Kingdom Proclamations!

[VoShay]

A proclamation is spread throughout China, better late then never:

Good people and rulers of this broken land, I speak to you as a collective whole for the first time. I am Ka Ne, leader of the Brotherhood. Some of you are aware of our existence, and others are not. Many have heard lies and falsifications. It is because of this, my brothers, that I send this proclamation out to you.

In the southwest, we have fought tirelessly to unite the Qin lands, under what appeared to be the rightful ruler of this land, the heir of Qin Shi Huangdi, Ying Fusu. He was captured in battle, and we stood by the Meng's and their puppet, Jianglu, until we could no longer overlook their machinations to subvert and overthrow the Duchess Rui Jiao Jin, the Flower of the West. Upon hearing of Ying Fusu's survival and how he had come to be a guest in Yue, we spoke with those who had usurped his authority, who had attempted our extermination, and we demanded they stand down and turn over the ringleaders of this conspiracy, who were to be treated as honored guests, and our currently being treated as such in our custody, because of the mercy of Duchess Rui. Not only did they face us in battle with no hope for victory, but they attempted to burn the entirety of Sai to the ground. Only by the brave intervention of officers with good sense was only Yueyang torched, and we have repaired it to full capacity this very month. We have returned the rightful ruler of this land, broken and battered in the form he left his brother's care, to Xianyang. And there we will see he is cared for 10,000 years, because he will most likely never recover his mental faculties.

But this is simply a small exchange to bring the real issue to bear. The Central Alliance. This axis of evil upon which all of China rests stretches from the Northern steppes in Dai to the southern expanses of Jiujiang, and they are determined to bring the entirety of this land to heel. Forget the honeyed lies of Li Zhu and his accomplices, forget the defensive posturing of Chu, and forget the peaceful overtures of Wei-Dai. We have sought a peaceful resolution to the tension at Wei/Di for a season, and this month, we are attacked by their vangaurd, sent straight to the city of the beloved Huang Zhao, hero of Di. Striking whilst his armies are away attempting to destroy the cursed faux emperor, Huhai, they have made their intent known. Total domination. We have spoken with Yan and Yue, and they understand the terrible price that must be paid to retain the autnomy of our territories. To strike out and destroy that which looks for our very lives and livelihoods. Will you allow your people to be crushed under the foot of this opression, your own selves to be killed or enslaved to their war machine? When will they stop? Yin-Chu-Wei will stop at nothing to see all China brought under heel! You are no ally to this war machine- only a fool to be snapped up later. Chen Yun, Xiang Kai, Zhi Chang, Cai Zinghe... put aside the differences you posess. Just because your on the dessert menu does not mean you will not be snapped up. The Brotherhood does not ask for your money, your lives, your hearts and minds. It asks only that you work with us towards the peace of this land, towards the unification of individuals who have not had ambition crush their hearts and very souls into dust. Would you have a man who imprisioned and brainwashed his leige's daughter and did away with his leige be your new emperor, for lack of foresight and courage?! The raving madman that is Chen She the Minister of the Left, and the warmongering two-faced Liu Jin as Minister of the Right? This Empire of evil must be stopped.

Join the good fight today, so that a prosperous and peaceful China of tomorrow will exist. Let this newest attempt at subjugation be met with the united merit of our peoples. Peace through Power! Strength in Unity! Let these tenets of the Brotherhood embolden you to reach for the highest treasures- freedom from the oppression of others. Let no man impose his will on another! We will defeat these men, as the assault on Jiujiang has shown!

Ka Ne

[Cao Chao]

Irreversible change has brought wrought upon the lands of the Middle Kingdom. Unified for a mere eleven years under the iron hand of the First Emperor, the land has splintered into many personal fiefs and kingdoms. The rightful heir was almost killed by the machinations of the wicked ministers, Li Si and Zhao Gao, and was only saved due to the intervention of his mentor, the Supreme Commander, Meng Tian. In the ensuing strife, the lands were torn asunder by the fratricide as brother fought against brother. Xianyang, once the crown jewel of the Qin, was burned to the ground. Many rejoiced at the opportunities that the devastation of the Qin afforded. Alas, few if any acted in methods that would be deemed altruistic. Amidst the chaos with the loss of central authority, warfare and death became the norm. Where there was once tenuous peace, there is now open warfare. The hope held by some that the Qin could reestablish order and stability has now been dismissed with the incarceration of Meng Tian, the defection of Zhang Han, and the destruction of the Kingdom of Qin.

As a scholar who has witnessed many of the events that have engulfed these lands since the death of the First Emperor and once a trusted adviser to the Kings of Qin and the rightful heirs of the First Emperor, my thoughts have been troubled by the havoc wreaked upon the lands and by the blatant falsehoods disseminated by traitors, oathbreakers, and those who wish for chaos to hide their dire machinations. Who do I speak of? The Brotherhood that has been so wildly lauded by its leader, Ka Ne, in his attempt to wash them of the guilt and doom that awaits them. For what else is the fate of betrayers and traitors but to be damned to the eighteenth and lowest level of hell? There, they will meet the suffering that they deserve in the chamber of avici where they will face unimaginable torture as befitting of the terrible deeds that they have committed in their lifetimes.

With its tendrils extended to virtually every kingdom, the Brotherhood has become more than the benevolent façade that they have tried to maintain. For all of the denials of the Brotherhood, what else is the Brotherhood but a cult filled with brainwashed sycophants and turncoats? I have dealt directly with the Brotherhood and have watched as they betrayed those they swore oaths of loyalty to. Their very maneuvers and actions bely the malicious intent that they possess for the Middle Kingdom. I cannot stand idly and I feel that with the growing strength of such a force of great evil that I have no alternative but to send this warning out to those who have or are considering ties with the Brotherhood. In my interactions, the Brotherhood tried to tempt me into acts of great immorality with flowery words flowing from their honeyed tongues. I will not lie and say that I was not tempted by the riches and glory that they offered. It was only with great conscious will and self-control was I able to rebuff their offer. For those individuals who think of joining the Brotherhood, beware of losing your identity. For those lords who think of helping the Brotherhood, beware of the example of the Kingdom of Qin. The fate of the Qin will be yours once the Brotherhood has achieved its goals. Heed well my warnings and ignore the temptations of the Brotherhood.



By the hand of Hua Jianying
-Chief Architect of Xianyang
-Former Master of Purification to the King of Qin

[Numinous]

In the flurry of Brotherhood-related propaganda, a short and simple notice from Wu is circulated:

Let this notice be to the effect that the State of Wu and it's Marquess Zhi Cheng officially repudiate any ties to the Brotherhood or its activities, and will not be coerced through such attempts at public ridicule. Such an organization only serves to further fan the bonfire of a dying Empire, and spread its hot embers throughout the Middle Kingdom to then torch the reputations of all who come too close to this band of supposed righteous men. There is a future that must be fought for, one that lies ultimately beyond the Qin -- but do not be fooled by these charlatans who would force-feed you their delusion couched in empty promises & rhetoric. Justice will indeed come to this land, but it will not be found hidden under the shadowy cloak of the Brotherhood. The only thing that ultimately lies there is the cold dagger of betrayal and ambition.

Let it be thus known that Ka Ne and his followers are unwelcome in the honored Lady's lands, and its policies will remain untainted by the ash upon the west wind that blows from their smoldering domains, cleansed as they are by the Great River's blessing. May it one day grow to encompass all people of courage & integrity.

-The Seal of the Marquess of Wu follows-

[Phailak]

A notice from the Duke of Yan is sent throughout the province as well as spoken by several men in each town and city for days to come.

To the good people of Yan, it seems the Heavens have decided to once again test our strength in the dire times to come. Yet, in its infinite wisdom, it has sent word to us through the clairvoyance of a blind sage by the name of Seng. We must use whatever is at our disposal to prove our worth to all that are watching. Starting immediately, an important quarantine will be in effect for all those identified with the symptoms of this terrible disease that is spreading in our land. Do not hesitate to inform the authorities of those that display any of the known symptoms of the ravages the sickness causes. Free baths will be given in every major town and city, everyone should cut their hair very short to avoid nurturing the disaster. Public events such as spectacles and festivals are to be put on hold until we can eliminate this new threat. A curfew will be enforced after sundown. Do not deny the plague, face it as you have faced every trial that has been set upon us. We are powerless before the Heavens, but we can stem the spread of the plague by being vigilant and thorough.

Duke Fei of Yan.