Sergio Ren
Sergio Ren (Imlotel, 199 - 12th of Mara, 247)
Emperor from the 38th of Actaber, 227 to the 12th of Mara, 247.
Leader of both the Rennian Rebellions, General of the Army of the EotLP, 1st Emperor of the EotLP
Sergio Ren was the first Emperor of the EotLP. He led the rebellion that freed them from the oppressive rule of the New Roman Republic. He led the nation for almost 20 years, always working to try and make it a more peaceful country. He was murdered by a group of rebels without ever properly naming an heir. He was remembered fondly by all the citizens of the EotLP. The Capital of the Balkavanian EotLP - Rennia - was named after him, and after the fall of the Imperial system in the EotLP, the new nation became known as Rennia, largely due to the
Early Life & Military Training in Omhoincan
Sergio Ren was born sometime in the year 199, in the country of Omhoincan, where he grew up. The first record of him was in the diary of a priest, who found a baby in blankets left on his doorstep. The Priest named him Sergio, after his own father, and Ren after his Archbishop. However, soon after Ren was found, the Omhoincan government moved him into foster home, despite the Priest’s protests. Over the next 18 years of Ren’s life, he was shuffled around from foster home to foster home, never finding a good one. Several of his former foster parents were later convicted for abuse, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, etc. After Ren legally turned 18, he left the foster care system for good, and began taking up odd jobs to save up enough to get post-high school schooling. After several years in the military academy, where Ren excelled, he moved away to find something else more constructive. While in the Military Academy, he was reportedly very concerned about the levels that he was expected to go to in order to subjugate opposing sides during simulations. According to rumour, Despite his rough upbringing, he seemed to be an excellent man; he refused to eradicate a group of peaceful protesters being used as a human shield in one simulation, which got him kicked out of the academy. However, whether he left by choice or not, the next part of his life is well documented. For the next year, he studied at the Omhoincan trades college to get a degree in hairdressing.
Immigration to the NRR
Resistance Leader
After he received his diploma, he moved away from Omhoincan in 218. Through a mistake at an airport terminal (as these were still relatively new in this time period), Ren unintentionally ended up on a flight to New Rome, the Capital of the New Roman Republic. Due to his lack of proper New Roman immigration Papers, he was deported to the colonies and sentenced to 5 years of hard labour for his illegal immigration attempt. Initially slated to be sent to the Magnum Crater Regionem, a mistake by the New Roman Police saw him sent as a civilian to the Campestrem Regionem Colony. There he began to practice as a Hairdresser in Spalke, and began to integrate well into the local culture, learning Irinian Leggish extraordinarily quickly. Ren found issues being undocumented, but aid from an anti-colonial group helped him to obtain false documentation in 219, which at his own request were provided in his true name, as at that time he was still intending to live a life as a civilian. Nonetheless, he still faced discrimination from the New Roman Occupiers, as citizens of the New Roman Colonies were considered sub-citizens. Ren couldn't stand this, and began to get involved in local protest groups. Several minor organisations that he worked with through 219 and 220 realised his incredible leadership and oratory qualities, and began using that to the best of their abilities, giving him larger authority and making him an unnoficial frontman of the protests. During a protest on the 6th of Aran, 220, New Roman Military Police opened fire on a peaceful protest, killing 8 civilians. Understanding that this was meant to be a statement by the Roman Government that dissention would be met with force, and with a warrant having been issued for his arrest, Ren left his roles among the various protest groups he had headed up, and started an armed resistance. His first rebellion gained traction, with support from dissatisfied parties in the NRR Government, attempting to undermine the Consul, Lucius Rufus Brutus, but failed eventually, simply outgunned and outmanned by the superior New Roman Military. This defeat did not deter Ren, and as oppression against the Irinian people increased after the first armed rebellion, the will of the Irinian people was strengthened against their oppressors, giving Ren the local levels of support he felt he would need to successfully break away from the NRR. After Founding the IFC, His second rebellion, this time entirely internally funded and led fared much better, initially taking complete control over the Campestrem Regionem, before being pushed to the brink of destruction by General James Krennic of the NRR Army. Even so, the Rebels held fast long enough to deplete Krennic's resources, and with support arriving in the form of another Rebel Group from the neighbouring Roman Colony Nova Terra (locally called Sinitola), the Second Rennian Rebellion succeeded, upending hundreds of years of history and precedent, and freeing the Irinian People. On the 38th of Actaber, 227, a Minister of the New Roman Government signed a peace treaty, recognizing the "Independent Campestrem Nation". Ren unofficially led the INC until the constitution of the EotLP was officially presented by John Fel Osborne.
Emperor of the EotLP
As Emperor, despite numerous setbacks, and having to move his population twice, Ren always worked to make his country a more peaceful place, which eventually led to his undoing. Ren was not known for having much of a personal life, devoting most of his time to the EotLP. However, he did frequently visit his friend, Michael Osborne, a man whom he respected, and who still maintains that Ren was the best First Emperor the EotLP could have. After several failed coups by hired mercenaries, Ren began to try and shrink his military, and allow more citizens to live in the EotLP.
Involvement in Formula Lego
Ren was also symbolically the owner of the National team, although all actual administrative duties were left up to Jenny Spalding. He was, however, an avid racing fan, and attended nearly every Formula Lego race he could. Both him and his successor, Emperor James Krennic, had a very good relationship with Osborne team owner Michael Osborne. The Emperor Sergio Ren Memorial Rennia Street Circuit was originally named after him, until it's name change.
Death & Succession
Unfortunately, this led almost all of his mercenary soldiers to feel betrayed, and under the command of Ak Etkia, they rebelled. He was shot by his personal guard squad gunner on his flag ship-the Emperor's Eye, while on his way to a diplomatic convention with nearby countries. Having never formally announced his heir, Ak Etkia (who possessed the Staff of Office, which Ren had left in the palace) became emperor. Ren was avenged shortly after, and was remembered by the people of the EotLP as an amazing ruler, who gave up his personal benefit for the benefit of his people.
Main Article: Etkian Coup
After being released from Medical Care on the 5th of 240, Ren seemed a different man. Although every person who was in regular contact and interaction with him swore that he had made a full physical & mental recovery, but he never acted the same. A much larger security detail was employed to surround him at all times, and his public excursions became more planned, and less natural than they had been before. However, people had little reason to believe he was any less effective at his job after the attempt on his life.
because of Ren's sudden invasion, and conquest of a huge amount of land from five different countries in the Balkavanians (plus the total conquest of the Cagne Duchy), Emperor Ren found diplomatic relations with the rest of the Balkavanians understandably difficult to form in the Balkavanian EotLP's early years. However, Ren made strong efforts to compensate the people and countries affected by his conquest. Once the EotLP began to find its footing economically, Ren began to offer a compensatory package of 3 years of full pay (based on pre-invasion averages) to any displaced Refugee from their Invasion. Many took up his offer. Ren also began to offer the Nations which he had invaded compensation in the form of a portion of revenue from the areas that they had formerly governed, which was never publicly disclosed, but was estimated to be around 15-20% of Revenue. Mezhdomnoven, who had just recently conquered the area that the EotLP had then taken from them, over a border dispute with the Cagne Duchy, refused Ren's payments. Cklserolva, who had only lost a very small amount of relatively sparse and unproductive land, also refused the payment. Kibylj, Srebvona, and Krjstendodjl, accepted Ren's payments.
On the last day of 239,
By the year 241, thanks to countless government investments & subsidies, the immeasurable efforts on the part of the Octan Corporation & the Osborne Group, and a huge boost in population, many of whom were willing to perform menial labour, the economy of the EotLP had roughly hit pre-Smelly Cabbage levels, and thanks to the relatively even distribution of government handouts, the middle class was growing exponentially. Octan had suffered quite a bit in the transition, as there were no large-scale Oil fields in the EotLP's new holdings, and they began to pivot towards other forms of energy, although they still did find areas to drill for oil, but their petroleum production never reached the same scale it had before the SCI
Ren boosted foreign relations, especially with Cklserolva, with whom he began to create close ties with, both economically & culturally. The aging Roman Transport Aircraft (Aquilifirae) that had been the transport backbone of the Rennian Military since its inception were replaced by Cklserolvan Quantos I-87 Hrovytaks, or Verybas, as they were affectionately called. The first Hrovytak entered Rennian service in 243, just a year and a half after they first entered Cklserolvan Military Service. In exchange, Ren sold Cklserolva 75 O5 Firebirds & 35 OA1 Pegasi, and supplemented their considerable navy with 20 Octan Light Attack Cruisers (OLACs) in 245. This decision tightened the bonds between Cklserolva and the EotLP, and the other Balkavanian Nations began to take notice of the EotLP both as a good ally, and a country to avoid making your enemy. The Military Boost given by the EotLP to Cklserolva also proved influential very quickly. The aspiring Regional power to the east, Nakorenta, had adopted a strategy of assimilating nations into their “Nakorentan Union” in the later 230s, which had proved successful. In the 10 years that they had been utilising the “Smash & Grab” Tactic, they had assimilated the Eastern Balkavanian Nations of Zmadovevi, Mimodera, Vasdutevi, and Krajbretura. All of them had the same tactic deployed against them: first, an elite Unit of around 200 Nakorentan “Death Troopers” would infiltrate the capital, wearing no identification. If captured, a exorbitantly large bounty would be offered for their return, and if they succeeded at their objective (the death of at least half of the country’s rulers or legislators), then Nakorentan-backed Rebels, coup-ing Military & Nakorentan special forces would storm the capital during the ensuing mayhem, placing a Nakorenta – Favouring Leader & Legislators in place, under the guise of maintaining stability after terrorist attacks. Inevitably, the new Nakorentan – backed leader would suggest incorporation into the Nakorentan Union (which claimed to be an international cooperative union. However, it was really just the Nakorentan Government being given control over a formerly sovereign nation). Through this method, 4 countries had fallen in 8 years. In 246, a Death Corp attacked the Cklserolvan capital of Fortrionale. Despite their ruthlessness & expert training, the superior Pegasi & Firebirds proved too much for them, and 500 Death Troopers surrendered to the Cklserolvan Military just three hours into the confrontation. Nakorenta’s plans in the Western Balkavians had been thwarted; Annexed Cklserolva was planned to be a base of operations for further Smash & Grab excursions into nearby Kibylj, Hoketleri, Krjstendodjl, and even the EotLP. The Nakorentan ruling Table saw this as a direct affront to them by the EotLP (which was incredibly hypocritical, as they also claimed to have no affiliation with the Death Squads). Cklserolva agreed to release the Death Troopers for a massive ransom, who promptly retreated to their headquarters – a “captured” Nakorentan Navy Vessel, the Allkiterrayid. The Leader of the Nakorentan Ruling Table, Asil Kranost, sent an official message to Emperor Ren through international telegraph lines. The message was simple: “Don’t mess with us.” Ren responded within five minutes, making the biggest mistake of his life. He only sent two words back. He queried of the Nakorentans, “Or what?” Kranost immediately declared the EotLP the primary target for their next Smash & Grab maneuver. He reached out to a dissatisfied Rennian Major General named Ak Etkia, who was known for being bloodthirsty, cutthroat, and violent in nature. He had lusted after more power & battles for a long time, ambitions which were well known throughout the EotLP. The Nakorentan Ruling Table (colloquially called the Vladeza) used this to their advantage. They began a secret correspondence with him, providing him details of how they intended to overthrow Ren, and punish him for his “insolence.” They decided that Etkia would be the Nakorentan replacement for Ren. At his own suggestion, they also decided to try and capture the Emperor’s Sceptre during the commotion, to legally make Etkia Emperor, rather than relying on the commotion that would arise around Ren’s heir-less-ness.
Influence and Legacy
Memory as an Emperor
During the continued existence of the EotLP in its Imperial form, before the Third Balkavanian War, many Rennians considered Ren to hold a heroic position as a legend of the Rennian People. Many still regarded him as the liberator of the Irinians, although this portrayal fell aside as time progressed and the identity of the EotLP strayed further from its Irinian Origins. Even as calls for democracy strengthened in Rennia, many proponents held up the current Imperial Leaders (James Krennic and later Mikael Cagne) as perversions of Ren, rather than as his obvious successors.