Preliminary report on the political situation in the Lowell Quadrant

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Submitted by Field Marshal HRH Prince James, 1 March SY 159

In recent months, the Lowell Quadrant has seen considerable upheaval, as a result of actions taken by certain non-Commonwealth worlds in the area, who have decided to increase the political instability of that part of Shadow. The primary instigator appears to be the Third Veil world of Jensen, aided and abetted by its neighbour, Garrowby.

It has become known that Jensen, with some help from Garrowby, is responsible for the recent problems on the Commonwealth world of Anghelt. This culminated in an internal coup by two members of the Council of Ministers – Dewey Haik and Lee Sarason – against the legitimate ruler, President York. They were later joined by Anson Dennison, brother of former Council Member Alice Dennison. As a result, Anghelt unilaterally tried to downgrade its diplomatic relations with Sable, putting its Commonwealth membership at risk. Both Haik and Sarason were in the pay of external forces (Garrowby in the case of Haik, and Jensen in the case of Sarason).

On 5 February SY 159, President York was restored to power in Anghelt, following a counter-coup led by former Minister Calvin Caraher, who had lost his position on the Council due to the machinations of the coup plotters, and a former major in the Sable Army, Erica York, mother of the President. They were supported by a group of serving Ministers  who were uncomfortable with the direction that Haik and Sarason were trying to take the country, along with the President’s sister, Lina. The new government has requested help from Sable to try to weed out the influences of the coup plotters, and help the Shadow get back onto an even keel, both for itself and as a Commonwealth member.

Following the problems in Anghelt, on 21 February, Duke Travis Heinmann was assassinated on a visit to the world of Carrick, which has been undertaking negotiations to join the Commonwealth. Killed with him was the Senior Sable Negotiator, Adila Masterson, along with several members of the Royal Guard and a number of bystanders.

Investigations have concluded that the rockets used to destroy the cars carrying Duke Travis and Ms Masterson, and some of their RG detachment, included components made on Jensen. Further co-operation with Oberstgruppenführer-SD Jorge von Raeder concluded that the assasin was a former Waffen-SS officer named Irma Schmitt, who was paid to undertake the attack by unnamed anti-Treaty forces within the Bayern Group. These individuals are still being identified.

It has been suggested that the attack took place on Carrick, with a view to derailing the talks on Commonwealth membership, by casting doubt about the dedication of the Carrick Government to the negitiations, and failing that, by hurting the Sable Negotiating team sufficiently that they would either delay or withdraw. If this was the aim, it has been unsuccessful at this point, as Ms Masteron’s deputy, Albert Gaunt, has pledged to keep up the work of bringing Carrick into the Commonwealth family.

An additional wild card in the area is a private company named Richard Roman Enterprises, which has developed a cross-Shadow transit system independent of the Aurellis Transit System. A report on RRE has been presented seperately.

Status of the Veil Three Shadows involved

Carrick (Lowell Quadrant, Commonwealth)

Carrick is a trading Shadow with reasonable links to its neighbours – Garioch, Karstadt, Blaine and Fraser – and out into the Outer Ring (the Veil Four), and elsewhere in Veil Three. The tech level is around 1960s, in line with its neighbour, Garioch. Much of the Shadow is fairly arid, and about 40% desert (think Egypt). There are more fertile areas where Carrick grows agricultural products, and farms sheep, goats, cattle and very good horses. In addition, there are manufacturing industries nearer to the cities, specialising in vehicles and farming equipment. The farming methods are well-established and efficient. The capital, Bakir, is situated on one of the major rivers and is reasonably prosperous.

While it is more technological, magic is known on Carrick, and there is a small mage college. For many disciplines, the tuition isn’t of the same standard as the SMC. The exceptions are defensive and natural magic. The latter is a major reason for the success of agriculture on what would normally be considered a fairly hostile environment. Many of the important civic buildings are warded competently.

It applied for full Commonwealth status in mid-SY158, and this has been fast-tracked since the assassination.

Carrick has not yet fallen under the sway of some of the more right-wing governments in the area as yet, but it does have trading ties to some of them. The government is currently in high-level talks with Sable, but certain other powers in the area would love to torpedo those. Carrick has installed a couple of Portal stations on a trial basis.

Anghelt (Lowell Quadrant Commonwealth)

Anghelt is a comparatively small, mainly industrial Shadow, with a wealth of natural resources, which was admitted to the Commonwealth on 1 January 150. A somewhat industrialised Shadow, where Magic is definitely second to c1990s technology, although it is still completely functional. Anghelt supplies low-level industrial machinery which has been converted to run with magi-tech in Sable itself, as well as more straightforward industrial products to other Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth Shadows. The President is advised by the Council of Twelve, made up of senior figures from some of the most powerful political families, nominated by the Parliament. Occasionally, outside of the normal electoral cycle (a Confirmatory Election for a new President, then elections every five years until the next Confirmatory Election), or should a member of the Council leave his duties, the President can appoint a replacement.

Anghelt’s main problem is that three out of four of the other Shadows in Veil 3 are non-Commonwealth. Moreover, two of them – Garrowby and Garioch – have been rejected for Commonwealth status in the past for differing reasons. Anghelt been seeing a lot of pro-fascist pressure lately, from both Garrowby, and Jensen, in the Shigare Quadrant. This culminated in the recent coup and counter-coup

Anghelt is connected to the RRE portal system, but there are currently only a few stations.

The Non-Commonwealth Trading Bloc

Since Garrowby was rejected for Commonwealth membership, in favour of Anghelt, it has become closer in attitudes and politics to its neighbour, Jensen. It has also increased its ties with the nearby world of Garioch, another non-Commonwealth world the other side of Anghelt, which was also rejected due to problems with its government.

All three Shadows have embraced the RRE Portal System, and have been increasing their ties to the Bayern and Saarland Groups of the Aussenhandel der Reichsverband, both of which are also connected to the Portal System. In my considered opinion, all three are receiving external aid and advice from former Weimar agents and Reich anti-Treaty hard-liners, who feel that this particular quadrant of the Commonwealth is vulnerable. Of the three, I believe Jensen is a Clear and Present Danger to the region.

Jensen (Shigare Quadrant, Non-Commonwealth)

Adjacent to Garrowby in Veil Three, Jensen is an industrial Shadow of approximately c1970s level technology (a relatively recent increase), and does have some trading links to its surrounding Shadows. Unfortunately its system of government, and its habit of spying on its own people, let alone its neighbours, were contributing factors to the rejection of its recent application to join the Commonwealth. Lee Sarason from Anghelt was a Jensen agent.

All major cities in Jensen are connected to the RRE portal system, with several cities having multiple stations.

Garrowby (Lowell Quadrant, Non-Commonwealth)

A largely industrial Shadow of approximately c1990s tech (a relatively recent increase). While it is a Republic, its government is comparatively restrictive, which is one of the reasons why it was rejected for Commonwealth membership in favour of Anghelt. It has not forgotten this slight, and wants to get even…which is, of course, just the sort of policy which caused them not to be selected in the first place. Has some trading ties to the Reich, as well as Sable. Dewey Haik was manipulated into causing trouble on Anghelt by what he thought was Garrowby agents.

All major cities in Garrowby are connected to the RRE portal system.

Garioch (Lowell Quadrant, Non-Commonwealth)

A largely industrial Shadow of around 1960s tech, with some links to its surrounding Shadows – especially trading industrial products with Carrick in return for agricultural ones. It is keen to join the Commonwealth, but was most recently rejected as it was consider unready for admission due to the instability of its government, which has a habit of changing on an approximately six-monthly basis. That was about eight years ago. Since the last rejection, however, it appears to have got its act together more, in terms of its government. The current Prime Minister has been in office for nearly five years, and her Trade and Justice party is doing well in the approval polls

The majority of the major cities in Garioch are connected to the RRE portal system.