After months of stagnation and boredom, there has been a sudden movement in the Edwardiana theatre of operations, mostly, it would seem, triggered by covert operations rather than by military actions.

The action seems to have started on or around the 1st August 1909, when what would appear to have been two Goa’uld Al’kesh bombers attacked the ruined site of the former Chicago stockyards, in a city which was liberated from Federation control several months ago. The reasons for this action have yet to be determined, but the European Alliance forces repulsed the attack, shooting down one of the Al’kesh, while the other one just vanished without trace.

Around 12 hours after this attack, in incidents that are being described by Federation spokesmen as a cowardly terrorist suicide attacks, the Material Distribution Centers in Denver, Kansas and St. Louis were destroyed by massive explosions, which included significant arcane elements.

Then, shortly after that, every volcano in Japan erupted simultaneously, in a geophysical event that cannot have been natural, but which resulted in the uprising of the Japanese people against the rule of Empress Adrestia, and her rapid departure from Japan, along with her military staff. Aid and assistance has subsequently been pouring into Japan from a variety of sources, including the European Alliance, and the control of Japan seems to currently unclear. However, one thing for sure is that Japan is no longer under Federation rule.

With the loss of the Distribution centers in Denver, Kansas and St. Louis, the Federation forces in North America have also lost ground, with the fall to European Alliance troops of Cincinnati and Minneapolis on the Northern front, further gains on the South Eastern Front, and also further gains on the Mexican front.

In addition, New Federation Distribution Centers have hastily been commissioned in Charlotte, Dallas and Phoenix, and emergency repairs have been rapidly undertaken in Denver, but these new centers seem to be doing more bringing in than shipping out.

One further development appears to be the Federation withdrawal from Las Vegas. The reasons for this remain unclear at this time,  but Federation forces have declared a 25 miles exclusion zone outward from the center of the city. This new map of the Edwardiana Lines shows the new disposition of the forces in North America.

Viscount Charles Wellesley, for the Wellesley Defence Review.

Rebma watchers have been keenly following the advance of the Justiciar’s forces into the decaying ruins of the city of Rebma, as the so called ‘Rebma effect’ seemed to be contracting inwards throughout the campaign.

This reached a culmination today, as the Justiciar advanced to the Palace of Rebma, only to be inundated in the huge mass of detritus which has been hanging above the city for years, held up by Rebman Sorcery, after Amber’s policy of dumping its refuse down onto Rebma had continued unabated for at least a decade.

Most of the Justiciar’s own forces had already quit the field, ordered back by Justiciar Duke Harvey, recently returned to the campaign, and Justiciar Countess Lucinda. The stalwart few who were with Osric when the roof fell in on the city were Justiciar Countess Dhalia, Duchess Callista of Rebma, and Lady Savannah of Rebma. Their whereabouts are not known at this time.

In the final analysis, this conflict has to go down as a defeat for Osric. He has gained no territory except a now uninhabitable pile of detritus, at an ocean floor depth of 30,000 feet. He has also captured no murderesses, and brought no guilty parties to justice. The so called accused either managed a skillful vanishing act from right under his nose, or have also choked in a ritual suicide by effluent and pressure. This particular reviewer, while accepting that practices in Rebma may well have been brutal and barbaric, nevertheless is not of the view that they would all have fallen on their metaphorical swords. Wherever they are, they will have survived, and if Osric and his supporters managed to get out alive, then it is clear that what they are smelling of is definitely not roses.

Viscount Charles Wellesley, on site correspondent with the forces of Justice in Rebma.