Kalistan

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Executives of Bank of Suldanor Arrested
Private Corporate Bank alleged to be "Rife with Corruption" said Justice Minister
Sulari, Duchy of Suldanor
September 14, 5691


Kincaid and Cohen, two VPs of Bank of Suldanor, arrested in Sulari in Connection with corruption probe

Two high level bank vice presidents, Charles Kincaid and Johnathan Cohen, have been arrested in connection with the deepening Bookmakers Probe. Both men were heads of their respective departments which are now being implicated in the scandal: Kincaid is in charge of accounts and Cohen is in charge of records. Their arrests last week were following by quick grand jury indictments of tampering with Bank Records, falsifying bank records and conspiracy to commit fraud. They may also be facing additional charges as the investigation goes on.

The new head of the Sulari Special Investigations Division, Police Captain Alberto Zarate, said the city retains discretion over what the two bankers are being charged with. "Continuing our investigation, we discovered not only significant deletions of information from bank records which were presented to the state in our investigation, but also several accounts which we couldn't trace to commercial users. These records were off the books and received deposits authorized by Mr. Kincaid, money which was then withdrawn over rapid intervals by an unregistered user who primarily drew off the funds in the form of counter checks. Mr. Cohen was responsible to ensure that this activity was covered up in monthly, quarterly and annual registers."

Zarate said the sentences he will be asking for from the Justice Ministry, if these two are found guilty depends upon their cooperation with the Investigation. "Right now, we have an idea where this trail is headed to, but there is nowhere near enough evidence to successfully try these crimes in court, nor to uncover who is really behind them. But everything we have right now suggests that it is not just the Bookmakers, and it is not just the Casinos and betting parlors in Sulari and across the Empire, and it is not just the Bank of Suldanor, which apparently was acting as an active participant in a much larger program. Something else, which we can't get to right now is benefitting from, is the motive force behind all this corruption, and we will keep making arrests until we find someone who will talk."

Her Imperial Majesty's Minister of Justice Hon. Gale Wilson commented on the probe: "One things we can say that we believe right now, is that the issue is a national, or perhaps an international problem. International actors have long used Kalistan as a place to hide their money. We have legal ways for them to accomplish this-- The ForIn, for example is one such way, with complete bank account secrecy. But this is only for Foreign Investors, as the name suggests. The operations of ForIn are segregated from the Kalistani economy. The problem with this corruption at this level going through the Bank of Suldanor is that this commercial bank has a large enough role in the investment and finance sectors of the Kalistani economy that it could theoretically affect our economy, and that becomes a problem for Her Imperial Majesty's Government. We rely on the trust of the people of this nation in our institutions, and an institution rife with corruption as the Bank of Suldanor appears to be, at the top at least, shakes that faith."

As evidence of that shaken faith, Bank of Suldanor stock in the KalSiE dropped below ₭70 Imperial Rubles a share for the first time this week, as investors are moving to the Bank of Kaliburg, which is not implicated in the scandal. "If BoS wants to stop this hemorrhaging, perhaps they will come clean and hand the investigation more names so we can investigate," said the Hon Justice Wilson. "Somebody in that organization knows something. Also, someone in the Bookmakers Association knows something. We need to know who hired you, who is the financial beneficiary. And so far people have been quite unwilling to talk to us, out of fear, perhaps of reprisal from organized crime. But we need testimony to go after them, and until we get that testimony, this probe will continue, we will continue arresting bankers tied to these accounts, we will continue to arrest bagmen that are associated with these accounts, and we will continue to go after all leads we have. Someone will talk eventually, and that could be the thing that blows this whole case open."

The Sulari Special Investigation Division has set up an anonymous tip line. "So far we've gotten some prank phone calls," said Zarate. "We're trying to cut down on those, but if you will call the line I', hoping you have something to contribute. We have gotten almost no credible leads, but it is still very early days yet." Both Kincaid and Cohen have entered "Not guilty" pleas in at the arraignment, and are being held in custody pending additional charges.

@TheRepublic

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Kalistani News in Brief: Empress Assigned to Geothermal Maintenance;
Sulari Police arrest assassin in Car bombing case; Maxwell urges peace
Mt. Schmee Geothermal Generation Station, Grand Duchy of Ananto
January 21, 5692


Her Imperial Majesty takes a moment out for a photo on Mt. Schmee

Empress Assigned to Geothermal Maintenance
Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto has been assigned to the Electrical Infrastructure Regiment of the Ananto Corp for her National Service. The Empress has been assigned to maintenance at Mt. Schmee Geothermal Generation Station 6, where she, and 23 other conscripts will operate and maintain a string of nine geothermal power plants along the border of Green and Eveari Counties under the supervision of KALNAPECO managers.

"The Green Mountains are some of the most remote peaks in all of Kalistan and though she is only a few hundred miles from her home in Kaliburg, she may as well be in the middle of Dovani," said the Empress' Spokeswoman Lady Ursula Gattlin, in Kaliburg. "The area is so remote that her Imperial Majesty, the Empress has to be flown in by helicopter, as no roads can traverse the steep volcanic slopes of the Green Mountains which often reach a height of 9500 feet." The Empress' Station is at more than 6700 feet and serves to generate power that serves Eveari and Kaliburg. Mt. Schmee is a dormant volcano, but there is a geological hotspot here that feeds several springs that eventually feed the Eveari, Zappa, Davon and Trichrome Rivers, and provide the energy for electrical generation.

Her Imperial Majesty was assigned to the Maintenance Regiment reportedly because her aptitude for logical and systemic thought and her desire to do physical work made her well suited for maintaining the good operations of the geothermal plants on her her line. "It is not what her Aunt, the Princess Regent would have chosen for her," said Lady Gattlin. "But the work seems to suit Her Imperial Majesty quite well. She reports that she feels a sense of accomplishment in her work: it is very task oriented, and requires a lot of team work, which are things that Her Imperial Majesty values. She is quite happy where she is at and looks forward to her national service term." Her Imperial Majesty will remain in the Green Mountains until she musters out in late July 5694.

Sulari Police arrest assassin in Car bombing case
The assassin who bombed Her Imperial Majesty's Justice Minister, Hon Gale Wilson last year, has been captured in Sulari by police with the Sulari Special Investigations Division. The police say they were acting on a tip that was turned in by a citizen of the Free City. Police identified the man as Karl "Manny" Mankiewicz, 36, a Valruzian born veteran of the Regular Armed forces. The man has been charged with one count of homicide, 1st Degree for the death of Miguel Buckingham, three counts of homicide, 3rd Degree, and 10 counts of Criminal Assault 2nd Degree. All charges will be considered Class 3a Crimes under the Criminal Reform Act, due to Mr. Mankiewicz allegedly having been hired to commit the crime, his technical knowhow to actually commit the crime and the sheer destruction caused at the scene of the explosion.

Mankiewicz was indicted on the charges, and entered the plea of not guilty at the pre-trial hearing. Mankiewicz was surprisingly candid under interrogation, and answered all questions he was legally required to answer, while refusing to offer incriminating testimony against himself. He also refused to provide information on anyone who may or may not have hired him to plant or detonate the explosive, but police revealed that Mankiewicz has previously been associated by individuals who are believed to be affiliated with organized crime in Sulari and Suldanor.

The Police are not releasing additional information about who those connections are at the time, but it may not be a coincidence that since December, two members of the Bookmakers Association and three businessmen in Sulari have also been arrested and indicted on racketeering and tax evasion charges. All five men, and Mankiewicz are also public and generous contributors to AYIC, which firmly brings the lobbying organization into the probe. Mr. Jacob Maxwell, Director of the AYIC, ahs been called to the Sulari PD for initial questioning, but has not been charged. He is cooperating, according to Sulari Police, and has retained a lawyer specifically for this case, as a "prophylactic measure," he said.

Maxwell urges peace
Jacob Maxwell, director of the Anantonese Yeudi Interests Committee, one of the largest and most active Civil Society organizations in Seleya, has called for peace in Sulari as a bubbling war between Police and organized crime elements appears on the verge of spilling over into the streets. Sulari police have been actively pursuing leads that have led them across the city, and more than 10 police officers have been wounded in the campaign since last spring. The arrests include bankers, professional gamblers, Investment officers, and now people who are actually involved in violent crime.

One of the major themes that is emerging is that many of the arrests are members of the Yeudi Community in Sulari, and are among AYIC's supporters. "I wouldn't say this is an organized pogram," said Maxwell. "Certainly not like what we have seen in Selucia. But it does seem quite suspicious that many of these individuals are Yeudis. Is the Sulari Free City's government targetting us because we are Yeudis? I think it is too early to say, but I read the papers every day and its this Yeudi, that Yeudi, this Yeudi. I know many of the men and women who are being arrested and indicted, and you can bet AYIC will be here to help them pay for lawyers beyond what the state provides, and to mount defense to get these guys the justice they deserve in our courts and see them put back at liberty."

Meanwhile, Maxwell has called for peace. "Yeudis of Kalistan, let me state this clearly, so there can be no mistake: Do not fight the cops. They are just doing their job here, and so far we have had no reports whatsoever that would justify noncooperation with their investigation. They are observing due process, and I suppose have their reasons for the arrests they are making." But Maxwell also said it works the other way too: "We hope the police are not unnecessarily targeting and scrutinizing Yeudis in Kalistan. We are loyal citizens of this Empire and subjects of Her Imperial Majesty, and Yeudis have each others back. As I call for my people to cooperate with the investigation, I have to also ask our police not to be too enthusiastic in the performance of their duties. Do what you need to do and then leave the Yeudis alone. There may be criminals among us, but because they are criminals, not because they are Yeudis. Get who you need to get, prosecute who you need to prosecute and then lets have peace. Let's not let this stain the Yeudi community permanently here in Kalistan."

Maxwell's statements were viewed as rather strange by many because they seemed to suggest that in fact, there were deeper ties in the Yeudi community that this investigation would uncover. He later corrected the record by declaring, "I have nothing to do with any sort of Yeudi mafia or anything like this. Our investments are all on the up and up, and AYIC's books are publicly available for inspection at any time, for any reason. We are not a front organization, regardless of what anyone alleges."

@TheRepublic

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Kalistani News in Brief: Count Martin Collins dies in Sulari at 84;
Mankiewicz found guilty of car bombing charges; National Census completed
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
March 5, 5692


Count Martin Collins, father of Her Highness Princess Regent Nicolette Ananto-Collins in Sulari last year

Count Martin Collins dies in Sulari at 84
Her former husband of Her Highness, Princess of the Empire Mary Ananto-DeLaurentis, father of Her Highness the Princess Regent Nicolette Ananto-Collins and former Emperor Fredrick IV Ananto and paternal grandfather of Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto has died of heart failure. He was 84 years old. Collins, originally from Sulari, began his career as a journalist in Kaliburg covering ducal politics in Kalistan proper. He was introduced the Princess Mary at a party where he was covering a society event and the two quickly connected, resulting in their marriage in 5641. He received the title of Count of Sulari County upon his marriage.

The couple had two children but spent much of their time apart, and both ended up developing relationships with other people before privately divorcing. The couple ended up splitting amicably in 5659 after just about 18 years of marriage. Collins returned to his home in Sulari, and eventually married Lady Kelly Douglas of Sulari in 5665, while Princess Mary began her lifelong relationship with Lady Victoria Jensen. While in Sulari, while not administering the County government of Sulari County, Collins returned to writing, and published two books in the sci-fi genre. He also returned to sailing and was often seen in Sulari Bay.

As the title of Count is not a hereditary, it returns to the Duke of Suldanor. Countess Kelly Douglas will be allowed to retain her courtesy title for the remainder of her life, and continues to receive her pension as member of the peerage. The funeral for Count Collins will be held in Sulari this week, and will be attended by Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto, who will take leave from the NSP, Her Highness, the Princess Regent and Her Highness the Princess of the Empire. Services will be held at the Sulari Brethrenist Meetinghouse.

Mankiewicz found guilty of car bombing charges
Karl "Manny" Mankiewicz has been found guilty of four counts of homicide and criminal assault. All charges are class 3a under the Justice Reform Act and each carry with them a term on Kings' Rock in the Ananto Strait, the most serious being the 2nd degree murder Miguel Buckingham. "Buckingham can expect to spend a significant portion of the rest of his life on Kings' Rock, where he will be expected to contribute to the colony," said Sulari prosecutor Marcia Young, who was part of the prosecution team that won the case. "Mankiewicz' lack of remorse during his trial will likely weigh heavily in the determination of his sentence, which still has to be set."

Makiewicz' legal team said they intend to file an appeal of the decision. "The findings in the case were completely unsupported. There were no direct witnesses, and my client maintained his innocence the entire time. He is a veteran and served this Empire, so why would he attempt to kill the Justice Minister. The State was obviously out to get someone, they happened to target my client." The lead counsel for Mankiewicz says they intend to file the appeal by the end of the week.

Police Captain Alberto Zarate said, "We got the right guy. We brought in unimpeachable evidence, unimpeachable witnesses, and an unimpeachable theory of the case, and in the end the Jury was unanimous. Mr. Mankiewicz was found guilty and so he is guilty, and he can file all the appeals he wants, but it will not reverse that fact." Zarate is hoping that Mankiewicz will start giving up names of associates in the hopes of receiving a lighter penalty, and said the State would be willing to consider a lighter sentence overall if Mankiewicz provides information on those who he was working with and more importantly for.

National Census completed
The Kalistani National Census, which has been quietly underway for the last year has finally been released. The National Population has decreased from 99 million to just under 93.9 million. "The old numbers we have been working with were old estimates that relied on a set of assumptions that were entirely out of our control," said Census Director Mark Hengstrom, of Her Imperial Majesty's Ministry of the Interior, who oversaw the count. "This time we actually conducted the survey on the free city and county level, with county officials fanning out across their jurisdictions to take a formal count based on property records. We also compared our information against Imperial tax records as a check, and actually corrected down a bit to take care of overcounts. We think these numbers are accurate with about a 99.95% confidence."

Hengstrom said that the new numbers gives the Empire a better understanding about where Duchies and Cities stand in relation to one another. "Suldanor is, as we anticipated, the most populated duchy in the Empire, with 33.2 million, followed by Vrassa with 19.8 million, Ananto with 18.2 million, Odufaray with 13.2 million, and Nevaras with 9.3 million." Hengstrom also talked about cities: "Sulari itself has almost as many people as Odufaray and more than Nevaras: There are 11.6 million who call Sulari Metro home. Kaliburg/Port Davon comes in second with 6.8 million, and Port Swedes comes in third with 3.7 million."

More interestingly, from the point of view from the National Government is the urbanization statistics. "We had previously been under the impression that 70 percent of the Empire's population lived in the free Cities, which meant that the majority of the population lived under democratic local governments. But our census shows us that this number is way off. We have an urbanization rate of only 61.94% and only about half that number, or just under 30%, lives within Free City jurisdiction, which means a couple things. The Land Reform laws to encourage Kalistanis to settle rural areas was successful, but also, this may lead to more pressure to extend the popular local government acts and popular housing, education and medicine reforms to larger towns outside the free cities."

Some other interesting statistics confirmed what many knew, especially on the low end: "Neveras has long been thought to be the least populated Duchy and sure enough, it has less than 1/3rd the population that Suldanor has. Green County in Ananto is the least populated County in the nation, followed by Lhasa County Nevaras, Funk County Vrassa and Eveari County in Ananto. 40% of Ananto's population lives in Kaliburg/Port Davon." Hengstrom said the numbers are fascinating when drilling down on population trends and certainly have policy implications that the National Government and Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress Carolina II Ananto will be working with for years.

@TheRepublic

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Coffee or Tea: Kalistanis weigh in
Coffee is the nearly universal choice for discerning drinkers
Port Swedes, Duchy of Vrassa
April 4, 5692


Boutique Coffee shops like the Swedeport Coffee Company in Port Swedes are a ubiquitous sight across Anantonese Region

Recently, a feature article in the Egelian newspaper El Tiempo (or The Times) discussed the rise of Tea Culture in Ciudad Yadraz. The article described the rise of tea culture in and around the city which was making inroads in the Northern Kingdom and defining a new current in Egelian society. The thesis of the article is summarized here: "Tea promotes the opposite: calmness, precision, and ultimate satisfaction--including the body, mind, and soul. Egelians crave this detail of tea: sophistication, purpose, peace."

So La Moda, inspired by the Egelian story, decided do a study of our own. We sent 25 staffers around the Empire to see whether or not there is a similar interest in tea here in Kalistan. Not at all surprisingly, when our staff returned, they reported that not only is coffee still preferred by the vast majority of Kalistanis as their hot beverage of choice, there is a whole connoisseur culture around coffee similar to the one we are seeing develop in Egelion. While most coffee drinkers just want coffee that tastes good to them, and will go out of their way to find it, this drink that we Kalistanis, on average will consume at a rate of a gallon and a half a week, and which most of us take for granted, is also obsessed over by a bunch of ritualists who one may refer to as a "coffee snob".

We all know people like this, and the ubiquity of the "coffee snob" is as complete as the ubiquity of the Coffee House. Among this lot, there is a heavy obsession with details in the coffee culture, including in what beans are used, where they are sourced from, how they are brewed, with what implements are they brewed, how long are the beans roasted, how are they ground (there is an insane battle between hand grind and machine grind camps which sparks genuine arguments) how finely are they ground, how hot should the water be. etc. It's wild and its bizarre when you really think of it, and this is probably why few of us think of it. And it goes to show, that for every tea tipping nation, there is a wild rowdy and fun loving coffee guzzling nation right next to it.

Coffee Shops and Coffee Houses
Nearly every city over a population of 10,000 has multiple locally owned coffee shops in them. These shops are frequently opened in the earliest hours of the day, essentially keeping bakers hours; they usually consist of a counter with stools at it and just a few tables and can seat perhaps 20 patrons at a time. Many open at 4 am to cater to those going to work. At these shops, baked goods and sweet breads are often sold along with the coffee to provide a jump start to the day. At the coffee shop, it is highly unlikely that you will ever see a cup of coffee sold for more than 50 cents or a doughnut for more than 25 cents. Usually workers have their favorite shops that they frequent daily as they are going into work, and the staff and customers often get to know each other very well from repeat interaction. The end of the day crowd usually features repeat visits from the morning clientele who are on their way home. Coffee shops are ubiquitous, all over the nation and are often tied with automobile recharging stations.

This shop is a significantly different environment from the Port Swedes style of Coffee House, which is a whole cultural institution unto itself. The Coffee House is extremely prevalent across coastal Vrassa and Ananto, and has also fully colonized northern Suldanor. Places like Port Swedes, Addisjah, Senvias and Eshar, Kaliburg, Dulnerstad, Eveari and Dana have dozens of coffee houses for coffee connoisseurs to choose from. Most serve Gaduri blends, which is widely considered in Kalistan to be the far superior blend, and a cup of coffee at the Coffee House will often run a drinker between 3 and 4 Imperial per 6 ounces.

The base of coffee options in the Coffee House is a very strong espresso, made from specifically handled beans that have been meticulously roasted by Gaduri artisans and sent to Kalistan. People will swear by this brand or that brand, and insist that there is a specific way to roast them to bring out certain flavors which they desire in their drink. Non-connoisseurs don't necessarily get so touchy about their drink, because they will more value the lift in spirit and energy provided by the drink. For a non-coffee drinker, the coffee tastes quite bitter and overwhelming, which is one of the reasons why visitors to Kalistan tend to prefer spirits to coffee. But if you are one of these people who takes your coffee seriously, you will never be caught dead in an independent coffee shop. You will have your own coffee house, and likely will pay to reserve your own table at the coffee house, so you can enjoy your favorite drink in peace and quiet.

Like the coffee shops, coffee houses tend to unite communities: the people who select a specific coffee house tend to like the same thing, and the menu caters to that thing. If you want something else, there is a coffee house usually not far away which will get you that thing. Some coffee houses specialize in just espresso, while others will create blended or frozen concoctions that utilize espresso as a base. Some specialize in lattes, while others strictly forbid milk or dairy to be added to the drink. Some are vegan, some will add cocoa and create a mocha, while others will whip up the latte into a foam. At any rate, the staff of these coffee houses, referred to as baristas, also serve frequently to provide advice, as conduits of gossip, and occasionally counsellors.

Both the standard coffee shop and the very specialized coffee house serve a thirsty client base and each client base forms something like a community or a club within that environment. This is not to say that people may only frequent their own particular coffee shop or coffee house, or that everyone even has one. Tens of millions of coffee drinkers in Kalistan just go to whatever one is handy. But for those who do, the choice of coffee shop is as socially consequential as the choice of a neighborhood pub, and they serve many of the same functions.

The Coffee Drinker
Almost everyone over the age of 16 in Kalistan drinks coffee by the barrel full. Coffee outsells soda pop, even caffeinated brands in Kalistan by a 3 to 1 margin. It is one of the main imports from Gaduridos: Kalistan imports ₭1.2 Billion Imperial Rubles of coffee each year, with about 85% of that coming from Gaduridos alone. So it is safe to say that the demographic breakdown of the Kalistani coffee drinker falls along the lines of the Empire overall. Most people will take their first cups of coffee in the morning by the age of 13 and coffee for brewing at home is considered a staple item in any shopping cart. Additionally, guests are almost always offered a cup of coffee when they arrive. Refusing to accept is not considered rude, but refusing to offer one tends to be considered a sign of hostility or unwelcomness.

The relaxed environment of the Cascade Coffee House in Kaliburg is just one of many varieties of experience you can have in a Port Swedes Style Coffee House in Kalistan

When alcohol is not socially acceptable, coffee is used. Many times people will keep a thermos of coffee near them during the work day, and most jobs have coffee breaks including during the daily schedule to allow people to caffeinate several times a day. Those with health issues related to constant ingestion of the simulant may opt for decaffeinated brands of coffee. Stopping at the coffee shop is usually considered part of the beginning of the workday for millions, while going to a coffee house regardless of class, is often considered a social activity. Many dates between young lovers have occurred at an upscale coffee shop. It is the place to meet friends when alcohol is not wanted.

The Coffee houses most often cater to young professionals during the day. These are places that frequently feature live music in the evenings, and so they are community gathering spots that are alternatives to bars. The ambiance in most coffee houses is what some would refer to as yuppieish, and so you don't tend to find a lot of hard rock, punk, or RF playing in a coffee house. Instead you are far more likely to hear acoustic and folk, and what some would refer to as "world music" usually performed by foreign artists. Some people here may be having an elevated conversation about world affairs, others may be discussing romantic interests there, others may be working on a laptop with headphones over here, others may be playing cards at a table. It all depends on when you go in, and who happens to be out that night.

Due to the ready supply from Gaduridos, coffee is extremely inexpensive in Kalistan, which contributes to much of its popularity. When people pay more for it in a Coffee House, they are paying more for the artistry of the preparer, rather than the coffee itself. There is nothing so rare that it should ever cost, on its own, more than a half a ruble for a full 8 ounces, and buying in large quantities tends to bring the prices to the consumer down much further. But you pay in the Coffee House for a cup of espresso, which is meant to be savored and enjoyed as an experience unto itself. Dark, unsweetened chocolate is often sold with espresso, and that significantly adds to the price of a Coffee House experience, because Gaduri chocolate is considered a luxury item in Kalistan.


But what about tea?
Tea is consumed in Kalistan, but not ritualistically, and certainly not ubiquitously. In fact, since the rise of House Ananto, tea consumption has been on the steady decline in Kalistan, but not for the reasons one may think. In Kalistan, besides individuals who prefer tea to coffee for reasons of taste or heritage (them being recent arrivals from tea drinking nations) most teas are associated with herbal and holistic medicine rather than as a recreational beverage. There is no equivalent social pull for tea that there is for coffee: there is no "tea culture" you might say in Kalistan.

It wasn't always like this, of course. At some point, there was a strong push to get Kalistan to begin drinking tea, and that movement began to more or less fade right around the foundation of the Empire. The only real remnants of the ritualized service of tea, akin to what Egelion is experiencing now, is in the institution known as the Informal Audience, held by and for the Monarch. The Informal Audience is a peculiar ceremony in which individuals gather to hold a candid discussion on a matter that touches the monarchy and the government of Kalistan. During this audience, people may direct questions and comments toward the Monarch, but remain socially separate because they are required to address the monarch in the third person. The monarch may however answer questions of this nature directly and the conversation may proceed once that measure of awkward construction is gotten over.

But the Informal Audience is always, as a matter of law, accompanied by a cup of tea. For generations the tea used by the Imperial House has been black tea flavored with bergamot, commonly known as Earl Gray Tea. This tea is a fairly common tea that is easily obtainable. But the tea served at an informal audience, since the day of Nicolette I Ananto, has always included opium stirred into the tea. It is rarely offered with milk or sugar, but it is always infused with opium. As part of the Informal audience, the Sovereign herself prepares the tea for the participants in the Informal Audience and presents it to them before the audience may begin. Any of the participants may opt to not drink the laced concoction, without running into any social improprieties whatsoever. But the tea must be served, and the Empress is usually expected to finish her cup, and offer to refill any cup that has gone empty, as part of the ritual.

This strange remnant of Kalistan's aborted tea culture is as imbued in Kalistan's monarchy as the name Ananto is, and will never be abandoned, though it has created generations of opium dependent Anantos. The Royal Family understands that this is a side effect of their job, but as evidenced by the back of a 1 Imperial Ruble Note, the Kalistani Opium poppy is a national symbol, and the use of opium in the Informal Tea is seen as ingesting that national symbol.

So tea consumption has for hundreds of years been associated with the Royal family. It doesn't carry with it the same cultural cache as coffee consumption does, especially the more social aspects of the practice. People still drink tea, and most herbal teas are prescribed to promote health and wellness, as medicine, but for the most part, most people in Kalistan do not opt for tea unless they are unwell: At that point you see your echinacea teas, and your mint teas, and your hibiscus teas, and your licorice root teas. There are dozens of options, and these are considered holistic medicine in Kalistan.

In conclusion
Kalistanis drink coffee. They plan out large parts of their day so they can drink coffee. But there is every bit of the deliberation and the ritual and the social aspect of the coffee culture in Kalistan that we see developing around tea in Egelion. It is certainly something to be proud of and to celebrate, on both sides of the Northern Anantonese. Perhaps someday we will see Egelian style tea houses appear in Vrassa and Ananto next to our coffee houses. At that point, we can be certain that Kalistanis will put every bit of energy into their favorite tea houses as they do into their current coffee houses, and will transform them from something that is peaceful, quiet and in the words of the article, zenlike, into something rowdy, vibrant, and full of conviviality.

For now, we say "Café, te amamos. Café, ¡Viva!"

@LaModa

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Mankiewicz is shot outside of Sulari Municipal Court House
Assassin is apprehended within 6 hours
Sulari, Duchy of Suldanor
May 13, 5692


Municipal Court House in Sulari is locked down as police actively searched area for shooter in yesterday's killing

The man convicted of planting a car bomb in an attempted assassination on Her Imperial Majesty's Justice Minister, the Hon. Gale Wilson has been himself gunned down as he was arriving for sentencing. The assassin, later identified as David Kohl, from Sulari was himself located within six hours and was apprehended by police. From a position overlooking the entrance to the court house some 1800 feet away, Mr. Kohl is alleged to have fired two bullets from a high powered scoped rifle. One struck a police man in the leg, seriously injuring him, while the second struck Mr. Karl "Manny" Mankiewicz in the head, killing him instantly.

Spokesmen for the Sulari Special Investigations Division, who are overseeing the expanding probe of organized crime in the city, announced last week that Mankiewicz had decided to start identifying individuals in court, hoping to reduce his sentence on King's Rock, and would testify under oath during his sentencing as an effort to show his cooperation with the State's investigation. At that time, says Captain Alberto Zarate, who is leading the investigation, it would appear that those who had contracted Mr. Mankiewicz turned to another assassin to prevent Mr. Mankiewicz from testifying during the sentencing trial.

"Mr. Mankiewicz may have been silenced today, but the people who murdered this man in the streets of our city should know: It's too late. He had already provided names of those who contacted him, and those who paid him." said Zarate in a brief statement to the press surrounding his murder. "Whoever pulled the trigger today will similarly be brought to justice with as much zeal and effort as we put into the prosecution of Mr. Mankiewicz, because while that assassin may have ended the life of a convicted criminal, they also murdered a Kalistani citizen and a veteran, and we cannot allow violence and vigilantism to reign in the streets of our nation's largest city."

Zarate said the names he got from Mankiewicz, combined with testimony of other criminal defendants in this case certainly point to the existence of more than just an small time local crime racket, but a whole network of criminality organized into something like a Mafia. "We want to be careful how we characterize it," said Zarate. "Mafia suggests some kind of link with Istalia, as it suggests a meaning of swagger and braggadocio. But this organized crime syndicate appears more and more every day to be run by Yeudi interests here in Kalistan. It is homegrown, it is pernicious, and it is brazen. And it appears to be behind what we've been investigating now for more than a year."

The identification of the violence in Sulari with Yeudi actors drew immediate comment from the Antantonese Yeudi Interest Committee, who issued a statement following the death of Mr. Mankiewicz. "(AYIC) takes this moment to warn the Government of the Free City of Sulari against overly associating this string of criminality with the Yeudi population in Kalistan. Yeudis are hard working, socially upstanding, law abiding and loyal citizens of this Empire. We as a community tend to be more conservative than the average Kalistani and more directly supportive of the Monarchy and House Ananto. We have had a very good and long standing relationship with the Royal family for centuries. And AYIC would not like to see the actions of this group of individuals blacken the reputation of the entire community, who as a whole want nothing to do with these criminals. AYIC will offer whatever cooperation is appropriate to assist, but we also explicitly state that we do not tolerate any association with organized crime or illicit earnings, and will reject any attempt by criminal elements, if they exist to influence the behavior or activities of the AYIC."

The statement continued to plea for funds from members, saying that many of AYIC's main supporters have been "a bit less generous" in giving since AYIC was mentioned in the same sentence with the banking scandals of last year. "Representing Yeudi interests at home and abroad is growing very expensive, and your support is needed now more than ever. Tsuzamen kenen mir gevinen dem zig far ale aundzere mentshn!" Public records bear this out, but seem to suggest that individual donations for AYIC fell off significantly more than 10 years ago, and much of AYIC budget is now covered by investment revenue from many of the operations overseen by the Bookmakers' Association in Sulari and elsewhere. More than 85% of the operations budget of AYIC used to be covered by Individual donations, while now Individual donations cover only 23%, forcing the organization to find additional funding from other sources. Those scrutinizing AYIC audits have found no improprieties in the budgets, and AYIC as an organization is not a subject of the investigation.

Mr. Kohl, the assassin in this story, will be held pending indictment, and then will likely be tried in the same court building he prevented the now late Mr. Mankiewicz from entering. The injured police officer is reportedly recovering after emergency surgery saved his leg, and is expected to make a full recovery.

@TheRepublic

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Famous Yeudi Bookmaker Julian Levinson arrested in Sulari
Charged with racketeering, conspiracy, and attempting to flee prosecution
Sulari, Duchy of Suldanor
July 5 5692


Julian Levinson, Senior Associate of the Bookmakers' Association, under arrest in Sulari

The Sulari Special Investigations Division, who is charged with overseeing the investigation of Organized Crime in Sulari, has arrested Mr. Julian Levinson of Sulari. Levinson is a Senior Associate in the Kalistani Bookmakers Association: His position made him number 4 in the hierarchy of the syndicate, and has officially made him the highest ranking member of the Association to be arrested to date.

The Sulari Special Investigations Division Director, Captain Alberto Zarate said that Mr. Levinson's ties with organized crime have been under investigation for several years already. "Mr. Julian Levinson, who is known better by aliases 'Julie Books' and 'The Jeweler' to people within the Bookmakers Association, is believed to be a high level associate in Yeudi organized crime rings. He has been charged with racketeering, bet fixing, Conspiracy to defraud the Empire, and attempting to flee justice. Mr. Levinson was apprehended at Sulari International Airport where he held in his possession a one way ticket to Tel Bira by way of Likatonia and Luthori. It was clear that he was captured just in time."

Zarate said that Levinson's name was one of the names provided by the now deceased Karl Makiewicz. According to Zarate, Mankiewicz named Levinson as one of the people who arranged payment for the assassination attempt on Her Imperial Majesty's Justice Minister, which instead killed four innocent people, and seriously wounded ten pedestrians in downtown Sulari a year and a half ago. He was also identified by other witnesses who have turned informer, each of whom corroborated claims that Levinson had been fixing bets on horse races, sporting events, and casino games. Levinson denies all charges and proclaims his own innocence.

"My client is a hard working loyal Yeudi Citizen of this Empire," said Levinson's lawyer Christopher Johnson, of Sulari, who has defended several other high profile individuals in the past, and was sought because of his winning record in trial courts. "As a committed Hosian myself, I find this outrageous, how our Government treats these minorities like Mr. Levinson, as should all Hosians and Brethrenists in Kalistan. He was apprehended by an overbearing law enforcement apparatus which exceeds the Charter authority of the Free City, and his civil rights were repeatedly violated in the process, and now it seems like Sulari wishes to try Mr. Levinson in the press.

"But my client has rights and we demand they be respected," Johnson continued in his emotional and heavily slanted statement to the press on his client's behalf. "We call this harassment of my client and other Yeudis in Kalistan unconscionable, and we plead for the sense of justice of Her Highness, the Princess Regent: Please get this mad dog government in Sulari back on the leash before more of your Yeudi subjects are maliciously persecuted, just for being Yeudis." Johnson said Levinson was just travelling to Tel Bira to attempt to attract more Yeudi investment for Kalistani casinos: "To attack him for his industry and individual initiative is wild and outrageous. I thought this nation wasn't communist. I guess I was wrong!"

Zarate also stated that Levinson is affiliated with AYIC. "We know that Levinson himself has recently taken a seat on the AYIC board, is a major contributor to AYIC, and travelled with Mr. Jacob Maxwell and his wife on their much publicized trip to Tel Bira in 5689. He is in photo of the part at Kaliburg International with Maxwell, along with several other individuals who we believe are associated with organized crime in Sulari and in Port Swedes." Zarate said Sulari has said Maxwell is wanted for questioning about his connection to Levinson and others, and he has 48 hours to report to the police in Sulari to speak to Police or a warrant for his arrest will be issued.

The arrest of Levinson suggests a major break in the Bookmakers Probe that is about to enter its third year. Police have started referring to the Organized Crime operations as the "Yeudi Shtik." According to Zarate, the now deceased Karl Makiewicz talked extensively about the criminal organization that had employed him in terms of "Undzer Shtik" or "Our Thing" in Redn. Zarate said that the questioning of Mr. Levinson will likely yield additional links to and between organized criminal operations in Sulari, and if the investigation extends to Port Swedes, he will certainly be willing to help Swedeport set up their own Special Investigations Division structured like Sulari's. "We have been able to be very methodical in our investigation, utilizing our resources efficiently in our battle against these criminals, and despite many of our setbacks, we've had a lot of major successes, including the arrest today of Mr. Levinson as he was attempting to flee the country. Success builds upon success, and each day, the lives of the people of Sulari and the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan becomes safer and less corrupted by greed and violence."

@TheRepublic

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Princess Regent to travel to Valruzia
Talks of Continental Security and Cultural Exchange on the table
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
August 11, 5692


Princess Regent and Sir Andrew Rohrbach at The National Theater in Kaliburg, earlier this month

Her Highness, the Princess Regent has announced that she intends to travel to Valruzia later this year to discuss Continental Security with the Pawlik Administration. Imperial Spokeswoman Lady Ursula Gattlin announced the visit after preliminary talks were concluded earlier in August at the Valruzian Embassy in Kaliburg. "Kalistan was invited by the Valruzians to discuss important continental security matters such as continental intelligence and surveillance integration to expand the existing security intel sharing agreement that Kalistan already has with neighboring Lodamun, Gaduridos and Dolgava. Integration on this level would greatly expand Kalistani security information to the West Coast of Seleya, and would permit Valruzia to receive intelligence updates from the Anantonese Ocean. An expansion like this will integrate most of Northern Seleya into a single network that will greatly enhance all our security and will increase early warning capacity of Seleya as a whole."

Lady Gattlin also said the meeting will go over updates concerning the Valruzian VS-100 multi-role fighters that Kalistan has invested significantly in and has purchased, as well as naval and air cooperation in Seleya. "Having an integrated continental system has long been a dream of the Kalistani Government," said Lady Gattlin, "and it finally looks closer now than ever with sympathetic governments in Lodamun, Gaduridos and Valruzia who are considering strategic defense as a priority, and realizing that cooperation with our neighbors is a key to our mutual success. Kalistan values our partnerships and the contribution each nation makes to our collective defense in this area, and it is fine to note the systems we are putting in place with our neighbors will go to enhance our own individual security. Also on the agenda is deepening cultural exchange between the two nations: "Her Imperial Majesty has expressed to the Princess Regent an interest in inquiring about the opening of a Valruzian language institute in Kalistan, as well as an institute to promote the study and development of Northern Seleyan minority languages in Kalistan, so the Princess Regent will discuss cooperation along those lines as well."

Gattlin also noted that the trip will partly serve as a vacation for the Princess Regent, who has been on the job steadily for a year since The Empress' mustering into National Service and the departure of the Princess of the Empire. "Her Highness has worked tirelessly for this entire year, as the National Government has been battling organized crime in Sulari and across Kalistan Proper. She and her spouse Sir Andrew Rohrbach have decided that this trip to Valruzia should be more of an extended working vacation than a simple trip out of the country. She and Sir Andrew will spend two weeks at the Pałac Kulka-Kozyra in Gryfitow which was presented as a gift by the Valruzian Government to Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto. Her Highness said she and Sir Rohrbach look forward to hosting President Pawlik and her Husband on the estate for a social visit."

The Princess Regent will be accompanied by Her Imperial Majesty's Foreign Minister, Sir Thomas Harney, Her Imperial Majesty's Defense Minister, Col Morris Grant, and Her Imperial Majesty's Culture Minister Dr. Diane Caballero, who replaced the retired Janet Simmons last year in the Cabinet. She will also be accompanied by essential staff of these cabinet ministers, who will hold meetings with their Valruzian counterparts while Her Highness and her husband vacation in Gryfitow.

@TheRepublic

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Question: How did House Ananto become associated with Red and White Tartan?
Hint: It has nothing to do with Artania
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
August 25, 5692


Her Highness, Princess Regent Nicolette Ananto-Collins in what has become standard Ananto Dress, featuring a Red and White Tartan Pattern

It is said, in fashionable circles that all tartans are plaids, but not all plaids are tartan. While fashion designers know this, as weavers have known it for centuries, the Kalistani Monarchy seems to pay specific attention to it: Many of our monarchs and regents have adopted the tartan as a go-to fashion choice for generations. Specifically the red and white tartan: They will choose this pattern for their dress while it is almost no where else found in Kalistani Fashion. In fact, the symbol of Kalistani Nobility is ordained as the Red and White Tartan plaid in the rules of the Eternal Order of the Grey Smoke, where all Kalistani Knights and Ladies Companion must wear a red and white tartan sash to identify their nationality, while members from other nations may wear sashes with their own national colors in whatever pattern they like.

So we got to wondering: Where did this fascination for the Red and White Tartan plaid come from, how did House Ananto adopt it specifically, and why that and not something more similar to most Kalistani fashion which is either almost exclusively solid colors and floral prints? Its so radically different that it must have been imported at some point from Artania, where tartan is more common--If this is the case, though, what is the Royal Family's connection to a place like Belizua where you might see more tartans signifying family ties or political alliances? How did it get here? What does it mean here? We asked House Ananto to fill us in.

"The Tartan wasn't borrowed from Beluzia or Artania or anything," said House Ananto Director, Dame Allison Ananto-Westmoreland. "I mean, surely the pattern was theirs before anyone in Kalistan heard of it, but at the beginning, I think it was just a fashion choice. Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina I Ananto's Foreign Minister, Dame Jacqueline DuMont, was very fond of wearing plaids as a contrast to the Anantos: You will recall, Empress Pavlina, the Black Empress, wore only black, just solid, black for most of her life, and her daughter, Carolina, though she modernized her wardrobe and started dressing more colorfully, still dressed very conservatively, in solids, very Brethrenist, not attempting to show off in her dress at all. Dame Dumont often wore a red and white tartan pattern to the National Assembly, and she was seen as a very stylish and sharp dresser. And perhaps in imitation of Dame Dumont's style sense, Carolina herself began dabbling in plaids, including a famous tartan coat she wore to Gaduridos when she went to secure the nation for the Empire."

Ananto-Westmoreland said it would be a while thought before red and white tartan would become the go to pattern for Kalistani Royals. "The tartan says sophistication and elegance to the Anantos," said Dame Ananto-Westmoreland. "That's really the only way to explain it. My great grandmother (Carolina I) did eventually begin sporting a red and white tartan suit when she would go to speak to the National Assembly on occasion, but again, this was more an imitation of Dame Dumont's style sense, rather than anything conscientious--Carolina always preferred simple flat colors, embroidered floral patterns and rich but understated fashion."

But Carolina was also a keen politician and formally adopted the pattern later in her reign, by institutionalizing it during her reform of the Chivalric Order known as the Ancient Order of the Gray Smoke. "When people think of Kalistani colors, they tend to think of orange white and wine purple," said Dame Ananto-Westmoreland. "And of course, with imperial colors its that same Purple and white. But the orange, white and burgundy are actually Ananto colors, while the Colors of Kalistan Proper are scarlet and white. The tartan then is a pattern of sophistication and class, and its colors are a tribute to Kalistan Proper. Carolina adopted those colors to symbolize her nationality, to suggest that Ananto and Kalistan are indeed one people, and the Empress in Kaliburg, Ananto, was as Kalistani as any of her subjects living in Kalistan Proper. It was a conscientious political statement on her part, and was institutionalized when the Order of the Gray Smoke was reorganized in 5593."

Princess of the Empire Michelle Ananto-Sandoval wore the Tartan pattern even after leaving the regency, such as to events at the Dulnerstaad National Aquarium

The Princess Regent Michelle Ananto-Sandoval's regency saw the red and white Tartan becoming more than just a chivalric device. "During my great Aunt's regency, the tartan became a staple for women in House Ananto. Michelle wore the Tartan on a regular basis, both as a coat and as a dress. But not only that: Michelle's sister in law, Lady Monica DeLaurentis, who was Mary's mother, also wore plaid, though she preferred midnight blue and white or gold. That pattern was also adopted by Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Jennifer I Ananto as well, as a conscientious reservation of the red and white for Anantos. We also saw Ananto women increasing wearing Red over white solids when they weren't wearing tartan plaids."

Empress Mary I Ananto, now Her Highness, the Princess of the Empire and Dame Ananto-Westmoreland's aunt, solidified the tartan's place in Kalistani Imperial Fashion. "From a very early age, she adopted red and white tartan plaid as a regular fashion," said Dame Ananto-Westmoreland. "Mary was very conscientious about wearing that pattern, even as a kid, as often as she possible could. She frequently wore red and white tartan plaid to official functions (Her first public photo shows her in a red and white tartan plaid dress at her father's funeral), wore it abroad, wore it to meet dignitaries, and of course wore it at Order functions. She made the tartan a symbol in the Empire and put the official imperial stamp on it--Those associated with the royal family frequently wore plaids and tartans, but only the Empress wore the red and white tartan (except in Order functions where all Kalistani Members are required to wear it). To the point where it became so associated with her that non Ananto women in the nation almost stopped wearing red and white tartan plaid all together in deference to the Empress. There is no law limiting its use in society, but when people wear it now, they think of Empress Mary, who wore it as often as she could."

Mary's dresses were made either of wool or cotton, finely woven and very soft and comfortable in all weather. Mary was well known for not wearing synthetic fibers. "By all accounts, Mary loved the finer things in her life," said Dame Ananto-Westmoreland. "Her reign was quite consequential for fashion in Kalistan. It was during her reign that the couture industry really burst into the mainstream. Mary was almost always better dressed in finer clothing, in more glittering gems, in more elaborate and elegant hair than literally everyone around her. She really did so much to encourage fine textile production, and then to show it off, and at the center of all of it was the red and white tartan. Whether she was wearing it as a warm winter dress, or a pretty light summer blouse and skirt, Mary symbolized elegance, class and femininity with her fashion choices. Most of all, by associating the Tartan with the Crown, she also associated the pattern with authority, further separating it from common usage."

Empress Mary I Ananto cemented the association of the red and white Tartan with the Ananto Monarchy

Since Mary's very consequential reign, we have seen the red and white plaid and red and white tartan plaid on Empress Jennifer I Ananto, and now both Her Highness the Princess Regent Nicolette Ananto-Collins and Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto, who recently combined the tartan pattern with the red and white combo worn by other powerful women in Kalistan. "We are fairly certain that Her Imperial Majesty, Carolina II Ananto will set her own course in terms of fashion," said Dame Ananto-Westmoreland. "But to be completely honest, I don't anticipate the Red and white tartan pattern going anywhere any time soon. It has become associated with Imperial Authority, and unlike fashion trends that come and go as tastes change, this fashion actually has institutional backing. There is no doubt that Ananto women will continue to use that pattern going into the foreseeable future."

Will men adopt the tartan in their own fashion? "Well, its hard to say," said Dame Ananto-Westmoreland. "Men tend to like to dress more like businessmen or professors. They don't often wear a lot of colors that make a statement. This isn't to say that they never will, but they haven't so far, which suggests that the red and white tartan, which you have to admit looks fabulous on our women, probably will be left to the women. We have seen Ananto men getting a bit more creative with darker plaids, but none have gone full on into bright red and white knit tartan plaids yet. I don't know that they will."

The answer to the question of the strange appearance of red and white tartan in Kalistan therefore appears to have a rather unexpected, but on the other hand completely reasonable answer relating to fashion, authority and a desire to express national unity. The movement has been led and entirely run from the start by a group of powerful, fashion conscious women who conscientiously adopted Kalistani colors in their dress to emphasize connection and Imperium. And as it becomes more institutionalized, it appears to be a fashion, at least among Ananto women which is not going anywhere.

We thank Dame Alison Ananto-Westmoreland, Director of House Ananto, for speaking with us about the roots of the Red and White Tartan plaid in Kalistan.

@LaModa

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La Moda Interviews the Princess of the Empire
"I think Her Imperial Majesty will be her own woman" said former Empress
Eveari, Grand Duchy of Ananto
October 3, 5692


Her Highness, Princess of the Empire Mary Ananto-DeLaurentis, at home in Eveari

La Moda had the opportunity to sit down with Her Highness, Princess of the Empire Mary Ananto-DeLaurentis at her home on the Ananto Estate in Eveari this month. The interview was a wideranging affair, but what is clear that even after all this time, the Princess is finally taking it easy and enjoying life.

(La Moda's) C(hristina) E(ggleston): Good afternoon your Highness. It is a pleasure to meet you after all this time.

(Her Highness, the Princess of the Empire) M(ary) A(nanto-DeLaurentis)- After all this time? How long were you waiting?

CE: What I mean is, I grew up reading about you and learning about you. Your reign was more or less a golden age in Kalistan, and it is a pleasure to finally get to sit down and speak with one my own childhood heroes.

MA: I see, well, You can't be more than 27 years old, so I suppose I can accept that compliment. I am not sure I have done much that is heroic though.

CE: Of course you have, Your Majesty. You were the Empress of Ananto and Kalistan.

MA: Do you know what I had to do to become Empress, my dear?

CE: Madame, is this a trick question?

MA: No, perhaps it is a rhetorical question. What I mean to say is I didn't have a lot of choice in the matter of my being Empress. It was sort of given to me a bit too early I will add. I can't say I ever actually wanted it: My sister, on the other hand, I would have abdicated in her favor in a heart break if she would have ever accepted it. But you know these crazy Anantos--So stuck in their ways. So it fell to me.

CE: Well, My Lady, it is still wonderful to meet you.

MA: Likewise, and I very interested in this interview. Now that I am retired, I get to read La Moda a lot more often. I loved your piece on the Tartan. I wrote a letter to Allison (Lady Allison Ananto-Westmoreland, head of House Ananto) thanking her for laying it all out for you all.

CE: How is Lady Jensen these days?

MA: We were trying to keep it private but I suppose I should break the news, my family already knows. Lady Jensen is dying. She is suffering from kidney failure, and I think she is about done with dialysis.

CE: They won't do a kidney transplant?

MA: No. Bless you for asking sweetheart, but I think we're well past that point. She's actually a little older than me, and I am 82. And you know, I think she would like to be the one who decides when she goes, so we're talking to each other. I know its very selfish of me, but I am not quite ready to let her go yet. You spend such a long time with someone, its just hard, even though you know they are suffering. At the end of the day, I am getting used to Death visiting my home.

My father and mother, my sister, my son and daughter in law, my two little grandsons, and now Martin is gone and Ginny is leaving. Thank goodness I still have my daughter and Granddaughter: Thank god they still live. When it is my turn, and Death comes for me, I think I will smile and ask him why he was so cruel to take all my friends and family, and leave me here, but then I will welcome him with open arms and ask him to take me so I can see those I have lost again.

CE: How is your health, Madame? All this talk of death has me a little concerned.

MA: Me? I am strangely fit as a fiddle. I still hike daily, even if it is only 6 miles or so into the woods--Sometimes I like to hike the North Shore from Dulnerstaad where my father's sister used to hike with me when I was a kid. Nobody goes out there, and I can see how all our little trees are growing up so tall. I still help plant trees in the summer, though I am getting more concerned I am going to hurt myself, so I leave a lot of the heavy lifting to the younger generations, and I share what I know: People like to come out to help because they still think I am something, but also because they still think my cause matters, and I am so grateful for all the help. But yes, I am in excellent health, inexplicably. I think I might need to get a filling this month, but otherwise, nothing at all to complain about.

CE: Have you ever thought about authoring a biography? I know you are just being modest, but your life has been truly amazing and I believe Kalistanis from every walk of life would love to read it.

MA: Goodness no. I am a simple Brethrenist, and a very private person. Besides, I have forgotten so much about my life, any biography of me would be very short.

CE: I see you still wear your jewelry.

MA: Old habits, you know. This necklace was made for me by Reed maybe 25 years ago now. It's beautiful, and the earrings match, you see. These are beautiful.

CE: I bet they are very valuable.

MA: You have no idea, my girl. I don't think they have ever been priced, especially as todays rates, but the emeralds themselves must be worth tens of thousands. It's just best to not think of it.

CE: Why do you suppose Her Highness the Princess Regent doesn't often wear Jewelry?

MA: Well, Nicolette was never much for jewelry or all that adornment. She is such a beautiful girl, you know, I think she just finds the jewelry distracting. She spent a good portion of her life on the waves, and she would never wear it then, and she's kind of a hippy, maybe in a different way than people used to think I was. Like my daughter is a real hippy. Its a real chore for her to show up to work everyday. Don't get me wrong: I think she is doing a fantastic job. But I don't think she likes all the responsibility, and I know she is eager for the day that Carolina is crowned and she can go back to Luxon to never do this again.

CE: Do you think Her Imperial Majesty will follow in your footsteps or do you think she will take more after her father and mother?

MA: If Carolina is wise, she will follow after her aunt and hate the job. I can tell you, anyone who has ever been in that job has not loved it. I grew to tolerate it after 30 years, but I would never accept that sort of responsibility ever again. That was enough for three lifetimes. I think Carolina will be her own woman, actually. She's very smart, maybe as smart as my late sister Margaret, heck maybe smarter. I think she will carve out a path for herself as wide as the Ananto Strait, and will transform this Empire. I'll be here to help her as long as I can, and I know my daughter will be her chief advisor even after Carolina is crowned. But Carolina is so much more intelligent than all of us, so the world is hers to make of it what she wants.

CE: What do you think of the Princess Regent's administration of the Empire so far?

MA: Of course I approve it, but I must warn you, dear. Kalistan only has one Empress right now. My daughter is her Regent while she is in the NSP, but I was in the room for a lot of those decisions, and the input my grand daughter gave, even when she was too young to do so, was still often the course followed. I remembered the first time she used her pronouns around me. She had such a presence and a natural authority. We spent the next few years cultivating that in her.

So the Princess Regent herself, even now, does not move unless it is cleared with the Empress. This is why we are seeing a lot less coming from the National Government who are just keeping things running while the Empress finishes her National Service. But everything the Chancellor does, everything the Regent, my daughter, tells the Chancellor to get done, that is all Carolina already, and Carolina is learning very quickly how ready Kalistanis are to bow before her; her time in the NSP will be the last time anyone ever tells her what to do again.

CE: Are you concerned that this will give her an ego?

MA: Haha, Ms. Eggleston, you must have me confused with someone who thinks that is a bad thing.

CE: Not at all, Madame. But Carolina seems to be very humble and very down to earth. She hasn't spent much time before the cameras, nor has she made many public statements. I think the idea of her as an absolute monarch so soon is something many Kalistanis will have a hard time wrapping their head around.

MA: Give her time to put that crown on her head, and your opinion of her will change overnight. Look, Ms. Eggleston. Your Empress is what our people will demand her to be: A full and unquestionable autocrat. Having been in that role myself, I know something about it. She has been trained since she was 12 to expect to be obeyed by literally everyone around her.

She lives in a society which has a thousand institutions, all of which exist to turn her very breath into laws that affect the lives of more than 93 million Kalistanis. All those institutions ensure that if she utters anything like an imperative, the mechanisms of government turn in an instant. Without hesitation, without question, without any real opposition. Surely you don't mean to put someone in that position who doesn't have an ego? We all have egos. Our job not only permits us to be megalomanics, but almost requires it of us. It's why my daughter wants to get out of that role as soon as she can: She doesn't possess that temperament. But Carolina, she certainly does, and she will make us all very proud. You want your Empress to be decisive, you want your Empress to be confident, you want your Empress to solve problems and work for the welfare of her people. You don't want her to doubt, because your own faith and confidence comes from her decisiveness. You will never get someone who can do that in a democracy.

CE: I see what you mean, Your Majesty.

MA: This is something I know for sure. Carolina has her own ideas about things. She loves Valruzia and thinks the world of their President, not because she admires their democracy, but because she loves the idea of Seleya working together and she thinks Pawlik shares that dream. So she embraces the Valruzians, and Pawlik comes to Kalistan to a hero's welcome before she has ever even done anything in Valruzia. Carolina wants to strengthen ties with Hutori, because she believes that it is important to strengthen our ties with our historic friends. So we send the Hulanevek diamond to Hutori. Carolina thinks the animosity with Amudim has gone on long enough, so we join Bankaut.

These are not the decisions I would have made myself. These are certainly not the decisions Donahue, an ardent and uncompromising Nationalist wanted, but Carolina told her aunt to do it because she wasn't legally allowed to tell Donahue to do it, and even her aunt, the Princess Regent, said 'I'll take care of it, Majesty.' without even thinking twice about it. So at the end of the day, what does the opinion of an old woman matter, when even the Regent simply gives our Empress exactly what she has the right to demand.

Look, I'll give you an example of the sort of power Her Imperial Majesty possesses. One time, my Foreign Minister, and my close personal friend Lady Anya Waltrip went to speak with the Kundrati Legion. I was under the impression that Kalistan could buy our way out of that long standing conflict without any more death. So I made a deal with the literal most evil people on the face of the planet, people who were literally feeding their own people to their own people. People who were doing horrific medical experiments on their own children. People who would launch chemical attacks against the sleeping population of three Kalistani cities one night when I was a baby, and kill over 40,000 Kalistani civilians.

Point is, I concluded a deal with these people, and instead of soiling my hand by shaking these people's hand, I had my Foreign Minister shake their hand. I lost my foreign Minister's friendship that day--she never forgave me for that. But she did it, without question and without hesitation, and she worked for me for another 15 years. If an honorable person like that would so lower herself as to shake the hand of a fascist because I required her to, how much easier do you think it will be for Carolina to get people to do what they already want to do?

CE: Not hard at all, I suppose, Madame.

MA: Not hard at all. Carolina will rule this nation as we all have. Our velvet glove covers an iron gauntlet. And Carolina has already enthusiastically embraced her destiny. And there is a very good chance that she will never not be the smartest person in any room she walks into. She will be deadly to those who decide to try to test her. It stirs my nationalist blood just to think about it!

CE: Do you think Carolina is a Nationalist?

MA: Well, I think she is, but in a different way. Kalistan first last and always, the policy I more or less fell into, probably doesn't suit Carolina. She is playing a different game. We are into Fortress Kalistan right now, but part of that is to go out into the world and find those who will stand with Kalistan. So there is a measure of internationalist in Carolina's policy already. It's sort of baked in. It may change, but I don't think anyone who believes that she is personally the State and the avatar of the Kalistani People, as Carolina must, and as I did, can ever be considered not a hard nationalist.

But I think there might be a reason that La Moda is here interviewing me and not The National. They don't like some of the policies coming out of Kaliburg: They are blaming Nicolette for them, when of course, she is just doing what Carolina told her to do. I have a feeling this interview would be much more contentious if The National was here asking me questions.

CE: Well, we decided to interview you, because we wanted to write a feature on you now that you are fully in retirement, your duties with Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress being completed.

MA: Ha, well, as you can see, I'd say they are going very well.

At this point in the interview, Her Highness, the Princess of the Empire smiled kindly and asked La Moda to just shut off the recorder. She called it very offputting, and said she would like the opportunity to speak with our reporter just as people speak. She invited our Ms. Eggleston on a hike into the Eveari Grove of Redwoods. Eggleson, who had never ventured much into the redwood forest agreed to go for a walk. She later reported that the two spoke about how brave the Princess Regent was for stepping up to take the regency following the tragic loss of her brother, and how wonderful it was that The Princess adopted Her Imperial Majesty as her own daughter when the Empress had just lost both of her parents.

"My daughter is the kindest and most giving person I have ever met," said the Princess of the Empire during the hike. "She didn't have to do what she did, but she really did what we all needed her to do. Just like my sister made her life a life in service to this Empire, my daughter did what was asked of her and she has done it so well. I tell my daughter as often as I can how proud I am of her and how much I love her. And I know she had a lot of grief over her brother and Jennifer's loss, but I hoped that being able to be there for and with her as she mourned was helpful."

The Princess also talked about the lifecycle of the Kalistani Redwood, which she has an abiding fascination with since she was a teenager. "At one point this tree was an endangered species in Kalistan," said the Princess Regent. "When I started replanting these early in my reign, the only two wild stands were here in Eveari, and the grove in the Dragon Hills in Odufaray. All the other ones had long since been chopped down, and all replanting had been of conifers like pine and spruce, trees that grow fast and will recover clear cut hillsides quickly. The Redwood was almost gone. But since then we have planted more than 15 million trees all along the northern Shore of Ananto, and all along the maritime regions of Vrassa. And now, 60 years or so later, I can confidently say that in Kalistan, we have returned this majestic tree from the brink of extinction. The distinction between the old growth forests like this this one and the new restored groves will be obliterated within the next couple generations, but these forests will stand long after you and I are dead and forgotten, as a testament to people who cared."

She also noted how spooky she always thought it felt to walk under a tree which had been dropping humus for hundreds of years on this same spot. "The soil that feeds this tree is literally the detritus of its branches above us. Circle of life, and all. Can you imagine how much history this one tree here has seen and experienced? It gives me the chills just to think of it."

After several hours of Her Highness showing our reporter paths that only Her Highness had ever trodden, which she herself blazed decades before, she and the reporter returned to the Estate, where Her Highness only half heartedly apologized for taking up Ms. Eggleston's whole day, but eventually elicited an agreement that she had had fun on the walk. Our reporter bid the former Empress a fond farewell, grateful to have gotten to spend so much time talking to the Princess of the Empire off the record, "just as two normal people would talk about anything," in the words of Her Highness, the Princess of the Empire.

@LaModa

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Her Imperial Majesty delivers address before civil society group
"Neither Communism nor Capitalism, but Nationalism," said Empress
Eshar, Duchy of Vrassa
December 5, 5692


Her Imperial Majesty speaks at annual meeting of the Nationalist Society while on Leave from NSP

Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto, who took part of her annual leave to deliver introductory remarks at the Nationalist Society's Annual Luncheon, gratified many nationalists who have spent years wondering where the new Empress would land with regard to Kalistani National Interests. In her remarks, she set out a firm marker for her coming administration, which has not properly begun just yet, and delighted the audience in the process. Here is a transcript of her brief comments.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Nationalist Society, we wish you peace.

We have been invited to speak today before you by our dear friend and Chancellor, the Countess of Vrassa, Lady Ericka Donahue. Our purpose is to introduce the key note speaker, Dr. Samantha Galloway, who will present remarks concerning an overview of our Empire's Nationally oriented Foreign Economic Policy, as well as an examination of some of the rising challenges our country will be facing in the coming year, and she will also no doubt exhort you for a generous donation to the Nationalist Society, so we will not steal much of her thunder. She is an accomplished professor of International Political Economy, and her education and expertise speak for themselves.

It is our privilege, however to provide prefatory remarks, to whet the appetite, as they say. We do not speak from notes, so please forgive us our error in speech if one occurs. But in preparation to hear from Dr. Galloway, we invite each listener here to consider how best the policies she will discuss assists our empire in maintaining our fierce and valiant independence in the face of a world which has gone positively insane with liberalism. Kalistan stands above the endless clamor of the mobs which pass for a government in other nations. And it is because we maintain a focus on the national good.

We have heard it said that when there is no mechanism to determine who was the fittest to govern, it is far better to leave the matter to the whole body than to imbue it in one or a small number of people who may or may not be competent. We do not need to ask which is worse: one incompetent person running the government, or 75 million incompetent people all trying to run the government. What is important is that the government of the nation, any nation, ought to be unified with the single solitary goal of identifying and defending the national interest. And in this case, you, the women of the Nationalist Society here in Eshar, as well, we believe, as the men you brought with you as guests, share the same vision that we do.

Vibrant Kalistani industry, steadfast Kalistani defense and a welcoming Kalistani population are our best defenses against the encroachment of dangerous and malignant liberal ideas and foreign tyrants who wish to reduce the things we all hold dear. Yes, you all and us: We share the same values, that other nations, for the most part, will never understand. We share a commitment to restoring, ALL of Kalistan's historical territories, and returning our border to the frontier of Gaduridos in the South. We stand for a national Imperial Ruble which is immune to the shocks of speculative investment that plague other nations. We stand for Kalistani jobs here at home and Kalistani exports abroad that enrich our people first. We stand for a military that defends our borders and keeps our people safe by keeping the petty conflicts of foreign powers out of our part of the world. We stand by our Seleyan and Anantonese Partners. And we seek to project a kind yet firm image to the people of the world, who will know that Kalistan will always keep its word, no matter what the circumstance. We do not lie, we do not cheat, and we do not attempt to trick others. We are the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan: We help our friends, we hurt our rivals, and we will have what belongs to us.

The Kalistani Economy is a key part of this, and the essential aspect of that is trade. Kalistan works to maintain a positive trade balance, importing only what we cannot make for ourselves, and exporting to all those who wish to buy from us. But we do so with strong protection of our national industries and strict controls on capital flows in and out of our Empire, and otherwise, a general commitment to freedom of commerce, to procure those things we need for ourself at the best value we can get. Kalistan believes in comparative advantage, and we believe that there should be relatively few barriers to trade. But we also do not wish to be placed in the position to be taken advantage of. We promote economic nationalism in Kalistan, some may call it mercantilism, but whatever you call it, it is our thing that we encourage others to copy for their own national interests. Neither capitalism, nor communism, but a real economic nationalism is our policy now, and will be going forward.

With that, we shall introduce our speaker for tonight, who we are thrilled to get the opportunity to hear from our own selves. Dr. Samantha Gallowy is an associate professor of comparative political economy at the University of Eshar here in the Free City. She is the author of fifteen peer reviewed articles, and we will add, has a fantastic sense of humor. Dr. Galloway, we are just now informed, has also just been awarded the George B. Alvarez-Sullivan Endowed Chair position at the University of Eshar, so we are very proud to be able to listen to the words of such an illustrious and accomplished scholar here in our Empire. Without further ado, please welcome Dr. Samantha Galloway."

Dr. Galloway rose to the deliver the address, politely bowed before the Empress, who returned the salute, and then took the podium, where many of the themes of Her Imperial Majesty's very short speech were echoed and expanded upon. The Nationalist Society members reported that Her Imperial Majesty handled the ceremonial duties with poise, dignity and confidence, and were delighted when Lady Allison Ananto-Westmoreland, who was also in attendance as a guest of Lady Donahue, presented the Society with a check for ₭1.5 Million Imperial Rubles from House Ananto's Philanthropy fund to further the mission of national oriented education in Kalistan and Ananto.

@TheNational