Origins of the Republic of Megatridimensional Order (1780-1799)

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Swampland Collection, 1788-1798
Original writings of 73 citizens of the newly formed Republic of Megatridimensional Order who traveled from their native Telembria to the Crudumpascor Swamps to build their new nation. On loan from the Megatridimensional National Library in Tabula Rasa.

Addressed to Carter Lathroller
March 31, 1789

Dear and respected brother,

I have not yet received a letter from you, though I have sent three and  a package.  I hope you are receving these letters of mine.  The post is getting better, and more [illegible] are getting through to us.

I believe I left off my last as we were still on the journey here.  We had trouble deciding when we had gone eight days walk. It had been twenty one days of walking zig zag zug, avoiding swamps and those crystal-esk animals, among other things.  At that time, we ran into what we believe are the native civilisation the people in Novum had spoke of.

They call themselves Oo-lug and they are like us in appearance, but more importantly, they speak our language.  They are hard to understand when they speak and were espeshelly so in the beginning.  But once you talk with them regular, they seem to become clearer.  Maybe we are influencing them already.

There are other ways in which they are different, but the strangest is the women seem to be lesser citizens.  They cower behind the men if they are even seen at all.  In truth, our first encounter was when Ms. Delutter was leading our group and had come upon two of their men.  I did not see it, but was told she greeted the two men, one of which socked her in the face, knocking her to the ground.  As any person would be likely to do, she got to her feet and retaliated aggressively, beating the shocked O0-lug brutally before I could pull her off.  Mr. Glennon held Mr. Worth back from [illegible] in the brawl.

What a tragedy to meet a new civilisation as such!  It was all rather quikly sorted, I believe thanks to the common tongue and quik ecksplanation [illegible] [illegible], but could have ended very much worse.  It appears that a woman speaking directly to a man is a grave insult to the Oo-lug, and the offended native reacted without considerashon of the different dress and appearance of Ms. Delutter - instinctively, as it were.

Once relations were patched, they invited us to their town, another half day's walk.  We accepted and they held a party in our honur, if you can believe.  With no planning whatsoe'er.  And a grand time we had.  So many things to tell about the Oo-lug, but I have not the time.  Mr. Glennon is very fond of them, I think.  When I suggested he document the tribe and culture, he sprung at the chance and thought a great idea. I was just happy the recording did not fall to me.

As interesting as the Oo-lug are, they must wait.  We reached agreement with them and retraced our steps a full day, then took another half day finding a spot for our settlement.  And we found a grand spot on top of a hill, with an large view of the surrounding plains.  There are also dense forests to the north, which will give us timber for building the land.  Howe'er, rumors are that Telembria is racing to expand west, and most of us do not want to venture too far north, lest we face more conflict with our prevous nation.

We decided to go with Mr. Worth's suggestion of Tabula Rasa for the name of our new settlement.  He said it meant "blank slate" in the ancient language, which seemed [illegible].

Two things of note and then I must close.  First, we have been surprised by the number of new citizens of our young republic who have been arriving the past several months.  We did not think people would want to travel so far.  They bring reports of other settlements springing up along the trail, but the Oo-lug have confirm'd our settlement is the farthest west for the Megatrine, which is what they call us, being unable or unwilling to use the full name of our nation.  Second, it seems I have come, perhaps by default, to a leader position here in Tabula Rasa.  I do think I owe most to my fondness to talk, w'er I have something to say or not, or so says Ms. Clover!

I promised I would close, but I must tell you that the crystal-esk animals I wrote about are quite common.  We have been able to domesticate a few, but none have been able to ride them - not that these monstors would be the most comfort-able, given their rock hard skin.  The Oo-lug were amazed at our taming of the crystal-esks - apparently though their nation is fairly old - no one had ever attempted [illegible], and merely hunted them for crystals, which have much value to them.

Give my best to Melindra and also to mother.

G.K. Lathroller

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Swampland Collection, 1788-1798
Original writings of 73 citizens of the newly formed Republic of Megatridimensional Order who traveled from their native Telembria to the Crudumpascor Swamps to build their new nation. On loan from the Megatridimensional National Library in Tabula Rasa.

Addressed to Wvlter McAthry
April 28, 1789

Dear Wvlter,

I hope this letter reaches you.  This is my third since entering our new land of the Megatridimensional Order.  I finally settled on going far west with the Kendrys, though we passed a fair number of new settlements, some of which I was loathe to leave.

Ultimately, we arrived in Tabula Rasa, which is as far west as we could go without infringing on the native peoples to our west, the Uhlugh.

On the trail, reports came of a very large river to our south, and no passage can be found over it.  Until we are able, our nation is bordered by the ocean to the east, the mountain and river to our South, and the Ughlugh to our west.

Many are concerned, giving the number of people joining the Order, that we will run out of room, but that seems impossible, with the vast plains extending farther than one can see.

Tabula Rasa is growing so quickly.  When we arrived, it had only existed a few months, but already had a number of buildings and other foundations of civilisation.  There are good women and men leading the city, though none have been officially announced or labeled.

There has been talk of electing a mayor and perhaps a board or council, but our settlement seems too busy building to go about the boring task of setting up a political structure.

Please let me know when you will be arriving to join me.

Yours,
D'phelinia McAthry

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WARNING: Unauthorized reading of this letter is punishable by Telembrian and international law.  Do NOT continue if found.  Deliver this document, unread, to the nearest Telembrian authority to avoid prosecution.

Report on activities of the "Order"
15 July, 1789
Attn: General Edgvett Phoster

Madam General -

I have sent this report with Kofflen, to be delivered to your hand personally, as we discussed.

I am embedded in the small settlement named Kosmaro nearly two days walk from the swamps outside the "city" of Novum.  It is small and sickly, however, the sickness that most new arrivals bring with them does not spread, and those that last the first week do not return to the sickness.  Many, however, die within the first week.
The reports of "legions" of traitorous citizens are overblown.  Though a large number are indeed coming through, I do not see many who continue on from Kosmaro.  Additionally, many here have confided in me that they are considering returning to Telembria.  I do not encourage, lest my true self be exposed, but I do try to gently nudge them in that direction.

Infiltrating this primitive society is not difficult.  If you are educated, you are generally trusted.  I have taken advantage of that, and am in a position where I believe I can be very useful to the crown.   I must remain wary to not show my true intelligence, so I actively make slight mistakes so that these scoundrels are thrown off the scent like tracking Leje.

Mission parameters remain the same, and I calculate it is more likely than not that your hypothesis will prove correct.  Once they begin to return at a steady pace, and bemoan life outside the borders of Telembria, that will simultaneously increase the return of others and convince citizens of Telembria to stay in the homeland.
I will have another report for you when Kofflen returns.

Major Ryler Detritus

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Swampland Collection, 1788-1798
Original writings of 73 citizens of the newly formed Republic of Megatridimensional Order who traveled from their native Telembria to the Crudumpascor Swamps to build their new nation. On loan from the Megatridimensional National Library in Tabula Rasa.

Addressed to Carter Lathroller

October 3, 1789

Dear and respected brother,

I was thrilled to receve your latest of 4 September and even more thrilled that you are planning on making the journey to Tabula Rasa!  I've already ordered space set aside for your home once you arrive, tho if you are not satisfied, you can certainly pick out anywhere else.  I, as you, wurry about mother, in spite of her exhortacions that she will be perfectly fine.   She does have a lot of friends and family to keep her company, tho.  But the journey here is becoming easier, what with the rail being almost complete to Novum.  She can come to visit, I think, in reletive comfort in another year or so.  Failing that, before long it will be easy enough for us to return to visit.

Please accept my apologies for the delay in writing.  As I told you last, I have become somewhat of a leader here, being the first arrivals and my conversasional ability.  I did not want to take a title for some time, espeshully when our nation will not be a nation for some time.  But there ocurred more and more instances of lawlessness in our new city, and we needed officials, espeshully to keep the peace.  After nominations for mayor, Mr. Worth and I were running against each other.  I think it was the most awkward and un-inspring [illegible] ever presented.  We praised the other's positive traits and downplayed our own.  In the end, I failed to convince the populace that Mr. Worth was the better candidate, and as punishment, last week I was voted in as the first Mayor of Tabula Rasa. (that part about punishment was a joke!)

I have already named a chief law officer, though we don't yet have any laws to enforce.  But we have made clear that the normal rules of civilisation apply - murder, theft and molestation - will be punished immediately, by death.  I am sure that I do not have to explain to you, my always realistic brother, that altho the instances of such crimes have been relatively low, when they do occur ... I will only say that death would have been a mercy compared to what was done to those found guilty by angry mobs.

Our "city" is truly beginning to look like a city.  The number of buildings that have gone up seems to increase each day, and the people seem to never stop coming.  I was wurried that things may be getting worse in Telembria, and your last letter seemed to confirm the stories I have heard.  Tho I am not able to conversate with every new citizen, those I have told me of troubles at the border.  The Telembrians are not pleased with the number of citizens taking them up on the offer to vacate, and harrassment at the border seems to have increased.  I pass this along not to wurry you, but to warn you what to espect.

The latest group of folks to come in has said the talk in Novum was that Ms. Petrus and the leaders there heard the stories and have started north to find out on their own if what they hear is true.  No dout Ms. Petrus will rain fury on them once again!

I believe we are already nearly half the population of the neighboring Ughlug (that is the correct spelling, I have learned - not Oo-lug, as I had written prev.).  They stare at the things we build, and ask many questions.  Their settlement is a bit more primitive, with small huts for homes and only a trade system with no currencies.  Mr. Glennon has decided to move to the Ughlug settlement, adding ambassador and educator to his being a historian.  I believe he might be an Ughlug before long!  It is good to see him happy.

Well, I have to get back to the work of being mayor.  Funny that I am writing that line!  Please let me know if you cannot come in Dec., or if you have issues at the border.

Give my best to Melindra and also to mother.

G.K. Lathroller

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As I Remember, As It Was
 The Autobiography of Rain Elyse Petrus

Chapter 18

In spite of the perception that I am a "woman of the people" - a perception by which I am simultaneously humbled and proud - the truth is that I have not had to experience much of my life living as most of "the people" do.  While my father's fortune gave him the ability to follow his passions in public service, it gave me the freedom from worrying about food or shelter and the freedom to self-actualize.  I had the luxury to determine who I was, what I stood for, and who I wanted to be.  Subsequently, I gained the confidence needed to lead.  Most Megatrines did not, nor do they now, share in that experience, though it is a credit to our culture that more and more young people are presented with the same freedom.

The exception to that freedom was my time living in Novum in the pre-nation decade, building both the city and our new government.  The city stands now as a monument to the perseverance and creative thinking that defines us.  I can already see the city being romanticized in the modern era as the cradle of our nation.  But make no mistake: it was, in truth, a dreadful place.

The Swamp Sickness took many, but oft forgotten were those that survived it, and more so, those of us who witnessed it.  With new citizens joining us constantly from Telembria, the Sickness had plenty of fresh victims.  I am aware of the numbers - that the Sickness affected 20% of the population.  But as I remember, it seemed much closer to 50%.  I observed the sudden, violent vomiting that was the first symptom many, many times.  And our hospital, such as it was, filled to capacity with the pale white victims and frightened weeping families, tended by noble doctors working in futility to both stem the tide of patients and decipher a cure.  I visited the hospital many times and spoke with many dying citizens and families.  It was tortuous to be so powerless, but I forced myself to continue, if only to learn to accept and understand the powerlessness that so many less privileged feel daily.

Please don't mistake me - so many of us were extremely fortunate, and I would never compare the worst plight of my educated and comfortable life with the agony and torture of both those that survived and those that died.  I only mean to convey that the Swamp Sickness is not something that can be easily forgotten, simply because one survived it.  I am also trying to convey that if it was so bad for me - a national "hero" and daughter of one to boot, surrounded by loyal supporters and coddled far more than I would have liked - then how much worse for those afflicted and conflicted citizens living in Novum?

The Sickness was enough, but the swamps also created a tremendous problem for both our streets and buildings.  As I said previously, we had mistaken the "crust" of the unsullied swamp as solid ground, and that held to be true through much of the first year.  However, that "crust" was worn down, and gradually the land showed the true, spongy nature of where we had chosen to build the foundation of our new country.  You could not walk down the streets without sinking into swamp and completely wasting another pair of shoes.  Our wooden sidewalks were not much better.  Before long, the relentless pounding of feet and continuous drenching rotted the wood, and within weeks became no better than the streets.

The work we had put in to build Novum; to say nothing of those who died, those who worked the rails, and those who had braved an increasingly aggressive border guard to even get here;  the lasting legacy was slowly starting to be questioned by the settlers.  Many, out of shame or fear of being forced to stay, left Novum without a word.  Most went out west towards Kosmaro and Tabula Rasa, but some went back to Telembria.  Some of us cursed those who returned, and I would not be forthcoming if I failed to admit that I muttered curses under my breath as well.  But generally, I tried to tell those that were just beginning to understand how to lead that this was expected – no, perhaps not the swamp and the Swamp Sickness and the rotting town – but we knew that some would choose to return.  There will always be those with stars in their eyes.  Now that they were leaving, and the “honeymoon” was over, I told my team that it was now time to get down to the real business of building the Megatridimensional Order.

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Swampland Collection, 1788-1798

Original writings of 73 citizens of the newly formed Republic of Megatridimensional Order who traveled from their native Telembria to the Crudumpascor Swamps to build their new nation. On loan from the Megatridimensional National Library in Tabula Rasa.

Addressed to Willear Brentow
January 2, 1790

Cousin Willaer,

I must begin by apologizing for two things.  First, the lateness of my response.  I did receive your letters and was quite grateful for the uplifting nature they had around our campfire.  Thank you.  However, secondly, things have been rather oppressing this last year.  I will attempt to do them justice, but please forgive if I do not spend sufficient time recalling these most painful incidents.

I will begin, illogically, with the most recent.  [Illegible] reports coming from the border of Telembrian harrassment trickled in, but soon it was a deluge.  The stories became worse and worse, to the point where one wondered if they were delusions from travelers trudging through the jungle, overheated and tired.  However, last week a cadre of men and women in fine uniform rode by - must have been 3x25 to 3x33 or more.  They were soldiers from Novum.  Word was they were riding to the border to investigate the stories further.

I am no military strategist, but I would think you would not send a formidable [illegible] in uniform simply to investigate.  I suspected, but did not say, that investigation was already complete, and this force was perhaps the first open acknowlegment from Novum that something was going on.  We have no heard what may have happened, but they have not yet returned past us.  I feel this is a grim sign.  Please let me know if you can, what word from your perspective?

Much more grim has been the Swamp Sickness that has accosted us as we move slowly closer to Novum.  I have lost half of my original crew, which was frustrating enough.  But that half included my new wife, Liveluth.  We were not yet married 7 months before the Sickness infected her.  She was frightened, as was I, but both of us powerless to do anything but hope that she would be a survivor.  It was not to be so.  I was ... am ... heartbroken.  The time I spent with her was an intense love, and our only fleeting concern was how we would sustain the intensity after the rail was completed.  The brightest flames burn out the quickest, and that was certainly true with us.

Yet I still feel as if I have been robbed.  Where my enthusiasm last year saw me through the first grueling months of work, and where our love saw me through the last few of her life, I am suddenly left with nothing. Only time and the incremental crawl of the rail.  They say here that each day feels like a week, and until Liveluth died, I could not understand it.  Now I understand all too well.

Mourn with me only a minute cousin, but do not fret.  I will work through this burden as I have any other in life - by putting one foot in front of the other!  I do find that the responsibility of crew leader helps me to put on an enthusiastic mask, which in turn helps me to feel more enthusiastic.  In addition, the new workers that arrive to replace the deceased or otherwise gone bring the original enthusiasm and sense of purpose that I had when I first arrived.

There is another development this past year; one that may cause you to raise and eyebrow.  I am not sure from whence it sprung, but a new religion is spreading amongst the railworkers.  It is centered on the number 3, which, from Petrus' party to the naming of our new nation, has been an important number, to be sure.  I am part of a group spending our time codifying the religion in our off hours.  It seems a noble cause and distracts me from some of my melancholy.

Please continue to write, and best to you, the missus and little Willear.


Your cousin, Villivium

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Swampland Collection, 1788-1798
Orginal writings of 73 citizens of the newly formed Republic of Megatridimensional Order who traveled from their native Telembria to the Crudumpascor Swamps to build their new nation. On loan from the Megatridimensional National Library in Tabula Rasa.

Addressed to D'phelina McAthry
Tabula Rasa
February 14, 1790

Dear D'phelina,

I cannot begin to explain how I miss you, and since the start of this journey knowing that I am going to see you shortly has made things worse.  I have heard the delay at the Quarantine area near Novum in will add at least three days to my trip, though I will be, in truth, glad for the rest once we get through the jungle.  Those I am traveling with say that the rails being built have made some things easier, but other things, like noxious smells and unrelenting noise, have made it worse.  It will be better for everyone when the rails get completed.

Thank you for your last letter!  I was slightly disappointed in the tone, but I understand that you are not flowery with your words, either in writing or person.  I suppose that I expected you to make full use of the only communication available in order express the doubtless extremes of your longing for me to be by your side.  Longings I know too well myself!  I am tormented daily at being separated from you, my love, and this feeling of incompleteness has placed as shadow even on the most mundane of daily routines.

I did have an opportunity to speak to your father before I left.  He wished us well, though my exhortations for him to join us were met with a solemn refusal.  For such a respectable, well-off leader of the community who has no love for the Telembrian government, I could not extract the reason for him dismissing the idea.

Regardless, I love you with all my heart and will struggle to arrive in Tabula Rasa without my heart exploding in the process.  You are my light in a barren land, D'pheline, and you have all my love.

Wvlter McAthry

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Swampland Collection, 1788-1798
Original writings of 73 citizens of the newly formed Republic of Megatridimensional Order who traveled from their native Telembria to the Crudumpascor Swamps to build their new nation. On loan from the Megatridimensional National Library in Tabula Rasa.

Addressed to Belinda Rift
Novum
February 14, 1790

Dear Belinda,

I cannot begin to explain how I miss you, though I am only a few days away from Novum. I have written D'phelina and explained the extra days I will be staying with you as part of the Quarantine process that Novum is under.  There is little doubt she expects anything.  But after we spend some days together in bliss (and bed, I daresay!), I have decided to go to Tabula Rasa to end the marriage.  I don't expect she will fight it, but if she does there are other ways to become single, especially in the still lawless settlements.

The main reason, however, that I shall travel to Tabula Rasa will be to earn some trios as an entertainer, which I am quite good - and of which Tabula Rasa has very little.  I expect to return with a small fortune easily pried from the hands of gawkers and fools that are drawn to my table game, but I will be keeping a keen eye out for more opportunities than that.  Money is key, and the more we have, the more you and I can shape the fabric of this new nation in whatever way we wish.

Luxury and power are our future, making our present Trio situation an unpleasant but necessary step towards our goal.

I hope to be there in three days time, my love.

Wvlter McAthry

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WARNING: Unauthorized reading of this letter is punishable by Telembrian and international law.  Do NOT continue if found.  Deliver this document, unread, to the nearest Telembrian authority to avoid prosecution.

Report on activities of the "Order"
10 March 1790
Attn: General Edgvett Phoster

Madam General -

Kosmaro is a frustrating affair. Every day the death toll from the sickness is higher than the last, but as if bitten by mosquito, the city continues to swell with traitors.  They began sorting public offices here and I successfully campaigned to be census taker, and I ran unopposed.  In this position, I have meticulously chronicled the numbers of those dying, those heading further into the wilderness, those arriving and those leaving to return to our beloved country of Telembria.  The month of February was worse than January, which was worse than December, which was worse than November.

249 dead from the sickness in February, and 13 returned to Telembria.  That is more dead than any other month, and less returned.  And the attitude of those continuing on to Tabula Rasa and those remaining here is inconceivable.  They live in squalor, surrounded by disease, yet sing the praises of the "daughter" of Petrus (curse the name) and celebrate almost daily at their situation.  I could understand were this a savage tribe who were too ignorant to know what they were missing.  But these are former Telembrians!  I struggle to see this as anything but madness.

I have heard of the increased tightening of the border and your generalship's order work diligently to convince misguided Telembrians to not make the trip.  As of my last report, I would not have seen it necessary.  However, with the dismay I am experiencing daily, I urge you to step up efforts!  Would that we could close the border completely!  While it would be a break of the treaty, it would be well worth the damage if we could save these idiots from such a wretched state!

I am sure that the general knows more of the "forces" this new nation possesses, but indications are that other than a large contingent at Novum, the settlements here have little, if any, soldiers or agents.  A loyal Telembrian platoon could, without much trouble, round up the citizens of this cesspool and return them home for their own good.

Mission parameters remain as those you sent in your missive of 5 December.  I will continue to lie low and gather information.  But I urge you to consider action!  Only two months ago I could have arranged for the death of nearly half the city in one well orchestrated accident.  Now, I could barely make a dent.  And worse, I feel it would only make these cretans more determined in their obstinance.

I will have another report for you when Kofflen returns.

Major Ryler Detritus

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A History of the Order
Wanzian Press
c. 1915

Chapter 10

Once the need for law and order in Tabula Rasa became apparent, it only made sense that there be a fair hand at the controls.  And so it was that G.K. Lathroller became the first mayor of Tabula Rasa.  He "ran" unopposed.  And I say "ran" with the qualifier that the election season was not so much a competition as it was a convincing of Lathroller, who initially opposed the idea of him becoming the most powerful man in the Order.  He agreed with reluctance, but also with the understanding that 1) his term was limited, and 2) he was only there to "break the tie" if the "real" decision makers were at an impasse.

In Novum, leadership had never been an issue.  And where Lathroller was promised an amount of support that led to him mostly rubber-stamping everything, Rain Petrus had just the opposite.  In spite of her constant insistance and demand of feedback and ideas, her advisors did very little to advise.  From her autobiography, discussing her realization  that her original advisors (derisively labled the "No Negatives Nine" in many history books) may be spineless synchophants:

"I had determined to test my theory to see if the [NNN] were as spineless as they appeared, and did so during the next city planning meeting.  I proposed scrapping the work we had done on our government to this point and institute a "demerit system" of government, whereby citizens could give each other demerits for all sort of bad behavior.  When a citizen reached a certain number of demerits, they were exiled from town and had their possessions seized by the government.  In other words, a most ridiculous system with gaping flaws of logic and avenues of abuse.  To my dismay, my suggestion was met with immediate adjectives such as "revolutionary," and "bold," and, my least favorite "two steps forward for the Order, and dare I say the entire human race."

I kept my cool and accepted these compliments, but asked each advisor to write up a plan to implement this preposterous decision within 24 hours (I did not want to waste any more time than they already had).  You could feel the tension in the room as they sat in shock before one of them finally said "yes, ma'am, I will have it for you tomorrow."  They were already gone in my mind, but I wanted to see this play out, so I sent my assistant, Bruba, over the collect the "plans."  When I reviewed them, they were almost word for word what I had proposed a few days prior.  All except one, which was, to my surprise, a resignation from one advisor who, though he held great deference to my "leadership," could not support such a program and thought it best that if he contribute to the Order "some other way."  I immediately sent Brubah to drag the poor fellow to my office.

When he arrived, I have not seen a more frightened gentleman than Mr. Xenwith, even on the field of battle staring death in the face.  I am not easily moved to humor, but I could not restrain from smiling at his visible confusion when I demanded he be my first Minister of Governance.  As his first action, I asked that he write a newspaper release regarding the firing of his collegues and his hire as Minister of Governance, and emphasized that he not water down the reasons.  Xenwith's draft arrived that evening and I was so please I did not change a single word.  I knew then that I had one advisor I could trust.  Finding the other eight would not be easy."