Elrond Stalgruf delivers a speech

While the rest of his allies are discussing stuff in the meeting, Stalgruf steps outside to meet with some other Iyartaen officials who came with him on the trip. Segerline has generously donated a news van to them so he can give a speech to the warring nation.

“Comrades! Fellow citizens and defenders of the people! I will not lie—today it is a dark day. Our fledgling revolution stands on the brink of disaster. The bourgeois scum fear the new order, and now they seek to destroy it before it can gain a foothold so near to their dominion. They know that we represent hope for the masses that they oppress, and they know that, if they fail to snuff out the light of our glorious revolution, it will spread past our own borders and kindle the flames of liberation in the hearts of their slaves. Their attack, therefore, was savage and swift. They will take no prisoners in their fight to eradicate us. But, comrades, have hope! Even now, our brave soldiers fight valiantly to defend our country from the aggressors. The Imperial dogs will learn that our liberty will not be easily stolen—that every inch of our soil that they take will cost them a hundred kerbs! Comrades, the days ahead will not be easy. Each one of us will have to make sacrifices to ensure our continued survival. We have worked hard to create this new nation, a nation of equality and freedom for all, and now we face our baptism of fire. But as the fire burns and ravages, so it will create room for a new beginning; and like a great phoenix, our great nation will rise from the ashes of the destruction wrought upon us by the enemy, with the last remnants of the old Iyartae finally burned away! To our soldiers, I say this: expect no mercy from your enemy, and give none in return! Stand firm, and know that on your shoulders rests nothing less than the fate of our nation and the communist movement.

And to our loyal citizens who, though they may not wear the uniform of our defenders, still do their part to protect our great nation, I say this: remain strong, and do not be afraid! Continue with your duties, whatever they may be; nay, re-double your efforts! Every factory that once produced ten tanks a day must instead produce twenty; only if every single kerb of this nation commits themselves fully to this conflict can we hope to weather the storm. And, to the citizens of this nation who have fallen under enemy rule, I say this: rise up! Rise up, children of the revolution, and take back what is yours! Fight to the last man, place your lives before your liberty! Disrupt the oppressors in any way possible; those who can fight must fight, those who cannot must resist by whatever means is known to them—only then can you hope to be free once more. And to our enemies, I say this: when you marched into our nation, unprovoked and unannounced, you may have imagined that we would be easily defeated. Perhaps you still think this—the flames of destruction have swept through much of our nation, and your filth befouls our lands.

But know this: we will never surrender, and we will never rest until you are driven from our lands! Nothing you can do will ever dim the light of our revolution, we will not be beaten; not now, not ever! We will endure your onslaught and strike back with a ferocity you could never imagine, and before long you will wish that you never set foot on our soil! This inferno you have started shall consume you, and everything you have will burn to ashes!”