The following are summaries of cover stories from Munich's finest newspaper, the Suddeutsche Zeitung. Don't take this as a comprehensive list of all significant events that have occurred in the course of the game. Also remember not to trust everything you read, even in the best papers...
MEXICAN GOVERNMENT IN CHAOS (August 1872)
Independent reporting has it that the Mexican government is in chaos, despite official denials that there is anything amiss. No successor has yet been announced to replace President Benito Juarez, who died suddenly in July.
LOCAL NOBLEMAN RECOVERING (August 1872)
David von Krauss, who fell ill unexpectedly during His Majesty's Midsummer Ball at Schloss Nymphenburg, has awakened after nearly a week in a coma. His right hand apparently had to be amputated, but royal physician Doctor Sebastian Spencer is being credited with saving von Krauss's life.
STEEL PRICES SOAR (October 1872)
Steel futures have taken an abrupt jump based on unexpectedly high demand. The going rate for steel is now approximately three hundred forty-five florins per ton.
ELISABETH VISITS BAVARIA (October 1872)
The Empress of Austria, currently visiting Bavaria, will reportedly enjoy the company of her cousin King Ludwig tonight at this year's Oktoberfest at Castle Falkenstein. Her visit, officially social, is rumored to have unstated political purposes.
KING TO WED (October 5th, 1872)
Banns have been posted announcing the impending wedding of His
Majesty, King Ludwig II, to Lady Ismene Door, recently of London.
The wedding has been scheduled for December 5th of this year.
There was no official statement on why the traditional six months
had not been allotted between engagement and wedding, but it may
perhaps be ascribed to His Majesty's recognition that his people
wish to see him a happy family man as soon as possible.
A new florin coin will be minted in honor of the wedding,
bearing the faces of His Majesty and the soon-to-be Queen. In
addition, rumor has it that the latest addition to His Majesty's
Luftmarine will be christened the H.M.S. Ismene, and it will be
this new aerozeppelin that will take the royal couple on honeymoon.
NEW FACTORY LAW ANGERS INDUSTRIALISTS (October 1872)
A recent royal decree has Bavarian captains of industry seeing red. It imposes various restrictions upon factories and mills, limiting the amount of smoke they may produce, their hours of operation, their output and disposition of waste products, and their positioning relative to highways and thoroughfares. Various facilities, including the Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach and the Amberger Stahlwerke, have been forced to close their doors until they are brought into compliance with the new law. Debate is raging in Parliament, with industrialists claiming that the new restrictions will increase operating costs to the point that they will be unable to compete with outside manufacturers, but the government is still reluctant to oppose His Majesty.
NEW TAX SQUEEZES ARISTOCRACY (October 1872)
In order to complete the seventh aerozeppelin in His Majesty's
Luftmarine ahead of schedule, a one-time land tax has been levied
throughout the kingdom.
Every landowner in Bavaria is required to produce eight percent
of the value of his land, over and above the normal annual taxes,
in order to fund the accelerated construction of the new ship, to be
christened the H.M.S. Ismene. Many among the nobility are protesting
they cannot possibly come up with the required sum on short notice,
but the official deadline to make payment is the end of the year.
GREELEY WINS WHITE HOUSE (November 6th, 1872)
With 99% of the ballots counted, presidential contender Horace
Greeley has won the White House for the Democratic party.
The two contenders were considered to be neck and neck for
months, but about three weeks before the election, rumors surfaced
alleging personal improprieties by Greeley and his family. However,
a last-minute infusion of donations to the Greeley campaign, coupled
with backlash triggered by the accusations about Greeley's relatives,
turned the tide; at press time, Horace Greeley has won 3.6 million
votes, about 56% of those votes counted, to Ulysses S. Grant's 2.8
million (43%).
The Horace Greeley / B. Gratz Brown ticket appears headed for
certain confirmation by the Electoral College. President-elect
Greeley also appears to have brought in a wave of Democrats on his
coat-tails; preliminary figures indicate that the Democrats will
narrowly control both houses of Congress, although they will not
achieve their goal of sixty seats in the Senate, which would provide
a filibuster-proof majority.
ASSASSINS! (December 6th, 1872)
The departure of Their Royal Majesties on honeymoon was interrupted
last night by an attempt to murder His Majesty King Ludwig. As the
H.M.S. Ismene, the new flagship of the Royal Luftmarine,
hovered above the Odeonsplatz, assassins made their way on board from
the roof of the Theaterkirchen, where the wedding ceremony was held.
According to reports, Her Majesty was not aboard at the time, but
the King was being pulled up to the cabin of the ship by a winch
platform, nearly a hundred feet above the ground. The assassins placed
explosive charges on struts fastening the platform to the cabin; had
the platform been blasted loose, His Majesty would have then plummeted
to his death.
Several members of His Majesty's royal guard, as well as local
astrologer Perzival Wirt, caught trailing ropes and began making their
way up to the ship to battle the attackers. Baron Hans von Raiternauren
of the 2nd Hussars pursued the hijacked zeppelin on horseback, boldly
leaping to catch another rope, from whence he entered himself into the
fray.
The King and von Raiternauren fought their way to the top of the
Ismene, where they reportedly battled over a dozen armed
assailants whilst the royal guard made its way up to even the odds.
Owing to the quick swordwork of von Raiternauren, the King, Perzival
Wirt, and the ever-ready Royal Guard, the assassins were foiled, their
bodies toppling from the zeppelin to break on the cobblestones of the
city below. Both of Their Royal Majesties are confirmed unharmed by
the fray, but the valiant Count Erich Wolfgang von Volkerschlacht und
Augsburg was reportedly stabbed through the heart whilst defending his
liege. No word is yet available on the identities or motives of the
attackers.
ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AFTERMATH (January 1873)
No further information is immediately forthcoming about the
assassination attempt in December; the Royal Guard and Secret
Service are apparently keeping a lid on whatever they may have
learned. Sources, however, indicate that Hyperborean nationalists
may have been responsible, although no proof has as yet been
offered. His Majesty's flagship, the H.M.S. Ismene, damaged
in the assault, has reportedly since been repaired, completed,
and is fully operational.
Baron Hans von Raiternauren and Perzival Wirt are currently
the toast of Munich for their daring in swiftly coming to the
rescue of the King. Although the rumors of them having between
them slain over two dozen assassins are doubtless exaggerated,
their bravery (and modesty) has abruptly made them role models
for all of Bavaria, and there is much talk of medals.
BAVARIAN EMBASSY WORKERS BOMBED (January 1873)
According to reports, the Elise, a shipping freighter from England docked in Athens and carrying a number of dignitaries from the local Bavarian embassy, suffered an on-board explosion which injured over a dozen people, including some of the embassy workers, and killed four. The dead included three sailors and one passenger, Morgan Ruthvyre, a poetess who was traveling to Greece. The bombing has been ascribed to Greek anarchists with a grievance against Bavaria, dating from Bavaria's three decades of control over Greece, which ended in 1862.
STEEL PRICES RISE AGAIN (January 1873)
Steel futures are still rising, as demand continues to exceed supply. Prussia, reportedly reconstructing its industry and war machine after the devastating war with Bavaria and Austria in 1871, is driving up prices by making large purchases. The going rate for steel is now approximately three hundred sixty-five florins per ton.
CHURCH VANDALIZED IN PRUSSIA (January 1873)
The Church of St. Otto in Ottosruhe, Prussia, was recently vandalized, and the local priest beaten by several men or youths. The pews and other wooden furnishings were burned, the stained glass windows smashed, and anti-Catholic graffiti was painted on the outside, according to Church sources. Many believe that this was not an isolated incident, but part of von Bismarck's Kulturkampf campaign against Catholics.
SULTAN TO VISIT BAVARIA (February 1873)
A formal announcement has been made that the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire will be visiting Europe this year, and that he will be coming to Bavaria in March. Insofar as an Ottoman Sultan has never before visited Bavaria, the city is expected to put on quite a show for the visiting ruler and dignitaries.
ENTRANCE TO CENTER OF THE EARTH AT NORTH POLE? (February 1873)
A significant amount of interest in an expedition to the North Pole has been whipped up recently, primarily by local magazine columnist, astrological advisor, and national hero Perzival Wirt, who suggests that such an expedition, which would likely lead to an entrance to the unknown lands on the inside of the earth, would be of great scientific value; he has further proposed that Bavarians, if anyone, ought to be the ones who discover such lands. He has further suggested using one the Bavarian aerozeppelins to undertake this expedition. His notion has quite caught the public fancy, and there is a clamoring for the King to sponsor such an expedition.
ROYAL PHYSICIAN DECLARES KING INSANE (February 1873)
Doctor Sebastian Spencer, personal physician to Their Royal Majesties, has apparently gone before Parliament to make the claim that the King is mad and incapable of ruling, and that as per the Bavarian Constitution, a regent should be appointed. The country and Parliament are in an uproar, with various parties advancing different theories. Reputable sources are claiming that Queen Ismene is a witch who has enchanted the King. Parliament is in a marathon session to decide upon a course of action.
PARLIAMENT PREPARING STATEMENT REGARDING LUDWIG (February 27th, 1873)
Rumor has it that Parliament has come to a decision as to what to do about the recent claims that the King is mentally unfit to rule. According to sources, they are preparing a statement to be released tonight or tomorrow. Curiously, no word has been heard from the King himself on this matter.
REGENCY COUNCIL APPOINTED (March 1, 1873)
Parliament has appointed a Regency Council to take the place of King Ludwig until such time as he is determined to be fit to resume his duties as monarch. Baron Hans von Raiternauren has been appointed the head of this Council, with Count Wolfgang von Amberg-Kelheim and Colonel Rudolph von Tarlenheim completing the triumvirate. Parliament will conduct periodic evaluations of His Majesty, in the hopes that he can soon return to the throne and that the Council can be dissolved.
WIRT, TRIPPENDORF RETURN TRIUMPHANT FROM NORTH POLE (May 1873)
Bavaria's heroic polar expedition has returned triumphant, having become the first explorers to set foot at the North Pole. In recognition of their bravery and service to Bavaria, Perzival Wirt, Capt. Franz von Amberg-Kelheim, Count Max von Trippendorf, Doktor Oskar Beckenbaur and Professor Doktor Jorg Schlichter will be awarded the St. Killian's Medal, one of Bavaria's highest honors for bravery.
COLONEL VON TARLENHEIM RETIRES (May 1873)
Citing the press of other duties, Col. Rudolph von Tarlenheim, commander of the Royal Guards and a member of Bavaria's Regency Council, formally announced his resignation today. Parliament has appointed Count Maximilian von Trippendorf, recently returned from India, as his successor on the Council.
OTTOMAN SULTAN VISITS BAVARIA (June 1873)
His Islamic Majesty, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire made a formal state visit to Munich this month, where he met with the members of the Regency Council at a reception hosted by Ottoman ambassador Prince Reshad Achmed Pasha. Reports from the Foreign Ministry indicate that the Sultan thoroughly enjoyed his stay in Munich, and that his discussions with the Regency Council were both friendly and fruitful. As the Sultan met with the gentlemen, Queen Ismene and Countess Severina von Amberg-Kelheim, along with Munich's most prominent ladies, meet with the Sultana at a reception hosted by Ambassador Pasha's wife Sophia. Among the guests were Miss Estelle Greeley, niece of the President of the United States and cousin to the Amberg-Kelheims, Lady Ilsa von Trippendorf, Lady Gretchen von Raiternauren, Baron von Raiternauren's sister and Miss Maria Candelaria Manitius, niece of Count and Countess von Amberg-Kelheim, both ladies on waiting to Queen Ismene, Lady Sophie von Amberg-Kelheim, daughter of Count Wolfgang and Countess Severina, Lady Sophie Wallenstein, wife of the Swedish industrialist Baron Wallenstein, Lady Ivanova Door, advisor to the Bavarian crown for technical matters, and Mrs. Euphemia T.A. King, acting ambassador for the Republic of Texas. The Sultana reportedly enjoyed a fascinating afternoon of stimulating conversation as the cream of Bavarian society acquitted itself with its expected panache and grace.
WAR IN MEXICO: "No end in sight", sources say (June 1873)
The Austrians are reportedly continuing to make progress towards Mexico City in their invasion into Central America. President Greeley of the United States has denounced this invasion as a violation of the Monroe Doctrine, and the Ottoman Empire is rumored to be dispatching warships to the region to intervene. The Lone Star Republic has been signing up volunteers by the hundreds to form volunteer brigades on behalf of the Mexicans. Finally, reports have by now confirmed the presence of the Bavarian aerozeppelin, H.M.S. Ruhm von Bayern, conducting aerial bombardments of Mexican troops on behalf of the Austrians. International tensions on all sides continue to mount, with no end in sight.
RUHM VON BAYERN RETURNS HOME (August 1873)
As promised some months ago by the newly-appointed Regency Council, the H.M.S. Ruhm von Bayern made landfall back in Bavaria late last night after months of waging war against the Mexicans. "We gave them a licking they'll not soon forget," an unidentified crewman was quoted as saying. Accounts vary, but the Austrian embassy issued a press release stating that they had no further need of the aerozeppelin's assistance, and sent the Ruhm von Bayern back to Bavaria so that its crew could take a well-earned rest; the Austrians are continuing their advance through Mexico, and have recently seized Mexico City itself.
ROYAL HEIR BORN (September 5, 1873)
Early in the morning on September 5th, Her Majesty the Queen of Bavaria gave birth to a healthy infant son, thus ensuring the continuation of the Wittelsbacher line. The child has been christened Maximilian Ludwig, and doctors have made assurances that both mother and son are perfectly healthy and are resting comfortably. A city-wide celebration has been planned for next Saturday, in honor of the birth of the royal heir.
ARMED INSURRECTION IN HYPERBOREA (September 1873)
The little-known province of Hyperborea, near the center of the Austrian empire, fanned the spark of resentment into the flames of open revolt last week. Staging a surprise assault on Austrian military outposts, thousands of Hyperboreans - reportedly armed with modern rifles and plentiful ammunition - launched a disorganized but vigorous counterattack against their rulers. Little word has come out since then, but accounts have it that those few Austrian troops not involved in the Mexican campaign are being mobilized to put down the rebellion.
INTERNATIONAL POLAR EXPEDITION A BUST (September 1873)
A few stragglers, under medical care, limped back into Munich this morning - all that remains of the once-proud International Polar Expedition. Perhaps Max von Trippendorf and Perzival Wirt can show you how it's done, boys!
ANALYTICAL ENGINE BOMBED (September 1873)
Anarchist Werner Klempft, a student at the Universitat in Munich, stormed the belly of the Royal Residenz last Thursday evening, hurling a crude explosive device into the bowels of the Royal Analytical Engine, recently completed by esteemed scientist Lady Ivanova Door, sister to the Queen. The extent of the damage inflicted upon the engine was unknown at press time, but at least two workers were killed and several other workers and guards wounded in the explosion. Also injured was visiting American student Miss Estelle Greeley, cousin to the United States' President, who was reportedly studying the workings of the Engine under the tutelage of Lady Door.
