He Who Steers the Nation Upon the Helm

Urth
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(OOC: In brief, this is the diary of Prime Minister Eoforwine of the Kingdom of Tretrid. Entries will not be posted in chronological order for my own sanity.)

Frīgedæg, December 2, 2016

Very interesting day. Prime Minister Æthelred’s scandals getting deeper and deeper. If he doesn’t tender his resignation to HCM he’ll probably get ousted through vote of no confidence. Either that or Cyning would take matters into own hands, despite not being a bit fan of using royal powers.

(OOC: “HCM” and “Cyning” refer to King Ælfric III)

Met with Mr. Eahlstan, the ADP’s leader. Seemed open to supporting a motion of no confidence if it was pressed forwards.

Days like these I feel the weight of the SDT’s reigns on me.

How do I describe it? I just feel responsible for the direction of all these people. And I don’t think I’m cut out for the job.

I don’t know. People tell me that I’m a capable party leader. Then why do I feel like I don’t belong? Like I’m just faking everything?

Anyway, SDT and ADP alone probably won’t be enough to remove Mr. Æthelred. But I think enough people are offended by his actions to get it done.

If anything, we have to show Tretrid that the Witan holds its members accountable. We owe the nation that much.
[hr]
Mōnandæg, December 5, 2016

Even more eventful day than Friday.

Mr. Æthelred refused to resign. I was disappointed but not surprised.

I pushed the no-confidence motion Mr. Eahlstan and I discussed the other day. It passed.

Not sure if we can form a new government based on current Witan makeup without including the LDP. If we have a snap election, I suspect that the LDP would lose a lot of their support.

LDP doesn’t deserve to be in a government in my opinion. They had their chance, but, well, we can all see what happened.

Not to mention my dislike of them on ideological grounds.
[hr]
Mōnandæg, December 12, 2016

Summoned to the royal palace today. Appointed Prime Minister by HCM Ælfric Cyning himself.

How do I feel? Conflicted, to say the least. I’m still kind of amazed that others managed to convince me to take up the position.

Do I belong in this seat of power? Everyone seems to think so, but I disagree. Their confidence in me is rather misplaced, I fear.

Well, I’ve been given Tretrid’s reins. Let’s hope I serve the country well. It is only my duty, after all.

2

Wōdnesdæg, Janurary 4, 2017

Tretrid’s foreign policy is one of contradictions. I have been long aware of this fact, but now that I am Prime Minister I have to make sense of Tretrid’s position.

Not easy.

We have a fairly cool relationship with Norgsveldet. While we’re nominally cordial, we haven’t exactly been working together recently. Doesn’t help with how we’re largely aligned with Great Morstaybishlia.

The MBE does make a good ally, but I’m afraid that they might not have that many interests in Novaris. While our bilateral relationship is one worth pursuing, I’m not sure how far I should go, especially since that might create tensions between Tretrid and the UCA.

West Novaris remains the infamous dumpster fire. Milofia is still consumed by civil war, though quite frankly those isolationists aren’t much of a big deal.

Arkalarius has made clear it intends on taking its old place on the international stage. That will likely threaten the order Tretrid has established in West Novaris. Between the unpopular dictatorial council ruling Neu Arkia to our military administration in Schlesia, the situation is far from sustainable.

Sometimes I wonder whether my predecessors were in their right mind.

Durakia might be worth strengthening ties with, at least. Adley has a record as a moderate, and plus, with the disputed territory in East Irnac, there is little love lost between Arkia and Durakia.

Well, there’s also East Novaris. Tretrid hasn’t interacted with them very much, which means we don’t have a very strong relationship. But at the same time, that also means we don’t have any reason to dislike each other.

While the most pressing issues to Tretrid’s foreign policy remain, I suppose working on those ties will be a start.

3

Frīgedæg, May 14, 2021

ugh why do I even try sometimes

4

Frīgedæg, November 6, 2020

Balistria just confuses me. They Trying to think about comprehend their thought process just… is futile.

Balistria first murders Eldras VI, claiming to protect democracy. Except, they’re now an empire? What in Odin’s name is wrong with them?

I read Ambassador Eadburga’s report on recent happenings in the IF. Actually what the fuck? How can they claim to be a civilized country when 1) they’re a genocidal regime and 2) literally just used the word “simp” in a body meant for formal discussion and mediation?

So not only is Balistria suicidal, they’re uncivilized.

Met with Sæwine and Eadweard. Discussed how Warplan Salamander was working out in practice.

I hope we find the “grand emperor” or whatever pretentious shit he’s calling himself so we can show his crimes to the light of day. The IF has a tribunal set up for people like him

i mentioned using chemical weapons against balistria i’m afraid that i might not be much better than those rotten bears why do i do this why am i like this why why why why

Taking leave from my duties felt good, and that worries me. I’m afraid that I’ll be tempted to jump ship in a time when Tretrid so desperately needs me. Ugh, leadership is hard.

5

Sunnandæg, September 6, 2020

Met with George Gray again.

Jeb Gray… that’s a name I thought I wouldn’t be that relevant again, ever since the Imperialists won the Arkian Civil War.

Tretrid should have helped him. He was really our greatest hope for a peace in West Novaris. Especially compared to von Freyaelv.

Though again, an Arkalarius that wants to annex Varletia and Lamanwasser would be politically expedient for Tretrid, I suppose.

But really, Tretrid should have helped him. That was probably Tretrid’s greatest blunder in recent history.

Enough about that war.

I’ve been considering what I want to do with Schlesia for a good while. My initial idea was to give it to Arkalarius to appease von Freyaelv. But, with Karolingia going as it is… no.

Karolingia has proven too unstable for me to do it, though it pains me to break a promise. I believe giving it to Gray is a better choice than either.

Plus, he has the remnants of the Arkian Confederation to his name. The last proper government before we invaded was the Arkian Confederation. It’s more rightfully Jeb’s than it is Karling’s or von Freyaelv’s.

Was the false flag operation a mistake? I don’t know. I hope it was worth it.

The sad truth of West Novaris is that you have to stoop to their level to stay ahead. It’s brutal, but it’s geopolitics.

I fear for the future of West Novaris. Hopefully setting up a friendly democratic government in Schlesia will make things a bit less horrible.

6

Mōnandæg, October 5, 2020

Called Jeb, pitched the idea of a West Novaran defensive pact.

Tolinsk seems like as good a place as any to hold a meeting to create such a place. It’s apparently quite nice this time of year, or at least as much as it can be when only two months ago it languished under Vakari rule.

Oh, I suppose the Irnac War was probably the greatest hope we had for West Novaran unity, though this defensive pact will have to do for now. I suppose hosting a conference in Tolinsk of all places could represent what great things West Novaris could do united.

Like, for example, removing Vakarastan from the map.

Those were simpler times, back before Karling happened, back before von Freyaelv started being more aggressive. Idealism could only last so long.

From my call the other day, I know Durakia’s receptive to the idea. Meagharia probably is too.

I want to meet with the Aponivians. See what they make of this.

7

Tīwesdæg, June 1, 2021

Adley’s dead.

He’s dead. He really is.

Why does it not seem to register? It just… I can’t bring myself to accept it. I know, but…

I…

I stare at the pages of this journal, yet words do not come to me.

8

Tīwesdæg, June 1, 2021

For the longest time, I’ve always maintained that I would serve Tretrid fully and wholeheartedly until I dropped.

But…

Adley’s death was likely a direct response in his obsessive service to Durakia. I… I see far too much of myself in him.

what do I do now

I see where the path ends; do I still want to follow it? For the longest time, I believed I knew the answer.

I don’t anymore.

9

Tīwesdæg, June 1, 2021

On other news, the League of Novaris.

I need something to focus on that doesn’t cause me an existential crisis.

Æthelwine Heardson is running for re-election. Best of luck for him.

He’s a fairly known constant, I believe. Focused on duty, like I am. Pretty good fit for the job.

Plus, if a second term of him is anything like the first, then the status quo will hold.

And that’s a good thing.

10

Tīwesdæg, Janurary 18, 2022

Tavaris is having a bad time. I think that’s probably the best way to sum it up.

I would be a lot less concerned about the whole situation with Crystal Coast wanting to secede if Tavaris wasn’t an important part of Tretrid’s defensive system. They’re probably Tretrid’s most powerful ally at this point, and a possible secession situation would be very bad, to sum it all up. Just… bad.

Still kind of shocked that a nation can be sent spiraling downwards like that from the words of one person. One person. The reins of power weigh heavily on those who bear them.

Yet, why should I be that surprised? Power of any sort is a dangerous thing. It is all too easy for a single person entrusted with authority to do terrible things.

In truth, if I need an example of the terrible things power can do, I need only look into a mirror.