expansion Royal Union of Two Nations (IC expansion)

[Garindina]

(Prologue)
Parsa, 14/07/1344

Today was the most joyous occasion: the marriage of Tsarista Catherine I to King Borislav Chavdar of the Tsardom of Doria. The Archbishop of Garindina, Archbishop Sergius Tur, was at the church and gave his blessings to the newlyweds. Celebrations went on for weeks. This cemented the alliance between the Kingdom of Doria and the Garindinan Empire, even despite their religious differences.

(Act 1)
The Royal Palace, just outside of Parsa, 20/08/1344

King Borislav was with his new wife in their palace. This was the day that would bring the unification of two kingdoms.

There was a knock on the door.

(Borislav) ”You may enter.”

(Messenger) “Your Majesty, the Royal Council of Doria requests your presence in Byalŭk. They say it is urgent.”

(Borislav) “I was hoping to stay a little longer,” he says as he stands.

He looks at his wife, who is cradling their month-old son. He looks back at the messenger and says,

(Borislav) “Tell my men to ready the escort. We leave at midday for Byalŭk.”

(Catherine) “When will you return?”

(Borislav) “I know not, my love, but you will know when I return.”

He kissed her on her forehead as he went to ready his men for the journey home.

(Act 2)

As night fell upon them on the second day, the group made camp outside of Balagda.

(Soldier 1) “Your Majesty, it will be a fortnight before we reach the border at our current pace.”

(Borislav) “Yes, I know. We still have many leagues to cross before we reach Byalŭk.”

(Soldier 1) “May I ask, Your Majesty, why are we taking the long route? Would it not be quicker to follow the river road?”

(Borislav) “We are following this path so the people can see their new Tsar. I am a man of the people, as I was in my homeland. We follow this path until we reach Kogangelsk; from there, we follow the north road.”

(Soldier 1) “Yes, Your Majesty.”

The soldier left the Tsar’s tent, leaving him to himself. Borislav was a man of reason and a man of the people. He would often visit lesser cities back in Doria and share a small portion of his wealth with the poor, which has given him the reputation as a kind leader. The Fifty-year-old had two sons, one back home in Doria, and his new son, Kazimir.

Edited May 11 by Garindina (see edit history)

[Garindina]

(Act 3)

14/09/1344

The city was celebrating, as their Tsar has returned. Borislav and his men rode through the main road of the city to his palace. There, his royal council waited. 

I wonder, what do they want? Borislav thought to himself.

When he reached the courtyard of the palace, he dismounted his steed and saw his first son, Tsarevich Grozdan.

(Grozdan)“Father, how was your journey?!”

They embraced (Borislav) “Good my son, how is Doria?”

(Grozdan) “Not well, the people are loosing faith in your rule. They believe you might convert.”

(Borislav) “Why would I convert? I set up many of our temples!”

(Grozdan) “Well, you need to do something, the council is not happy.”

(???) “Of course we are upset, you have been gone for nearly a year!”

(Borislav) “Lord Dragomir. You seem to be the same.”

(Lord Dragomir) “And you have another heir. Tell me, will you let his mother raise him to be Christian?”

(Borislav) “I have yet to decide on this. As the Garindinan are still weary of their new Tsar.”

(Lord Dragomir) “Let us go in. It is a cold day today.”

(Borislav) “Indeed.”

 

They all entered the palace and Borislav was greeted with a sense of home. He had been in Garindina for little over eleven months. As Borislav began to head to the armory to take his armor off, Lord Dragomir spoke.

(Lord Dragomir) “The council will let you have today to settle down. But tomorrow, we need to discuss the state of the Tsardom.”

Edited May 11 by Garindina (see edit history)

[Garindina]

(Act 4)

15/09/1344

The next day, Borislav sat in the throne room surrounded by his council.

(Lord Dragomir) “Tsar Borislav, we must address the current situation of the Tsardom. The people are questioning your loyalty to our traditions, and we cannot afford to lose their faith.”

(Lord Ivanov) "But you spent nearly a year in Garindina, a Christian nation. The people are worried that you might have been influenced by their ways."

(Lady Milena) "We need to know that you are committed to our faith and that you will continue to uphold our traditions."

(Tsar Borislav) "I understand your concerns, but I assure you that I am still committed to our faith. My time in Garindina was to strengthen our diplomatic ties and ensure the safety of our people."

(Lord Nikolay) "We also need to discuss your recent marriage to Tsariana Catherine of Garindina. There are rumors that she is trying to convert you to Christianity."

(Tsar Borislav) "That is not true. Tsariana Catherine respects our faith and has even expressed interest in learning more about it."

(Lady Radost) "We need proof of her loyalty to our faith. Perhaps she could publicly denounce her Christian beliefs."

(Tsar Borislav) "I will not force my wife to denounce her beliefs. That goes against everything I stand for. But I will ensure that she respects our faith and our traditions."

(Lord Stefan) "We understand your position, but we must also consider the safety of our people. We need to ensure that our Tsardom is not threatened by outside influences."

(Lady Tsvetanka) "We propose that we send a delegation to Garindina to assess the situation and ensure that our Tsardom is not in danger."

(Lord Petar) “But we must also address the issue of succession. Your son Grozdan is a capable heir, but we cannot ignore the existence of your other son.”

(Borislav) “I understand your concerns, but I have not made a decision on the matter yet.”

(Lord Ivaylo) “Tsar, we must act quickly. The longer we delay, the more uncertain the future of our Tsardom becomes.”

(Tsar Borislav) "I agree that we need to take action to ensure our safety, but we must do so with diplomacy and respect. We cannot risk offending our allies in Garindina."

The council continued to discuss various strategies to address the concerns of the people and ensure the safety of the Tsardom. Tsar Borislav listened carefully to their suggestions and promised to take action to address their concerns.

As the meeting drew to a close, Tsar Borislav realized the weight of his responsibilities as the ruler of the Tsardom. He knew that he had to navigate the complex web of politics and religion to ensure the safety and prosperity of his people. But he also knew that he could rely on his council and his family to support him in his endeavors. That is if they can always be trusted.

Edited May 11 by Garindina (see edit history)

[Garindina]

(Act 5)

11/11/1344

It’s been two days since the meeting, Borislav has been thinking of ways to help his two lands. Then, it comes to him, Doria and Garindina could unite into one empire. But the answer creates another question, would Garindina absorb Doria? Borislav spent days thinking on this, he ultimately decided that Doria would join the Garindina’s Empire as an equal.

(Borislav) *sigh* “How will I propose this to both of my councils? But it must be done.“ 

Borislav knew that proposing the union of Doria and Garindina would not be an easy task. It would require careful planning and diplomacy to ensure that both councils would agree to the merger. He spent the next few days working on a proposal that would benefit both lands equally.

Borislav's proposal was to create a unified empire with two equal regions, each with its own council. This would ensure that both regions would have a say in the empire's affairs and that neither would feel dominated by the other.

After several drafts, Borislav was satisfied with his proposal and decided to call a meeting of both councils to present his plan. He knew that this would be a difficult discussion, but he was determined to see his vision realized. The meeting would take place in 

Edited May 15 by Garindina (see edit history)

[Garindina]

Act 6

16/10/1344

Both councils agreed to meet in Gomna. Unknown to them, this small fortress would be one of Garindina’s most important cities, Borisobay. Both councils were driven towards an alliance, but they had no clue about Borislav’s true intentions.

(Lord Ivan) “So, the new Tsar wants his two realms to ally. I presume you have a good reason for this.”

(Borislav) “Well, yes. But the real reason I called this meeting between us all was to propose a union of our realms.”

The two councils exploded.

(Lady Tsvetanka) “This is a travesty! They will destroy our lands!”

(Borislav) “QUIET! NOW, ARE WE WILLING TO ACT CIVILIZED!? OR DO YOU DARE GO AGAINST YOUR TSAR!?”

The room was quiet. Nobody dared to answer.

(Borislav) “Ok, we must think of the benefits of this union. It will bring prosperity to our lands. Our two lands will be equal in this union.”

(Lord Stephan) “Who will lead Doria?”

(Borislav) “My son will lead. Grozdan is of age to rule.”

(Lord Dragomir) “What about our religion? Will you let these barbarians destroy our religion?!”

(Borislav), with a harsh glare, “Our religion will be respected. I will even sign it into law if I have to.”

(Lord Ivaylo) “Your majesty, can you guarantee that our religion will be respected by future Tsars? Only then will I agree with this.”

(Borislav) “I cannot guarantee this, but I will do all that I can for this to happen. I will sign it into law, I will even make it mandatory to respect our religious beliefs in Doria for my sons and their sons to become Tsar.”

(Lord Dimitri) “Let us put it to a vote, then? As long as it is fine with the Tsar.”

(Borislav) “Go ahead. But I will conduct it. All who agree to the union say aye. All who disagree with the union say nay.”

Nearly all the council, eleven members of Garindina, said aye, while only three of the nine council members of Doria said aye. Twelve out of the twenty council members voted for the Union.

(Borislav) “Well, the majority of you voted for the union. It has been decided, Garindina and Doria will unite into a united and equal empire under Garindina.”

Nobody dared to speak against the ruling, despite it being heavily one-sided. But in the back of the minds of the Dorian lords who voted nay, rebellion was brewing.

Edited May 11 by Garindina
spelling (see edit history)

[Garindina]

Act 7

11/11/1344

Town of Agi, Kingdom of Mairjaland

 

It was close to midnight, Lord Dragomir was waiting for someone in the Koudish Tavern. Suddenly, somebody sat across from him. 
 

(???) “Why did we meet here? Why not somewhere secret?”

(Dragomir) “Well, I wanted a drink first. Plus-(he leans forwards and whispers)-I’m being watched.”

(???) “By whom? Are they here now?”

(Dragomir) “Yes, they're at the far booth left.”

(???) “We leave in fifteen minutes. I have my ways to dispose of people.”

 

As they left into the woods. The man followed them both. As the man rounded around the tree, he was stabbed through the throat.

(???) “Let’s see who this is.”

(Dragomir) “He’s a Garindinan spy.”

(???) “How are you sure of this?”

(Dragimir) “They follow all the lords. Looking for the ones that are disloyal to the Tsar.”

(???) “So, you want to start a rebellion?”

(Dragomir) “Yes, we will also need to help off the Koudish. You have connections, right.” 

(???) “I do, and you want me to persuade them to go to war?”

(Dragomir) “Yes, may I ask your name?”

(???) “They call me ‘Wulf’ in these parts.”

(Dragomir) “Well, ‘wulf’, will you help us.”

(Wulf) “Against the Garindinans? I will do my best.”

Edited May 15 by Garindina
spelling (see edit history)

[Garindina]

Act 8

20/11/1344

King's Hill, Southwest Doria

The meeting was called, and everyone was ready for what was to come.

(Dragomir) “The Kingdom of Mairjaland is willing to help us. We will liberate our Tsardom from the backstabbing Tsar Borislav!"

The crowd did not cheer; the enemy might be nearby.

(Dragomir) “Finish gathering more of our followers. Make sure to recruit some as well. We leave in one fortnight for Mairjaland.”

The rebellion was growing. Nearly all in the group were Doro; a few Yuzh and Garindinans were gathered as well. They all wished to depose the Tsar.

Act 9

27/11/1344

The Royal Palace, Parsa

The days were growing cold; Tsar Borislav had moved his son to the new royal palace in Parsa. But he knew something was growing in the shadows.

(Borislav) “Son, I fear that there may be a rebellion growing in our homelands. Some of the lords and ladies of Doria have been absent for over three fortnights.”

(Grozdan) “I too fear this, father. Should we warn the troops?”

(Borislav) “No, the Mairjals have placed their army near our borders.”

(Grozdan) “How do you know this, father?”

(Borislav) “I was informed by my mstovari.”

(Grozdan) “We have mstovari in Mairjaland?”

(Borislav) “Yes, and they are saying they have placed their army near our border. We must prepare for war, my son. Catherine will teach you on Garindina while I am away.”

Borislav got up from his chair and began to walk towards the armory. On the way, he saw his lead general.

(Borislav) “Stanislav, ready the men. A war is coming. I want all able men, except blacksmiths and some farmers, ready for war by the next year.”

(Stanislav) “Yes, your majesty.”

He walked off to light the signal. Unbeknownst to them, rebellion was near, as well as a war. It would be called the First Koudish War by those of the future.

Edited May 15 by Garindina (see edit history)

[Garindina]

Act 10

30/11/1344

Rivne, near the Garindinan-Mairjaland border

Today was a normal Thursday. Vyolya was doing her usual chores. Her family lived on a farm, and they were serfs. Vyolya was tending to the chickens when her master came in.

(Master) "Did you not hear the bell, girl?! There are invaders coming! Run to your mother!"

Invaders! Who were invading? Vyolya did not ask these questions, as not following the master's orders would mean punishment. She ran out of the chicken coop and saw everyone packing their things. The invaders were drawing nearer. Vyolya began to look for her mother.

(Vyolya) "Mama! Mama!"

(Mama) "Vyolya! Over here!"

She ran over to her mother, nearly tripping over a small hole. Her mother put her on the horse and got on as well.

(Vyolya) "Where's Papa?"

(Mama) "Papa has already left. He'll be safe."

They rode off on the road to Batagrad. They practically escaped from their master in the confusion. But Vyolya wasn't worried about that; she was scared for her father.

Act 11

4/12/1343

Main camp, somewhere in the Yuzh Plains

Borislav was in his tent with four of his generals.

(Stanislav) "You were right, sir. Some of the Doro lords have begun a rebellion. It seems that the Mairjals are aiding them."

(Panteleimon) "What will you have us do, Your Majesty?"

(Borislav) "Hmm, Stanislav, Panteleimon, Semyon, you're with me. We will fight off the Mairjals. Vasily, I'm sending you to put down this rebellion. Are we in agreement?"

(All four generals) "Yes, sir."

(Borislav) "Good. Vasily, go start drawing up your battle plans."

(Vasily stood) "Yes, sir." Vasily leaves the tent.

(Borislav) "Now, my esteemed generals, we need a plan."

The four men began discussions about what they should do. As they talked, more and more men were drafted and turned into soldiers.

[Garindina]

Act 12

23/12/1343

Southern Garindina

The war had frozen. A great snowstorm had swept through the southern parts of Garindina. Tsar Borislav has yet to attack the enemy. He wondered on how Vasily was doing against the rebels. He sighed, why must everything be so difficult? At the moment, one of his generals entered the room.

 

(Stanislav) “The Mairjals have taken Yuzhemore.”

(Borislav) “How new is this news?”

(Stanislav) “A week old.”

(Borislav) “This weather is really not helping. When this storm is over, we ride south for Yuzhemore.”

(Stanislav) “Yes sir.”

 

 

Act 13

03/01/1335

Doria

The rebellion was smaller than expected. It seems like most of the Dorian Rebels were with the Mairjals down south. Vasily had already put down four different uprisings. Soon, he would go join up with the Czar and push the Mairjals back. Much has happened since he left to put down the uprisings. But Vasily was gearing up his soldiers and gaining more recruits before he would begin his march south. He has heat rumors that the Czar had retaken Yuzhemore. Though unlikely, Vasily wished that he could march right to Markōbourge.

 

(Solider) “Sir, we have brought a thousand more men.”

(Vasily) “Good, that leaves us at just over fifty thousand men. We leave in three days to aid the Czar against the Mairjals.”

(Solider) “Yes sir, I will inform the men.”

 

Vasily was hoping to gain glory out of this war. His plans for the invasion of Mairjaland were foolproof. So he told himself, in fact, unbeknownst to him, he was about to make the worst blunder of the war.

 

Act 14

03/09/1335

Bergfrīstadiz

Vasily had mad it to the fortress city of Bergfrīstadiz. He had begun to besiege the city only a week earlier. The Ram had just arrived. They were ready to breach the gates. The fall of Bergfrīstadiz would be a devastating blow to the Mairjals. But as the ram reached to door and began to break it down, enemy reinforcements arrived. The sky became a wave of arrows. 

 

(Vasily) “Retreat! Retreat! Fall back to the hill!” 

 

Those were the last words he would ever say, as a moment later, an arrow was stuck through his gullet. Was was left of his army retreated back to camp. A week later they would ride south to Yuzhemore. Where the Czar was waiting for them.

Act 15

04/02/1335

Yuzhemore

(Borislav) “I see.”

Borislav had just been informed about the fall of Vasily and the loss of twenty thousand men.

 

(Borislav) “We will reorganize and attack along the coast. Our first target is Swartwatōrhabnō. We’ll then capture more of their major cities along to coast and then head inland towards Markōbourge.”

(Panteleimon) “Sir, may I ask, but do we have enough men for this?”

(Borislav) “As of now, no. But that is why I’m asking you to rally some men.” 

(Panteleimon) “Sir, how many do we need?”

(Borislav) “A many thousand.”