The Mandate of Heaven

[Carthrat]

(The stats are mainly for my own edification. Ask if you want to know what I'm on about with these things. >.>

Feel free to argue with me about Sol-Falena, because it's not my country. I'm looking at you, Brian, Corwin.)

RY 768, Spring

Four Seasons Turning, Most Dutiful God of Nations and Empires

It is with great excitement that I submit to you the following report. As always, the East provides a startlingly dynamic set of states when compared to the stagnant Realm, the brutal South, the barbarian-ridden north, and the sea-broken West.

In particular, the Hundred Kingdoms grinds into it's next year of endless struggle. With the shattering of the Jade Prison, however, a number of states have arisen with leaders of an unexpected kind. As your dutiful servant, me and my agents have spent some time gathering intelligence for your most benificient bereau.

As always, due course has been spent evading both Bronze and Gold. Several nations have come to my attention. As always, however, the looming presence of Greyfalls hangs over the entirety of the land. Their mighty legions hover, crippled by indecision back at home. However, their distance from the Isle gives them a great deal of autonomy.

It's likely, however, that they will remain still until one of the following things occur;

1. Greyfalls, or the interests of Greyfalls (and specifically Greyfalls, as opposed to other Realm interests at large) are attacked by other principalities of the area.

2. Other Realm interests ARE attacked, and enough political power diverted to force large-scale manuevers.

3. The Kingdoms themselves are plunged into such chaos that there is no reasonable chance of them coalcizing into a serious threat to an incursionary force.

4. The Kingdoms unite. This could be the most casualty-prone event; in order to maintain the presence and grandeur of the Realm, full-scale war may break out across the entire region. Doubtless this would have grave impact on the rest of the East.

While Greyfalls itself seems play little part in the politics of the Kingdoms, they are always in everybody's minds.

I digress, of course. On the issue you may not yet know of- a great colossus, apparently of ancient Solar manufacture, has arisen towards the northwestern edge, near the great river. While the specifics of that event are unknown to me, the nations in the area are not- in particular, a nation posessing a Solar leader is in the region, and it is for this reason I will cover this particular area first in my report.


Resplendant Sun-Graced Empire of Sol-Falena

Magnitude: 2 A large town about a great manse, and almost a dozen smaller villages comprises Sol-Falena at present. They are somewhat larger than other states, and have considerable manpower that could be brought to bear.

Military: 1 Recent politics in this nation have involved two successive coups, apparent part of an internal family struggle. This has left the region with little in terms of military force. However- you'll be interested to hear this- a Dragon-Blood by the name of Hourai is responsible for training their new forces. There is also, supposedly, an Immaculate training an order of monks in service to the region!

Culture: 3 Regardless of what has gone before in Sol-Falena, the mere presence of Solar Exalted has been turning heads in nations far removed from the empire itself. Many are fearful, many are hopeful- all are waiting to see what the nascent empire does next- and if they should stand aside, throw in, or throw down.

Government: 2 Falena's government is still busy reassembling itself. The internal structure has mainly been decided; as a monarchy, it falls to the Queen to elect minsters for whatever departments she sees fit. Since the nation is small, they can centrilize their power, but should it grow, this will become more difficult.



Awareness: 1 A small network of covert agents exists within Falena, and the nation is small enough- and receives significant import from the guild- that they are capable of knowing most of what occurs both within and outside their immidiate borders.

-The nation lacks in border towers and substatial patrols, doubtless as a result of their lessened military.

-Also, they have few emissaries located in other nations to provide them with intelligence.

Bureaucracy: 1 The new government structure and influx of trade up and down the large river in the heart of this nation indicates a fair degree of emphasis on accounting and organisation.

-The nation lacks long-ranging trade interests at present, as well as connections in general.

-They produce a great deal of rice. While this provides a great deal of profit, there is not a shortage of rice in the region. The supply is slightly higher than the demand.

Craft: 2 Plans and designs within the great manse that stands as the capital of the nation has inspired skilled craftsmen, both within and without the country. Many have entered, and most of them stay.

-The nation has a large number of foreign craftsmen working for them, primarily to improve the capital. However, outer villages still remain much as they always were.

-The nation needs to buy most of it's minerals and materials through the Guild, and can't make best use of all their craftsmen.

-Furthermore, the nation lacks magical materials or craftsmen of that calibre, though it is likely that the manse itself could provide inspiration.

Integrity: 2 The Solar Exalted inspire loyalty, and most citizens of Falena are proud to be part of it. It goes without saying that much of the populance would not prefer to live elsewhere- those that would have already moved.

-The faiths of this nation are in competition with one another. A degree of the populance worships the queen directly, while others turn towards the Unconquered Sun itself. Still others retain their belief in in the immaculate faith.

-There are still tensions between those who supported the old king- primarily the rich- and those who support the current ruler.

-Since much of the nations integrity is based on faith, those in power should create reasons that justify this faith.

Occult: 0 Aside from the relatively small chapter of the immaculate order here, there is little to speak of mystical dealings within this nation. The nation as a whole has little experience with these things- a great comparision with it's neighbour, Rethala.

-The nation lacks thaumaturges or sorcerers of any kind.

-The nation lacks much in the way of higher education. The capital lacks much schooling in topics beyond basic langauge and mathematics.

Performance: 2 Many representatives of the nation are skilled in rhetoric, and the faith of the general citizenship in their queen and in the sun is ever-present. It is reaching the point where travellers are extoling her virtues of their own volition in neighbouring states.

-Based mainly on faith, the nation should once again seek to unite it's faith, or seek to send a clear message to outsiders.

-The nation should create symbols of what it stands for, and spread them throughout itself and other places.

Presence: 1 Aditionally, the implied threat of Exalted justice could do much to convince neighbouring states- or individuals in the region. Few forget that they are in an exalted state; this is not a subtle nation.

-The nation should start within itself; most of the ruling and law-making body is focused in the capital.

-Emissaries should be sent to nearby neighbours, as to better communicate with them.

Stealth: 0 Lacking much in the way of agents and saboteurs able to infiltrate other nations and influence their actions, Falena relies on indivduals, rather than a concentrated force, to attain covert results.

-The nation needs to expand it's agents in multiple locations.

-The nation needs a larger covert force.

-The nation needs information on other nations to actively direct such a force.

War: 0 Despite the presence of Hourai, the nation as a whole is still possessed of green troops, and few know much of the art of war. In times before, they relied on mercenaries, purchased through their rice profits, to defend them. But now...

-The nation needs both more manpower and more equipment.

-At present, the nation possesses only a few units of skirmishers and medium infantry. Any battle is likely to disintegrate into mob warfare; they lack expertise in all the minutae of combat.

-Their military leader, Hourai, can virtually ensure victory, even with these forces, but not over a large area or against vast armies.


Compassion: 3
Conviction: 3
Temperence: 2
Valor: 2