take up this opportunity, no more than 10% of any workforce may be foreign nationals but they will be able to regularly come over for meetings, inspections and the like. The fact this place will have a dedicated deep water port will make for speedy importation of goods and the removal of tariffs is hopefully going to be very attractive."

 

After the interview detailed plans were released that show that the MTIZ will feature fifteen units which can be converted to various uses and are all within 3km of the port which will be modified over the next twelve months. A spokesman for MTIZ explained, "The port can be used now but is not as high volume as we want it to be, we'll be adding extra cranes and removal equipment to allow all companies to be able to access their goods speedily. We hope the first of the new units will be taken up by foreign companies within the next few months." 

[Morheim]

 

 

ZENITH DATA SYSTEMS GIVEN GREEN LIGHT FOR MILITARY EXPERIMENT

 

Morheim based Biotechnology company Zenith Data Systems has been given approval to test a sub-dermal implant for use in the military. The device which has yet to be given an official name is currently being called Project 0001 and is what the company have described as "an internal sat nav". The system will be implanted in a group of soldiers from the Queen's Royal Lances who have voulentered. The group will take part in an annual Morheim military exercise alongside members of their unit who have not been implanted with the devices, following completion of the week long exercise the performance of the two groups of soldiers will take place. One of the Lancers being implanted is Sergeant Alina a ten year veteran of the Light Armour Unit. "The device feels strange and a little bulky at first but after a while you don't notice it until its working. Then you see lights through the back of your hand which is a little freaky."

 

Project 0001 essentially connects the soldiers navigation system to the implant and lights up in order to keep them on the route assigned to them meaning the days of needing to read a map while moving is over. Sgt Alina explained, "When your bouncing around in the bowels of a light tank reading maps can be a little tricky and the implant will mean you literally just glance at your hand, the fact it buzzes too when you need to change direction also helps. I've yet to try it out at work but I did use it for getting around Thale by connecting it to my mobile phone and it worked a treat." 

If the exercise goes as well as ZDS believe it will then they say they hope the military will place a large order. Their CEO Peter Simiod explained, "I think what we call Biohacking could be the future for human evolution and we have a whole host of devices we think could be useful for the military lined up on our drawing board. We're a new company and landing a major project like this would set us up to expand rapidly. We'll have our fingers crossed that all goes to plan."

The implants were inserted by an Army Nurse under local anaesthetic and took thirty minutes for the procedure, it is expected the devices, which can be charged using Inductive Charging methods will be removed once the experiment is over and that this process will take only thirty minutes. Peter Simiod explained, "I had a very basic version of Project 0001 for three months and had no issues before having it removed as we'd developed well beyond it in that short time. I think those with them will find no issues as I didn't and the new implants are smaller, lighter and more comfortable." 

[Morheim]

 

ZENITH DATA SYSTEMS EXPERIMENT "PARTLY SUCCESSFUL"

Following a recent military exercise which saw soldiers using bio-elecrical implants for the first time the Ministry of Defence have called it "partly successful". The exercise saw 30 members of the Royal Lancers volunteer to have a device implanted just beneath the skin which connected with satellite navigation systems and illuminated to help point the direction of travel needed. One of the volunteers was Sergeant Calhana a 15 year veteran of the Lancers. "The implants took some getting used to, for the first two or three days it feels like something burrowing under your skin and that freaks you out, the skin feels tight but soon it feels natural. When you connect it to your units sat nav you see it light up blue and then as you move towards your objective or along the pre-determined route it flashes red in the direction of travel. Its very useful." According to the Sergeant however there are some downsides too, "After a while it became quiet warm, like holding your arm on a radiator, we found the best way to get over the discomfort was to pour water over it but obviously on live operations that could be in short supply. The light was also a lot brighter than I thought it would be and could illuminate yourself rather conveniently for the enemy." During the exercise the units with the new devices found themselves reaching objectives quicker than their no equipped counter-parts something Calhana put down to not having to take map stops. "When you navigate through what could be enemy territory you move to a waypoint, check the map again, then move off, stop again to check for movement, have another look at the map, then go again. We simply programmed the route to start off with and just had to worry about checking for the enemy ahead." 

The CEO of Zenith Data Systems, the company pioneering the technology said, "This was our first test and the feedback is invaluable, we've removed the sensors from the voulenteers and we're looking at including ways to dim the lights so its only just visible. We're also going to see what we can do about the heating issue, that's something we didn't consider." The Ministry of Defence declared themselves pleased with the results and have approved further tests and have asked ZDS to look at further "Biological Upgrades", something ZDS explained could include cochlea radio receivers, HUD contact lenses and even RHIF chips to control equipment remotely. 

 

[Morheim]

 

 

BYE BYE PLASTIC BY 2025

Plastic shopping bags are soon to be a thing of the past as it was announced today that Queen Julia The Younger has approved a series of environmental targets for the nation. The targets where put forward by the People's Congress. The targets aim to make Morheim a more environmentally aware nation and cut down pollution of all kinds. It is hoped that no unrecycleable plastic waste is used at all within Morheim by the year 2025 and many leading supermarkets have already announced steps to try and cut down their own waste. One will no longer sell potatoes in plastic bags instead committing to switch to recycleable paper bags by the end of 2019. The move prompted several other outlets to announce measures including some banning plastic bags at checkouts. One spokesman for a leading store said, "We see millions of bags used each year and if you're like me you've a plastic bag full of plastic bags. For the first week of January we will be giving all customers canvas bags as a gift from us. It is hoped they will then bring these with them each time they come and thus not rely on the plastic bags that end up in landfill."

 

The measures were applauded by the 20 year old Queen who said, "The People's Congress have drawn up a comprehensive plan of how to cut down waste in our nation and set some ambitious goals. I'm delighted to have been able to approve them and I aim to go even further. Our planet has a finite amount of resources and as such we need to ensure we look after them and can maintain our way of life. It is my intention therefore to try and get as many nations as possible to also set targets, if not the same as ours at least as ambitious and meaningful." It was confirmed that in the coming days the Queen would invite nations from across the globe to come and discuss ways of protecting the environment and oceans.  Among other key targets are to remove diesel vehicles, cut food waste and create new woodlands. 

 

 

AIR FORCE TO GET NEW TRAINER AND LIGHT STRIKE HYBRID

 

With the nations aging trainer fleet reaching 40 years of age this year the Air Force are soon to take delivery of a new aircraft to fulfil both the training role as well as being able to be used as a light ground attack aircraft. The AX-11 is expected to be delivered at the end of February and around 80 are thought to have been ordered. The aircraft features a unique pusher design and is capable of carrying a significant amount of fire power. The aircraft will be built by Terrafe Aviation who traditionally have been more adept at building UAV's. The two seater aircraft is also being made available for export in the coming months. 

 

[Morheim]

TEMPLE OF THE ELEMENTS TO NAME NEW HIGH ORACLE

The Queendom of Morheim's religious establishment, the Temple of the Elements, will begin the process of naming a new High Oracle this week. The position of High Oracle has been vacant for close to 12 months following the abdication of High Oracle Itziar Gebara following allegations of financial embezzlement. The Temple of the Elements have spent the last 12 months ensuring that a full investigation into Gebara's actions have been carried out and that all accounts are in order before beginning the process of naming his successor. The process will see the High Priests of Water and Earth convene with the High Priestesses of Air and Fire to determine who from within the ranks of the clergy. The four leaders of the individual elements will remain within the underground Temple of the Elements until they reach a decision. Today they will gather inside where Her Majesty Queen Julia III, Guardian of the Elements, will formally task them with the selection before the Queen leaves and the four are sealed inside. Once they reach their decision they shall blow the ceremonial horn contained within the Temple which attracts the attention of the Four Gods. At that point Queen Julia will be the first to be told the name of the new High Oracle and will then travel to inform the new High Oracle of their appointment.

The lack of a religious leader has drawn criticism from those across the nation as it has been the first time in history the faith has lacked a leader. One such critic was Air Chief Marshall Albert Größel who commands the nation's Air Force, "Our people have lacked religious guidance for far to long. Our Queen requires their input to ensure she protects the Holy Land for the Elementium faith in the correct manner and she has been left to her own devices. While I respect Her Majesties devotion to the faith she is just 22 years of age and not a scholar of the faith like a Priest or Priestess is." It is expected that as soon as the new High Oracle is in place their induction to the role will take place within a week with a large celebration. 

 

Edited January 19, 2020 by Morheim
Mixed up Priest roles (see edit history)

[Morheim]

PRIESTESS OF AIR NAMED NEW ORACLE

Following only 17 hours of deliberations the Temple of the Elements have named a 55 year old Priestess of Air as the new High Oracle. Miriam Busto was formerly the Priestess of Air at the Northern mountain town of Deusto and was at one time the spiritual adviser to Queen Julia The Elder. At just after sunrise this morning the ceremonial horn connected to the Temple of the Elements was blown and echoed across the city of Thale waking many of the cities inhabitants who hurried to the streets to find out who would now be responsible for the spiritual well being of the nation. Roughly 30 minutes later Queen Julia The Younger was seen being escorted through the city streets by her personnel guard en route to be the first to be told the name of the new High Oracle. Upon arriving at the Temple the doors slowly opened and the Queen was the only person who entered before reappearing ten minutes later. It became clear very quickly that none of the clergy from Temples in Thale had been appointed as upon returning to the Royal Palace the Queen immediately departed on the hour long journey North via helicopter. 

 

Local news channels in Deusto soon began informing the world that the Queen had landed in their town and by the time she had made her way to the residence of Priestess Miriam Busto crowds had begun to gather at the various residences of the clergy in the city hopeful that their particular favourite would be named as the High Oracle. The Queen was photographed entering Priestess Miriam's residence before appearing just after midday with the newly appointed High Oracle on Busto's balcony. Queen Julia The Younger was first to address the crowd saying. "The High Preists and Priestesses of the elements have recieved guidance and have in their widsom determined that Priestess of Air Miram Busto shall be our nations guide. As the Guardian of the Elements I pledge myself to protecting her as she seeks to bring us ever closer to the Gods." Then the new High Oracle appeared on the balcony to huge cheers.High Oracle Busto was dressed in her ceremonial attire of white and gold dress however had the High Oracle's crown on her head as she addressed the crowd for the first time in her new role. "I am honoured to have been selected to serve as High Oracle. Our faith has faced a testing time after the corruption that High Oracle Itziar Gebara permitted to seep into our faiths upper hierachy. This shall be my first task, to ensure that all those who serve the Gods do so with respect and honour be they a mere member of a youth choir or the High Priests themselves. As such I have already enacted my first action as High Oracle and that is requesting a Royal Commission into the actions of Itziar Gerbara, following that I have asked Her Majesty, as Guardian of the Elements to conduct a series of investigations into key members of the faith that have been surrounded by accusations. Her Majesty has given me her full assurance that she will leave no stone unturned in rooting out and then punishing anyone corrupt."

Later in the day upon returning to the Royal Palace in Thale Queen Julia the Younger released a statement saying. "Our nation has always been ruled by a monarch who has held the power of making and enforcing laws for the nation. They have also held the responsibility of following and protecting the faith, be that against physical harm or doctrinal harm. In this case I have been asked to ensure that those who misuse our religion do not get away with it. I am proud to be entrusted with this task and have assigned to special duties a team of 50 members of the Military Police along with 20 members of my 1st Light Scouts to weed out anyone who has been misusing their position of power. Old and ancient laws exist in this regard and have served us well." It is thought the Queen is referring to the "Religious Corruption Act of 1504" which permitted any member of the Priesthood or anyone granted privilege or responsibility by them to be severely punished. The maximum penalty under the act is reserved for someone who has used the "materials or locations of the faith to spread the knowledge or word of other faiths" and the penalty for doing so was "death by strangulation" whether the Queen is willing to execute those found guilty of corruption is still being discussed by many with those who know her well suggesting that the Queen may use the Act for prosecuting those who have misused the faith however that she will not utilise the death penalty, something that has not been used in Morheim since 1986.

High Oracle Busto will be officially blessed on Wednesday at a major ceremony.

 

 

NAVY TO INVESTIGATE NEW ADDITION

Thale Royal Dockyards have today announced that they are undertaking a review of a older concept that the Admiralty have shown new interest in. "The Workhorse Class" ship was first suggested in the early 2000's but was passed over however today it seems the plans are likely to be given a new chance of becoming reality. A spokesman for the company which has produced the vast majority of Morheim naval vessels for the past 100 years said, "The aim of the vessel is to merge new technologies seemlessly with older ones and form them into a handy package capable of undertaking a vast array of mission types." The recently released design image seems to be a cross between some kind of Destroyer style fore with a carrier style aft, the concept was explained further by the Dockyards saying, "The ship will primarily utilise afleet of airborne drones, these will be kept below deck and largely can be in kit form. Additionally hangar space for helicopters will be avaliable allowing them to carry out anti-submarine roles. We have also futureproofed the concept by making it a ship capable of utilising VSTOL fighter aircraft. The ship also will contain a small dock allowing it to put ashore a small detachment of Marines or allow them to engage in ship to ship activities such as drug searches. The front of the ship will be about firepower with it maintaining a 155 mm cannon, a 20 cell VLS launcher as well as a variety of torpedo launches and missile canisters. We do not envisage the ship operating for long periods alone but do believe that it will provide a highly flexible and versatile asset to the Navy."

The ship would be the first new acquistition for the Navy since 2009.

 

[Morheim]

 

ARRESTS MADE FOR RELIGIOUS CORRUPTION

Following the new High Oracle requesting that Queen Julia The Younger begin investigations into corruption throughout the Elementium faith there have today been a series of arrests across the nation. In total 16 people have been arrested in raids carried out by members of the 1st Light Scouts under the supervision of the Royal Military Police. The elite military unit normally operate as commando's on special forces operations as well as providing security for the Royal family, they have however been tasked with supporting the Royal Military Police with their work into this corruption. The first arrest was reported at around 6am when a team of Scouts entered the estate of former High Priest of Water Herminio Armando . The 72 year old who retired from the Priesthood in 2017 was later brought out in a police vehicle. An announcement came soon after from the Royal Military Police stating, "We have solid intelligence that a sum of around $500,000 from the Temple of the Elements has passed through the accounts of Mr.Armando in a manner inconsistent with normal practice. The payment comes at a time when he had both the opportunity and the means to transfer these funds." The next few hours saw several other arrests, mainly of local Temple Priests who are accused of taking funds from their congregation and using it for their own ends. 

Queen Julia The Younger took time to visit the Light Scouts following the various arrests and said, "Today we have begun the process of once more purifying our faith. The new High Oracle deserves a strong foundation on which to build her time as our religious guide. All measures will be taken to ensure that those we have placed in positions of trust because of their seemingly strong knowledge of scripture and ritual are worthy of that trust. Those who go against that trust may as well strike me in my heart with a dagger. Those willing to become fat on the generosity of the faithful deserve every punishment the courts determine they deserve." The Queen has ordered that the nations judges fast-track the court cases relating to this matter as much as possible. "We need this to move quickly, we need this to be draw a line under the last 12 months of chaos and suspicion in the faith."

 

The new High Oracle today visited the Temple of the Elements where it is believed she meet several key members of the faith's administrative staff. Following the meeting High Oracle Miriam Busto stated "The Elementium faith has faced many more dangerous challenges throughout our history. We face great challenges ahead. Now is a time for us to prepare to take back control of our souls from the corruption of the past. Once Her Majesty has carried out her duties as the Guardian of the Faith I will begin to look at celebrating our faith and returning it to a central thought in everyday life. Morheim once had a vibrant religious life. The Isle of Laren is our sacred birthplace and Queen Julia The Younger placed it squarly on the global stage by hosting the Laren Environmental Conference there. That was a chance to show the youth of Morheim that the faith and their home is still as relevant today as it was at the beginning of creation. We have a long road before us, but it is one I hope we can walk together with a smile on our faces."

 

 

[Morheim]

 

FIRST CORRUPTION CASE HEARINGS BEGIN

Following the arrest of former High Priest of Water Herminio Armando a further 15 arrests among the Priesthood have taken place. This morning the 16 accused individuals appeared in the Queen's Court in Thale, the nations highest judicial body, to begin proceedings against them. While this initial hearing was not to determine the innocence or guilt but rather to formerly place charges against them. Armando was formally charged with abusing his position as a Priest to gain favours from law enforcement, embezzlement of the Temple's funds, fraud and also an ancient crime called "corruption of the faithful". This final charge is levelled as Armando is accused of purposely misrepresenting the position of the faith for either financial or personal gain. In this case it is understood that he used his position as a Priest to advance the career of his son as well as using the position to influence arranged marriages for financial gain. Should Armando be found guilty he could potentially face the death penalty however this is highly unlikely to be the case as no one has been charged with the crime of "corruption of the faithful" in several hundred years.

The lawyer representing Armando requested bail however this was denied as the judge felt that "It is highly likely that with the network of patronage and nepotism that Mr.Armando is accused of building up that he has sufficient means at his disposal to abscond. As such he will be placed in custody until the trial begins." It was later confirmed that the trial will begin next Monday as the Queen is keen to proceed quickly

  

[Morheim]

FORMER HIGH ORACLE FOUND DEAD IN CELL

It was announced this morning that the under fire former High Priest of Water Herminio Armando has been found dead in his cell. The 72 year old was found to have strangled himself with his own prison issue trousers just days after formally being charged with various crimes relating to corruption within the Elementium faith. The news comes as a further 16 individuals have been charged today in courts across the nation. The governor of Thale Prison stated, "It is sad that Mr.Armando elected to take this drastic action. I am confident that the review into his death that must now take place will find that the prison did all that could be expected to ensure his safety. We must clearly now take steps to learn from this tragic event and ensure that others in our care facing a similar predicament do not take the same action." It was also confirmed that the former High Priest is to be denied a burial plot on the Isle of Laren where traditionally High Priests of the elements can be elected to be buried. The decision on who may be buried there falls to the monarch. A spokeswoman for the Palace stated, " We wish to avoid a situation where Mr.Armando is offered the traditional burial arrangements only for him to be found to have been involved in the charges levelled against him. Such discovery will have forced the exhumation of the body and its removal to a more suitable site. The Queen felt that denying the right to a burial of the sacred Isle at this point would perhaps save the family the trauma of removing the body at a later date. Naturally the case against Mr.Armando will be followed through and should he be found to be free of any wrong doing naturally the tradition of the Isle of Laren resting place will be extended."

The 16 individuals charged today have been taken to the Thale Military Barracks where they will be kept under a Military Police guard while the investigation into Mr.Armando's death takes place at the civilian prison. Lt-Col Muinoz who is leading the current investigation stated, "Normally we deal with soldiers who have turned up drunk after a weekend of partying and haven't recovered by Monday, or those who get into physical altercations on base. Small level stuff really. It is an exception to have prisoners for long periods and so we are adapting slightly to meet the needs of these people who to date have not been convicted of any crime." The prison at the barracks houses 58 military prisoners at present with most of them serving sentences of less than 3 months. While the military inmates face a schedule of 6 daily inspections, rigorous physical training and military retraining it was confirmed that this would not be extended to the 16 members of the clergy locked up there. 

 

MILITARY GO GREEN

The Ministry of Defence today announced that they have completed work on the acquisition of a new light strike and patrol vehicle. The ESV, or Electronic Strike Vehicle, will hopefully enter service soon after a prototype having been evaluated by the nations elite 1st Light Scouts. The vehicle is lightly armoured but is capable of mounting three weapons points that could feature a minigun, anti-tank missile or grenade launcher. It is capable of carrying four soldiers and even capable of launching its own helicopter style drone from a rear platform. The vehicle is electrical powered and capable of reaching speeds of 60mph in 3 seconds while covering a distance of around 200km without the need to recharge. The vehicle can charge itself off solar panels carried within the vehicle, a process that takes 14 hours, or alternatively can be charged just like an standard electric car. It was also confirmed that the batteries will be supplied from Elegy factories on the outskirts of the city of Tenma in @Sunset Sea Islands and that the lithium used within them shall come from Solitude Islands.

Prince Isaac, an Air Force officer, has also tested the vehicle and stated, "It is a rather nippy little vehicle. It was a lot of fun to drive and I can imagine when fully loaded with weaponry it can be a useful tool. It was also amazingly quiet which I can see being rather useful to a unit like the Light Scouts. I'm please following my sister's efforts to create the Environmental Treaty of Laren that we can extend the principles of that to the military, frankly we're not always the most environmentally friendly, but every little helps." It is expected that an initial order of 100 was placed with Don Blas Vehicles who have made many of the Armies previous mobility vehicles. 

 

[Morheim]

 

 

COURT SENTENCE TWO TO DEATH FOR CRIMES OF RELIGION

The Court at Thale has today sentenced two former Priests to be executed after being found guilty of crimes committed during their time in the Priesthood. The first to be sentenced to execution was Oroitz Agramunt who was found guilty of embezzeling around $2,800,000 from the Temple of the Elements, coercing people to give him money by utilising his position and sexually exploiting youngsters. The judge presiding over his case said, "Agramunt has been given a very special position within our society. His position embodied the ultimate trust a man can have and he utilised it not for the betterment of his Queendom, the faithful under his guidance or more importantly the Gods. He has failed as a human being on every level and as such he is beyond redemption and so I have no hesitation in setting out the harshest penalties possible for those who abuse their position in the faith. The priesthood are the closest to the Gods there can be save our Queen, they must and should be held to a higher account and that means failure should bring the ultimate penalty."

Two hours later in a second court room another former High Priest, Iñaki Ubiña, was also sentenced to death. He was found guilty of embezzling around $3,000,000 as well as having utilised the Temples connections to run what amounted to an organised crime ring with involvement with illegal gun sales to criminal gangs and drugs. Additionally he was tied to having utilised his contacts to have a rival for High Priest murdered in 1994. The judge who passed sentence stated, "Iñaki Ubiña tried to combine the life of a man of faith with that of a gangster mob boss from some cheesy film. For decades he was able to get away with it because his position sheltered him. Now that shelter has gone and there is no choice other than to face the full force of justice." Queen Julia The Younger was in the court complex to hear the verdicts get passed and it was later confirmed that she has already signed the execution warrants meaning that in 48 hours time both Ubina and Agramunt will be hanged at Thale Gaol.

In the early afternoon the Queen released a statement saying, "Our faith teaches us that our job as humans is to ensure that balance exists in the elements Fire, Water, Earth and Fire. Those of us blessed by the Four Gods to hold special sway over this duty have a responsibility to work for the betterment of the planet, the people and ensure the future of our ways. These two degenerates are as far away from the Gods as a human can be. As such they must be removed so the balance can be restored. I have a trust placed in me to be the Guardian of the Faith. That means I must remove those unbalancing the faith and purify the clergy when needed. These two will be the first, possibly not the last, to face the death penalty because of the long term corruption that we have uncovered in the faith. Their deaths will serve as an example to those within positions of power in the Temple of Elements that they must conform to the law just as anyone else must, it will also serve as a beacon to the true believers that we will not tolerate our faith being manipulated by the unjust."

A further six trials are expected to be concluded this week. 

[Morheim]

QUEEN ATTENDS EXECUTIONS

Following several weeks of trials and investigations the enquiry into the corruption within the Temple of Elements has been concluded. In total 27 former members of the Priesthood (13 Female/14 male) were convicted on various charges with 10 (7male/3 female) receiving the death penalty. The remaining 17 faced prison sentences ranging from 5 years to 35 years. A further 18 people (10 Female/8 Male) were found not-guilty yet despite this verdict were ejected from the Priesthood by Queen Julia III who stated "It is my task as Queen and Guardian of the Elements to ensure that our Priesthood is pure and beyond reproach. Even those with the stench of comradeship with the guilty must be prevented from preaching or teaching in our Temples. After all these people must have known of the practices taking place against the faith and they did nothing. In my eyes while they may not be guilty they are not worthy to work for the Gods." 

Later in the day the Queen attended  Thale Gaol where the first round of 8 executions took place. This was the first time in around 200 years that a member of the royal family has attended an execution. Speaking upon leaving the executions the Queen spoke briefly with the Press stating, "My task as Guardian is to be the enforcer of the Gods among those who would teach their ways. I have a duty as monarch of Morheim to sign the Order of Execution for every single person sentenced to death by the judges of our nation following a fair trial. Satisfied that these individuals had been given exactly that I had no hesitation in signing the orders. As I am the one effectively ending their lives I must have the courage to see through the actions I have begun. It is therefore only fitting that I look the people who have committed crimes against my people in the eye before they are executed." The Queen did not confirm whether she would attend every execution stating only. "The business of purifying the faith is coming to an end and I must therefore return to my duties as Queen ensuring Morheim prospers as best it can. That will be my focus moving forward."