1. The founding ceremony of the Silver Dawn (Part 1)
The last few months of Dark Portal's 18th year have been exciting.
On the one hand, the new continent that embarrassed the empire and the alliance, Pandaria, which belongs to the Pandaren civilization, finally tentatively opened four coastal trade ports to both sides. This means that this new continent has begun to integrate into the world order. For both sides,
This is an excellent opportunity for the merchants of the country, especially the Kingdom of Stormwind, which is undergoing reform on the empire's side.
A new large market means that the products produced by the rapidly increasing number of craftsmen in the Kingdom of Stormwind have new export channels.
Currently, the main products of the Kingdom of Stormwind are extremely high-quality salt produced in the Shining Plains and industrially produced, as well as some specially processed seafood, as well as the wine industry that is gradually emerging in the hinterland of the kingdom, and the land of the Shining Plains.
It is barren and cannot grow much food, but this kind of land is very suitable for the growth of grapes introduced from the night elves.
The Kingdom of Stormwind spent a lot of money to invite many wine masters from dwarves, tauren, high elves and Sindra elves. After a period of trial and error, they came up with a wine with a unique taste.
For the Pandaren, this should be considered a very popular product. At the same time, the import of Pandaria's food, which is so cheap that food merchants despair, can also greatly alleviate the people's desire for food and clothing in the Kingdom of Stormwind.
With the use of the large port that Varian spent a lot of money to build on the coast of the Shimmering Plains, the golden waters of the South China Sea are once again extending outwards. As long as the Kingdom of Stormwind can find a way to break through the trade barriers of the Steamwheedle Consortium, they can quickly join this.
Among the sea trade routes flowing with gold coins.
In addition to Pandaria's integration into the world, another big news is about the Tol'vir of Uldum. These strange creatures, who have been isolated from the world for more than 10,000 years, have begun to attempt civilized exchanges with the outside world, and the Kingdom of Ramkahen
Pharaoh Faoris was a wise ruler. He did not stand alone on the side of the empire. Instead, he relied on the well-informed businessmen of the Dark Blade Consortium to submit letters of credence to the empire.
The ambassador was sent to the far eastern continent.
From the very beginning, this weird civilization joined the neutral camp without any guidance.
Of course, compared to the millions of pandaren in Pandaria, the Tol'vir, with a population of only nearly 800,000, are only a small civilization. However, this small civilization has some resources that make other civilizations very jealous...
More than 10,000 years ago, the activation of the Origin Forge completely destroyed Uldum's natural environment. However, the desert after being reshaped by the power of the Titans contained unimaginable mineral reserves, as well as many
This kind of rare mineral does not exist in the outside world. According to the description of the Imperial Archaeological Observation Team that returned from Uldum, the desert of Uldum contains huge gem mines that are comparable to the reserves of the entire world. The gems there are not valuable at all.
However, just when the merchants who heard the news planned to take this opportunity to make a fortune, they discovered in despair that the cunning Pharaoh had already sent out all his legions in advance, and had united the Ossis tribe and the nearly extinct
The Neferset tribe protected all the gem mines in the entire Uldum Desert.
During several trades in the past three months, Tol'vir merchants, who wore light gauze and seemed to be honest, but were actually very shrewd, set up a gem market in the valley at the junction of Uldum and Tanaris.
Just three months of trade earned the closed Tol'vir kingdom a fortune that was comparable to half a year's tax revenue from the empire.
Moreover, it is said that there are astonishing reserves of oil resources buried underground in Uldum. The To'vir people have also begun to contact the goblin consortium, intending to mine crude oil for sale. In the foreseeable future, the sparse To'vir civilization is likely to become
The richest desert tycoons in the entire Azeroth, after all, their home is built on a real gold mine.
The third thing that shocked the whole world in the past 18 years of the Dark Portal was the "Oduar" incident in Northrend. The Bronzebeard Dwarf predicted a disaster to the entire world, and
Very solid evidence was presented, causing the whole world to become turbulent. Several forces sent troops towards the northern continent. It is said that a protracted war is going on on the mysterious storm cliff.
Countless mortal warriors are using their courage and sacrifice to protect the world they live in.
And in the spring of 2019, Dark Portal came quietly, another sudden major event caused another storm in the world that had not yet calmed down.
A few years ago, when the empire moved westward, they stayed in the empire's homeland with great sacrifice, inherited Emperor Lothar's legacy, and guarded the last land of the empire in the Stratholme region.
The world-famous fanatic believers inspired by the Holy Light want to announce to the whole world in the spring...
They want to build a country.
For a moment, the nobles of the entire human empire, who were in turmoil because of Varian's reforms, felt as if they had been stabbed in the back, while the federal government occupying the Eastern Continent cheered for the news.
...
In short, this news is like a hot knife, piercing the peaceful daily lives of the Empire and the Federation, and disturbing both parties' peace at the same time.
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"Anyway, please convey my exact words to Count Godfrey... The founding of the country by us remnants of the empire at this time does not mean that we are separated from the empire. In fact, this is just a difficult choice about the political form of the eastern continent.
.”
In recent days, High Knight Fording, who had been troubled by the ambassadors frequently traveling between the Empire and the Stratholme region, patiently explained to the envoy in front of him:
"Only if we establish an independent country can we ensure that the Stratholme region will not be incorporated into the federation's political system. Only a real country can be qualified to discuss issues of excessive territorial differentiation with the federation at the political level.
.And this has been approved by His Majesty the Pope, and even King Liam chose to support it in the vote of the King's Council."
Great Knight Fording said in a deep voice:
"I understand Earl Godfrey's concerns very well, but with all due respect, this kind of worry is meaningless. The Scarlet Crusaders are all believers of the Holy Light. Is it possible that the Earl is still worried that we will fall to the side of the undead?"
This somewhat impatient response made the envoy who came on behalf of the Gilnean noble Earl Godfrey somewhat unable to answer. However, from this long exchange, he did feel the helplessness of the Scarlet Crusaders and the Federation.
Regarding the penetration level of this land.
It had only been two days since he arrived here, and he had already seen at least 7 federal caravans entering the Hand of Tyr trading area...as if they were walking in his own country.
The Scarlet Crusaders, whose military strength is at an absolute disadvantage, face the three federal legions deployed around Stratholme. As long as there is a slight change, they will face a head-on attack from the federal legions... They are absolutely invincible in terms of force.
Due to the pervasive commercial penetration of the Federation, these knights, who are loyal to the Empire but far away from the country, can only use detours to save the country in order to barely maintain the Empire's claim to the Stratholme region.
It would be better to allow the Scarlet Crusaders to establish a country than to abandon Stratholme to the Federation...
After seeing off the polite envoy, Lord Knight Fording sat tiredly in his office. On the desk in front of him were piles of too many plans and messy documents that needed to be considered for the founding of the country.
.For the Paladins, instead of immersing themselves in this terrible "war" of documents, it would be more enjoyable to rush into the battlefield and have a hearty battle with the undead.
But there's no way...it's the path they chose, and they must carry it out to the end.
What worries Fording even more is that after staying here for several years, the "fanatic" purification belief within the Scarlet Crusade seems to have begun to break away from the control of the upper class... As an old knight who has experienced countless wars,
, Fording knows better than anyone that once an army is captured by fanatical and dangerous extreme beliefs, it is equivalent to this army being on the road to self-destruction.
He didn't want to see this ending, but facing the current situation, it was difficult for him to find a breaking point.
Just when Fording was frowning and thinking hard, the door to his office was pushed open, and a young knight walked into his office and placed a letter with the Pope's personal stamp on it.
He placed it on Fording's table, then looked around, lowered his voice and said to the great knight:
"Father...the messenger specifically told me that this letter can only be read by you and Lord Mograine!"
Tyran Fordring, a 22-year-old young knight, returned to Stratholme from the Empire three years ago and became a paladin captain under his father. This young man almost completely inherited the old knight's legacy.
Fording's bravery and wisdom, whether in martial arts or character, are among the best among the younger generation.
Also returning with Tyran were Darien Mograine, the second son of Lord Mograine, and Miss White Mine, the adopted daughter of Lord Mograine, and Renault, the eldest son of Lord Mograine.
Mograine stayed in the Empire and inherited the Grand Knight's position as Duke of Lordaeron.
It's funny to say that when several children returned to the Eastern Continent, they were originally going to force their old fathers to "invite" them back to the empire to provide for their retirement. However, it turned out that they were still too old. After a fruitless "rebellion", these children were
It was semi-mandatory to stay in Stratholme to receive paladin training, and after staying with the passionate soldiers for a long time, even the young people were unwilling to go back to the empire to face the cumbersome etiquette and hypocritical nobles, so they stayed like this.
Come down.
Of course, the more likely reason is that the Scarlet Crusaders' living standard in the Stratholme region is no worse than that of the Empire due to the influence of the Federation's "rotten life"... Some special enjoyment items are even better than those in the Empire.
The empire provides better services, and it is said that these young people will secretly take advantage of their holidays to visit some nearby federal cities...
They are not the soldiers of the older generation. They have a concept of hatred between humans and the undead, but they are definitely not as stubborn as the old people. They also have a deeper understanding of the civilization of the Federation than the young people of the Empire. Occasionally, when they dream back at midnight, these
Young people themselves may also have some weird thoughts in their hearts that are not so "loyal".
After receiving his son's reminder, Fording, who had originally planned to open the envelope, suddenly stopped. There was a flash of thought in his eyes, and then he said to his son:
"Then go and invite Mograine over!"
After Tailan left, Old Fording looked at the letter and couldn't help but sigh.
He understood the meaning of this instruction from His Majesty the Pope... As one of the three leaders of the Scarlet Crusade, Old Fording knew that his former comrade-in-arms, General Abidis of the Kingdom of Lordaeron, was actually one of the current members of the Legion.
The source of those fanatical purification ideas, Old Fording was opposed to this extreme idea of fanatical "purification of all evil", and he was more inclined to follow the essence of the Holy Light's teachings.
The attitude of the great knight Alessandro Mograine sandwiched between the two is somewhat ambiguous. He belongs to the neutral faction. On the one hand, Mograine, like old Fording, can understand that the Scarlet Crusade is currently trapped.
The dilemma in the Eastern Continent, but on the other hand, the hatred of the Empire and the Dark Blade is also affecting him, making him happy to see the young warriors retain this hatred of the undead and all evil things.
Only in this way can we ensure that young people will not be corrupted by the federal "sugar-coated bullets".
And now, the entrustment that comes with this letter also represents His Majesty the Pope’s final choice of Old Fording. This makes the Grand Knight very happy. His Majesty the Pope is not blinded by hatred, but he is also
Old Fording is very worried. He is worried that if this letter contains some sensitive information, it may cause internal divisions in the Scarlet Crusade...
At the very least, General Abidis, who is getting older and more stubborn, will definitely not agree with the opinions of some moderates.
But Mograine is a force that can be united. If two of the three giants are inclined to the Pope's suggestion, then Abbendis will not openly oppose the Pope no matter how stubborn he is...
"Well, this might be an opportunity."
Old Fording squinted his eyes and read the letter. After reading it, he thought that he seemed to have found an entry point that could organize the fanatical and dangerous ideas that were being spread.
"What's going on? Fording, I'm going crazy with those stupid noble envoys! I just can't understand how the establishment of a religious order country can cause such a big disturbance? Those nobles are really stupid.
Are they even blind? Can’t they see the situation we are facing?”
Accompanied by Mograine's loud voice, a heavily armed old knight strode into the office. Holding the best cigar produced by the Federation, he sat down in Fording's office on a sofa produced by the Black Iron Zone.
went up, then exhaled a puff of smoke, and took the letter from Fording, but after just one glance, the tiger-like forehead of Knight Mograine wrinkled tightly.
"Fur..."
The great knight puffed out a puff of smoke, then shook his head at Old Fording:
"No! This won't work! I won't agree!"
"Anduin Wrynn's child's background is too sensitive. His arrival... will divide the Crusaders themselves!"