[Crusaders Part I - Malpais Legate]

NEW CANAAN A young man is packing his bags, taking with him clothes, supplies, weaponry, and several books. Once done, he goes to say farewell to his friends and family, and sets out to the wasteland, to educate the barbarians and spread the good news. He does not go alone: with him is another man, one Edward Sallow, who is a Follower of the Apocalypse and ambassador to the New Canaanites.
The two form a caravan with other Followers of the Apocalypse, a local group of doctors, teachers and other intellectuals.

After a few weeks of travel, they finally arrive to their destination: the city of Two Sun. Edward: "Are we nearly there?"
Joshua: "Nearly. Once we arrive, we can restock our supplies." The caravan arrives, but finds the city deserted, it's buildings torn down, it's people slaughtered. They are then ambushed by the ones who did it, a tribe by the name of the Blackfoot. The Blackfoots take them hostage, and demanded a ransom which could not be paid. The expedition is then imprisoned in what used to be a warehouse. Edward: "You do realize what will happen now, don't you? They'll either kill us, or get us killed. They're at war with seven other tribes, each just as backward as they are." Joshua: "And what can we do exactly?"
Edward: "I have a few ideas."
Sallow then asks to meet with the tribal chieftain, and offers to teach them how to wage war: he teaches the tribals how to care for their weapons, make explosives, and work as a combat unit. Thus, the expedition is let go. Most leave and head back west, and Sallow sends a message with them: that none interfere with his plans.
Sallow then changes his name to Caesar, and announces the creation of the Legion. Joshua decides to stay, and Caesar makes him the first Legate of the newly founded Legion.

Graham leads the Blackfoot against their weakest enemy, the Fredonians. Ordered by Caesar to wage total war, he burns down their towns and makes a series of flanking attacks. Realizing they have nowhere to run, they attempt to surrender, but are cut down to the last man, woman and child.
Joshua then goes to meet with the diplomats of another tribe, and when they refuse to submit, they are shown the fate of the Fredonians. Out of fear, they surrendered.

For the next thirty years, Caesar and Graham conquer the tribes of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico. Though Graham was not exactly a military man, his brutality was infamous. The atrocities he committed made him feared by friend and foe alike. He was dangerous, unpredictable, and above all else legendary for being impossible to kill.

Caesar's ambitions only grew with these victories. Soon, the Legion was threatened by a mass migration of tribals from the west, who were fleeing the Mercantile Republic's wrath. This would be used as a convenient casus belli. Caesar prepared for war.

The Vipers were a confederation of several related tribes that lived a life of banditry and nomadism, situated in the Mojave Wasteland. They had come under increased pressure from the Mercantile Republic and their allies, and began planning for a migration. Some neighboring tribes, including the White Legs, were allies and affiliates of the Legion. They grew concerned by this migration, and pleaded for help.
Caesar sent Graham, now known as the Malpais Legate, to mediate between the tribes and if necessary fight the Vipers. The Vipers requested to pass through the Legion's lands. Graham entertained the offer, but ultimately denied it. The Vipers then passed through an alternative route, completely avoiding the Legion, but Graham attacked them unprovoked. Thus began the Republican War.

Graham's consideration of the Vipers' request was not indecision, but a play for time. He delayed them, while strengthening his own forces for the eventual attack. When the news reached Caesar, he supplied Graham with additional forces, equipment and supplies to conduct the campaign.
Graham marched west to the Phoenix river, where he caught the Vipers in the middle of crossing. Some had already crossed, he slaughtered those who had not. Graham then crossed the river, and followed the Vipers, but refused to engage in combat, waiting for ideal conditions. The Vipers attempted to negotiate, but Graham's terms were purposefully draconian, as he used it as another delaying tactic.
Graham continued to chase the Vipers, purposefully letting his supply trains lag behind in order to keep his speed up. The Vipers chose this moment to attack. In the ensuing Battle of Mesa, the Vipers and Legionaries faced eachother in the first battle of the war. After a hotly contested battle, the Legion eventually gained victory. Graham had set up his legions on a hill, which put the Vipers at a disadvantage as they had to fight uphill. The Vipers started the battle with a series of human wave attacks, which the Legionaries repulsed. However, the Vipers then outmaneuvered the Legionaries and attacked their right flank. At this point, the Legion armies were surrounded. A heated battle ensued. The men in the legion's last line were ordered to turn their backs around; they now fought on two fronts instead of being attacked in the rear. Eventually, the Vipers were routed and fled. The Legion chased the now outnumbered Vipers back to their encampments, killing the fighters as well as slaying the women and children.

The Mercantile Republic watched the events unfold with concern, as they had many local allies within the region. The Republic sent Commander Kimball to protect its local interests and if need be fight the Legion armies. Hostilities between the Legion and Republic heightened when a Republican unit of Desert Rangers, led by Chief Hanlon, ambushed a small legionary scouting force. The conflict exploded across the Mojave's boundaries; each tribe was allied with either the Legion or Republic, with the exception of Vegas, where Full House maintained neutrality.
Small battles were fought between the tribes until and shortly after the Republican armies arrived. Graham and Kimball both refused to engage in direct combat, wanting the other side to attack first. Finally, Chief Hanlon decided to lead his unit and attack smaller legionary units within the Mojave. This became known as the Peorian Campaign.
Hanlon marched with his Rangers, and attacked the Legion-allied Great Khans in the Battle of Red Rock.
Papa Khan, leader of the Great Khans, assembled his tribal forces quickly and attacked immediately. The Rangers had wisely anticipated this, and had hidden part of their forces for a flanking maneuver. Once the Great Khans reached the Rangers, the trap was sprung, and the Khans were surrounded and attacked from all sides. However, during the confusion, Papa Khan managed to escape with several other high ranking members of the Great Khans. The rest were put to the sword by the Rangers.
The Rangers continued to attack local Legion allies. Hanlon believed that if he could destroy local support, then the Legion would be defeated.

Graham, when he heard the news, decided to attack the Rangers. He did not want to lose local allies, but did not wait for reinforcements for the sake of speed. He rushed towards the Hoover Dam, which Full House had granted to the Republic in exchange for a Non-aggression Pact. Once there, he prepared his armies. The First Battle of Hoover Dam would mark the end of the war, and of Graham's life.

The Legion, under the Malpais Legate, opted for a direct attack. After the first contact was made and casualties manifested on both sides, Commander Kimball ordered his troops back to the middle of the dam. Graham responded by pushing all his forces onto the dam, raw recruits upfront, veterans at the back, in accordance with the Legion military doctrine.
The Republican forces, now entrenched, put up a fierce resistance. Republican snipers targeted the Legion's commanders, sowing chaos in the Legion ranks.
Graham ordered the veterans to rush through and take out the Republic's sharpshooters. This caused a rout among the younger, less experienced Legionaries. The Republican troops were ordered by Kimball to let the Legion pass through. The Legion troops chased the sharpshooters all the way to Boulder City. Now exhausted, they didn't know that they had walked into a trap.
Chief Hanlon detonated the explosives which he had rigged into the city. The Legion armies suffered heavy casualties. The chain of command collapsed. Graham was forced to return to Caesar empty-handed.

When Graham returned to Caesar, the latter had no choice but to punish him, to show that failure will not be tolerated, even at the highest levels. The Praetorian Guards were ordered to cover Graham in pitch, set him ablaze, and throw the ex-legate into the Grand Canyon. The sentence was carried out. Lanius replaced Graham as Legate.

However, some say Graham didn't die. Some claim that the Burned Man is, in fact, Joshua Graham...

[Crusaders Part II - The Burned Man]

Not much is known of the Burned Man Some speculate that he was Joshua Graham, while others claim he was a figure, like Caesar, who forged his own nation. In the years following his death, he became a folk hero for the Mojaveans. So who was the Burned Man?

What is known is that he appeared around New Canaan, having settled down there and started a family. In the wake of the First Battle of Hoover Dam, the Legion had ordered many of its local allies to migrate out of the Mojave for their own safety. The Republic had seized the Mojave, and Kimball was swift and draconian in dealing with any threats to the Republic's local interests. The White Legs were ordered to migrate to New Canaan. Once there, they slaughtered many local inhabitants and waged war on the New Canaanites. Among the dead were the Burned Man's wife.
The Burned Man became the war chief of several of the local tribes, and waged a calculated guerrilla campaign against the White Legs. Eventually, after years of fighting, the Legion ordered the White Legs to withdraw from New Canaan. The Legion could no longer fight a losing war.

The Burned Man then formed a Tribal Coalition, which became known as the Crusaders. He would resolve to purge the Wasteland of Mutants and Ghouls, in the name of God.

The Crusades began with the Burned Man's expedition into the Mojave. The tribes that tried to resist were cut down. Commander Kimball sent several diplomats to the Burned Man, none of which returned. Kimball, fearing a loss of the Mojave since most of his armies were disbanded, decided not to attack the Crusaders.
The Crusaders attacked the Ghoul hives around the city of Necropolis, just east of Vegas.
The ghouls, a confederation of tribes led by Set, attempted to negotiate with the Crusaders, but were denied. The Ghoul's gives were targeted. Tens of thousands of Ghouls were killed, excluding Set, who escaped. The survivors fled to Black Mountain.
On the way there, the Burned Man engaged in a 5-year campaign against other mutated threats, such as radscorpions, radrats, and local mutant outposts. Eventually, the Burned Man struck at Black Mountain itself.
Set prepared Black Mountain for the siege as he heard about the arrival of the Crusaders. He prepared an elite troop of a hundred cavalrymen. To make the situation worse for the Crusaders, Set poisoned or buried all the water wells. Finally, the Crusaders reached the outer fortifications of Black Mountain, which by then had been captured from the Mutants by the Ghouls. The city was guarded by a defensive wall. The Crusaders divided themselves into two large groups: the Burned Man planned to besiege from north while his subordinates positioned their forces on the south.
The Ghouls now had to be prepared to fight on two fronts. After taking their positions, the Crusaders launched their first attack. This Siege would be marked by constant fighting and skirmishes outside the Mount.
Day 1: The Crusaders launched their first attack.
Day 2: The Crusaders destroyed several of the defensive walls outside the Mount.
Day 3: The Burned Man appoints his son as his heir in case of his death. He makes a series of flanking maneuvers, but is unsuccessful in breaking through the gates. Day 7: The Burned Man leads another assault, and orders his subordinates to attack simultaneously. The following battle is costly but indecisive. Day 14: The Burned Man finally breaks through the enemy defences, but is killed during the battle. The Ghouls are cut down, and many of the Crusaders leave in order to settle down. A few days later, the Crusaders are disbanded. The Burned Man's son and heir makes his way west, to Shady Sands, where he assumes a new identity as the overseer of Vault 13. As he grows old, he keeps the secrets of his younger years to himself.

[HRE Alternate Emperors]

Charles V (1516-1556): Same as IRL, except he gave his entire empire to his son, Philip II.

Philip II (1556-1598): Married Queen Mary of England, with which he had his son and eventual heir. Quelled rebellions in Germany, defeated the Ottomans in Hungary. Succeeded by his son Philip III.

Philip III (1598-1670): Inherited at the age of five. Reigned for 72 years, known as the Sun King. Conquered France during the French Wars of Religion and exterminated the Huguenots. Led two Crusades, one for Jerusalem and one for Constantinople. Assumed the titles of King of Jerusalem and Byzantine and Latin Emperor (Imperator Graecorum et Constantinopolitanum). Became a patron of the arts. Vassalize the Papacy. His reign led to the rise of the Proconsular system of provincial regents. Had an itinerant court and no fixed capital. Fixed the Spanish Economic Depression (1580s-1621). Married Mary, Queen of Scots, with whom he had a son named James who predeceased him. Was succeeded by his great-grandson through James, Charles.

Charles VI (1670-1685): Put down several revolts in Portugal and the HRE. Centralized the Empire. Strengthened the Proconsular System. Inherited Scotland. Officially formed the Imperial Federation to administrate his non-HRE lands, including the Outremer and the Colonies. The Federation and HRE were bound by perpetual personal union. Centralized governance. Merged the various Parliaments, Cortes and such with the Imperial Diet. Left the succession in their hands.

Leopold I (1685-1688): the diet had one priority in mind, appeasement, the Protestants in Northern Germany, Holland, England, Hungary and many rich italian city states like venice were an ever bigger risk, so for that the diet decided to skip any close relativs of Charles VI, be it his cousins, nephews or grand nephews Instead they choose the old (71 years old to be precise) former governour of Imperial Netherlands and art patron Leopold Wilhelm, he descendet from Charles V brother Ferdinand in the male line and Philipp II in the maternal he also had a great relationship with the dutch protestants, due to his rule being benovelent he advocated great architectural wonders and a focus on common enemies of both Catholics and Protestants due to his age, focus was extensivly laid on his son Leopold and Grandson through his daughter...Leopold Leopold I revived the co emperorship and named his son Leopold II, in 1686 he was sent out to quell a hungarian revolt meanwhile Leopold I due to his age chose a permanent capital for his reign due to its close location to the netherlands and the former spanish road, he choose Strasburg inviting many artists he transformed the city into venice of the north, the rhine became the centre of the empire which the dutch and english loved, but the italian city states hated, aswell as spain, which saw a non spanish habsburg on his throne...conspiracies began...
he made one trip to rome in 1688 to witness the canonization of Philipp III, returning north, the now 74 year old Leopold died in lusagne of a natural death...in his will he gave all the lands to his son Leopold II

Leopold II (1686-1688): but before the message reached Leopold II he had already died, he was murdered by a Protestant plot 2 months after his fathers death...
Leopold II on his march to hungary had stopped in Vienna and issued many decrees independent of his father, he started a more hardline catholic stance, persecuting jews and disallowing any protestants south of cornwall, but he still allowed protestantism north of it, he fought and defeated the hungarians in 2 battles but during the third a complot of multiple protestants and some catholic nobles murdered him, the dutch hoped that his father would then have to nominate an even more pro protestant, but due to Leopold I being already dead the plan completly backfired...the murder of Leopold II in Budapest would start a war that would threaten the empire and force Christian against Christian...the 30 years war had started...

the empire was in chaos...due to the chaos of succession, many states like the prussians,hungarians and Bohemians revolted/declared independance

the daughter of Leopold I after hearing of her brothers death together with the ruler of western Austria which included baden, near alsace, Sigismund Francis declared her son Leopold III as Emperor and quickly sent emmisaries to the diet to accept him but the diet only accepted him as co emperor for their pick Matthias Habsburg, who served the diet for many years and a another non Charles V related Emperor

not wanting to accept either a child or some corrupt administrator the spanih nobles declared Ferdinand I the great great grandson of Philipp III and nephew of Charles VI as Emperor quickly gaining support in all of Iberia and southern italy he sent one army under his cousin Balthasar up north to conquer occitania, while Ferdinand sailed over to italy and marched on rome

in early 1690 the protestant states each declared their independence, forming the Protestant League, led by Willem Oranje in Holland, Francis I Rákóczi in Hungary and Frederick I Duke of Prussia, they were joined by the protestants in Northern germany, like saxony, thuringia and westphalia In Bohemia, the Nobles killed the governour and invited Charles II, the elector of the Palatine and nephew to the Swedish and Danish King Charles XI, he was also descendant from the Stuarts a fact he would later use to press his claim on Scotland, Charles II heavily relied on Francis I, using most of his time for elaborate court parties the polish invaded galicia while the Irish revolted using this opportunity Richard Cromwell declared himself lord of britain and started a huge civil war, against the remaining catholic lords on the island

Matthias allied himself with Bavaria, forming the Catholic League with Leopold III the Bavarians were awarded with Kingship and Matthias marched north against the Protestants in the Palatine who were close to the capital trying to get a peace with Ferdinand, to no avail

Matthias northern campaign 1690-1693 Matthias marched north with his bavarian allies, trying to quickly conquer the palatine and maybe catch Charles II before he would arrive at Prague the bavarians were sent to break through the "ober pfalz" the territory north of bavaria that belonged to the palatine and then march on bohemia

meanwhile Francis and Charles II agreed to a non agression with the ottomans, who were fighting the persians and started to invide western hungary around the balaton aswell as upper austria up to the danube Bohemian forces sieged Vienna the hungarians marched into croatia, reaching the sea, the venetians declared independence, followed by other city states on the adriatic

In England, Richard had won a crucial battle in Mercia, connecting his western territories to wales,
now only former suxsex and wessex were under catholic control,
the irish advanced further on their island, all thw while the scots debated what to do

The Dutch had sieged brussels and the Prussians were marching westwards,

Ferdinand had marched in Rome, where the Pope declared him rightful emperor. afterwards ferdinand sailed to marseille, hoping to unite with his cousin Balthasar and march on Strasburg Balthasar had more trouble then expected, the pyrennes were an issue and french nobles harrased him on the way he was in narbonne by early 1692, half a year later then expected

Ferdinand was furious but he had no choice but to wait, the opportunity to swiftly unite the catholic realm under one emperor had failed

using this delay, Sigismund took his best men and rode out of strasburg, on his way to relief the siege of vienna he took the young Leopold III with him, teaching him in tactics all of them lead troops in battle, knowing that sitting idle in a capital could mean a loss

Matthias had conquered the Palatine and sacked heidelberg, but the King of Bohemia had already fled, he was originally supposed to meet up with the bavariansm, but Dutch forces marching on Aachen and the Westphalian and Prussians marching on Frankfurt made him change those plans, he would not let the two former capitals fall into enemy hands

Maximilian II Emanuel now Maximilian I of the Kingdom of Bavaria had marched into southern saxony, despite Matthias changing plans he still decided to march into bohemia from the north, conquering Pilzen, betting on Sigismunds advance instead

Ferdinand waited the winter out and started marching north along the rhone in 1693 that same year the scots decided on James VII of house stuart, a catholic who still sought independence and a unification of the british isles, he allied with the Irish

the Hungarians meanwhile were aiding the Bohemians in the Siege of Vienna, while also invading caranthia

Matthias meanwhile defeated the dutch in the battle of loon, saving Aachen, sending the imperial treasury to strasburg

he then sent half of his army to reconquer "belgium" while he marched to frankfurt expecting the bavarians to follow him to the west he was completly surprised when instead of bavarians, the Prussians and Westphalians led by George Hannover and Frederick were marching on Frankfurt

meeting them in october 1693, the battle was hard fought and bloody, the bad weather helping in the chaos

in the end the imperial forces were decimated and Matthias was killed in action following this, the diet fully supported Leopold III as sole claimant/ruler to the Empire

Matthias ruled from 1689-1693

Frederick and George marched into Frankfurt, but instead of going more south towards strasburg, Frederick focused on helping the dutch and conquering the rhineland

Sigismund and the young Leopold had meanwhile arrived in Austria, celebrated and welcomed they prepared their forces, as the siege of vienna was slowly taking a toll on the city and it was clear that it wouldnt last longer

In 1694 Ferdinand had now entered Bourgogne, sending Balthasar re conquer the rest of france the remaining force Matthias sent fled south into champagne, allowing the dutch together with the prussians and westphalians to conquer "belgium" and important cities like cologne and aachen

Sigismund and Leopold were now ready marching on vienna with their elite Dragooners, in September they fought the battle of vienna, in Vienna the duke Ferdinand (IV) sallied out and with their combined strenght and the tactical ingenuity of both young Leopold and Sigismund, the Hungarian Bohemian coalition was defeated Francis who was still in carinthia, moved back towards a more defensive position, abandoning the northern flank of bohemia after news of the loss reached him, Maximilian attack and sieged Prague

meanwhile in France, an outbreak of disease forced Ferdinand to halt at franche comte Balthasar had marched north and was defeated by the "champagne legion" the remnants of matthias forces when Balthasar returned, Ferdinand was so furious, he had his cousin executed, deciding that the capital and imperial insignia was more important then france, he marched on Strasburg

in 1695 richard cromwell had conquered kent and calais was sieged by the dutch now only cornwall remained in catholic imperial hands the scottish had conquered edinborough and now controlled all of their native holdings the irish aswell had broken the siege of dublin and were now independent^

Ferdinand had marched into Strasburg in March, Taking the regalia, the diet fled, he rested a few months and marched against the prussians and dutch who conquered trier, Ferdinand met them there and defeated them, though with heavy casulties the prussians retreated back behind the rhine and Ferdinand went back to Strasburg, planning an invasion of bavaria trying to set up his plans he suddenly feel ill and died in october 1695, though there were rumors of balthasars wife poisoning him

Ferdinand I ruled from 1688-1695

Leopold III was now the sole ruler and the pressing situation allowed him to bring spain back into the fault, sending Sigismund north, he personally went to spain to show the nobles he was worthy

After the news of Ferdinands death reached italy, genoa, tuscany and ancona declared independence the Portugese aswell tried but Leopold defeated them with help from the spanish

Sigismund after pushing the hungarians back to Balaton, marched north and helped Maximilian siege Prague, after 8 months the city finally fell, now Maximilian and Sigismund pushed north into silesia, saxony and prussia

Leopold went on a 2 year tour of France and Spain to cement his rule while this was going on

in 1697, he went into italy and conquered tuscany

Sigismund marched into Silesia, then Slovakia while Maximilian sacked Magdeburg and conquered the prussian altmark from there he marched back south to stop the dutch from marching into alsace

the champagne legion was holding the dutch at bay and later that month, The swedish invaded Pomerania, attacking the protestant league, they quickly conquered it and by 1699 the Russians and Polish declared on Sweden...

the great northern war started

that same year Scotland invaded England, James was now allied to Leopold

in 1700, after 12 years of war, Leopold and Sigismund made 3 peace deals

Prussia would gets its independence but all territory west of the elbe was to be of the empire

the Bohemians were conquered and the false king was put to the sword

Moravia remained rebellius

a 5 year truce with hungary was established,

Leopold now focused on the rest of the protestant league and the dutch but for a while...a short peace was established...it would not last

Leopold III (1688-1702): Upon the ratification of the Settlements of Augsburg, which were the peace deals which among other things decreed the independence of Prussia, Leopold quickly turned to face the Ottoman threat in Croatia, forming a coalition with Hungary against the Turks. His armies met the Ottomans at the Battle of Belgrade, where the Emperor died fighting. Upon his death, the Empire would be once again divided by civil war...

The Three Tyrants:
Leopold IV "the Usurper" (1702-1704): Claimed to be the bastard son of Leopold II. Took Austria, invaded and took Hungary, but was killed in battle while attempting to pacify Moravia. Hungary then broke free (1704-1723).
James (1702-1708): The King of Scotland, James VII, was elected Emperor by the remnants of the Imperial Diet, but renounced his claim in 1708 upon the Act of Union between England, Scotland and Ireland.
Albert the Posthumous (1700-1718): Posthumous son of the late Charles VI, he usurped the western portions of the Empire, from Portugal to the Rhine, but died by the hand of the "Trueborn Emperor" at the Battle of Milan.

The "Trueborn Emperor":
Charles VII Balthasar (1700-1741): Son of Balthasar. Reunified the Empire in 1718 after the Second Imperial War, finally ending the 30 Years War. He issued the Edict of Tyrol which decreed religious freedom for Catholics and Protestants alike. He also rebuilt the capital at Strasbourg, fought off the Ottoman invasion into Hungary (which he was elected King by the nobles for) and he settled the Peace of God with the Ottomans, which gave them back Greece in exchange for the Balkans becoming puppets of the Empire. He permanently dissolved the Imperial Diet and abrogated the Imperial Federation as it no longer had a purpose. He renounced claims to former Imperial lands such as England and the Netherlands and settled separate peaces with them and cleared up the colonial borders in the New World. Died in Milan at age 65 in 1741.
Charles VIII (1741-1765): Revoked the Peace of God, attacked the Ottomans and destroyed their empire in a 15-year long campaign (1745-1760), establishing many vassal states in the Near East but also bringing an age of chaos to the region. Upon returning home, he became a patron of the arts, but was assassinated by a cabal of nobles and bureaucrats in Vienna.
Jakob von Schmidt (1765): Overthrew Charles VIII and established the brief 'House van Schmidt', but the ensuing Vienna Restoration saw Jakob's assassination and the restoration of the Habsburgs under Charles IX.
Charles IX (1765-1781): The figurehead of the Vienna Restoration, claimed to be the son of Charles VIII, suspected by many to be an imposter.
Nevertheless Charles IX was able to build up support in the restored Habsburg government and managed to escape being a puppet and ruled the Empire in his own right, passing the crown to his son, Leopold V.
Leopold IV (1781-1792): Moved the capital to Paris, where he was born, and was known as an easily influenced Emperor. He was seemingly infertile, which didn't help his reputation.
The Empire was bankrupted twice during his reign, and during a famine he faced the Imperial Revolution. He was seized by the Revolutionaries and executed in 1792, starting the Revolutionary Wars.

The Revolutionary Wars (1792-1799):
During this time, no Emperor reigned, but an Imperial Republic was founded, which quickly devolved into chaos as independence movements rose up, royalist groups lurked and outside nations invaded. The Republic fought off the many rebellions and survived many coup detats, until one Consul Bonaparte took control in 1796, quickly put an end to the Revolutionary Wars and crowned himself Emperor in 1799.

House Bonaparte (1799-1871):
Napoleon I Bonaparte (1799-1821): Napoleon defeated the Empire's enemies many times in the ensuing Coalition Wars (1800-1814), and finally signed a permanent peace in 1815 at the Congress of Vienna. He ruled the Empire at first from Paris (1799-1804), then Vienna (1804-1812), and finally the island of St. Elba (1812-1821), delegating much of his power to his Marshall-Generals who governed the several provinces, replacing the old Proconsuls. He reformed the legal systems, founded universities and schools, and encouraged the development of Nationalism. He was also a patron of the Imperial Parliament, which was a relic of the Republic meant to replace the Diet. Also during his reign, the Imperial-Prussian Rivalry started, and the German Question was first asked... He died of cancer in 1821, leaving the Empire to his young son Napoleon II.
Napoleon II Bonaparte (1821-1832): Inherited the Empire at the age of ten; his regent (1821-1829) was his mother, Maria Luisa of Austria, a descendant of the old Habsburg dynasty. He ruled from Rome. He died of Pneumonia in 1832.
Napoleon III (1832-1871): Was elected by the Parliament as Emperor at the age of 24. Modernized the Empire and gave autonomy to many regions, partly reviving the Imperial Federation. Expanded the capital city of Rome greatly,
and was the first Emperor since Charles VI to be crowned by the Pope in the city. Lost the Third Prussian War (1867-1871), and was forced to abdicate.

Philip IV (1871-1901): Eldest Son of Napoleon III. Lost the German lands, and granted independence to the New World colonies, fully re-establishing the Imperial Federation to manage relations with these former colonies.
Built up the economy of the Empire, and celebrated several triumphs in Rome for his various colonial victories (Against the Ottomans in 1882 and 1889, against Britain in 1885 and 1895, etc). Was succeeded by his grandson, Charles X.

[One Shot I - The Dark Times]

REPUBLIC WORLD, 2208 ABR Sate is a radical republican, who despises Valorum's Dictatorship in Magna Graecia. He forms a political movement, the Liberty Coalition, in order to combat Valorum's political influence. The Liberty Coalition starts to gain many new members, including a tech wizard named Davis, a young noble named Sheev Palpatine, an old army Commander and veteran named Jagger Fel, and several more enigmatic members, such as Sminem, the Bogs, and a one named Elummi. Elummi hails from the land of Sumeria, having left his homeland for Magna Graecia many years ago. Now, these newfound allies and friends rally together against the Directory.

REPUBLIC WORLD, 2216 ABR The unthinkable has happened: Valorum's Directory and the TriOptimum Corporation, ancient enemies, have not only made peace, but an alliance. Valorum blatantly begins experimenting on his own subjects with bio-engineering, and starts shutting down anyone who stands against him. The Liberty Coalition are nearly caught in a meeting by the Directory Secret Police. Thankfully, they move their headquarters to a more secure location. Now resolute, they see there is no other way, than by brute force.

REPUBLIC WORLD, 2221 ABR Sate Pestage and his allies were finally ready. After years of planning and waiting, they had finally prepared themselves to fight against Valorum's tyrannical Directory. They had long objected to his autocracy and needless cruelty, and now it was time to fight. Organized under a new leader, the mysterious but capable Elummi, they now proudly wore their armor and raised their banners, for a war has begun: The Pestagian War.

The Liberty Coalition armies stormed local areas, including the important provincial city of Ourosept, which was turned into their HQ. Insulted, Valorum readies his armies to attack...

REPUBLIC WORLD, 2225 ABR Using the local terrain of hills and plains to their advantage, the Liberty Coalition had been winning the war. However, this would soon change...

Shortly after the Liberty Coalition. Army won a major victory over the Directory Army at the Battle of Fort Varnam, Elummi decided upon a second campaign against Valorum's heartland in the South (the first was the unsuccessful Borealis campaign of 2223). Such a move would foil the Directory's plans of avoiding battle whenever possible. The invasion would also allow the Liberty Coalition's armies to live off the bounty of the rich Southern farms while giving their own ravaged territories a period of rest. In addition, Elummi's emboldened and strengthened army could possibly even win the war by threatening the capitulation of enough major cities.
Thus, Elummi's army began to shift southward from Fort Varnam. Following the death of Commander Jagged Fel during the battle, Elummi reorganized his two sub-armies into three new sub-armies, commanded by Commanders Sate Pestage (First Sub), Sheev Palpatine (Second), and the Bogs (Third); both Sheev and the Bogs, who had formerly reported to Jagged Fel as his sub-commanders, were new to this level of responsibility. The Cavalry remained under the command of Davis.

The Liberty Coalition armies marched on the heartland, facing no resistance due to the Directory's Fabian tactics. They reached the major city of Lycaea in only a few days, and began to Siege the city. With no other option, Valorum sallies with his armies, and breaks the siege. Soon both sides would meet on the largest and deadliest battle of the entire war: the Battle of Garamund.

Anticipating that the Liberty Coalition would attempt to march on Lycaea from the west, Valorum laid out his defenses on three critical bridges leading into the city. Valorum understood that if the Liberty Coalition could gain control of these bridges, he would have difficulty dislodging them.
The Liberty Coalition sub-armies 1 and 3, led by Sate and the Bogs, advanced towards the closest bridge. They employed tactics where a wave of Infantry crashed against the enemy while missiles rained down upon them, and when appropriate, the infantry would break off and feign a rout in order to lure and ambush the enemy. The tactic worked; believing they were winning, the Directory Commanders ordered a chase of the Liberty Coalition forces, only to be ambushed by Liberty Coalition cavalry, led by Davis, and be annihilated. This bridge had fallen.
Meanwhile, Sheev Palpatine was having more difficulty attempting to take his bridge, which was more fortified and had significantly more men on it. Sheev attempted to cross the river the bridge is built over, but the water proved too deep, and some drowned, while others were trapped and were killed by enemy projectiles. Sheev finally ordered an all out assault on the enemy, which pushed them back slightly but at heavy casualties. Sheev then called upon Davis, and Davis rammed his cavalry into the enemy army's rear flank, causing a collapse in their lines. The fighting devolved to a brawl, but the Liberty Coalition forces won, though at heavy costs.
Next, Valorum sprang his trap: his reinforcements arrived, attempting to cross the just now taken bridges. With nowhere to run, the tired forces of the Liberty Coalition were almost slaughtered. Elummi ordered a retreat through the wilderness. Only a fourth of the army survived.

REPUBLIC WORLD, 2229 ABR After several years of guerilla warfare, it was clear that the Liberty Coalition had lost. Elummi went into exile, never to be heard from again. Sheev and Sate went into hiding, as did the Bogs and Sminem. Davis attempted to continue the campaign, but was driven out, and eventually went into hiding with his peers.
Valorum had won, utterly and completely, though at heavy cost both in blood and coin. The chaos caused the collapse of the TriOptimum Corporation, which completely destroyed Valorum's personal wealth, and eventually lead to... The Sheevist War.

[One Shot II - Benny Breaks Bad]

MERCANTILE REPUBLIC SENATE CHAMBER The Supreme Doge Erik Bjornson is attending a regular Senate meeting. He sits on his Doge's chair. Kimball would regularly sit just under him, however, he is still in the Mojave. It has been several long months since the Legion were defeated at Hoover Dam, yet Kimball retains his forces within the Mojave.
A Senator addresses the Doge directly:
Senator: "Supreme Doge, I have a question concerning your friend and commander, the hero of the Mojave, Commander Aaron Kimball...
Why does his chair remain empty? Why does he not come home? His illegal war is over! The Mojave is now on it's knees. Why does Kimball keep his brave soldiers from their families and friends? For eight long months, he has gorged himself like a wolf on the blood of the Mojave, and thereby made himself monstrously rich. Why does he distract the mob with races and games, and massive feasts? Why has he paid the debts of every profligate fool in this Senate house!"
The Senate erupts into boos and applause, before the Doge pronounces order. Senator: "... I'll tell you why he does these things: he wants to buy himself a crown! He wants to destroy the Republic, and rule over us as a bloody tyrant!"
The Doge bears an expression of disdain towards the Senator, but says nothing.
Senator: "Therefore, I move that Kimball's military command be terminated immediately, that his armies be disbanded, that smaller forces be sent for peacekeeping only, and that the Senate appoint the next Commander of the Mojave."
The Doge vetoes this motion.
Erik: "This is outrageous! He is my friend and a hero of the Republic! The one thing I will consent to is the reduction of his forces, but no more!"
The Senate votes in favor of the motion, and most of the Mercantile forces in the Mojave are disbanded...

One of the former Mercantile soldiers, a one named Walter White, settles down in Vegas with his family. However, his past comes to haunt him: many years ago, when he was sent to the Sierra Madre as part of a Mercantile scouting mission, he inhaled dangerous amounts of the local mist known as the Cloud. Since then, he has developed terminal lung cancer. He goes to meet with his brother-in-law, Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Curtis, and witnesses a Mercantile raid on a Fiends camp. The Fiends were a backward tribe of Chem traders, but Walt sees the amount of money they were making and decides to go into the Chem trading business.
He goes to meet with an old friend of his, Benny of the Chairmen. Walt was previously a teacher within the Mojave before he joined the Mercantile army, and Benny was an old pupil of his. The two strike a deal: Walt would make the chems, while Benny would trade them. Benny, at this time, was just as backward as the other families on the strip, he hadn't yet found God, which he would many years later.
Walt proceeded to create a Chem trading empire, and grew so powerful as to pose a threat to Full House himself. Thus, Full House recruited Benny's help in destroying "Heisenberg" and his Chem empire. Full House briefly prohibited the sale and use of Chems within the city. During this time, Benny rehabilitated himself and became Full House's right hand. The other families on the Strip grew to despise Full House from this very moment, and he planned many contingencies against them as well.
Walt would eventually meet his end after Full House sent a force of securitrons after him and his family; Walt, desperate to protect them, turned himself in and "disappeared".

[One Shot III - The Purge]

HYPERSPACE GALAXY, 22BBY Ace Rellion is a young but content Jedi Padawan under the tutelage of the powerful and reckless Anakin Skywalker. At the start of the Clone Wars, Ace, Anakin and Obi Wan were deployed to fight against the Separatists. Ace, Anakin and Obi Wan led a campaign against the Confederacy of Independent Systems, assisted by the Grand Army of the Republic. The most important of these, and the last where all three fought together, was the Second Battle of Geonosis. During the battle, Anakin, Ace and Obi Wan were each given detachments of the clones to command, but when battle truly began, Ace decided to put the majority of his detachment into either reserve or scouting duties. This upset Anakin, who now sensed Ace's aversion to battle and confrontation. Thus, when the Battle was won for the Republic, Anakin sent Ace to garrison the Jedi Temple and stripped him of his command.

Lusho Vey was a Jedi Guardian, having long become skeptical of the Order due to its byzantine rules, yet continued to maintain the Temple without falling to the Dark Side or being set against the Order. When Ace was sent to the Temple, the two became fast friends as the old man became his official new master.

Jack Warner was a Jedi Knight who formerly trained under Jedi Master Plo Koon. He became renowned for his skill in Lightsaber duels, and would often train with Anakin Skywalker in that regard. The two had a distant but amicable relationship. He joined up with the other Jedi to fight in the Clone Wars, and also fought alongside Anakin and Obi Wan at the Second Battle of Geonosis, where he critically guarded the Republican supply lines. After this, Anakin and Jack formed a friendship.

HYPERSPACE GALAXY, 21BBY On a recon mission on the planet of Bakura, Jack Warner suddenly meets face to face with General Grievous, himself leading a detachment of droids. Although he tries to fight back, Grievous is much more skilled than Warner is, and Warner's hands are cut off and his Lightsaber taken by Grievous to add to his collection. Grievous was about to kill him, before he was saved by Count Dooku himself, who intended to turn him to the Dark Side. Reluctantly, Warner accepts, and receives both training under Dooku and a cybernetic arm to replace his old one.

Dooku then took Warner back to the Dark Acolytes on his capital of Raxus Secundus. Training the former Knight the true powers of the Dark Side, which he learnt slowly but surely, including Force Lightning.

Hearing of this news, Anakin felt immensely betrayed by his old friend and colleague, and rushed to Warner's new location, the Confederacy capital of Raxus Secundus. The Chosen One arrived with a small detachment of clones, and fought his way through the droids. Count Dooku sent some of the Dark Acolytes after him, but they too were bested. Dooku called in even more reinforcements, and the Clone detachment was destroyed under the increased pressure. Anakin himself managed to survive and hide, laying low to formulate a plan. Finally, he came up with one: a stealth mission to the Capital Building itself, where he would confront Jack face to face. Avoiding the abundance of droids, he meets face to face with the turned Warner. After a Fierce duel, Warner concedes to his old friend, and returns to the Light. However, Count Dooku spots the two attempting to escape, and enters into a battle against them. Although Warner is no match for Dooku's skills, Anakin manages to escape with Warner, now unconscious. The two head back go Coruscant.

HYPERSPACE GALAXY, 20BBY Warner, intending to prove himself, and having been stripped of his Jedi Knight status due to his fall to the Dark Side, decides to go and fight General Grievous, both for personal revenge and to regain his status in the order. Arriving on the planet Grievous is on, he engages in a fierce Lightsaber duel, but eventually triumphs by using the Dark Side powers he had learnt. However, as he attempts to escape, he is sucked into a vortex, a portal to other worlds...

HYPERSPACE GALAXY, 19BBY In the wake of Order 66, Lusho and Ace manage to escape Coruscant and save themselves. Both were unaware of the true fate of Anakin Skywalker, assuming he was killed in the Order as well. They form an "Interim Jedi Order", their plan being to find and secretly train force sensitives across the Galaxy.
However, these efforts do not last long, as the Empire tracks them down and almost kills them. Their spirit now finally broken, they go into exile on the planet of Tattooine...

[One Shot IV - The Sparrow]

Erik awoke, surrounded by sand. He remembered nothing of how he arrived here, his last memory being his shipwreck while en route back home. The sands were more like an ocean than a desert, waves crashing against sand hills. This was the San Jose Dune Sea, which Erik would become very well acquainted with.

Suddenly, while he is regaining his footing, he is ambushed by a group of what appears to be pirates, aboard a ship that sailed through the sand as one would through water. He readied himself for a battle, thinking he was taken by Mohammedans, but this was not the case.
The Pirates got closer and closer, and Erik then casted a spell which tore their ship apart. Unfortunately for him, that was the last of his magical energies. He suddenly and inexplicably lost his connection, which took him by surprise. Staring at his hands, he didn't notice the Pirates staring at him, who then went to make his acquaintance.

The pirates were part of a tribe known as the Veniar, one of the many pirate tribes of the region. Their leader, a one named Valimir, had led them here on migration, fleeing the eastern, Mojavean threat of the Brotherhood of Steel. The Brotherhood was a technological, militaristic, feudal oligarchy led by a council of Elders, with its capital in the Citadel, a large tower constructed by them in the Mojave. The Citadel was said to be just as tall as the Lucky 38, a fact that made Full House blinded by jealousy towards the Brotherhood. Recently, they began encroaching on the San Jose, attacking Pirates and confiscating any technology they might have.
Finally, impressed by and afraid of the traveler they attempted to rob, they offer Erik employment as one of their own.
Erik thought the offer over many times, but eventually accepted, perhaps because of a curiosity about this strange place he found himself in.
Thus, he was brought back to their hometown. He quickly rose through their ranks due to his past experiences as a viking raider, and, having become the unofficial chief of the tribe, began to teach them those tactics as well. The sandfaring tribes took quickly to these "new" stratagems, and became a force to be reckoned with in just a few weeks of training.

Finally, the time had come, and Erik mobilized the Veniar against the Brotherhood of Steel. They would take revenge against their oppressors. Erik marched and sailed through the San Jose, going at a breakneck pace in order to retain the element of surprise. However, once he had crossed into the Mojave, he met with a Brotherhood of Steel patrol, led by Paladin Dwight Harrison. The skirmish lasted a few minutes, but the Brotherhood of Steel was forced to retreat. Harrison rushed to the Citadel to deliver his report, but in order to prevent him Erik sent skirmishers after him, which delayed and harassed him. Eventually, Harrison decided to turn back and attack Erik a second time.
Erik appeared to be unprepared, and his army routed. Harrison gave chase, but it was a trap: the rout was a feint, and Harrison's patrol was surrounded and massacred by the Veniar. Looting the possessions off the bodies of the fallen Brotherhood of Steel soldiers, the pirates now had better equipment such as Pip Boys, Power Armor, Stealth Boys, Plasma and Laser weapons, Frag grenades, and other high tech equipment.
Hearing of this news, Full House sent a securitron to meet with Erik.
Full House: "Ah, so this is the pillager I've heard much about. I extend my hand in friendship to you, for we have a common enemy." Erik: "The Brotherhood of Steel is your enemy as well? And who are you?" Full House: "I am the master of Vegas and it's armies. There simply isn't enough room for both me and the Brotherhood of Steel... Those techno-fascists think so too. Which is why I constructed a series of secret tunnels under their Citadel. You should use those tunnels."
Erik: "And what do you get in exchange?" Full House paused for a while. Then he responded:
"Satisfaction."

Erik came up with the wise idea of disguising his army as Brotherhood soldiers. They took some of the ID Tags of the fallen Brotherhood Commanders, and rushed to the Citadel.
Once there, Erik and Valimir went to the self destruct button and pushed it. Immediately, chaos erupted across all lines, as no one knew who was who or what to do. Erik and Valimir mustered what men they thought were theirs and escaped the Citadel. Many other Brotherhood of Steel soldiers escaped as well, but their organization, including the entire Council of Elders, was decimated. The Brotherhood retreated to one of their bunkers, where they remained for many years...

Following this victory, Erik returned to the San Jose as a hero. He was invited by several other pirate chiefs to a conference, which would go down in history as the Dayglow Conference, named after the Dayglow tribe which controlled the city where it took place. There, they presented Erik with the crown of a Doge, and asked him to found a Republic of Trade and Commerce. He reluctantly accepted, and thus the Mercantile Republic was born...

The former pirate chiefs became the new patricians of the Republic, but that title was temporary, and didn't pass to their children. The Republic would hold provincial elections for Senators who would represent their provinces in the Senate. The Merchants were also allowed to send people to the Senate, Mercantile Delegates, but Erik passed a law preventing the Delegates from ever speaking during a Senate session.

The Republic quickly began establishing trading posts and routes all across the wasteland, starting with the San Jose and moving south and northwards until they controlled all of California. They had monopolies on many different industries and products, and would wage trade wars with any nation they deemed an economic threat, such as the Divide. This rivalry culminated in the destruction of the Divide by Mercantile bombardment...

The Republic also established alliances with their trade partners and affiliates, creating a new economy in the Wasteland. Erik himself established the New Mercantile Stock Market (NMSM) in the city of Nevron.

The Republic also had the Grand Army of the Republic, at first led by Valimir but later led by Valimir's son, Commander Aaron Kimball. Kimball was despised by the Senate due to his scorning of politics and trade in favor of warfare.

The tribal identities disappeared almost overnight, with a new multitude of identities replacing them. Eventually, these formed a cultural group unique to Mercantile lands, and a shared language began to be spoken.

Erik, now Supreme Doge, took a new name: Erik Sparrowson, named after the tribal animal of the Veniar. Erik sat everyday in the Senate and listened to the politicians', and merchants', and bureaucrats' long speeches and filibusters and what not, mostly bored out of his mind. He always remembered and cherished his victory against the Mojaveans, the Brotherhood of Steel, and continued to wonder about the reason behind his displacement here, but due to his busy schedule, he never had the time to investigate and find out...

[One Shot V - Vaticus]

Mello had done it. He ordered the nukes to drop, and scrambled to his backup plan: a bunker, specially constructed to withstand direct nuclear blasts. He had just enough time to get there with some of his equipment, and watched as the world went dark. He then entered the cryopod he had prepared, and awaited until the outside world's radiation levels dropped to a hospitable amount...

Once he awoke, he saw that societies were already rebuilding: tribes and kingdoms, all vying for power. History appeared to be repeating itself.
He made his way across this new world, and met with a few other travelers: an exiled tribal named Valihad, son of Valimir, who says he was exiled for attempting a takeover, and an engineer named Dwight Harrison, who seemed to be able to fix anything mechanical or electrical. Mello now had a bright idea for a backup plan. With these two men, Mello Founded Vault-Tec, and took on the name Mello Vaticus.

The first vaults were designed and built by Harrison himself, with Valihad acting as the manager. Employees were recruited from everywhere nearby, whatever tribe or kingdom they hailed from didn't matter to Mello. The first Vault to be completed was predictably named Vault 1, but many more would be built, around 21 in total.
The Vault-Tec Trio remained working partners until the 21st Vault was completed. After it was done, Mello decided he no longer needed his supposed allies. He initiated his contingency: all those years ago, the three had sworn an oath. What the other two didn't know, was Mellon made them touch the Note during said oath. Now, he made them relinquish their memories, and sure enough they had completely forgotten everything to do with Vault-Tec and Mello.
Valihad went on to the east, disappearing in the mass of Tribal Warfare constant there. Dwight Harrison ended up joining the Brotherhood of Steel and reaching the rank of Paladin.
Mello had no such time as his peers. Soon after his little trick, he was attacked by the Enclave. Having no time at all, he took with him a remote control device belonging to a random securitron in New Vegas, sitting idly in Full House's stockpiles.
That same securitron would be hijacked and used by Benny to try and take over Vegas for himself many years later... As for Mello, the Enclave went for him. They took him, and he remains imprisoned to this day...

As for Benny, he had just began his rise to power in Vegas. He joined the Chairmen, and quickly rose through the ranks under Swank, so that when Swank died he was made the head of the Chairmen. Then, Full House himself had Benny swear a sacred oath of loyalty to the Eternal City of Vegas and to Full House. Both knew this oath would be broken by one or the other eventually, but it would do for now. Full House began to use Benny as his new right hand after H's retirement...

[One Shot VI - Humble Origins]

For the first time in millenia, the Old Man had ordered the Knights to perform a mission. Generation upon generation of clones drilled and fought with eachother to become an elite force. This force comprised the entire part of what remained of the Isu Civilization, for there were no women nor children due to the cloning. They were clones of the very first Knights as well as the Old Man himself, and were trained from early childhood in the art of Warfare. Constantly drilled and competing against eachother, they became one of the most elite forces in the Multiverse. The Old Man rarely used them at this time however, preferring to build up their strength and observe the worlds around him before he started his grand ambition: the restoration of the Isu Empire.

The mission given unto them by their master was not a simple nor easily executed one: they were to be sent back to Earth, though not their own, and were going to integrate into human society. This way, the Old Man has eyes and ears all over the planet, which would help in its eventual conquest.
However, the mission went awry when the Knights were attacked by Nemo Aegeus, an agent of the shadowy Cult of H. Only one Knight survived to reach Earth, a member of the Old Man's personal bodyguards, and a veteran of the Battle of the Silver City, the last battle in the Old Isu History. His name was Ramus, descendant of an ancient line of Isu nobles and warriors... And slavemasters.
When he entered human society, he took the human name Roland Wammy. He fathered a child with a human woman, whom he named Quillsh Wammy.
It had been many years since he settled down when he was contacted yet again by his master, who ordered him to return. Reluctantly, he took his wife but left the child behind... Wammy being left behind was the main reason for the foundation of Wammy's House, an orphanage in England.

Once he had returned to the Limit, he knew his wife would never return to her home. He had another son with her, who was favored by the Old Man and named Ihocatl.
After this mission, the Old Man would give that Knight bigger and better duties and posts, till he became a major advisor. Upon his death, his posts were inherited by his son Ihocatl.

Ihocatl himself dominated the other Knights during his training, quickly becoming a Commander even before his inheritance. He became a favorite of the Old Man, and a major advisor upon the death of his father. The Old Man frequently sent him on dangerous, secret missions, and as a Commander of his forces, mostly in the wider multiverse.
He gained a reputation for cruelty against his enemies. Among his victims are the royal families of Nechtan and the Irenead Kingdom...
Ihocatl was finally appointed as Supreme Commander of the Isu Armies in Tenochtitlan upon its rebuilding. He was sent to fight against Director Thunder...

[Take One I - Destined Heroes]

Middle-Earth, 1st era Over the fields of Middle-Earth, Morgoth and his minions are battling the Maia, the Maia appear to be in the lead, until a figure wearing a black cloak, weilding a flaming sword decimated them with his blade, this man is the Black Wizard, he was created by Morgoth to serve as the ultimate destroyer, he has won dozens of battles in the name of his lord, this battle appeared to be not unlike the others, until Eru Illuvatar himself struck The Black Wizard with a ray of light, uttering only a single word that boomed throughout Arda "forget", the Wizard fell unconscious, and the Maia slaughtered Morgoth's forces leading to their ultimate victory and Morgoth's banishment. The Wizard awoke in the field, with no memory of who he is, his cloak was dyed permanently red by the blood that was spilled on it during the massacre, he had one objective engraved in his mind, protect Middle-Earth, and so he trudged off to fulfill his newfound purpose

Asgard, XXXX Odin is celebrating the birth of his youngest son with a massive banquet, until the Nornir tell him something troubling. His youngest born son will kill him. Immediately, Odin dismissed the banquet without an explanation, he took his son and tossed him into Midgard. The baby, landing on the mountains was left to die, but his mother Frigg would not let him suffer such a fate, she gave him immense strength and wings, and raised him in a cave in secret. 326 years later, Gudbrand, as he was named by his mother finally set out from the cave to help the people of Midgard, he earned the mantle of a God of justice. Odin, not knowing who he was, invited the "stranger" to Asgard. Once he arrived, he was shocked to see his mother, Frigg had not told him who his father was. After revealing everything she had kept hidden, Gudbrand was furious, he ran at Odin and there him into a wall with a swift punch, Thor struck him with Mjolnir, leaving Gudbrand on the floor. Odin demanded to know what he was doing Gudbrand: "you... You bastard! You left me to die on that mountain?!" Odin: "you... Thor, kill him" Thor went to strike Gudbrand, but Gudbrand dodged and ran out of the palace, he had to fight his way out of Asgard. Arriving back on Midgard, heavily damaged and worn out, he swore that one day he would kill Odin.

Middle Earth, 3rd Era On a cold winter night, the child of the old Richard Montgomery: Samuel Montgomery III of the Shire, was born. Samuel grew up with a relatively uneventful childhood, except for getting into trouble for cutting down large oak trees, thereby endangering Hobbit lives. In his young adulthood his neighbor Bilbo Baggins joined the company of Thorin Oakinshield. Thorin said if he could provide useful skills in battle, he could join. Samuel went to his father, his father was proud of his choice to help the dwarves reclaim Erebor. He granted him 2 Enchanter blades, called affectionately "Flame" and "Blizzard". After showing the Blades to Thorin, he was allowed to join, in the year that it took for the company to find Erebor and reclaim it, Montgomery had become a very capable fighter, had gotten war scars, and returned with many valuable items that he found along the way, such as old Elvish weaponry, ancient armor and more, and for the next 65 years, Montgomery would live in the Shire... until It happened.

Hyperspace Galaxy, 24 BBY On the planet of serenno, in Dooku's castle a science project is being worked on, a vat containing a young man wearing black armor is seen. All is going well until Darth Sidious enters with Count Dooku Dooku: "my master demands the the project be discontinued" Dooku leaves the room in a huff, Sidious approaches the scientist Sidious: " make another subject, have him be more powerful than this one" Scientist: "Dooku paid me thousands of credits, you better have a better deal"
Sidious: "of course I do, hundreds of thousands" Scientist: "accepted" As Sidious leaves the room, the Scientist begins work on making a more powerful clone to be under Sidious, within a year, in 23 BBY, the clone is made, and the "failed" subject is sent along with it in the vats. They arrive shortly within a month Sidious gives the clone to Dooku and he takes the "failed" subject for himself, he opens the vat and the subject falls out. Sidious introduces himself as Sheev Palpatine and he gives the subject a name, Jack Warner, afterwards Dooku activates the clone, makes it his Apprentice and dubs it Darth Malus. The next day, Palpatine pulls some strings and gets Jack into the Jedi Order as a Jedi Knight. When Jack was delivered to the temple on Corusant he was weirded out by all the aliens, as he had never seen another person except Palpatine and the scientist that made him, let alone an alien. Jack was put under Anakin Skywalker in order to show Jack the ropes, his first assignment was to land on Kashyyk and fight a separatist invasion with Anakin, they landed in the jungle near a lake, clone troopers had already gotten vehicles on land and had set up turrets in preparation for the droids, the clone Commander present ordered Jack to keep on eye on the sky and warn them when the separatists showed up, a few moments the separatist drop ship had arrived, Jack told them and they got ready for battle. However, the Separatists didn't plan an invasion, they planned a massacre, the Republic troopers had been lured into a trap, and they realized that when General Grievous and dozens of super battle droids stepped out of the drop ship, the clones and the jedi fought fiercely, but Grievous was only minorly inconvenienced as they had only killed 5 droids, before they knew it, he was upon them, he killed nearly the entire platoon as well as the Commander. Grievous took off after killing them, Jack gave chase, disobeying Anakin's orders of retreat, he caught up to Grievous, but he was tricked AGAIN as Grievous anticipated at least one of the jedi would follow him, Jack put up a good fight, until Grievous started spinning his arms approaching, Jack was backed up against a tree, it seemed like all hope was lost, until a mysterious figure wearing sleek black armor and a helmet jumped down and threw Grievous into the lake, the figure said to Jack "not today, Warner" before jumping back up into the trees and disappearing into the forest, Anakin caught up and saw Grievous defeated, and he thought that Jack had done so, when they returned to Corusant with the platoon member that survived and Grievous captured, Anakin made sure to give Jack the credit for Grievous's capture, he got some fame out of it and was hailed as a hero, and no one except him knew what actually happened, or so Jack thought. He went to Palpatine and told him about the encounter and the figure. Palpatine tells him that he showed courage in facing Grievous, Palpatine then had to leave, telling Jack it's "private business". Palpatine boarded his ship and put on his Sidious garb, he then flew to Dooku's castle and confronted him about it Sidious: "why did you task your Apprentice with saving Warner?" Dooku: "what are you talking about? I didn't" Malus enters the room Malus: "it was me, I saved him on my own" Dooku: "disobey me again and I'll have your head" Malus: "*grumbling*" A week afterward, something happened, huge earthquakes erupted across the entire galaxy

Midgard, XXXX Gudbrand was sailing in a boat along the lake of the Nine, an earthquake erupts

Middle-Earth, 3rd Era In the Shire, an earthquake happens, Ragnarr experiences the same thing in the fields of Middle-Earth. Suddenly, portals open before each of our heroes, reluctantly, they all step through.

[Take One II - Morgoth Returns]

Unknown, XXXX Our heroes come face to face with each other after stepping through the portals Ragnarr: "what's going on here? who are you 3?"
Jack: "my name's Jack, Jack Warner and I'm and just as confused as you are" Gudbrand: "same here, I'm Gudbrand"
Samuel: "I'm Samuel Montgomery, same here" Ragnarr: "wait I know you" Samuel: "me?" Ragnarr: "yes, you helped the company of Thorin Oakenshield retake Erebor"
Samuel: "I didn't know I was popular" Just then, another earthquake occurs, before them opens another portal. The inside is pitch black, suddenly an armored hand reaches through, he pulls himself through. It is Morgoth, a portal opened in the void, allowing him to escape Ragnarr: "Morgoth?! You were behind this?!" Morgoth: "no, I was not, but it allowed me to retake my rightful as lord of Arda. Come with me, my creation, we have much to do" Ragnarr: "I am not your creation, foul beast!" Morgoth: "I see, Eru must have made you believe you were not of my doing. I made you to enslave Middle-Earth, and now you are mine!" Morgoth pulls Ragnarr towards him and brands him, Ragnarr is once again under Morgoth. Gudbrand charges at Morgoth and punches him with great force, but it barely even scratches him. Jack attempts to push him back, but he can't do anything. Jack guides them to the portal to the Hyperspace Galaxy and they jump through, getting back to Corusant. A platoon of clone surround them "hold your fire!" the Commander orders "General Warner, where have you been? It's been months" Jack(thinking to himself): "months?! I was gone only for a few moments" Gudbrand: "listen closely, soldier. Something is coming through that gate, run for your lives!" Commander: "oh, please, we can handle whatever comes thro-" Just then. Morgoth emerges through the portal with a possessed Ragnarr in tow Montgomery: "you were saying?" Commander: "FIRE! General Warner, RUN!" Gudbrand and Montgomery retreat. guided by Jack, they make their way to the Jedi temple to tell the council of this great threat. Arriving at the Jedi temple, Jack rushes to Obi-Wan and Anakin as soon as he sees them, he hastily introduces his companions and tells them about Morgoth, they all immediately rush to the council and inform them of Morgoth. But it is too late, the gigantic Morgoth had already arrived and he strikes the temple, destroying over half of it. The Jedi issue an emergency evacuation of the temple and just barely escape, many died from Morgoth and from the debris collapsing on them. Montgomery was able to get them to Middle-Earth just as the portal closed, now they had some time. Montgomery decided to guide them to Gondor, if they could convince the steward to join them, they might have a fighting chance. Gudbrand decided to employ the help of the Vanir back in his world. And Jack convinced the council to fight against Morgoth, everything was going to plan. Until something happened, on their way to Gondor for refuge, the Order, which was now small, was ambushed by an entire tribe of Uruk-hai using dark magic. The jedi were able to force them to retreat. But a few hours later, they arrived again, with a human riding a graug in tow. This time, the Uruks were able to inflict casualties, and captured Jack, Montegomery and many others. During the night, while the Uruks were feasting, a cloaked figure snuck to the cages and rescued them, he told them to follow him, but they by the human that was helping the Uruks "where do you think you're going?". Lightning fast, their rescuer there a knife at him, but he simply caught it and shouted for the Uruks. They were surrounded in a moment, but then the cloaked figure drew his sword and began killing, moving at incredible speeds. He was eventually grabbed by the biggest one of the Uruks and stabbed. Montgomery managed to climb the Uruk and cut off his head, then, the rest of them stopped fighting, and they bowed Montgomery:"what? Why are you bowing?" Uruk: "you killed Ur-Hakon, he was our leader. By sacred law, we now bow to you" Montgomery: "oh, okayyy... Can you free the rest of us?" The Uruks complied with the order, setting everyone free. The cloaked figure finally introduces himself as the Night rider Samuel: "Night rider? Oh, I heard of you, you're that Uruk hunter!" Night rider: "in the flesh. I was tracking down this tribe for weeks. But you spared me from fighting their leader, little Hobbit" Jack: "alright, listen up. This "Middle-Earth" is in extreme danger. Something called "Morgoth" is tracking us down"
Night rider: "Morgoth? But he was into the void. How is this possible" Samuel: "a portal opened to the void" Night rider: "portal?!" Jack: "yeah, it's how I got here, portals" Night rider: "if that's the case, I must alert Rohan" Montgomery: "well, that's good, because we're heading to Gondor" Night rider: "follow me" He leads them to some horses "take these" he says "they'll help you get to Gondor as quick as possible" Samuel and Jack set off to Gondor with the Jedi remnants Meanwhile, Gudbrand has arrived in Vanaheim to ask the Vanir for help, he arrives at their keep and just barges in in the middle of a feast. The keep is dead silent once he comes in, everyone stares at him. Freya, leader of the Vanir finally breaks the silence Freya: "why have you come here Odinson? Here to do your father's bidding, you lapdog?" Gudbrand: "no, I am not with my father. But that's besides the point, a great evil is coming for you all. It's name is Morgoth and it is coming for us all. I need your help" Freya: "and what will we get out of this alliance" Gudbrand: "what will you get? You won't be destroyed you buffoon! Have you been paying attention to a single word I've said?!" Freya: "so be it" The Vanir rally all of their forces and set out with Gudbrand back to Middle-Earth to rendezvous with the others. Meanwhile, Jack and Montgomery have arrived at Gondor, but a guard stop them at the gates Guard: "Halt! State your business!" Montgomery: "we need an audience with the steward, Morgoth has returned!" Guard: "w-what? M-Morgoth?" Jack: "yes, we need to speak to the steward!"
Guard: "come on in, I'll get someone to get you to him" Later. Jack and Montgomery have been brought before the Steward of Gondor, his sons, Boromir and Faramir stand at his sides Steward: "why are you here" Montgomery: "steward of Gondor, you may not believe us, but Morgoth has returned and, and he's probably here in Middle-Earth" Steward: "what? Morgoth? Do you take me for a fool?! Morgoth was banished! How can you prove your absurd claim?!" Suddenly, the captain of the guard runs in Captain: "my lord! Morgoth is here!" Jack: "looks like *we* don't have to prove it" All of them go outside, where a gargantuan Morgoth stands with his minion Sauron , they start seiging Gondor with their Uruk armies and the Nazgul. Suddenly Gudbrand charges them from behind with the Vanir and they start cutting down the Uruks, Gondor seeing this start attacking. But then, Morgoth starts fighting back, he sends out a brainwashed Ragnarr to ward off Gondor while he personally fights the Vanir. Jack acts quickly, jumping into the fray and battling Uruks, the Gondorians send more men out and aid Jack while Montgomery leads his Uruks in battle. Eventually, Jack comes face to face with Ragnarr, and a battle ensues, Ragnarr manages to cut off Jack's hand with his sword. In a blaze of anger, Jack uses the force and knocks Ragnarr to the ground and goes to kill him, he raises his lightsaber, but hesitates. After all, Ragnarr isn't in control. As he is hesitating, Ragnarr finally snaps out of it and gets up, they join forces and start pushing back the Uruks. Taking advantage of the disarray, Gudbrand slams into Sauron and starts fighting him by himself. With strength and aggressiveness, he defeats Sauron, with his death, the Uruk army dies. Now Morgoth is alone, and the Vanir and Gondor are closing in, on top of that forces from Rohan have arrived, led by the Night Rider. But even with his back to the wall, Morgoth is still very powerful repelling a lot of the attacks thrown at him. Ragnarr, getting fed up, charges at Morgoth alone, the Gondorians try to stop him, telling him its suicide, but no avail. He dazes Morgoth, at which point Gudbrand rams into him, then Jack and Montgomery run in and the four heroes, slowly but surely, start to defeat him, eventually Gudbrand knocks Morgoth's mace out of his hands, Ragnarr picks it up, and attacks with all his might, and finally, Morgoth was defeated. The allied armies cheered as the beast hit the ground. And the four heroes were rewarded for their mighty deed. Ragnarr himself gave a speech, putting an emphasis on peace between all the dimensions. Weeks later, a project was started by the newfound "Horsemen of the Apocalypse" with Ragnarr as Death, Gudbrand as War, Jack as Pestilence and Montgomery as Famine. They sought to create a place where all were welcome, a place for peace, it would be a hub for all dimensions, and thus, The City Of Union was created.

[Take One III - Two Sides, Same Coin]

Peace had been established across the dimensions at the building of Union, all were welcome and harmony was everywhere. Until, Ragnarr, now the supervisor of Union starting being plagued with nightmares, visions of himself and The Horsemen. But they looked distorted. evil, even.

He decided to call a meeting and consulted his fellow heroes about it. Ragnarr: "Our city is doing well, and is the envy of all lesser states. But still, I am plagued by terrible visions. I saw our mighty and august city destroyed, by none other than us. A corrupted image of us."
Samuel: "It's only a nightmare, Ragnarr. You can't be sure it's a vision."
Ragnarr: "It felt real enough."
Gudbrand: "Perhaps your mind is playing tricks on you. Perhaps you need more rest."
Ragnarr: "Perhaps you're right."

A few weeks passed uneventfully, until, one night, Union was ambushed. Enemies from beyond this world, nay, from beyond the Multiverse itself, were here. The Yuuzhan Vong, the Children of the Void, had arrived, and brought with them the sword of war.

The Horsemen quickly readied to face them, only to be met by doppelgangers of themselves. Confused, they were ambushed. Ragnarr put up a fight but was captured, as was Samuel. Gudbrand and Jack, meanwhile, escaped in a spaceship, and tried to get to Coruscant before it was too late...

Samuel and Ragnarr were hauled through the burning city. Ragnarr's vision came true: he could see it all, the screams of women and children, the blood of the soldiers flooding the streets, the burning of the homes and property... The city was being sacked, thoroughly, so that it appeared they would raze it even to its foundations. And Ragnarr and Montgomery could do nothing but watch...

They were taken to their cells, chained up as slaves, guarded by their own doppelgangers. Suddenly, a Yuuzhan Vong stepped forth to speak to the prisoners.

"You do not know us, but we know you, Gravewalkers. You have violated natural law. That is why we have come for you. These clones assisted us; your blood was not hard to get our hands on, after all. Enjoy eternity in the Void."
The Vong cackled as he left their cell, leaving them in utter darkness. It seemed there was no hope...
Until, Jack and Gudbrand returned.

Jack and Gudbrand escaped from the city of Union, and attempted to go to Coruscant, but their ship crash landed into an asteroid belt. When they awoke, they saw the Oracle, who guided them on the structure of the Multiverse. Reluctantly, they took his advice to heart and took his ship to save their friends.

Crashing into the Vong mothership, the pair rampaged through the guards, and arrived at the holding cells. They set all prisoners free, and took their friends back to the city of Union.

Returning to the city, they saw it burned to the ground. Not even the foundation was spared, so that it appeared as if the city never existed. The Horsemen quickly readied an impromptu defense and waited.
The Vong tracked them down within a few days. They were led by Supreme Overlord Shimrra Jamaane.

The roads leading into the city had been left in poor condition by both the sacking and recent heavy rain, and Jamaane's men had to pass through the congested streets and move a hundred siege weapons. Matters were not helped when a fire broke out in the ruins, blocking several streets along the Overlord's intended route. As a result, the last part of the army left at six hours after the leading elements had moved out towards Union. Jamaane's men were followed to Union by several reserve forces.

The attack began within a few hours. The Horsemen had no allies, no armies, and were demoralized. Jamaane thought it would be an easy victory. He was wrong.
Vong troops, who had been encamped outside the east wall of the ruined city, began their march north along the former walls. However, they were pushed back by the Horsemen, who took a defensive position atop the old walls. Series of trenches had been dug all around this position, slowing the fight to a crawling halt as the Horsemen leisurely picked off the Vong troops. The Overlord ordered his men to continue pushing, attempting to break through with raw numbers. At first, this tactic did not appear successful, but within a few hours the Vong had finally scaled the walls, at which point the defends scurried to a similar position in a concealed part of the wall behind them, and collapsed that wall, killing all Vong aboard it. The Overlord realized their plan: to slowly pick off his entire force. He also noticed a lot of the wall was obstructed, no doubt moved by them and rebuilt. He ordered his men to retreat.

The day was won, barely. The Vong lost 3/4 of their forces and went on the retreat, but it wasn't necessarily a victory for the Horsemen either.
At the end of the day, the Oracle returned.
Ragnarr: "Our city is destroyed. Our people are killed. What wisdom have you come to give us?"
The Oracle: "A final message, for soon I might be gone. Go to the planet of Nechtan, on the edge of the Hyperspace Galaxy. You will meet with some important individuals there. That's all I will say."
The Oracle was gone. Union was gone. The Horsemen decided to heed his words and travel to Nechtan...

[The Old Republic Part I - Begin Again]

REPUBLIC WORLD, 2310 ABR "The King deems you guilty of the high crime of treason. Your sentence is exile to the colonies in Magna Graecia." A judge is holding his gavel, then after delivering this sentence, he strikes it. "Order!"
Thus, Rashi, Ben and their allies are exiled to Magna Graecia.
Upon arrival, they see the pitiful conditions of the local peasants: they are to work 24 hour shifts farming during horrible conditions for a pittance, all the while starving due to the excessive taxes. Rashi: "Disgusting! How could the king be so cruel?!"
Ben: "We need to do something about this."
Lionheart, leader of the eponymous Champions of Lionheart, speaks up: "And why should we? They are but peasants."
Rashi: "Think of it this way, we can get back at the king. If we organize a revolt..."
Ben: "I will join, not for that petty purpose, but for the liberty of man."
Lionheart: "Well, when put that way, I suppose something can be done..."
The group set up a stand, and deliver speech after speech, riling the peasants up against the King. Eventually, they hit their breaking point: the peasants storm the provincial capital. From there, a speech is made:
Rashi: "Friends, Countrymen, Lend me your ears! The King has long pestered these colonies with his illegal taxes, has forced the population to work worse than slaves, has starved you for his own belly! Today is an end to that, and the start of a Republic, for and by the people!"
Thus, a republic is born. Ben is elected as the first President, Rashi as the first Supreme Justice. The Champions wisely remain out of the power structure, becoming instead valuable allies. The King is not pleased, and sends his armies to quell the rebellion. The newly found Republic conscripts Citizen Militias, and enlists the help of both the Champions and an unexpected ally: Neo-Carthage.
Vector, the Sufete of Carthage, arrives to discuss the alliance. Vector: "You say you want to fight this king, and enlist my help. But why should I help you?" Ben: "Think with your wallet, good sir. With his trade routes disrupted, his monopolies will be shaken, and your prices will go down." Vector thinks for a moment. Vector: "Your point is valid. We will aid you, but keep this between us, yes?" Ben: "As you say." Finally, what will become known as the Battle of the Purple is about to begin... The King's armies consist of elite Cataphracts and Legions, and for support Mechanized Mounts were brought to the battlefield. The King and his Judges lead from the rear. The Republican armies are much smaller, consisting of the heavy infantry Champions and the Citizen Militias. Ben and Rashi lead from the front. The local terrain is rich with hills and wooded areas, and the sun is just about to set. As the battle begins, the Militias are arranged on the high ground, and packed together as if a phalanx, forcing the legions to fight an uphill battle. Meanwhile, the Champions, lead by Lionheart, serve as bait to the mechanized mounts as they outpace, separate and hunt them. After an hour of fighting, it begins to rain, making the battlefield muddy, and forcing the Legions to retreat from the hills. The mechanized mounts are hunted and destroyed. The Champions, now behind enemy lines, flank the enemy's cataphracts from behind. At the same time, a feigned legion rout on the hills turns into a real one, and the King and his Judges narrowly escape with their lives and the remainder of their army. The day is won. The King is forced to return to the Greeks empty handed. The Republic is saved. Soon after, the Republic is approached by the Romans, and an alliance and union is signed. Thus, the Roman National Party (RNP) is born, and the Republic begins to romanize, much to the disdain of some Greeks. Lionheart: "You sold away the traditions of your ancestors-" Ben: "Speak for yourself. We are not Greeks." Rashi: "Our culture is one of discipline. It would do you well to embrace it-" Lionheart: "Do not presume to order me around. Rethink your position very thoroughly." Vector, hearing of the news, visits once again. Vector: "Congratulations on your victory, but I see not all is well in your land?" Ben: "Yes, we have embraced new customs and traditions. We are now Romans, and you would do well to address us as such." Vector: "And why is that? You did well against the king, I had planned to acquire your services a second time-" Ben: "Then hope no longer. We want nothing to do with the Greeks." Vector: "I, for one, want you to have everything to do with the Greeks." Thus the Greek National Party (GNP) is born. Soon after, Lionheart and Vector organize what would come to be known as the First Rebellion. The Rebellion would quickly be put down by the citizen militias, now both better trained and equipped. Vector and Lionheart surrendered, but remained part of the GNP, which became a political movement. As a term of their surrender, the Champions and Neo-Carthage were forced to join in Union with the Republic. The Union became known as... the Sheevist Union.

REPUBLIC WORLD, 2287 ABR After many years of brutal warfare, the Sheevist alliance had finally won against Valorum's tyrannical Directory. Magna Graecia was liberated and under Sheevist control. Sheev Palpatine met with his allies to discuss the victory.
Sheev: "So many friends lost. Sate, Jagged, Davis... We shall make this republic eternal in their memory and honor."
The Bogs and Sminem, both allies to Sheev, agreed. However, the discussion turned to another subject.
Sminem: "I must leave now, for my mission is complete."
Sheev: "What do you mean?"
Sminem: "I told you when I joined you, I would help you and then I must leave."
Sheev: "... Very well. Begone then."
Thus, Sheev and the Bogs ran the republic alone. Sheev as Supreme Chancellor, and the Bogs as his commanders.

REPUBLIC WORLD, 2293 ABR Sheev Palpatine continues to rule the Republic, aided by the Bogdanoff twins. He receives an ambassador from the Ionic Republic, an Anatolian state and ally of the Sheevist Republic, asking for aid against a new enemy: The Irenead Kingdom. The Ireneads are a Theocratic Monarchy, concentrated on the worship of a pagan goddess named Irene, and led by Druids. Reluctantly, Sheev assembles the Grand Army of the Republic, and sets off to Anatolia. Once there, he meets with the head of the Ionic Republic, a one named Trikopios. Sheev: "Our allies have sought help, and we are men of our word. What seems to be the issue?" Trikopios: "The Ireneads have been raiding our settlements and taking tributes from our magistrates, we seek your help in repulsing them." Sheev: "Very well. You have our support." Thus, they began planning for the upcoming battle. Meanwhile, in the Trebizond, the Irenead King Irenophilos IV was celebrating his latest victory with an extravagant banquet, and engaging in the Irenead brands of debauchery. Hearing of Sheev's arrival, he assembled his own armies, and s'allie forth to the city of Amsilos. There, the Sheevist and Ionic armies were stationed. The Allied Armies were organized as such: Light and Heavy Infantry at the front and center, with archers on the flanks and heavy cavalry in the rear. The Irenead armies were organized as such: light infantry at the front, with light cavalry at the rear. The Allies occupied the city proper, and the Ireneads had to break through the gates. Meanwhile, the Archers were ordered to harass the enemy. Irenophilos, unhappy with this arrangement, instead rode around the city walls and, having found a weakness in the defenses, charged through it. The Allies were taken by surprise, but quickly turned to face the enemy. The narrow and short streets proved unfavorable for the enemy cavalry's charges, and they were being pushed back. Sheev then ordered a cavalry charge, led by him and Trikopios, to reach Irenophilos and capture him. Seeing no hope for victory, the Ireneads retreated. The Allies were victorious. The Ionic Republic would eventually triumph against the Ireneads, only to transform into a Kingdom itself... During his absence, the Bogs ruled as Sheev's Regents. Now, he returned to rule once again.

REPUBLIC WORLD, 2299 ABR It has been many years since the Republic was founded. Since then, it had become an Empire, under Sheev as Emperor; however, the Bogs betrayed Sheev and killed him. The princes Rashi and Ben were forced to flee, thus arriving in Greece...

REPUBLIC WORLD, 2311 ABR During this time, many new faces joined the Republic's administration: Sir Shad of the Champions, Van Dwight the Orator, Renatus the Historian, and last but not least: Guardian, an old Sheevist supporter. Following a scandal of abuse of power, Rashi is forced to resign as Vice President, and Guardian ascends the post. At the same time, Guardian becomes the unofficial head of the GNP. Following the scandal, Rashi attempted to extend the power of the court further, and even appointed Regents in his absence. This backfired, as the Regents enacted their own will, and President Ben called for a treason trial against the entire Justice System. The Trial would take place simultaneously with the next election...

REPUBLIC WORLD, 2312 ABR It is the day of the Third Election in republican history. The GNP and RNP are running against each other once again, with Guardian as the GNP candidate and the incumbent president Ben as the RNP candidate.
The Treason Trials are paused and resumed as needed during the election. Rashi is acquitted, but the Regents, including Shad, are mildly punished. Mysteriously, in the middle of the votes being counted, it is reported that certain members of the GNP planned a coup d'état. Guardian thus dissolves the GNP out of his sense of honor. The RNP, now without enemies, declares a New Empire: With Ben as Emperor, and with Guardian and Rashi as Grand Moffs.

REPUBLIC WORLD, 2276 ABR Sate and Sheev had been training their armies for several months now. The last battle against Valorum was a pyrrhic victory, and they were forced to retreat. Valorum himself was also preparing his armies, and had even hired Carthaginian mercenaries to aid him. Valorum ordered a siege of the Sheevist capital in Taranto. The Sheevists couldn't fight back at first, due to not being ready, but once the training was finally done, Sate and Sheev sallied forth, breaking through the enemy's first lines. But it was a trap: Valorum planned to send his armies in waves, and he sat watching from a hilltop as wave after wave crashed into the Sheevist defence. Sate, angered by this, broke formation and charged uphill to face Valorum head on. A duel was about to begin. Valorum dismissed his bodyguards, and once he was ready, began to attack Sate recklessly. Being no match for his skill, Sate instead got back on his horse and charged through Valorum's bodyguards, killing them and riding back to his allies. However, when he was riding back, an enemy archer hit him in the chest. He arrived, only to die in his friend's arms...

REPUBLIC WORLD, 2315 ABR It has been several years since the foundation of the Republic, and a new enemy has appeared from within: the Senate has started a revolt against the Empire, lead by Vector and the former GNP. Initially, the Empire seems to be winning, with Rashi leading the charge. However, Rashi and the Senate then join forces against the Emperor. The Civil War marks the end of the first period of Imperial History. At the end, Rashi and the Senate had lost, the Sheevist union was dissolved, and the Empire had shrunk in size.

[The Old Republic Part II - End Of The Road]

REPUBLIC WORLD, 2320 ABR Rashi, now destitute, flees north to escape Magna Graecia. He arrives in the Arles, an area of Gaul, where he becomes a merchant selling far eastern goods to the Gauls. There, he met a friend, a trader from Sumeria. They shared an interest in the outside world, and eventually decided to explore it using the Sumerian's ship. They assembled a crew of 300 Greek and Gallic seamen, and headed west, intending to find new markets to trade in. After several years at sea, they arrived in unknown lands, filled with rainforests, but were forced to move on due to the hostile natives. Arriving eventually at a series of islands, the Sumerian was killed by hostile natives. Rashi led the expedition back into Babylonia, where the seamen departed. Many of them eventually joined the Champions' Eastern Chapter, later known as the Templars.

REPUBLIC WORLD, 2324 After returning to the Arles, Rashi comes across a Gallic statue of a pagan god on his way to the marketplace. Enraged, he smashes the statue, but he was witnessed by several Gauls who were also on their way to the marketplace. After a chase, Rashi is saved by a mysterious hooded figure, who takes him to a secret headquarters of sorts. Here, the Cult of H train and study, apparently under this man's guidance. H Cultist: "You are a brave one to challenge their false gods. Who are you?" Rashi: "I am Rashi, son of Sheev Palpatine. And you?" H Cultist: "Sheev Palpatine?... Now that's a name I've not heard in a long time. A long time. I am Sminem." Rashi: "I know you! My father used to tell me wartime stories about you, and the Bogs and Sate and all the rest." Sminem: "As you know, I had to leave your father's side once the wars were over. I had to return and tend to my flock." Rashi: "Your flock?" Sminem: "Yes. Would you like to join us?" Rashi: "I suppose I have nothing better to do." For the next few weeks, Rashi trained as an H Cultist, learning the powers of the Dark Side. However, this would not last. The Gauls, infuriated by the H Cult's lack of reverence for their pagan gods, declared war. The Cult prepared its defences. Within weeks, ten thousand Gauls had been assembled, and had started targeting the centers of the H Cult: entire underground cities were sacked and burned. The Cult retreated from the Arles to the Alps, hoping the Gauls wouldn't follow them. During the retreat:
Rashi: "I wonder why my destiny led me to meet you." Sminem: "Destiny? There are no such things as destiny or fate, young one. There is only choice. I saved you out of my own volition." Rashi: "If that is true, how come we are in this situation right now? If there were no destiny nor fate, wouldn't we be dead?" Sminem: "Perhaps so... Make ready for a camp." After arriving in the Alpine mountains, the Cult somewhat returned to normal. Out of reach of the Gauls, for now at least, they continued to train in the Dark Side. Sminem: "Your lineage should make you more apt with the Dark Side, yet you produce worse results than any youngling! How come?" Rashi: "I've never trained in it my whole life." Sminem: "That is irrelevant, there have been such as you who do better than you. Do you have something going on? Personally, I mean." Rashi: "Well... Me and my brother haven't spoken for years now." Sminem: "That must be it. You must make peace with your brother, then you will be at ease."
They are interrupted. The Gauls, finally having tracked down their enemies, besiege them. The Cult once again fled, this time to the lowlands, seeking safety from the local Patricians.
During the retreat:
Rashi: "Sometimes it seems like all we do is flee. I just wish for a fight sometimes." Sminem: "I cannot afford one. I have trained my apprentices for years. I will not lose a single one of them over some petty dispute."
Rashi: "As you say." Having arrived in the Lowlands, Rashi is ordered to stay behind. Once the Cult bribes the Patrician and settles in, Sminem returns to speak with him. Sminem: "Your journey with us is over. You have learnt much." Rashi: "What? I don't understand, I haven't even begun to improve. You can't do this-" Just then, Sminem puts his finger on Rashi's forehead. Suddenly, a wave of clarity washes over him. The last thing he sees before passing out, is Sminem and the Cult walking through a portal...

REPUBLIC WORLD, 2325 ABR 10 years after the end of the Empire, Rashi returns to Magna Graecia. He goes to the Imperial Capital, and requests an audience with Ben, under the alias of "Tradur of Sumeria". Once he is inside:
Rashi: "Brother, it has been a long time." Ben: "Brother. I don't know why you went through all that trouble. If you wanted an audience, you could just ask." Rashi: "I see things much more clearly now than before. I never should have allied with the Senate. I believe we should rejoin forces once again." Ben: "Now that's the best damn idea you've had in a long time." Rising from the ashes, the Empire Strikes Back against its enemies: Ben orders Rashi to sack Neo Carthage for breaking the union. Thus, the Imperial forces, alongside the Champions, sack the city. In the dark of night, a horrified Vector awakens, powerless to stop it.
Vector: "Why have you done this, you madman?!" Rashi: "You didn't honor our alliance. Let this be a warning. You are, from now on, under us."
Vector didn't waste his time arguing. Instead, he bided it, and started scheming...
With the Empire reforged, Magna Graecia's age of warlords ended. Peace reigned throughout the region. The Senate was even Reformed, although as a symbolic institution. From this, Lionheart and Vector became influential members of the administration...

REPUBLIC WORLD, 2326 ABR The Senate drafts a new constitution. Although symbolic, it is still important, and thus followed. The Senate then slowly begins to expand it's reach, and eventually, when the time is ready, Vector springs his trap. Rashi has attempted to farm out thousands of kilometers of land leased to him by the Ionic Crown in the Western Balkans. However, the Senate took this to mean that Rashi had planned to declare independent a nation controlling that land and the lands he personally owned within the Empire. A Treason Trial was held against him, with Ben as the Judge. Vector: "As you can see, here are documents issued by the Ionic government which permit your dear brother to use their lands. Coincidence? I think not! He is planning on betraying you yet again, and stealing your lands!" Rashi: "Brother, I-" Vector: "Silence! He is a traitor! Sentence him and let's move on with it." Ben: "Brother, I cannot save you this time. The Court finds you guilty of Treason. You are to be exiled."

REPUBLIC WORLD, 2327 ABR After Vector's carefully orchestrated plot, Rashi was exiled from Magna Graecia. He returned with an army of ghosts, using the dark side to call upon them. Using his armies, he attacked the Republic. Ben went to meet with his brother:
Rashi: "You cannot stop me. You can either join me or die. It's your choice, but I warn you not to underestimate my power." Ben: "Of course I will join you, brother. I will not let those corrupt bureaucrats win." Rashi: "Then we are in agreement. Let us march." The Senate organized an army of citizen militias, aided by mercenaries. The Ghostly Armies besieged the Imperial Capital, and repelled a republican counterattack. Vector himself lead a final charge against the armies, which would go down in history as the Tarantine Charge: he ordered 25 thousand horsemen to aid him, and charge straight into the enemy lines, however the ghosts were too quick and moved, letting the horsemen be surrounded by them behind enemy lines. Vector himself died in the attempt. Lionheart fled to Britain, and the remaining faces of the old republic scattered in the wind. At the end, there lay only one thing: a contingency. The Final Republic.
Rashi: "Execute Protocol 66".
The Protocol declared total war upon all its enemies, becoming a nomadic horde.
However, in the middle of one of their campaigns, Ben and Rashi were transported to a another world, different from their own...

[The Old Republic Part III - Legacy of Sheev]

REPUBLIC WORLD, 2317 It has been two years since Rashi tore the Empire apart, and Ben was left to pick up the pieces. The many petty kinglets and princelings were fighting with both eachother and the rightful Emperor. The Senate spent it's dying breath trying to legitimize every Usurper and enemy of the Emperor out of pure spite.
Rashi and Ben continued to exchange correspondence, despite their differences. A final series of letters exchanged between Rashi and Ben reads:
Rashi: "The Republic was steered neither by me nor you alone. For it was the successor states that were steered by but one man, and our successors in spirit are with more success than our successors in the eyes of the law; for I and you together ended the great Empire of Ionia, and that of the Carthaginians."
Ben: "You hinted earlier that you considered yourself the ultimate victor of this petty war. Tell me, who is Emperor? Was it not I, who seized from the gaping jaws of the collective of leeches known as the Senate, the most righteous and sweet title of Emperor, as per my birth right?" Rashi: "Ah, but you did not do it alone. My help was instrumental, and that cannot be denied, for the Empire would never be without both of us. As I have said, we both steered the Republic, until the Republic became too big for the both of us." Ben: "Your help was very instrumental in the creation of the Empire, which makes your betrayal all the more painful. My own brother, fighting against me, a sight I wished to never behold." Rashi: "You must understand that I was simply defending my legal rights." Ben: "Of course you were. From now on, until you come back to your senses, we have no more to speak of."

Ben continued his campaigns, referred to altogether as the Reclamation Wars, still clinging to the Restoration of the Empire as his ultimate ideal.
One of his strongest enemies was the Scythian-Celtic "Empire" lead by Basarab of Tithana, a former imperial bureaucrat and Commander who turned into a warlord. Ben prepared a campaign against his enemy, and headed north, towards the enemy capital of Capua. His army numbered five thousand to his enemies' ten thousand, but it would have to do. A victory here would mean the end of this pretender, and the reclamation of important lands.
Ben marched north at a breakneck pace, and allowed his supplies to lag behind, though leaving a garrison behind with them to guard his supply lines.
He sieged the city of Amalfi for 3 weeks, and took it. He continued onwards, the path to Capua now open. However, Ben was ambushed by Basarab's entire army. Thinking quickly, he turned this would-be defeat into a stalemate by rapidly constructing a series of walls, thus forcing the enemy to siege him out. However, as his supplies lagged behind, he needed to resolve this siege quickly.
He tried desperate attacks on the enemies' positions, all in vain. Finally, after around a week, the supply trains arrived in the middle of the night, and the army was refortified and now with supplies. Ben knew the enemy didn't know this, and so decided to press the advantage of the element of surprise...
He attacked the Scythians the following day, and it appeared as if he committed his entire army to it. However, he arranged for a cavalry detachment to flank the enemy. After a series of flanking maneuvers and bloody battles, he had captured and executed Basarab, and ended this campaign.
Now victorious, he had no time to celebrate, for he had another campaign coming up very soon: to liberate the northern parts of the Republic.

In the north, the aged "emperor", Albus Censorius, having brought peace by the sword to the northern parts of the Old Republic, throws himself into the administration of his lands in his last years. In particular he focuses on the imperial capital in the east, for years the city of Ambrosia was but a paltry counterpart for the queen of cities, Rome; however sporadic development by multiple warlords would see her grow to become the greatest city in the north after Ravenna, and Venexia. For Albus this was not enough. The city from which the largest Republican successor state was to be commanded could not be overshadowed by the municipalities of "pretenders".
To that end the warlord would invest the vast sums of his imperial treasury into the expansion of Ambrosia, from a notable urban center in Italia, into a great metropolis, the likes of which could rival Rome, Alexandria, or Athens. The Cathedral had been expanded to match the Eternal City's in scale, and beauty, and the warlord would commission a series of fortifications that would make the city nigh impregnable... Ambrosia would come to be known as the Gemma Italicae, the Jewel of Italy, and more great building projects would soon follow. Grand statues of the warlord and his predecessors, including a statue of Lionheart, and more, the Circus Ludovicus, modeled after the Circus Maximus of old Rome, a great harbor, and expanded canal to allow greater volumes of trade, and the heavily fortified imperial palace, placed directly along the Rubicon river, and modeled after the castrum typically constructed by Republican field armies, and housing a permanent military garrison for the warlord's protection.

Ben planned a campaign against Albus, for the entire north was under him. If this could be reclaimed, then the Empire would be victorious. Reluctantly, Ben set out north, without knowing of Albus' fortifications and the size of his armies... His advisors did not help, as they were either dim or had some ulterior motive, particularly the former warlords. For though they either surrendered or were granted clemency, each was waiting for his moment to stab Ben in the back... Waiting, in the shadows...

Ben ordered his Commander, Vinicius Remus, to take some of the regular troops and move quickly to the city of Yvarna, north-west of Rome, while Ben and the rest of the army marched to Ambrosia. This split the forces into halves of about 2500 men each. Vinicius would never return, nor send word, as he was ambushed and killed, and his army smashed, by the warlord Albus. Ben's army was reduced to less than half his planned 5000 men.

Albus summoned his army and delivered a speech by appearing in a white robe similar to a funeral shroud in the morning of the battle. This was an encouraging message that he was ready to die in battle. Ben was unaware of the loss of Vinicius and continued to Ambrosia, which he was repelled from; he settled by capturing the nearby town of Talagia, and fortifying his position. The Censorians responded with constant attacks by skirmishers. The next day, some foraging parties under Commander Carbo discovered the Censorian army and were forced to retreat back to Talagia. Ben sent the former warlord and Commander Regulus and some cavalry, as Ben did not believe this was Albus' full army. The cavalry was destroyed and Regulus taken prisoner. Ben drew up his troops into formation and sent the left wing out under Carbo, who was almost surrounded by the quickly approaching Censorians and was forced to retreat once more. The Censorian forces hid among the nearby hills for the night, making it nearly impossible for Ben to counterattack.
Soon, some of Ben's Northern mercenaries came into contact with their Censorian brethren and deserted. Ben then rejected a peace embassy from Albus. He wanted to settle the northern question and the persistent incursions and settlements with a decisive military victory, and he understood that raising another army would be both difficult and expensive. The Emperor attempted to recall Vinicius and his half of the forces, but they were no longer in the area. There were no engagements that day, but on the next, the Imperial army gathered itself into a proper battle formation and began to march on the Censorian positions, with the left wing under Carbo, the right wing under Thomas the Elder, and the centre under the Emperor. At that moment, a Censorian soldier said to Albus, "My Emperor, the enemy army is approaching", and Albus is said to have replied, "Then we are also approaching them". The former warlord Agathocles led the reserve forces in the rear. This was a foolish mistake by the emperor, considering the dubious loyalties of the Sicilians. The Censorians were organized into a Testudo formation. Censorian archers attacked the Imperials as they drew closer; the centre of their formation continually moved backwards while the wings moved to surround the Imperial troops.

The Imperials held off the arrow attacks and captured Albus' camp by the end of the afternoon. However, the right and left wings, where the arrows did most of their damage, almost broke up when individual units tried to force the Censorians into a pitched battle; the Censorian cavalry simply disengaged when challenged, in the classic tactics of Scythian steppe warriors, no doubt in imitation of Basarab. With the Censorians avoiding battle, Ben was forced to order a withdrawal by the time night fell. However, the right wing misunderstood the order, and Agathocles, as a rival of Ben, deliberately ignored the emperor's order and marched back to the camp outside Talagia, rather than covering the emperor's retreat. With the Imperials thoroughly confused, the Censorians seized the opportunity and attacked. The Imperial right wing was almost immediately routed, thinking they were betrayed either by the Northerners or the army's auxiliaries, made up of former warlords. This was not the truth, the Northern infantry were stoutly resisting and not turning tail and did not abandon the emperor as many had. When Ben saw the boldness of the Northern foot soldiers, he displayed great affection for them and promised them unheard of rewards. In the end, the emperor's personal troops and these Northerm foot soldiers suffered the heaviest casualties in the Imperial army. The left wing under Carbo held out a little longer but was also soon routed. The remnants of the Imperial centre, including the Emperor and the bodyguards, were encircled by the Censorians. Ben was injured, but narrowly escaped by disguising himself as a slave. The survivors were the many who fled the field and were pursued throughout the night, but not beyond that; by dawn, the professional core of the Imperial army had been destroyed whilst many of the peasant troops and levies who had been under the command of Agathocles had fled.

Ben, while disguised as a slave, traveled his lands without entourage and saw firsthand the horrors of these petty wars. This filled him with even more vigor and resolve for the Reclamation of his Empire, no matter the cost.

Once he had returned home, Ben took back the governance from his regent, the Imperial Commander Burgundius Soter. Immediately, Ben punished Agathocles with burning at the stake. However, recognizing his defeat, he signed a ten year truce with the now-dying Albus. Ben's Reclamation Wars would continue for many years, with ups and downs as the Emperor's fortunes ebbed and flowed, but would eventually, his hFd work would pay off, and the wars would end in success and the rebirth of the Empire...