Kalistan

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Remembering the "Great Swedeport Stampede"
Residents offer Retrospective on Two Years without Wrnukean Fleet in Vrassan City
Port Swedes, Duchy of Vrassa
June 1, 5581


Two years ago, Vrassan Ranchers staged "Great Swedeport Stampede" in Downtown Port Swedes to say goodbye to Jelbic Naval units

Two years have passed since the "Great Swedeport Stampede," and citizens of the Northern Vrassan city are reminiscing at the fun, the chaos, and the comradery of the Fleet Send Off.  "For 17 years, members of the Jelbic Imperial Navy, who made Port Swedes its refuel and resupply port, brought much needed excitement and cultural diversity to the run down northern industrial port city that was previously more known for loud music, coffee and heroin," said Nathaniel Osland, head of the Port Swedes Chamber of Tourism.  "The Jelbic Sailors brought a new kind of life and excitement to the town, and the people of Port Swedes loved seeing them here.  Jelbic Beef and Broccoli became a town favorite and several new restaurants that served Jelbic cuisine opened.  We even had cultural exchange days and an annual celebration of Emperor Bunjamin's Birthday where the people of Port Swedes gave the Jelbic guests a parade and dressed up in authentic Jelbic attire.  Several Horse ranches also sprung up in the immediate vicinity, where Jelbic Sailors on liberty could rent fast Majatran horses for races, games and other sorts of fun activities."

The Jelbic Naval members were excellent guests and treated Kalistani curiosity with a sense of humor.  They began attending Kalistani friendship ceremonies dressed in cartoonish versions of Kalistani Clothing, and even commissioned a Jelbic "medal" to award an outstanding Swedeport citizen each year during the cultural festival.  The Kalistani Regular Navy and the Jelbic Navy both engaged in friendly competitions, with Kalistanis participating against Jelbic riders in horse racing, and a Jelbic squad playing exhibition Football Games against the Swedeport Bears annually to kick off the football season.  The relationship that was built over more than a decade and a half was very warm and personal, and an entire generation of Port Swedes Residents grew up with the common sight of Jelbic Warships in the Port and Jelbic Sailors walking in town.

The relationship however, unfortunately came to an end two years ago.  The establishment of the Anantonese Security Community and the increasing tensions in Majatra led to a change in orientation in Kaliburg.  Sadly, Kaliburg offered the Jelbic Empire what was called a soft ultimatum, seeking settlement of cold hostility between the Jelbic Empire and Kalistan's partners in Lourenne and Lodamun.  The Jelbic Empire could not abandon its position so the decision was made to leave Port Swedes on May 31, 5579.  The people of Port Swedes were outraged about the Empress' position, but unfortunately could not do anything to change the Kaliburg's attitude about the matter.  So they instead staged what can only be the biggest stampede in Vrassan History.

"The Stampede took place on May 20th, 5579, just over two years ago," said Osland.  "We got the Horse farmers from around the town to bring all their horses to the edge of town.  We invited the Jelbic sailors and the people of the town to turn out.  And as tribute to the friends we made, we ran the horses past the Jelbic Saliors as a salute."  

During the stampede, more than 600 horses ran through a carefully controlled path through town to minimize damage to businesses and homes.  The stampede was remarkably peaceful, and no horses or sailors were hurt during the event, but the stampede itself was something to behold.  "Six hundred horses, running at full speed through the town," said Osland.  "The thunder was deafening.  The people all along the route cheered the horses as they ran toward the Jelbic Sailors, who were then treated to a review of the Kalistani Navy Garrison, who marched by in full dress uniform to salute the Retiring Jelbic Saliors."

All present say they fondly remember the final celebration that followed the Stampede.  Bars were open 24 hours a day for the 11 days between the Stampede and the final departure of the Jelbic Navy, and the event was considered a great celebration.  Several public concerts were held, including music by several Wrnukean metal bands.  There were Jelbic Beef barbeques held nightly in the Parks, and the public demonstrated their affinity for their Jelbic friends.  When the Navy finally shipped out in the early hours of May 31, 5579, more than 15,000 residents turned out to the port to see the Jelbic Navy off.  Following their departure, the Jelbic Emperor Bunjamin offered Her Imperial Majesty several items of legendary Kalistani Historical significance, including a watch that once belonged to Pavel Andreivich and a sword once attributed to King Rufus the Terrible, who added Neveras to Kalistan Proper, dating from the 11th Century CE, which the Empress graciously accepted to add to the Kalistani National Historical Society's Public collection, being displayed in Kaliburg.

The Stampede ended a very positive cultural exchange in Port Swedes.  It is likely to not see anything similar in the near future.  But for nearly two decades now, the people of Port Swedes, in the Duchy of Vrassa, have benefitted from close association and fraternization with Majatran sailors, and the cultural artifacts left as the people of Port Swedes strove to welcome and accommodate their visitors will now join the crazy quilt of Vrassan and Mainland Kalistani Culture.

"We missed our Jelbic friends the moment they left," said Osland.  "We've held two mini stampedes since their departure, and each have been accompanied by a Jelbic Cultural Festival where the people of Port Swedes can get together and talk about absent friends.  It's likely that the Stampede will become a permanent feature of Port Swedes' cultural calendar."