On June 21st, 2021, armed mobs stormed key government buildings in Lumiere, killing hundreds of guards, police officers, government workers, and other civilians who were caught in the crossfire. These attacks set the entire nation of Auria on a destructive path towards civil war and internal strife, resulting in the deaths of thousands of Aurians and the splintering of the nation. Now, over one year later, journalists are finally able to return to certain areas of Auria, and there is talk of Queen Sophie and exiled parliamentarians finally returning to the embattled nation. So, will Auria be restored, or will it remain fractured and struggling? To answer this question, let us recap the current situation:
Blue: Reclaimed land, controlled by Coalition forces
Forest Green: Land directly controlled by Prime Minister* Sarah Berenstein
Light Green: Land de facto controlled by Berenstein, but sparsely defended/administered
Orange: Land allegedly controlled by King* Andrew Laurent-Ćordonnier
Red: Land controlled by General* Jean-Ćlaude Michelin
Dark Gray: Land controlled by other groups
Light Gray: Areas that are de facto independent, or aren’t currently occupied/administered
White: Relevant Urban Areas
The primary groups in control of Auria currently are the Coalition (made up of the Aurian exile government, Lauchenoiria, and the members of the Union of Caxcanan States, primarily Eiria and Milintica) and the government of Sarah Berenstein, a former member of the Aurian Parliament who is supported by Xiomeran mercenary group CSSC. Berenstein holds control of the southern peninsula and the metropolis of Lumiere, the most urbanized areas of the nation. To contrast, a majority of Auria’s agricultural heartlands are controlled by the Coalition, granting the coalition access to a large portion of Auria’s food reserves.
Certain parts of the nation are also controlled by rival warlords or rogue military leaders. For example, hills and mountains in the far northwest are controlled by Jean-Ćlaude Michelin, who, according to recently-released military intelligence reports, is suffering from dangerously low supply and rampant malnutrition. In the northeast, around the city of Kap dei Rekēsei, there have been unconfirmed reports that King Andrew Laurent-Ćordonnier, previously thought to have been killed by a car bomb in downtown Lumiere, has assumed leadership of large divisions of defectors from the conscripted Garda Nacōnals and is now in control of Auria’s northeastern coastline.
The validity of these rumors is still questionable, but the prevalence of these rumors has intrigued military analysts. “These rumors follow a distinct pattern of repetition and spread that could suggest a King Andrew pretender, or a movement in King Andrew’s name.” Dr. Andrea Kalnina, a professor at Dekaralēn University specializing in intelligence analysis, told the Aurian United Press. “There’s some sort of underlying trend or truth to these reports. However, we will need to wait for further released intelligence reports in order to ascertain what exactly this grain of truth is.”
Outside of those regions, a number of groups have claimed dominion or taken control of pockets of land all throughout Auria. One example is the “United Commune of Auria,” a fledgling communist political group that has taken control of isolated towns in the hilly southwest. This group, led by Alain Bonnet, has cooperated with nearby coalition forces, however is vehemently opposing the restoration of the Aurian Constitutional Monarchy. “The institutions of our grandiose past sentenced our country to oppressive rule. It is time that we do away with the jagged crown and actually stand up for every Aurian, not just those of rich families,” a propaganda video released by Bonnet declared. Only time will tell if this “United Commune” will develop into a full state.
While other groups, warlords, and gangs are vying for control of Aurian territory, a large swath of land, particularly in the north, is currently unoccupied or administered by local governments, left alone due to rampant supply issues and unrest throughout the nation. These areas have formed a sort of buffer zone between combating powers, the area of calm in the chaotic storm.
Even in these calmer areas, Aurian citizens have suffered starvation, martial law, bombing, forced conscription, and widespread arrests as the war has run its course, and these horrific events do not seem to be abating soon. Tens of thousands of Aurians have fled their homelands, with a large majority crossing the Lusa Strait to Eiria. These immigrants have left their entire lives behind in their homeland, not knowing if they will ever see their homes and loved ones again.
But now, these immigrants may now have an opportunity to return. The Aurian government in exile, led by Queen Sophie and Prime Minister Arquette, is currently discussing returning to Auria and establishing a provisional capital at Ćote-Verte. This would be a major milestone in the war, and could signal the beginning of the complete restoration of the Aurian state. However, progress on the eastern front has slowed to a crawl, begging the question: Is the exiled government being too hasty? How much progress does the Coalition need to make in order to declare the Aurian state restored? Unfortunately, the only thing that can answer these questions is time.
Article originally written by the United Aurian Press. Translated from Eirian(Aurian Dialect)
*Titles used reflect the personal stylings of each party mentioned, and do not reflect the feelings of the UAP or any governing body.
