Portal:Lands End
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Shuto
Shuto is the capital and most populous city of Tayichi, located at the mouth of the Taīga river, one the western coast of the nation's largest island - Hashita. Most of the city is part of the Shuto Metropolitan District, a provincial-level authority. Its inner core, which is considered to be one of the world's leading centers of finance, commerce, culture, technology, entertainment, media, academics, art and fashion, is stretched out over numerous islands that make up the Taīga River Delta. Shuto is the center of one of the world's principal metropolitan economies.
With a population of around 12.7 million people, distributed over 785 square miles (2,033 km2), the city is the most densely populated major city in Tayichi. Shuto has more than double the population of Idaina, the nation's second-most populous city. Shuto is the demographic and economic center of the Taīga-Kaidō Megalopolis and the Shuto Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in Tayichi by both population and urban area. The city has long been the premier gateway for immigration to Tayichi, making it the most ethnically and linguistically diverse city in the country.
Whilst the current city was founded following its castle's construction in 1127, numerous former settlements predate Shuto due to the region's strategic position at the tip of the longest and most important river in Hashita. The city rapidly grew in the 18th and early 19th century following the end of Tayichian isolation and became the largest in 1809...
Orleaux Civil War - Tussia
09/14/2024
MASS GRAVES UNDERCOVERED BY PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT FORCES
As the Provisional Government attempts to secure and bring peace to the territory of the former government, reports have surfaced of mass graves found in towns. No date has yet been ascribed, but some speculate the mass graves were formed during the early stages of the civil war as towns attempted to defect to the Provisional Government or the Orleauxan Workers’ Alliance. So far, nearly 5,000 bodies have been found as at least two towns have been massacred.
AVGIS CORRIDOR CONTINUES PROGRESS
The Provisional Government yesterday announced some sort of mass push towards Avgis in an attempt to cut off some of the OWA forces in the west as well as establish a supply corridor to Avgis. However, there are reports that militants have begun launching incursions into the corridor and are applying pressure. The corridor continues to grow longer, but the sides are potentially closing in.
AID SHIP HIT BY RPG ROUND
An aid ship was hit early this morning by an RPG round. Tussian and Provisional Governmental escort ships were unable to shoot down one rocket out of a small volley that was fired at a smaller aid vessel, resulting in a catastrophic explosion as it hit near the engine room resulting in the ship being sunk. There are reports that out of the entire crew, five didn’t make it out. The nation of origin has not yet been released to the media.
The PRM and its growth - BiggoniaA collaborative effort by IBBTC News, News of País-Sukoku, Kahilo News Network, Orleaxuan Reporting Service, and Spira News
Introduction: By IBBTC News
The People's Revolutionary Movement, or PRM, is a socialist revolutionary group founded by Harald Schneider- otherwise known as the Butcher of Shurdorf- in 1999. Schneider himself formed the group after defecting from the Biggonian Imperial Army, and fought a decades long guerilla war against the Biggonian Empire, taking part in an action known colloquially by socialists as 'the long war'.
The PRM itself rose to prominence in the Biggonian Civil War when it aligned itself with the Biggonian Commonwealth. Despite only containing a few hundred members prior to the war, its unconventional recruitment tactics such as recruiting from liberated prisons caused its numbers to massively balloon in size to over 10,000 by the war's end. Since the war, Schneider has been declared a war criminal by the Biggonian government and forced to flee into exile, first to Domlandia, and now into Dolplandia. Where he will go next is unknown. However, the PRM is a highly decentralised group, with many other branches gradually establishing itself across the world. Some believe that even if the Butcher is finally brought to justice, the movement he founded will cause instability for decades to come, and be potentially impossible for the international community to stamp out.
The PRM in Biggonia and Domlandia: By IBBTC News
Having its origins in Biggonia, much of the PRM's upper echelons and larger membership remain Biggonian, despite the organisation's grievous losses during the civil war and later exile. As the civil war neared its end and large numbers of the Biggonian army mutinied, the Butcher of Shurdorf launched his "10,000 men offensive", with the intention of both shattering Imperial morale as well as providing a distraction to allow his own escape into Domlandia. He was successful in both objectives, as it prompted the Biggonian Imperial government to finally come to the negotiating table; as well as giving him the opportunity to reach the Domlandian Social Republic.
In the months since, the PRM has operated training camps in the large de-populated swathes of the DSR, as well as conducting many raids within the DMZ between the two Domlandias. Controversially, the PRM has been proven to be behind numerous strikes on schools, hospitals, and civilian settlements within the DMZ; alongside engaging against both soldiers from the Vabasian Union and Domlandian State. Whilst much of the PRM hides in the DSR's section of the DMZ and even operates training camps within the DSR, it is currently unknown to what extent the DSR actually permits this. Something important to note is that several advanced pieces of arms and munitions had previously been indexed as belonging to the Kohat garrison, a city which fell to Domlandian rebels in late 2023 and has since served as the de facto capital of the DSR. Publicly, the DSR does not condone the PRM, however it is believed that certain dissident factions within the Unity Front- particularly 'internationalists' who wish to see the current Biggonian government toppled and replaced with one friendly to Domlandian interests- are supporting the PRM in spite of the government.
The PRM in Orleaux: By Orleauxan Reporting Service in conjunction with Spira News
As the Orleauxan Civil War continues to divide the country, the Orleauxan Worker's Army (OWA) has emerged as a key faction in the conflict, with some viewing their initial fighting in Illumination as the spark for open combat in the first place. The OWA is the only faction of the escalating war which has fought every other group, from the democratic Provisional Government in the west to the separatist Argoan National State in the east. Thanks to this as well as their ongoing siege of Avgis, the OWA has earned massive renown from socialists abroad, with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) being the most famous example of international leftist volunteers arriving to assist the OWA. However, in recent weeks the PRM has become a new force in Orleaux as well, under their leader Themistopolis Demitrou.
Our reporters found Demitrou and volunteers belong specifically to the PRM in a training camp nearby Avgis, in an area they demanded not to disclose. Demitrou, who is a Tussian veteran of Hellen origin, spoke to us in his tent.
Reporter: So tell us about how you joined the PRM.
Demitrou: Before the Biggonian Civil War, I'd never been a political person, especially thanks to the Imperial structure of old Tussia and the discrimination inherent to the system against Hellens. But I joined the military from a young age as it appealed to me, and I saw a career path there. I met a lot of friends in the Tussian Army, and I don't hate any of them now that I've left the army behind. Although I find the current political situation in 'The Three Republics' unsatisfactory, I'm glad to see they still hold veterans in high esteem.
Demitrou: When I was dispatched to Biggonia as part of the Tussian Expeditionary Force, this was meant to be my last tour of duty before I was transferred to a cushy office job. Unfortunately, I was thrown headfirst into the Battle of Southbridge, where during the retreat Tussian troops were sacrificed into the gruelling battle in order to allow retreating Grenzland forces to escape encirclement. Many of my valiant comrades died in this effort, and I began to grow dissolusioned with our high command and the causes for the war. This was only excacerbated by the fact that during the retreat, I saw vicious reprisals against innocent civilians being committed by our supposed allies, the Imperial Biggonian Army and Royal Grenzland Army.
Demitrou: It was after this that I grew more interested in the causes for the Tussian intervention, and the political situation in Biggonia. My desire to learn more was expedited by the rapidly evolving civil unrest in Athenia & Ptolemia at the time, which is of course today part of the FWZ. I came to realise that the political elites in Ivasburg and Nikapolis were perfectly happy to sacrifice thousands of men and let the rest live in misery to remain in power and achieve meaningless political objectives. Having come to this realisation, myself and a small cadre of men under my command decided to defect to the Commonwealth of Biggonia, on the condition that we did not fight against fellow Tussians. Whilst the Commonwealth refused to give us guarantees, a little-known commander at the time known as the Harald Schneider, leading a militia known as the PRM, promised he would do everything in his power to keep us from fighting our former comrades. That was how my journey into the PRM began.
Reporter: How did you end up in Orleaux?
Demitrou: That's a long story. After the end of the Biggonian Civil War and Harald- now known as the Butcher of Shurdorf- Harald's brilliant movement of his remaining forces into Domlandian Social Republic territory, myself and the rest of the PRM remained put for a few months as we recouped strength. Although I had a small contingent of Hellens under my command, I was placed in charge of training Domlandian volunteers. After a while though, I grew bored knowing I still had countrymen in Hellenia who were under the oppression of a new bourgeoise system, even if they believed they were in a true democracy. I began preparing to leave Domlandia to travel to the FWZ, where I intended to join up with like-minded volunteers and start a fresh fight for liberation. I had recieved my blessing from Schneider himself, as he was planning to travel to Dolplandia at the same time. His only request was that I continue the fight in the name of the PRM rather than any other group, to inspire oppressed people from across the world to rise up; something I was all too happy to agree to.
Demitrou: Just weeks before I was due to set off to Dolplandia, I recieved news of a civil war right next door, in Orleaux. As a group, myself and my unit decided to change destinations and instead head to Orleaux and assist the OWA in liberating their own nation. So that's how we ended up here!
Reporter: Given the PLA's strong presence in the area, why didn't you simply join them instead?
Demitrou: Lets not be confused here, I have a lot of respect for the PLA, David Manz, and everything they have accomplished both in Hellenia and the rest of the world. But I don't like the top-down approach they take to their operations compared to the PRM, where individual cells can organise themselves as they see fit. We have far more autonomy to run our own operations under the PRM, and move around as we see fit once the war is done onto a fresh conflict zone. My men and I also have more personal association and loyalty to the PRM, which has guided many of us on the journey towards international wars of liberation. Schneider should be credited with this as well, as he's been able to forge a legacy which will certainly endure long after his death thanks to our decentralised nature.
The PRM in Dolplandia and the Neo-SUD: By Kahilo News Network
The founder and spiritual leader of the PRM, Harald Schneider- more commonly known by his morbid nickname 'The Butcher of Shurdorf', relocated to Dolplandia a few months ago in order to assist with the SUD. Since early July, Schneider has been a key opponent of the SUD's efforts to sign a ceasefire agreement with the DPTC and instead supports a continuation of the existing conflict, and as such the PRM in Dolplandia was instrumental in the formation of the Neo-SUD. The Neo-SUD rejects any attempts at peace or negotiation with the DPTC, instead opting for a complete revolutionary takeover of Dolplandia.
In a secret training camp with a location we were told not to reveal, we met militants training for Neo-SUD operations. These were primarily from three nations- Biggonia, Domlandia, and Dolplandia. Many of the Dolplandian recruits are newer and are therefore being trained by older Domlandian and Biggonian militants. A large number of Dolplandian recruits- roughly 30%, were rescued from prisons or prisoner of war camps to supplement the existing numbers, repeating a trend which already made the PRM balloon in size during the Biggonian Civil War. The language barrier is certainly a problem, as many military higher ups can only speak Biggonian or Domlandian. When interviewing Schneider himself, he said:
"Over time, the older members of the PRM are learning to adapt and adopting many Dolplandian cultural customs. In turn, the Dolplandians are learning the same tactics that helped the PRM perform well in Biggonia. I want the Neo-SUD and PRM cell in Dolplandia to become large and prominent enough to be self-sustaining, so that I may eventually move abroad and spread the movement elsewhere."
When asked whether he would be open to negotiations with the DPTC, Schneider responded.
"No, not whilst I'm the leader. Negotiation with the bourgeoise leads to a dilution of revolutionary principles and means compromises with reactionaries are inevitable. Despite me being a hero of the Biggonian civil war, I'm not even allowed in the country anymore thanks to a rigged judicial system, and the revolution was cut off midway through by negotations with the Biggonian Empire. I won't allow that to be repeated in Dolplandia."
The PRM in País-Sukoku: By News of País-Sukoku
Most countries where the People's Revolutionary Movement operates are in a state of extreme violence or civil war, like Orleaux, Dolplandia, and the Domlandian DMZ. This is not the case in País-Sukoku, where small numbers of PRM militants who were sent into exile have set up secret groups within the vast cities of País-Sukoku. Still in its infancy, the PRM's País-Sukoku wing is almost entirely made up of ethnic Biggonians, however it is in an alliance with some radical left-wing Sukoki nationalist groups. The group appears to be largely centred around New Venapli, where property laws are lax and gun restrictions laxer.
As our reporter spoke to an anonymous member of the PRM, it began to become apparent to us that far from a gallant group of revolutionary guerillas fighting to liberate the proletariat, the PRM were instead a glorified street gang with vague ideology thrown into the mix. When we asked the rebel who he considered the main enemies of the PRM to be, he replied:
"I'd have to say the Biggonian Mafia. They're a group of ultranationalist pigs who maintain an aristocratic form of 'families' and are obsessed with a rigid structure. They're extortionists and drug dealers, with their only goal being gaining power and keeping it."
When we asked what the typical activities of the PRM involved, he said:
"Its mostly small scale stuff. We frisk rich people to fund our operations, sometimes we help illegal immigrants into New Venapli- there'll be no borders after the revolution anyway. We often fight against the Mafia's thugs, and assassinate drug dealers. Its all about keeping the community safe."
Not much about fighting the government, clearly. When asked about the greatest revolutionary victory against the País-Sukoku government so far, the rebel grew exasperated before finally replying:
"Er, I'd have to say that one time we ambushed a police officer, taking her gun and badge. That was good- really showed them who ruled these streets. 'The Internationale' could be heard ringing for weeks afterward."
We decided to confront the PRM member about their lack of success, to which they gave an insightful response:
"Its a lot different to Biggonia, and we've had difficulty adjusting our tactics. Back in Biggonia, it was easy to find people with no stake in the system and who wanted it gone. But in a bourgeoise society, many people are brainwashed by cheap luxury consumer goods, and a false dream of opportunity and equality. Even those who want to overthrow the system are obsessed with race- we've been forced to work with Sukoki nationalists! We thought the Biggonian community would be a fertile recruiting ground, but its all controlled by the mafia, and all the first generation immigrants still glorify the Empire. They've been able to feed this propaganda down to lower generations who are fiercely reactionary and nationalistic. Some believe in the creation of a global Biggonian Empire, rather than a global revolutionary state."