~ Introduction ~
1700AD
If you are reading this journal, there's a good chance you live in a vastly different world than the one I live in now. You may also find it strange that the writer of this journal is talking directly to you, even though we have never met and at the time of you reading this I am, more likely than not, a specter long since removed from this world. While us Russians certainly believe in the afterlife, I don't plan on haunting this body of work anytime soon; I believe the haunting of words is infinitely more powerful than that of a traditionally-minded man.
Not knowing the circumstances that has led you to peruse this journal, I shall write a bit about myself and set the stage for the coming pages. My name is Ivan Naumov and I am a fiction writer, though I certainly wouldn't classify myself as "great" as the other Great Russian Writers you've probably heard of. I reside in the city of Moscow, currently the de facto capital of the Russian nation. I should also mention that it is the only city in the nation after the Laurasian War all but destroyed our country. It's a pretty small and spacious city; there's only about 21,000 people here (nowhere near the current number of people in Roman-controlled St. Petersburg), yet we take up a good chunk of the southern peninsula of the Laurasian continent. We Russians have always been known to have lots of land.
While I am in the generation that was born in Moscow amidst the height of the Laurasian War, I still have a great love and pride for my country. Most of my peers whom I grew up with went the way of assimilation, abandoning the Russian way and emulating other cultures, predominantly Roman culture. I do not blame them for this; with what our parents and grandparents went through and our current national situation, it's only natural that people would gravitate towards the winning side. But no matter how much the people compel me to give up this culture, or how much my peers shun me for not conforming to reality, I still want to be Russian. I cannot bring myself to adopt the language, mindset and practices of my conqueror.
You may be wondering why I am starting a new journal now when I could be writing another novel to make much-needed money. While I am still writing stories for a living, these days I feel more compelled to write down what I see in front on me day in and day out. With the recent events that have taken place having major implications for the future of the Russian culture, I fear that our civilization may not last much longer. I believe it is my duty to record the triumphs and trials of the remaining Russian Republic for as long as I can. While Moscow still stands and I still breathe, I want to make sure the story of the Russian people is preserved in some way that, if the worst happens, generations after us will at least know that there was a "Russia."
Part of me wishes that one day, some roaming scholar finds these pages and deems them worthy enough to bring back to his homeland to show his fellow people. The history books I've read often were of men who took the time to scavenge and pursue any material they could on a certain culture or time and brought it back to present to the masses. However, if you are not one of those people or have no intention on sharing this with anyone, then I still have solace that at least someone is actually learning something about my world.
In this journal, I will do my best to convey the social, political and cultural atmosphere of my city as I experience them. I will give reflections on how we arrived at this situation, containing some history about the events leading up to now. Forgive me if I dwell too much on the historical side; I am known as an avid student of history and tend to go on long diatribes about the past. I will do my best to balance the past and present so you, the reader, may receive more than just a history lesson.
My aim is to hopefully capture the mindset and spirit of the Russian people in this, the 18th century. If this is to be my last piece of writing, I hope that this brings knowledge and understanding to a world that has seen so much bloodshed in its time. Among these pages, I present to you life in Moscow, the last stronghold of Russia.
Blessings unto you all.
