Yorban Times

Yorban Times is a monthly news bulletin produced on planet Yorba.
The editorial slant is: Conservative.

Stories from Yorban Times

Like the proverbial phoenix rising from it's ashes, House Harkonnen stands on the brink of it's return to prominence within the empire. Many times in their storied past the Harkonnens have been believed vanquished, yet still they have always returned. Now they are poised to do so again, and are doing it in grand style.

News coming from the jungle world is both confusing and troubling. By Imperial decree House Poritrin has been ordered to surrender the planet to the former owners, the once Arch Dukes of Ecaz. These once disgraced cousines of the Corrino's have of late turned around their fortunes and seem to be on the road back to respectability and full co-operation in the interstellar community.

By decree of His Royal Majesty, nobles from accross the Empire are descending on Kaitan to celebrate the continuation of Corrino rule. The event is expected to last for several days and include exotic entertainments and feasts of unheard of extravegance. Some, out of ear shot of the royal family of course, have questioned the timing of this event. They ask if this to celebrate the Corrino's long rule or perhaps to demonstrate it?

The Empire wide economic crises in CHOAM took on ever more ominous tones this week as auditors discovered underhanded dealings by one of our own directors. In an announcement to House Alman, later made public before the Landsraad, it was made known that CHOAM auditors had discovered that records had been falsified to try and frame the Almans for spice hoarding. They further revealed that the source of these falsified records was none other then House Poritrin.

It is once again time for the bi-annual Landsraad Plenary to review recent events and to set public policy for ongoing initiatives. House Eleusis, as speaker of the Landsraad, has called the event to order and set the iteniary for an ambitious, and hopefully productive, session. Unfortunately though, the rest of the Landsraad does not yet appear to be up to the challenge issued.

Already there has been serious confusion as some scheduled speakers have failed to appear. What the final outcome this will have on the proposed slate of work has yet to be seen.

In recent months the public clamor has been steadily increasing over the seeming inability, or unwillingness, for the CHOAM Board of Directors to actually manage the Empires markets. It comes as no surprise given growing number and variety of economic criseses which have rocked the greater and lesser Houses. What started as minor economic discomfort has now grown to possible recession and a feared collapse of our entire financial system.

In a stunning move His Royal Majesty has ordered House Poritrin to abandon the valuable world of Ecaz, once held by His until recently disgraced cousines, and ordered it to be returned to the cadet family of the Corrino line. Readers might recall that not so long ago this same world was exchanged from the Ordos to the Poritrin in a deal whose political ramifications are still being felt. The Ordos at least received some small compensation for their loss. As it looks at the moment, the Poritrin will not.

Once again the Empire faces a shortage of important goods. On top of the recently noted shortage of slave labor due to the fall of Geidi Prime, we must now contend with an even more serious lack of munitions making it to market. While some might see this as a good thing, i.e. a lack of ability for the various houses to engage in wastefull wars, most of the greater and lesser Houses are quite alarmed by this turn of events.

The much anticipated duel is finally conclued and it our duty to inform the public at large that Marquis Aiantis has emerged victorius. The reasons for the duel have been duly documented in many seperate reports. What will be of concern now is the aftermath and what it means for not only the combatants but the rest of the houses of the Landsraad.

In a sudden reversal to their recent fortunes, Duke Alman and his kin have recently enjoyed a nigh unto unprcedented improvement to their status. Readers might recall that it has been the Almans who have for ages been preaching solidarity among the ranks of the minor houses with only limited success. Within a period of less then a month though they have left those ranks behind and find themselves on the cusp of greatness.

In a troubling turn of events the Negara Sysselraad still has not yet held their regularly scheduled elections for a chairman. This is most unusual and is, untill this instance, an unprecedented breakdown in leadership at the highest level. All other regions have managed to hold their elections and have finalized the results while the powers of Negara stand in limbo.

In a stunning announcment from the Guild directors, the nobility and great schools of the Empire learned of significant increases in the prices for the coming years shipping fees. Accross the board rate increases have been put into effect which raises the prices that everyone wishing to do business in the Empire must bear. In some cases these increases can amount to more then a 300% hike that leaves many of the smaller houses wondering how they will manage to keep doing business.

With a new year nearly upon us, it is time once again for the reappointment of seats to the Empires highest court. While there has been quite a bit of movement in the seats, there are at this time very few surprises. Among these though, the greatest shock would have to be the return of House Harkonnen. Not only have they returned to the court but they are now appointed as Chair Pro Tempore. In a short time they have gone from near total ruin to now chairing the high court.

After several months of insurrection on Eridanos, the man regarded by many as having pushed the fief to the brink of civil war has been found dead. Count Markov Alexin has died of an apparent accident within his family residence. This leaves his young son, na-Count Klaus Alexin to apparently inherit a world in turmoil.

It has recently come to light that the much trumpeted Guild Gold Line, a vital component of passenger and freight traffic, has been seriously undermanned in recent months. While the cause of this lapse is currently unknown the results are all too clear. Conservative estimates put the economic damages to affected users in the neighborhood of 1,200,000s.

The upcoming wedding between our beloved Princess Irulan Corrino and Ilario Poritrini, the na-Doge of House Poritrin, recalls to mind similar plans from a few years ago. At that time, it was another Poritrin noble who was due to be wed to the Princess Josefa. This was announced in September of 10,184 to much fanfare and celebration. Who could have known at the time though the horror which awaited the Empire in the coming months?

Despite numerous obstacles House Wikkheiser has ended the long spice drought which has gripped the great houses of the empire. Earlier today some 40 lida of spice was delivered to the markets of Choam. This was natually greeted with relief from many quarters but it is still tempered with great misgivings from others.

In a move that was as surprising as it was sudden, it was announced today that the Emperor had decided to award the newly christened Baronetchy of Gangishree to House Ecaz. This after the Ecazi had boldly requested said fief in a petition to His Majesty. Many thought that such a brazen request from a family so recently returned from disgrace would be doomed to fail.

It was announced today that the Spacing Guild's exploration corp has discovered four new worlds suitable for habitation. These are Kadesh & Gollimar which will be used as Guild bases in the region, and the worlds of Gangishree and Gansireed. Being near the Fiqh District these worlds will fall under that jurisdiction as the newly assigned Junaghadh Sector.

Shogun Li-Han Ziyaira, after recent set backs in his family's fortunes, has decided to step down in favor of his son Shen Ziyaira. This after the family ceded control of the governorship of Arrakis and had gone into a brief period of isolation from galactic affairs. It is not known why exactly the old Shogun chose to lead his family down this road, especially considering the close ties he enjoyed with the Imperial House. What is known though is that he is the one responsible for bringing his house out of the shadow of fundamentalism and into a Golden Era of respect.