On September 3rd, 1975, The Shawford Peace Accords were signed, officially bringing an end to the four-year-long conflict known as the Falkheim War. Not much is known about the causes of the conflict, its reasoning lost to the sands of time and war. Though their proud and ancient cities had been reduced to smoldering ruins, the indomitable spirit of the Falkinians prevailed. In a remarkable feat of resilience, they rebuilt their nation from the ground up in a mere decade. Their economy flourished, and Falkheim emerged as one of the world's foremost superpowers. However, for those who had borne the brunt of the Falkheim War's horrors, the scars run deeper than the ruins it had made. Resentment festered in the hearts of those who had lost loved ones and livelihoods in the conflict. A storm brewed on the southern horizon as Falkheim basked in its newfound glory. The six republics of Aplana, Eproca, Salfur, Rodona, Fostoria, and Umlatia, crippled by the economic burdens and the staggering loss of life inflicted on them by the war, joined hands and penned a joint declaration. On November 19th, 1994, the Union of Free States (UFS) was born, ushering in a sudden surge of military and economic might. In the blink of an eye, the UFS emerged as one of the continent's superpowers, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Kingdom of Falkheim to the north, the Socialist Republic of Valentia and its allied puppets to the west, and the Federal State of Balkha to the east. The balance of power in Veridia had shifted, and the world watched with bated breath as the UFS flexed its newfound strength. Fearful of the UFS's rise and the economic juggernaut it had now become, the Kingdom of Falkheim resolved to secure its position in the world. It embarked on a bold course, increasing its industrial and economic power and launching resource exploration operations in the hotly contested Uran Seas, which bordered both nations. This action would be the catalyst to light the tinder under the world in a conflict that would drown the world in blood. This was the beginning of the Great War.