Total War: Principia IC

[GameOfChampions]

Competition of Minds
Mor 5
Inf 2

Spoiler: Midturn

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1 SCI to create route between 3 and 58, in cooperation with Nascence.

2 Votes No to Nemisis Games

Spoiler: Channel Seldiva

Show

The trailer is adequate but we will require voting functions to be applied for when we start to submit our projects. We have several in talks at the moment and we will let you know later when they are more rounded and we know which ones will be coming to fruition this solar year.

[DragonOfAsh]

Arkh Bahn looked ahead at the infoscreen in front of him, filled with tactical data, messages, and information on the readiness of their fleets, armies and the ARMAMENTS. Normally much of this was information that his close friend Kima'res would handle, but the Lord Commander knew full well what the Kimaris engineer was capable of if left to his own devices, or given suitable motivation. To that end, the Lord Quartermaster had begun "Project: Crucible" with Arkh's approval. His upper arms foldled as his lower arms held and scrolled through the infoscreen. His hasty jump had caught them a little out of sorts, they had time still to reorganize, but it was moving slower than he would have liked. It seemed that he would be needing to take to the field himself for a little while. It wasn't that he was opposed, but combat was always filled with uncertain variables, and his people needed a leader - at least until their presence and role in the Sector was established. Once that was he could turn his gaze to more internal affairs, such as training a new generation of pilots to suit the Sector's needs. That was the way the Knights operated.

Two priority messages were flagged on his screen and the Lord Commander unfolded his arms and sat up. Some direct communications from other major factions in the sector, but these were from local governments only a few light-years away. These were of more interest to him. It seemed that their arrival had not gone unnoticed by the locals, as intended.

---

MOR 4, INF 5

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Spoiler: To the Hecatian Shade

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Very well, we have processed your request. We will still open a route to [43] but will only keep it open for the purposes of transit - for now. In exchange we are bringing [36] under our protection. Likewise you are free to make a route if you wish.

Spoiler: To Channel Seldiva

Show

Again, you are welcome to join our peoples and cause, where you will be tested duly, but they cannot just be "given out" as they are irreplaceable technology that even after milennia we have yet to reach or duplicate. They cannot be handed out like candy to a curious child.

Spoiler: To PPS

Show

The message comes to the Lord Quartermaster as he is busy at work, and what can best be described as a hovering, armor-plated fish tank turns, the bubbling cerulean interior expressionless. "A route to [43]? Why yes, yes that can be easily arranged. At first calculation that also seems to be a fair offer, yes, yes. A pleasure doing business!"

Spoiler: To the Oracle Family Company

Show

Greetings to the sector at large. We will restate our purpose. If you require military services, we are happy to do so in exchange for materiel or services that we ourselves lack. In exchange we will loan out troops and ships to suit your needs. It is fair to warn you that the local planetary governments of [36] and [37] have requested our invervention in their systems and we will be dispatching a military fleet to each. If you wish to expand, we suggest you do not send a military fleet to either of those systems. That is as far as we can guarantee for borders. We will however happily accept a non-aggression pact, and we do not intend to take territory from you. However our forces are mercenary in nature, we cannot guarantee that in the future, some of our troops might end up in conflict with your own. It's simply business.

---

MIDTURN

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Spoiler: Midturn (GM Only)

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>2 votes Yay to Everywhere He is In Chains, 1 vote Nay to Nemesis Games

>2 SCI being spent on a route from [40] to [43] (in exchange for PPS's 2 ECO)

>1 SCI to open route from [40] to [37]

[Vrock Bait]

Spoiler: Midturn (MOR GM)

Show

All votes towards the Chains thing.

All 5 SCI VIP towards the Artificery. Dump the two points of MIL and PSI in too.

[neriractor]

The Hecatian Shade

Mor 4, Inf 3.

PCs

Spoiler: Channel Seldiva

Show

Wish we could, but it seems politics will tie my hands for now if distance won't, do hope the offer remains on the table for later, the Fotuans will surely find a good place within the shade once the war is done.

Do reconsider our offer for the Umbra, though if you want to tackle it alone we'll understand,
Ala Cait "The follower", second speaker of hecan, Magni.

PS: congrats on the new show, looking forward to it.

Spoiler: The knights of Orias

Show

We can work with that, and for now one route will be enough, although we appreciate the reciprocity. I hope it is clear that we'll be bringing [43] under our protection next year in order to maintain that balance, so do keep the -for now as is then.

Ala Cait "The follower", second speaker of hecan, Magni.

NPCs

Spoiler: Amaranthine archive

Show

Comissar Winry Oon,

We'll take it as a flattery for our warriors and a stain on our PR.

We look forward to working with you on the containment, I was hoping start this year but an expedition to archomedean sites was scheduled and is hard to change the shade's course once it is set.

Thanks for the warning about the Channel, we'll see about keeping things peaceful once the threat is contained, at least on your system.

Chit'al, Head engineer of the Tria-khan shipyards and associates.

Spoiler: midturn, GM only?

Show

sending 8 Sci, 2 mil and Chit'al (tier 1 Sci) to clear 10 levels from Astro-Medean forward base with Chi´tal clearing the boss 10nth level.

5 votes go against nemesis game, let the weaklings die alone.

[3SecondCultist]

Midturn 1

Galactic Congress Results (Public)

Spoiler: Everywhere He Is In Chains

Show

The Galactic Congress has tallied up the votes from the member factions all over Principia, and has found the votes as follows:
15 Yay
3 Nay

The first proposal has passed. Worlds all over the sector prepare to meet their new masters.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

All territorial conquests will cost 1 less this turn, for both the 'attrition' and 'no attrition' rates. Invasions of other factions will count as 1 higher, and ties will go to the attackers.

Spoiler: Nemesis Games

Show

The Galactic Congress has tallied up the votes from the member factions all over Principia, and has found the votes as follows:
3 Yay
6 Nay

The second proposal has failed. The Republic will face their end alone without aid, and whatever wonders their ancient technology might have wrought will go unseen.

---

Hecatian Shade
Mor 4

Spoiler: Midturn Results

Show

The Shade, led by Chi'Tal, surge into the shadows of their Astro-Medean Forward Base, a collapsing space station strewn across an asteroid field. Deep within, they uncover half-disintegrated remains that hold many secrets, most valuable in direct ways (+++ Eco, ++++ Sci, + Psi) and others might perhaps lend themselves to further insights over time (5 xp for the Herald). Pieces of a strange object were uncovered, though it seems as though there are parts missing which would be required to complete it (1 piece of the Tier 2 Archeotech). 10 floors cleared.

In the process of extracting the databanks, some kind of failsafe is triggered. An entire century's worth of subroutines and commands go haywire, becoming permanently corrupted and unusable. The Shade must re-adapt. Lose 1 Sci.

Spoiler: The Null Box - T2 Archeotech

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This Archeotech is a multidimensional hypercube that seeks out psychic signatures and converts their output into harmless light. During EoT, you can target any faction with it, and for the next turn their Psi is treated as halved or 4 less, whichever penalty is less severe (no automatic 0s).

Logopathor, the Artificial God
Mor 5

Spoiler: Midturn Results

Show

The followers of Logopathor seek to plumb the lore of the Artificery. It is full of ancient machines and great workings, some left half-finished and others in the process of being remade like some immense conscious organism. There, the true believers are rewarded with schema and wealth from time long past (++ Eco, ++++++ Sci); the better to praise the Artificial God. 5 floors cleared.

Chrysaorian Hegemony
Mor 6

Spoiler: Midturn Results

Show

Hades leads the people of the Hegemony into the installation - a self-replicating jungle garden inside a space station with some sort of living sentience and seemingly endless hunger, thus dubbed 'The Gaia Event' - and emerges with rare samples of life, reagents and valuable minerals (++++ Eco, +++ Sci, ++ Psi) and a great deal of raw data to process (9 xp for Hades). The team also recovered traces of a chemical deterrent that the Arco-Medeans first employed against the Gaia Event: the scientists called it 'the Pax'. 10 floors cleared.

In the process, a Lesser Threat is unleashed: a titanosaur broodmother and all of her younglings - the smallest being nearly thirty feet tall - have escaped confinement and are running amok.

Spoiler: G-23 Paxilon Hydrochlorate - T1 Archeotech

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The Archeotech takes the form of an odourless gas that can be added to air processors to pacify and instil suggestibility into civilians. When successfully employed, the Pax makes a single stat immune to stat damage for that EoT. This protection does not work on stats with a 1 or 0, and does not prevent stat loss from events or invasions.

Knights of Orias
Mor 4

Spoiler: Midturn Results

Show

Hyperlanes (40-37, 40-43) successfully created; map updated.

Competition of Minds
Mor 5

Spoiler: Midturn Results

Show

Hyperlane (3-58) successfully created; map updated.

Idrian Nascence
Mor 4

Spoiler: Midturn Results

Show

Hyperlane (3-58) successfully created; map updated.

Ultrum Domin
Mor 6

Spoiler: Midturn Results

Show

Hyperlane (16-24) successfully created; map updated.

Amaranthine Archive
Mor 3

Spoiler: Midturn Results

Show

Agents of the Archive transverse the Howling Library, building a stable gateway into the extra-dimensional space and establishing a research outpost. Casualties among D-list personnel are steady but within acceptable margin losses, and already the raw data being transmitted and stored promises to increase the wealth and knowledge of the Archive (++++ Eco, +++ Sci). 5 floors cleared.

[GameOfChampions]

Competition of Minds
Mor 5
Inf 2

Spoiler: Hecatian Shade

Show

Greetings Once More,

Now that the Galactic Congress has spoken is there an accord to be had? Our war beasts for your gifted?

Supreme Judge Anderson

[Writtensanity]

Spoiler: To the Shade: MOR 5

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Isn’t it the worst when someone doesn’t accept your invite?

Either way, we are unsure of the Umbra, but likely wouldn’t want to align our forces with yours considering conflict is a matter of when as opposed to if. If circumstances drastically change, we’ll send Cameras,

Neptune, Station Manager.

Spoiler: To the Competition of Minds: MOR 5

Show

Please just give us notice so that we can put the marketing blast out before your announcements!

[kemmotar]

Oracle Family Corporation

Morale 4
Influence 4

Spoiler: Knights of Orias

Show

We appreciate your candour Lord Commander and your stance. Ally to all, friend to none. A good motto perhaps for business. However, you may find yourself in a difficult position should one hand come to face the other.

We are glad you have agreed with us that aggression would not serve our interests. In that spirit therefore we ask only that so you do not breach our agreement, you notify us should your foresee in the course of business turning your arms against at the behest of another. And so we ask you ourselves, for your are mighty in military power. How much do you charge for the priviledge of your services?

Spoiler: Idrian Nascence

Show

Telepathic signal requesting communication. Cooperation against a greater foe. Questioning of intention against devouring shadow.
OOC: Not sure if this is the way it might work with you or with psionics, but psionics 6 might be able to communicate in such a way to psionics 7?

[3SecondCultist]

Principia Personnel Solutions
Mor 4, Inf 3

Spoiler: To the Oracle Family Company

Show

The follow-up message comes through in the form of a call placed through a secure line to Meerzha Ghazehmi's internal servers. Prior to the call, a robotic voice can be heard:

This call is being recorded for quality assurance purposes.

"Hello there, my name is Trismegistus from Principia Personnel Solutions, I'm hoping for just a moment of your time.

We received your reply to our ad, thank you for your investment into our Premium Elimination and Surveillance Targeting package! PPS is a first class choice when it comes to professionalism, effectiveness, and price. We are committed to terminating your enemies - your business is important to us.

Regarding your initial offer, I would advise you to contact management here in Customer Relations. Your file is marked 'high importance' and your business is valuable to us - I believe that our VP Calepri can be made available for a face to face meeting at a later date to go over the finer points of future trade deals. We here at PPS believe that there are quite a few cross-market synergies to explore between PPS and the Oracle Company.

Thank you so much for listening, you have a splendid day."

Spoiler: To the Hecatian Shade

Show

The follow-up message comes through in the form of a call placed through the same line as before. Prior to the call, the same robotic voice can be heard:

This call is being recorded for quality assurance purposes.

"Hello there, this is Queal from Principia Personnel Solutions, calling back to check in on your situation.

Thanks to the intervention of our third party, the trade routes to your stars are now open and we can conclude our deal as proposed. Shall we put you down for 1 P.E.S.T. package today, sir?

For your free termination, unfortunately we may need to delay it as a result of a prior commitment already made. However, I can assure you that your satisfaction is a top priority here at PPS; you are currently our next customer in line. If you would like to defer your exact target until such a time as our people are in position, we may yet commit further resources to the cause.

If you have any other questions regarding our first rate intelligence and wetwork packages, please contact our Prime Service Desk.

Thank you so much for listening, you have a splendid day."

Spoiler: To Channel Seldiva

Show

The follow-up message comes through in the form of a call placed through the same line as before. Prior to the call, the same robotic voice can be heard:

This call is being recorded for quality assurance purposes.

"Hello there, this is Adias from Principia Personnel Solutions, calling back to check in on your situation.

Thanks to the intervention of our third party, the trade routes to your stars are now open and we can conclude our deal as proposed. Shall we put you down for 1 P.E.S.T. package today, sir?

For your free termination, we would like to confirm that you indeed want to target Ala Cait from the Hecatian Shade? If so, please press '1' now.

If you have any other questions regarding our first rate intelligence and wetwork packages, please contact our Prime Service Desk.

Thank you so much for listening, you have a splendid day."

[neriractor]

The Hecatian Shade

A conference would have been called, had the best scientific minds of the shade not been present at the discovery, either personally or through proxies, as it was, they had barely escaped the site before they got to thinkering.

Linguistic experts inspected every nook and cranny for old Archomedean writing, scanners and probes were used one after the other to check anything from manufacturing materials, through radiation levels to purpose.

As soon as the means by which it was controlled was found all teams were set to finding a way to make the cumbersome machine work, months of labour and equipment were devoted to the task, failing everytime...

Ala Cait felt the tension as the video report from the scientists came in, all displaying their tired features regardless of species, unable to stand the jibber jabber and scientific explanations that left their own personal advisor flabbergasted, they raise an appendix in a sign for quiet "Get to the point, the thing we found, What is it?"

the scientists made their species equivalent of shuffling awkardly before something akin to a sentient ball of light made a few quick changes in the light's colour to communicate "Is broken", Ala Cait was about to bring in a translator from the species, they knew the language, they just didn't want to believe it. After the other scientist confirmed it they cut the transmision, broke some nearby expensive thing or another and released fumes in frustration. At least war season is looking better...

Mor 4, Rep 4

PCs

Spoiler: Competition of minds

Show

A salute psykers,

Seeing how the votes turned out, we'll gladly take that deal. Congratulations on the contract and hopefully we can make another such arrangement later.

Ala Cait "The follower", second speaker of hecan, Magni.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

So just your 1 Mil for my 1 psi right?

Spoiler: Channel Seldiva

Show

Heh, wouldn't know, we tend to invite ourselves.

come on, you could say the same thing about anyone else! but fair enough, if things do go your way we'll be sure to rate your fight against the umbra as high as possible.

Ala Cait "The follower", second speaker of hecan, Magni.

NPCs

Spoiler: PPS

Show

Sign us up for a P.E.S.T package next year for sure, cash is short because... well, you likely know why it is so. I assume we can't learn who hogged the termination services this year with an extra fee, right?

Ala Cait "The follower", second speaker of hecan, Magni.

PS: your customer service is excellent, I can't believe some corporations/governments still use minor intelligence specialists.

[St. Justicar]

The Idrian Nascence

ARCHIVAL SITUATION REPORT N8-9-2

THREAT N8-3N3

CLASSIFICATION FORTIS 10

PROGRESS REPORT: HYPERLANE NODE 5 – HAVEN SYSTEM

POLITICAL ENTITIES: 1 – The Republic of Mei

INHABITED STELLAR OBJECTS: 1 Natural, 2 Artificial

STATUS CODE: Green|Yellow|Orange]|RED|Black|White

PRIMARY AUTHOR: Archivist ██████

BACKGROUND: SEE REPORT █████

CURRENT SITUATION: HORIZON generators have confirmed areas of N8-3N3 infection across several population centres. Premature action by General ███ has cleared a majority of designated triage zones of all possible vectors for infection, but on multiple occasions units of the Popular Militia – up to the divisional level – mutinied rather than follow orders and take necessary action.

Failure of State Council to auction ████████████ in exchange for overt foreign assistance has led to complete collapse of faith in government among legislaturist elite. With our full support, Assemblywoman █████ has launched a de facto coup, imprisoning all Councillors who remain in system and having them rubberstamp a declaration of emergency essentially naming her as temporary dictator.

Widespread rioting and outright rebellion spreading across entire system, with loyalist militia and naval elements retreating to consolidate power in a secure core. Assassinations and terrorist attacks against officials and officers nearly a daily occurrence.

Multiple sects of ‘harbingers’ dedicated to spreading N8-3N3 have been identified as behind many of the attacks. Current hypothesis is that those too mutated to blend in are deployed on near-suicidal missions to keep us off balance.

Situation rapidly deteriorating.

AVAILABLE RESOURCES: See Report █████ for basic outline. Archivist ████████ lost during intelligence gathering, detonated nearby explosives rather than be taken captive by Harbingers active in geoengineering black market. Myself and Archivists ████ now defacto parts of ruling council with General ███ and Assemblywoman █████.

As of the last shipment, we have 35 HORIZON sensors in-system, and 56 psi-active agents.

PROPOSED ACTIONS: 1. Supply as many armaments and military-grade equipment to the Republican government as possible, ensure other governments in sector publicly affirm its legitimacy
2. Deploy Archival fleets near Veils Gates leading out of system to contain emigration as potential vector for spread of N8-3N3
3. Make any experimental weaponry designed to counteract or destroy N8-3N3 available to Popular Militia for field tests.

END REPORT

Influence 1, Morale 4

Spoiler: Oracle Family Corp

Show

The telepathic connection is easy establish, but the responses are..unsophisticated. Broad, communicating through images and scenes, not words or clear concepts

[A band of Kanthi and a pack of Manticores seeming to cooperate to bring down a titanic megafauna and feast upon its corpse]
[A bipedal figure, species impossible to determine under the layers of plant life growing in, through, and on it, walking into a cavern. As it does, it begins to glow with a warm inner light, fully illuminating the darkness]
[An Arboreal hanging off the roots of a tree trailing down a sheer cliff, staring across the virdian sea towards an island, only barely visible on the horizon and far too distant to swim to]

[kemmotar]

Oracle Family Corporation

Morale 4
Influence 4

Spoiler: Idrian Nascence

Show

The reply comes in the form of each image, returned and doubled as if overlayed by the thoughts of someone else.


[A band of Kanthi and a pack of Manticores seeming to cooperate to bring down a titanic megafauna and feast upon its corpse]: Over this image can be seen the blackness of space, the feet of the two packs are flame and their fangs great hazes of light that burn the eye. The megafauna turns its gaze upon them and erases their fangs and their feet fall away beneath them as the ground fades. Instead of bearing their fangs the packs gaze intently at the megafauna as the world around them explodes with pressure and colours, but only within them. A feeling of inadequacy as they are overpowered in both bone and mind. The same megafauna attacks the packs in another scene, but the packs are ready. Their gazes raise a wall that the megafauna cannot pass and its gaze cannot pierce. It is a storm so strong that should it try to walk through the sand would separate flesh from bone. In readiness they wait and once the beast is weakened they can turn upon its nest. Bring the storm and enclose it. A feeling of suffocation as the perspective shifts to within the storm as it comes closer and closer and closer.
[A bipedal figure, species impossible to determine under the layers of plant life growing in, through, and on it, walking into a cavern. As it does, it begins to glow with a warm inner light, fully illuminating the darkness]: The bipedal figure is clear this time, it is covered in hard chiting, has 2 arms and 2 legs and a long tail. Between the seams of its chitin can be seen light coming from within before it steps into the cavern. It has no head but gazes questiongly at the cavern before walking in. Anticipation as countless others watch and wait for the figure to emerge once again.
[An Arboreal hanging off the roots of a tree trailing down a sheer cliff, staring across the virdian sea towards an island, only barely visible on the horizon and far too distant to swim to]: To this the response is simple two hand reach accross the void over a bridge made of stars. The bipedal figure walks from one world to another and enters the cavern of the previous image and returns. Though there seems to be a questioning and uncertainty in this image.

[DragonOfAsh]

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MOR 4, INF 5

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Spoiler: To the Oracle Family Company

Show

Certainly, we can notify you of operations in your area to avoid any collateral damage. For the most part our rapid expansion is due to the need for materials, once the we have enough materiel for our needs, we would be more than willing to relinquish some territory. As for the cost, when we deploy a unit or fleet to a territory, we ensure that there is a fair compensation for the troops and officers involved.

Spoiler: ooc

Show

I'm gonna say it next turn too in a more public format, but the cost of buying a VIP for the turn will be how much MIL it brings to the table, in your choice of non-MIL stats. For example, Kai's services could be purchased for 2 ECO, or like 1 ECO & 1 SCI, where the Lord Commander would be worth 6 stats. Obviously if people compete, they can bid up and I'd go with highest bidder.

[St. Justicar]

The Idrian Nascence

ARCHIVAL SITUATION REPORT N8-5-2

THREAT N8-3N3

CLASSIFICATION FORTIS 10

PROGRESS REPORT: HYPERLANE NODE 5 – LANALA SYSTEM

POLITICAL ENTITIES: Estimated ~200 Warlord Statlets, 5 Significant

INHABITED STELLAR OBJECTS: 2 Natural, 47 Artificial

STATUS CODE: Green|Yellow|Orange|Red|BLACK|White

PRIMARY AUTHOR: Archivist ████████

BACKGROUND: ██████

CURRENT SITUATION: Situation critical and deteriorating. N8-3N3 rampant and spreading. Active invasion through Veil Gate to ████ system.

████████ syndicate had significant interest in acquiring samples and specimens from Containment Zone for sale and research, and used their influence in Warlord █████’s fleet to delay and disorient until after ██████’s expedition had left for ████. Despite incredibly high attrition, expedition seems to have been success – at least, a significant fraction of the expedition returned through the Veil gate weeks late, into the carefully prepared ambush that had been set for them.

Boarding actions during ambush revealed rampant N8-3N3 across expedition fleet - in several places prepared with amplifiers to quickly infect boarding parties as well. Infected ships eagerly attempted to close and board in turn – numerous corsair vessels lost before █████ attempted to disengage.

As of 15 minutes ago, Veil Gate reopened. General melee around it has made getting readings difficult, but it looks like some of the orbital habitats around █████ have been sent through hyperspace. From the reports we’re getting, they seem inhabited.

AVAILABLE RESOURCES: █████’

PROPOSED ACTIONS: Immediate evacuation of Archival assets from system, followed by strict cordon enforced by friendly navies.

END REPORT

Morale 4, Influence 1

Spoiler: Oracle Family Company

Show

[The figure from the second image walks forward, leaving the world shifting into surreal watercolors behind it. The scenery eventually resolves into a starscape, the figure glowing with the light of a full moon as the watchers trail behind it like pilgrims attending a saint. The megafauna is waiting for it, though now its scales seem more like metal plating, its eyes like sensor arrays, its teeth and claws plasma and warheads. It roars and charges forward, but begins to glow with the same inner light as it does, metal rusting as shoots of green begin to force their way through its eyes and gums. It falters and weakens, as the three different bands fall upon it and feast]

The previous images dissolve, replaced by more simple tableaux

[A Manticore faces a hunter armed with a crude bone spear, hissing as they circle each other. In the distance the hunter’s approaching bandmates can be heard, whooping and charging through the undergrowth, but it cannot turn to face them without exposing itself. So it hisses and prepares to pounce, tails shooting forward and dripping venom]

Then, tentative, with the tone of a question

[A large ship of particularly greedy or desperate scavengers lands on Kansk, flamethrowers and plasma rifles burning away anything that might threaten their landing zone. But as soon as the better part of their number – and their heavy weaponry – sets out, they are set upon, roots growing through their armour and flesh as packs of predators fall upon them. As the survivors run, they find their ship the nest of vicious shrikes, tearing hull and crewmembers apart with equal glee.]

[3SecondCultist]

Turn 2 - Bruised

"As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; They kill us for their sport."
- Shakespeare

The Culling of Kur Jingtsin - 9441.1

Day 1 - 7th Yisun

Nanjarick Dellrune stood on the observation deck of the Prime Number Theorem, watching the sun pass behind the fourth planet of Kur Jingtsin. As the disappearing star cast the features of the planet in shadow, he allowed himself to bask in their success for a moment. The mission had gone flawlessly, praise Him. Jingtsin had been a logical choice for the faith to expand, of course - their proximity to Korykabria alone cemented it as a strategic priority - but with any endeavour there were always risks.

Yet when the first of the ships arrived in the system, the Logopatronites had been accepted peacefully by the Jingtsinite populace. They had brought with them not only the word of the Emperor of Empiricism, but the rationalist creed that flourished under His nurturing leadership. The poor and middle class of these worlds were not well educated, so the mission had prioritized re-educators and relief supplies, establishing schools in the less urbanized areas of the populated Jingtsin Prime. Their scientists and bureaucrats had come next, offering to set up well funded research labs and global advancement initiatives that would see the system’s technology jump forward at least a few centuries within the year. Once they had people in place offering advice on policy, it proved remarkably easy to persuade the ruling council to accept the formation of a Pedagogic Protectorate.

The Kur Jingtsin system was now officially under the patronage of Logopathor, their lord gracefully extending His hand to raise up these people according to the Creed. Though he and his team had personally seen to the plan, parsed out its various steps and implications, Nanjarick knew that their reasoning had been blessed. He broke out into a smile as he thought about delivering his final progress report when he returned to Korykabria.

He couldn't help but feel that this was going to be a good day.

"How's the view from up there, brother?" came a familiar voice from his neural relay. He tapped his right temple twice, the implant lighting up under the skin as it activated the mic in his jaw.

"Maintaining geosynchronous orbit around the planet," he replied in an affected robotic tone. "Heading 41°24'12.2"N 2°10'26.5"E."

"Cut it out, 'Jarick," came the reply, but he could practically hear the smile in Chevrelle's words. An old joke between them, worn and well used but no less effective over the years.

"It's beautiful, 'Relle," he said. "You could always come up and see it for yourself."

"I know that, but there's still so much to do planetside! The census, new samples of flora and fauna to categorize, overseeing the implementation of the school curricula… and then there's - " The connection was cut off quite suddenly, replaced by a series of alerts and beeps.

Proximity warning. Nanjarick frowned. The delegation's last course had them entering the Veil Gate within the hour - as the flagship, the Prime Number Theorem was to lead the way home, so there should have been no obstructions. He opened up a channel to the ship's bridge. "What's going on, captain?"

"Something came through the Veil Gate, Speaker Dellrune: a single object headed right for us. Running scans now."

Nanjarick's frown deepened. "One ship?"

"Its profile is too small, it doesn't read like a… oh. Oh no."

"What is it, captain?"

"It's an Ultrumite."

Cold dread flooded his veins as the full weight of those three words sunk in. Lunging forward, he scrabbled at the glass viewing port. It would be impossible to see the incoming Ultrumite, of course, but he needed to - he had to try to reach -

Nanjarick barely felt the heat from the explosion as the living missile tore through the ship's reactor cores. He died instantly along with the rest of his delegation, flesh and bones vaporized or cast out into the merciless black.


Day 2 - 8th Yisun

"Put it next to the others," called Yrs Maven to the other Logopatronites as they hauled the cannons into the depot. Their arsenal wasn't much - they had between them perhaps a dozen photon torpedoes, some boxes of PDF ammunition clips, and a few light fighters and transport - but then the Sword of Hanlon was never meant to fight a protracted battle against one of the most powerful people in existence.

The news confirmed the identity of the Ultrumite after she had wiped out the Prime Number Theorem, her face caught on the footage after being played back. Warleader Tara Hapaxia herself, one of the diarchs of Ultrum, was here on Kur Jingtsin.

Of course, the particulars of which superhuman had arrived was of less import than the sheer scale of the destruction that had already been wrought. Within two hours of her arrival, Hapaxia had destroyed every Logopatronite ship in the system. Within six hours, she had flown through all of the buildings in each city used by officials from Korykabria starting with the capital of Tai'Jin. Within twelve hours, each appointed research lab or organization funded by Logopathor's grace had been thoroughly razed to the ground.

Only the people remained now. Teachers, families, stragglers and survivors, left to fend for themselves or hide among the locals. Not if the Maven and the Sword of Hanlon had anything to do with it. Fighting Hapaxia head on was suicide, but at the very least the militia could try to keep her engaged with long range strikes to buy time for the people to find refuge and maybe escape her reach.

"Make sure we load up the speeders with extra coils and install the disruptor cannons," Maven ordered, watching the first team preparing to launch. He paced the length of the armory, knowing that every second they delayed was another that people were dying.

His head held in his hands, he saw the indicator light go off. A gleaming dot on the map, their first attempts to track the Ultrumite. But it was right above them…

He looked up through the skylight to see death staring back. There she floated, charcoal grey and pale but for two glowing lights of molten red. Maven didn't dare blink or say a word, pressing the general alarm in his neural array by clicking his teeth together.

It was probably a futile gesture, he was forced to admit as the beams lanced through the roof and carved wide swaths into the assembled militia, but if he could even get one Logopatronite to stay away it would be worth it. There were no screams of pain, because there were no survivors. He stood alone now over the charred corpses of his comrades as she met his gaze.

The last red glow came for him, and then there was only darkness.


Day 3 - 9th Yisun

Niartha had gone to bed wondering if she was going to be next, only to wake disappointed.

A pale dawn greeted the Qiaran lowlands, the light filtering through the terraced valley and glinting off of the various water channels, artificial pools and solar panel farms that extended out to the horizon line. They were far from the cities here - the closest was over two hundred kilometers away, and the nearest transit station over an hour's walk - but the planet’s web network kept them up to date all the same.

When the news broke, she had suspended her lessons and started to frantically pack up her classroom. Teaching the Creed to younglings seemed like a good way to earn herself a quick death, now that the invader from Ultrum had moved on from concentrated targets to individual killings. With yesterday's collapse of the Sword of Hanlon, there were simply no major Logopatronite power groups left in the system, but that hadn't stopped Hapaxia from going after the individuals: the families and communities that had been integrated into local populations all over Kur Jingtsin.

She'd stopped packing when she saw her name included on an online listing that showed the faces and identities of each Logopatronite in the area. Hundreds of similar sites had popped up overnight, outing those who only a short time ago had been accepted into the community.

Nobody, it seemed, wanted to die for a relative stranger, and honestly Niartha couldn't blame them. Where was the logic in that?

Hapaxia would come for her, like she would come for all of them. Aid from Korykabria was unlikely: the first relief ships had been forcefully turned away by the locals, now that it was clear how far the Warleader was willing to go in her purge.

All there was left were the lessons. The students at her re-education center were still as curious and hungry for insight as ever, yet Niartha could not bring it in herself to teach them according to the mission's planned curriculum. Would the Ultrumite kill them too if they learned enough to convert to her faith?

She feared the answer enough not to take that chance.

So until her number came up and the mass murderer kicked down her door, Niartha taught agnostically: fields of mathematics and language, geography and the sciences, nothing that could be construed as 'dogmatic' or 'evangelical' in any way. It was the best she could do. She hoped more and more with every passing moment that Hapaxia would come: in her experience, these things were best just gotten over with. It was just like treating a wound or stitching up a cut, right? She only hoped that when it came, it would be quick.

When Niartha's death found her, she was standing in front of her pupils, holo-board and projector showcasing a map of the system as she delivered a lesson on rudimentary astrophysics. She barely saw the figure - more of a grey blur, really - as it shattered the wall opposite. Dodging and weaving like the wind through the rows of desks, the blur left each native child untouched as it surged towards her with total precision.

The blur passed through her, leaving a fountain of gore to blossom in its wake. Niartha didn't even feel it, having lost all conscious thought at the impact of the Ultrumite's fingertips passing through her stomach at supersonic speeds.

All that was left was an exit hole and the hysterical wailing of children.


Day 5 - 11th Yisun

Itrun Nominek bit back a curse as his hand slipped, sweaty palm turning the dial on the extruder the wrong way. He rapidly corrected his mistake, looking around the lab guiltily to make sure that nobody had witnessed it. You're in the clear, Itrun, he thought to himself. He wiped his hands on the lapel of his work coat, the DWR layer absorbing the moisture. Well, at least for the next two minutes, when the sweat built back up again.

He couldn't help it. Truth be told, it was rather hard to even concentrate on this work when all one could think about is that - in Kur Jingtsin, at least - Logopatronites were now an endangered species.

That was an erroneous statement, of course. Their belief in the Creed of the Artificial god had about as much to do with species biology as one's favorite colour, but he'd heard the phrase whispered a few times among his colleagues out here, and it was a hard idea to ignore entirely.

The Adar Basin of the fifth planet of the solar system was populated with more ice storms than people, but the sub-light particles of the region had been worthy of further investigation when the mission had conducted its initial surveys. Their team had been one of the first dispatched, though unlike most of the others they had been sent covertly. Their facility was largely underground, more a shielded bunker than a research lab due to the extreme environment outside, yet a pane of reinforced glass looked out over the crevasse below.

It turned out that working with finely tuned hyper-magnetic excitation fields could catalyze explosions with yields several orders of magnitude stronger than most conventional thermonuclear warheads, so when building a base the Artificial God had seen fit to exercise caution.

"It's okay, you've got this," he told himself as he returned to his work. The researchers here, to which number he belonged, had agreed after Hapaxia eviscerated the Swords of Hanlon not to access the local news feeds. It would be a distraction, and not conducive to the work. If they wanted to reverse engineer the field's effects and condense the output into their God Driver, they would need to expend time and focus.

Yet their efforts proved futile, for the Warleader arrived far earlier than expected.

They should have seen it coming - the same fate had befallen the Swords not three days past. The red blip on their radar appeared as if from out of nowhere. If the researchers had paid more attention to their sensors, they might have noticed a slight blip lying in wait on the far side of the planet, but most were far too consumed by their project to even notice. By the time the alarms started to go off, they had less than a minute until impact.

Even as his friends scattered, Itrun rushed over to his workbench. The LRAD cannon - originally meant to disrupt unruly crowds - had been the basic design, yet he'd tinkered with the frequency in his spare hours to greatly increase its output. Having a sound-based weapon had given him some peace of mind, these past few days. Now it was to be his last mad hope.

As he flicked on the control mechanisms, the cannon began to whir to life. Bending at the knees, he hauled his side project from its precarious position and braced himself. Heart thudding, eyes flickering back and forth, he waited for the first sounds of crashing and screams.

"Hapaxia," he said with a calm he did not feel. There was no need to shout; thanks to her greatly enhanced hearing, his volume wouldn't matter. "Come and face me now. If you're so powerful, let's see you walk off my new toy here."

The response was swift and absolute - a pair of gloved hands appearing out of nowhere, gripping his own. A slight tug, and pain shooting up his body. His arms… were those his arms? Itrun was only vaguely aware of the blood spurting out of the sockets where his shoulders used to be as he collapsed to the floor, only to be lifted back up.

Though his vision was blurring, he could vaguely make out a face staring at him impassively. Strong cheekbones and jawline, a hawkish nose.

"Pathetic," said the face, and suddenly he was flying, crashing into duraglass and out of existence.


Day 8 - 14th Yisun

Their neighbours had added them to the online site two days ago, so the Surzois had fled the outer slums of Tai'Jin in favor of the back roads and country paths. They hunted off the land and spoke to nobody at all, made no attempt to join any of the refugee camps that were already springing up less than a fortnight after the first attacks.

To draw any attention was to gamble with their lives, and they had more than just their lives to worry about now.

The twins had been born on one of the mission ships - they had never even seen Korykabria, never witnessed the glories of the Artificery or heard the words of the Emperor Empirical himself. Yet the Surzois had made sure to show them as many archived videos and holograms of home all the same. They had even started introducing new languages, devising impromptu quizzes to keep them on their toes and always thinking. Puzzles were equally adored, the four of them usually working as a team in order to solve problems under time pressure.

Kaz walked ahead with their son on the trail, in the middle of pointing out the various wildlife and plants that surrounded them. They would need to know all of it, if they were going to survive out here until it was safe to come out of hiding and rejoin society. Meanwhile, Wren carried her daughter on her back, feeling the comfortable weight of that little head resting between her shoulder blades as she slept.

Her son noticed the shape first and pointed it out excitedly, thinking it was a bird or perhaps a plane. But as it grew closer, there could be no mistaking its identity.

Warleader Tara Hapaxia of Ultrum alighted not ten paces ahead of them, boots crunching against the gravel trail. Standing at just over six feet tall, she wore a form-fitting body glove of black and grey that accentuated and highlighted her sculpted musculature. A cascade of dark ringlets fell wildly about her shoulders, the only sign of disarray against an otherwise immaculate appearance. Up close, Wren couldn't even spot any signs of dried blood on the uniform.

If the superhuman despot was weary after spending by all accounts eight straight days hunting down and exterminating her people, she showed no sign. Dark eyes regarded them from across the glade.

"The children should go," Hapaxia said.

"Go where?" croaked Kaz, raising his hands to indicate the wildlands around them. "They won't make it out here by themselves."

"There is a settlement two miles north of here," replied the Warleader.

Wren had endured many hardships: giving birth in zero gravity, the loss of her parents when the Prime Number Theorem went down. But in that moment, all paled in comparison to the searing ache she felt inside as she put her little girl down and gently shook her awake.

"... mommy?" she asked blearily.

"I'm here, shh. You need to follow Rynd up the road, okay sweetie? Mommy and Daddy need to go take care of something."

"But you aren't coming with us?"

"Later. You two go ahead, alright? Don't look back. And you take good care of your brother - you know he gets lost sometimes."

That was her princess, nodding dutifully and skipping over to take Rynd’s hand. Wren had to look at the treeline to keep the tears at bay, covering her mouth to bury the sob with one hand while using her other to wave goodbye to her children. Soon they were diminutive figures, and then the forest swallowed them whole.

The three of them stood there in an impenetrable silence for a moment afterwards. She felt Kaz's arms around her, but she was numb to it all. Even when Hapaxia started forward, pulling them apart and back-handing her husband into a tree to break every bone in his body, Wren could not help but picture that little face looking back up at her guilelessly.

Then the Ultrumite pressed one hand against her collarbone, shattering it and driving her right down to the ground. Wren began to cough up blood, dimly aware that the bone fragments must have been shoved down and into her internal organs.

"Why?" she managed to spit up. She wasn't even sure why she was asking; it wasn't like it would make any difference. But some part of her - maybe the one that had just withered and died - wanted to know, burned to know. There had to be a reason for all of this.

The Ultrumite considered the question for a moment. When her voice came, it was not full of rage like Wren expected, but measured and all the colder for it.

"You chose the wrong god."

Then the boot came down on her head.


Day 13 - 19th Yisun

Whoever said that necessity was the mother of invention had it wrong. Desperation had proven a far more effective teacher.

The ceaseless booming and grinding of the ore processors on board the Iridium Bound - one of the many mining skiffs employed by local Jingtsinite companies to harvest the ores in the system's outer asteroid belts - made it easier for her work to go unnoticed. It also did a pretty good job of masking her breakdowns, which were occurring less and less now as she steeled herself to the idea she’d had last week.

Chevrelle Dellrune was going to die. Of that, there could be no doubt. One would think that being part of such an organized religion as Logopatronism would make it easier to confront the inevitability of death, yet the rationalist in her refused to put any stock in an afterlife.

So many millennia of endless debate, and no proof. The balance of probability was that this - this red and ragged thing that people sometimes called 'life' - was all there was.

And Tara Hapaxia had snatched that away from all of them. It had been done so carelessly, without any thought to the victims or their loved ones. Chevrelle and Nanjarick had made some study of Ultrum and its leadership before their mission to this system. Hapaxia was one of the original monsters, the old guard of the Domin. She wouldn't see them as people, not really, not enemies or threats to her empire.

They were nothing more than cockroaches to her, pests to be eradicated at her leisure. Today though, she would prove that even a single insect could be deadly.

Chevrelle slid down the access tunnel, approaching the control array and nodding at the other workers. Her cover identity had been ironclad, one of several kept off the books for infiltration purposes. She activated it less than an hour after her brother died, going off the grid right before the attacks commenced. Nobody had looked at her twice since she came aboard; just another rock-hopper out looking to make a quick score on a mining run.

Anonymity and patience had been her best weapons until now. The signal delay on video transmissions from Jingtsin Prime and the other worlds was significant, but she had a good picture of the bleak state of affairs surface-side. Hapaxia would not look for someone of her former position out here, not while there were still stragglers to hunt down elsewhere. For all of her might, she could only be in one place at once.

Powerful as she was, Chevrelle did not believe Hapaxia to be invincible. And now she had a means of putting that mettle to the test.

The signal was sent out from one of the on-board computers, a message to one of the many 'hunt-sites' with her name and image declaring her to be a stowaway on board. Between the signal delay and travel time, Chevrelle estimated she had an hour at most before Hapaxia arrived to find her.

It should be enough time for her to finish getting everything ready.

When the Warleader arrived, she did exactly what Chevrelle had expected. Not wanting to risk a point blank detonation of the rig’s sonic mining ordinance, she had targeted the ship's life support systems and engines with her heat vision. The Bound's gravity and oxygen began to fail, so Chevrelle turned on her own supply in the space-suit she'd slipped on for this very moment.

After a few minutes of waiting her out, Hapaxia would board to make sure the job was done. The sounds of metal screeches and tears from one deck below told her that she was already doing exactly that. Double checking that her gloves were properly connected to the important wires, she threw herself aftward, letting the momentum carry her through the first porthole, then the second, and the third. With each passing, she held out a welding iron to clang against the side of the hull every once in a while. As far as summons went it was rather crude, but she didn't exactly have a lot of options.

Eventually, she spotted the figure. Hapaxia floated forward as though she were taking a stroll; no need for a suit for her. Before Chevrelle could even adjust trajectory, the Ultrumite had one hand around her collar and had begun to squeeze. The metal crumpled and folded as if it were paper, fabric torn away instantly and a chunk of her throat along with it. Vacuum rushed in, and her lifeblood began to emerge in perfectly round, floating globules.

With the last of her strength, Chevrelle wheezed out a laugh, twisting to reveal the deadman's switch concealed on her right side.

"This is for my brother, you b*tch," she gasped as she took her thumb off the switch.

The Iridium Bound's ordinance - one hundred and twenty one kilotons of supersonic mines, designed to break asteroids that weighed hundreds of tons - ignited all at once. Even better, Chevrelle had taken a look at their subsystems and made a few feedback loop improvements in order to cause a cascade sound effect that would increase incrementally for each extra device expended. Taken all together, the collective sound was more than four times the maximum output emitted by a regular detonation all concentrated into a single blast.

All was noise. The resulting wave tore everything apart around it; ship, human, and Ultrumite. Nothing was spared in the blast zone, which showed up on every single frequency monitor in the system.

Chevrelle did not live long enough to see Tara Hapaxia floating unconscious through the black, or the Ultrumite ships and terraforming crews arriving through the Veil Gate to take their glorious leader back to Ultrum to recuperate. She did not see the banner of the Domin flying high over Kur Jingtsin the very next day.

But just this once, the cockroach scored a victory.

---

The Galactic Congress - 9441.3

The sector is rippled by waves of conquest and expansion, as the past year has seen dozens of star systems come under new leadership. The Hecatian Shade, the Ultrum Domin, and Channel Seldiva are the frontrunners, pushing outwards in brutal campaigns and daring shows of force alike. They are followed swiftly by the Nascence - whose encroach will surely threaten the Archive's existence - as well as the Oracle Family Company and Knights of Orias. Aliens and warlords, machines and men alike, there is no stopping the drive for more.

The Principia Sector is getting crowded. Already the edges of the map are being filled in, and the space for unknown intervention shrinks with every revolution. Soon there will be no room left. Hungry eyes may yet turn to neighbours in order to get what they want. At home, preparations are being made for the first exchanges of true total war. Questions buzz throughout the sector's space about goals, alliances and strategies being questioned and re-evaluated. The year is passed now, and a new one rears its head.

The next summit of the Galactic Congress approaches, with no host having yet stepped forward to claim that honour after last year's gathering was so ably hosted by the Hegemony. Normally, there is an opportunity for the powers that be to set the agenda, but for the first time since its foundation nobody even attempted it this past year. As a result, the lower governmental bodies have seen fit to prioritize two more major events that have been forecasted.

Firstly, rumors are spread of an ancient Arco-Medean cache of incredibly rare and valuable metals that lie somewhere in the sector; if the stories have any weight to them, this mystery cache contains enough starmetal to build an small fleet of new ships or other weapons. Exactly where this cache lies is a mystery, yet it would be easy for the Congress to send out a group to uncover its location. Implicit in that agreement, of course, is the 'finder's keepers' rule; the first power to get to the treasure would undoubtedly be able to claim its riches as their own.

The other matter for deliberation comes in the form of a probe that emerged from a wormhole in space two weeks ago. Though its drive signature and design seem familiar, it has been nearly entirely scrambled... save for a short clip of less than one minute long that lies buried deep within its recorded footage. The video is that of a strange, unnatural sky with seven moons of varying colours. Great trees made from pure light soar into the air, many reaching out nearly into the upper atmosphere as their phantasmal wood and foliage seem to defy gravity. There, amidst the cornucopia, is a great host of claw and fang, of scale and steel. They are beasts primordial yet gleam with inner light, their bodies reinforced by whirring augments of metal and bristle with all manner of weaponry.

On their backs are figures in power armor, wearing a vast array of chain-blades and laser armaments. They shake vibrolance and rifle alike up to the heavens in a warlike chant.

"Glory to the All-Mother! GLORY TO ZULTARA!"

It will be up to the Congress to decide on how to deal with these events; to capitalize on windfalls or let them come to pass; to rebuff new forces or welcome them with open arms. The votes they cast will shape the fate of billions.

Spoiler: Galactic Event 1 - Fortunate Sun

Show

A random territory on the map (rolled by me) will gain 2d4 extra temp Eco as a lost treasure trove is uncovered. If it's a neutral territory, it will remain on that spot and be part of the benefit when claimed; if it's a territory already controlled by a player or NPC, then they get the temp stats outright.

Spoiler: Galactic Event 2 - Behold A Pale Horse

Show

A new NPC faction will arrive in Principia - the Zultari Clans (expect lots more John Carter style barbarians riding mecha T-rexes). They can and will settle in 2 of the currently unoccupied systems on the map, and will automatically 'clash' for dominance with anyone taking those systems.

Spoiler: Wonder Announcements

Show

Amid the various conquests and expansions, two civilizations have shown the daring capability to begin work on wonders to rival those of the late Arco-Medeans. The followers of the Artificial God, fresh from their defeat at the hands of the Warleader of Ultrum, delve their Artificery to reverse-engineer apotheosis, even as the Hecatian Shade work to call back a semblance of their former masters. If either project is to succeed, the sector will surely be irrevocably changed.

OOC: Midturns are due at noon on Sunday, April 11th (EST)

[Writtensanity]

The real-time recap of Progenitor Victorya’s 76 hour battle: Victorya Vs the Pirates: Stuffing Davy Jone’s Locker. Will continue after the following programming.



The intro music to betting war

The camera swoops down through a studio stuffed with opulence, from strange minerals that only appear on single planets to the skeletons of extinct species. At a diamond desk in the middle of the room, a spawn of Progenitor Maeve shimmies along to the music, her hair seemingly made of literal gold. Those who know the Universal Betting Scene know her as Gally Haliday, and she’s been accused of time travel multiple times. The music fades out as she starts talking.

“Well, the numbers are locked in for the better part of this solar year and I hope you took my advice last year folks, because if you’re planning on getting a bet in for Conquest: Principia, and you’re planning on following my advice, which you should, then you’re too late. The payout ratios for Channel Seldiva and the contestants are WAY down. Putting down cash on them, or their friends in the Competition of Minds, is barely going to get you a 1:1.5 return anymore. And that is if you find a good bookie.”

“By the way, if you tuned in during the earlier part of last solar year, and you put money down on that sweet 1:10 payout on the Contestants managing to capture four systems in a year, you’re welcome. I told you that they didn’t need battleships for all of them. Each of the Warleaders took a system and that’s the kinda thing I expect from a Victorya led operation. Or a Neptune led one, but I try not to talk about my boss too much on air.”
“But enough gloating from me. If you followed my advice, you’re sitting on a type 2 world living easy right now, if you didn’t, well, I’m going to throw out some numbers for you now to explain why there were so many changes across the board when the bets locked in, and I’ll start talking about what you should be betting on next Episode.”

“First, let’s talk presence in Principia. Or at least the type that Channel Seldiva is used to. Y’all out there are used to seeing sponsorships and partner programs, sister stations, all of that jazz, but it’s new to the lifeforms in Principia. Now that they’re learning the Channel Seldiva lifestyle, you can’t walk through a market sector in the free cities without catching the logo on a bunch of drink cans or spotting shirts with the contestants on them. Based on the results of the most recent client survey in Principia, the recognition of Channel Seldiva in the sector is up over 50%, which is huge for the Contestants because it greases the wheels, Seldiva is no longer just the newcomers, they are a stable of Principia.”

“Second, and way more fun. Have you seen the amount of <chemical substance untranslatable to local language> that the ladies found on some of the asteroids in the Brenna system? That’s a key material in the Long-Range Orbital Disruption Cannons that Victorya loves to take to battle, which, up until now, the contestants didn’t have access to. Right now, contestant engineers and laborers on captured systems are hard at work building those cannons so we don’t quite know how much of an increase it should be, but if I had to hazard a guess, we’re looking about a 50% increase in the overall firepower that the Contestants can bring to the next fight. Honestly I kind of want to see them break their contract with the Competition of Minds to test out the weapons NOW, but at the same time I just caught up on Psyker Wars so if they did that I’d literally die. #KaijuCrafters by the way, #RealityWarpers are a bunch of nerds.”


“Look, there are a couple more intangibles within the resources gathered, like the Arco-Medean installations or the science base within Kyldan Beta that the contestants will probably leverage into more warp gates, but the point is that business is booming for the girls, and many of the people around the galaxy are expecting them to turn it into good-ol-fashioned violence soon. Afterall, what’s the point of having a bigger stick if you’re not going to break some knee caps with it?”

“Now that we’re done that quick update, let’s take a look at the individual planet bets and what’s coming up in our favourite auction houses…”

INDATHA SYSTEMS

From Pre-historic to historically good-looking. The wonderful engineers at Indatha systems are always looking for the best muses around the Universe, and bringing you the greatest leap forwards in fashion.

Inspired by this Season of Conquest, Indatha is proud to present the Gravaton Lighting Lance, BRENNA EDITION. With sleek chromium finish, this is the classic Gravaton Lighting Lance you love, with a modern pre-historic twist. Replica fangs from a forgotten age accentuate every strike of the spear, and every bolt you fire."

Our limited supply run of 3.7 Billion Brenna Edition Lighting Lances is up for sale in 23 hours: Supply is extremely limited, so act quickly.

MOR 7 - INF 8

Spoiler: To the Nascense and Archive: MOR 7

Show

A message is blasted across the system the two sides are locked in, making it hard to receive one without receiving the other.

In the First:

In a far-off field, a manticore hisses at its target, a pristinely dressed member of the Archive who had gotten too close during study. Venom drips from its string and the scientist holds up a blaster.

A blur leaps out of the underbrush carrying a cruel bladed weapon that glints in the sun. The vision cuts out before it's clear which of the two figures the blur plans to strike.


In the second:

Channel Seldiva can no longer act as a bulwark against the oncoming tide of the Nascence, it's clear now that setting up to cross this season would lead to outright war with the Song of the Stars.

To those reading from the Archive, the price of our intervention is no longer access to your system. See to it that you offer a price that makes it worth jumping between predator and prey when we already have issues knocking at our door.

Station Manager Neptune

Spoiler: To Principia Personell Solutions: MOR 7

Show

Viewer discretion is advised, but we appreciate being a viewer to so much more of the galaxy at this point.

Considering the sensitive nature of your work, we feel it prudent to let you know that, should it come to it. We desperately hope that you choose to turn away contracts that would damage Channel Seldiva.

Should your agents engage in wet-work in our spaces, including but not limited to attacks on our Contestants, we will not regard your previous statement of Contract Immunity, instead you will be at war with your possible biggest client.

Of course, should you choose to continue to work with us instead, we can see it being very profitable for both sides.

Station Manager Neptune.

Spoiler: To the Umbra: MOR 7

Show

64 Preferred, though conflict seems inevitable.

Spoiler: To the Competition of Minds: MOR 7

Show

Your timeslot is live in 3.7 hours for the reveal of this seasons' projects! We look forward to watching the feed from home.

Once you have locked it in, please communicate future plans, we have input when it comes to targets.

Station Manager Neptune.

[DragonOfAsh]

"It was my third tour of duty when I finally saw him for the first time. I'd been just another brave (or stupid) volunteer seeking to join the Knights. Anything was better than that <karg'th> dead-end job mining out hollowed asteroids, waiting for another batch of pirates to come by and put a hole in it so big that there was no chance to get to a secure airlock. If I was going to get shot at, at least the pay should be good, right?

Like a lot of others I had no idea what I was really joining up for. If you thought the week where we Colonial Reserve troops got to try SpecOps training was rough, that's bread and butter for these guys. Most of 'em are born into and don't know anything else, but like I said before, they pay good. Benefits aren't just cash either. Since I had skid-loader experience from the Reserve, they stuck me into a mech, almost right off the bat. Thing was basically a tank on legs, but it's probably the safest place to be since you're usually about 50-100 clicks behind the front line at the minimum. Well, I did well enough on the first two campaigns they stuck me into a Cuirass. That's the shiny poster boys you always see the Channel drooling over.

I've gotten off topic haven't I? I saw the Lord Commander in action for the first time today. He's an Orias, four arms, big body the whole works, but you wouldn't think it. He's in a Cuirass too like myself - I guess he was always fond of it, but... the moves he made, I've never seen anything like it. There's a difference between someone who's skilled and someone who's an artist and I think I know the difference now. The Lord Commander pushes his machine in ways I've never thought of. We have a grapple that's usually used for towing small asteroids out of the way, but I watched him evade three tank's returning fire by attaching the grapple to the back side of a spire and swinging around the corner. It shortened his fall from where he had been, the tanks were aiming where he should have been but ended up a solid 20 meters off, and then he finished them off. One round each. One round, brother. Pinpoint accurate to the ammo racks on the turret.

I don't even think he broke a sweat. We just fought outdated tanks today. Everything he did was smooth. I know he doesn't use one of those fancy suits that attach to your nerves to let you translate thought to action either. Pure skill, through and through. It's humbling, but reassuring too. You should think about it, brother. I need to get going though, the second wife's gonna kill me if I'm not there when the delivery happens. It's a good life, brother. Think about joining."

--Excerpt from a personal transmission of Squire Enrico Mendoza

Spoiler: visual reference

Show

(at 1:20 if you wanna see the swinging maneuver)

---

MOR 7, INF 7

---

Spoiler: To Everyone

Show

Our immediate surroundings are clear, and the Knights are ready for action. At this time, we are willing to deploy units as a supplementary force to your own in the sector. In return, the Knights request materiel of equal value to the contribution of our forces. If our combat resources are hotly contested, then the offer will go to those who pay the most. We are not a charity, we are mercenaries and we have civilians to take care of. On that same note, turning guns against an unarmed civilian populace or territory under our protection will immediately terminate the contract. Thank you.

Spoiler: ooc

Show

If you want to buy a VIP from the Knights for a turn, it's a 1:1 to how much MIL they bring to the table. Buying the services of the Lord Commander, for example is 6 points of non-MIL stats, Kai & Adnachiel is only 2 points by comparison. Highest bidder wins, any ties go to the first one to approach. In character they won't attack unarmed civilians, and they will withdraw if you try to attack my territories with my own VIP's :P Rasai and Kima'res are not available to be bought (Rasai because he's not a warrior, and Kima'res because he's eternally busy with upgrades and repairs etc.

Spoiler: To the Hecatian Shade

Show

Your expansion has been swift and ruthless. We can appreciate that. Do you still have your fangs poised to take [43] or has your thirst for conquest been slaked? Nothing (theoretically) could stop us from making a hyperlane to [44] for instance if [43] was still your desire. Simply put, even if it's just a single exclave with [44], [46], or [47] we would like to have an area to act as a staging ground for the hotbed of activity to your west. Our position is far from central in the sector, though truly "central" is not a possibility in Principia, and we seek to more actively reach our employers.

[neriractor]

The Hecatian Shade

confederation...Empire

The reunion had taken longer and longer this time around, as chosen representatives from the newly incorporated Shade approximated, some glad, as the promises of self-governance and a place as Hecatians was upheld others terrified of a trap from the bloody conquerors of nightmare, that the call for their leaders was for nothing but goading and torture, it was not.

Chaos permeated the room, the orthodoxian hecan priests gaining a few seats and displacing the diminished numbers of the gedon giants, the humans and Alears now accostumed to Hecatian workings trying to make voting blocks with the new species against eachother, discussions on war and assimilation, on rights and duties, Death and revenge. Just the usual.

The chaos would fade eventually, with the original Shade taking over the discussion with the voice of rage and ferocity, muffling the quiet, spread voices of consideration and needs for the new worlds: "Adapt" they were told, to cease their mewling; It was the way of the Shade, they had adapted their meeting to work without "The Follower" for now, and they would adapt again, or lose it forever...

is there anything that's worth more...?

The bunker was safe, at least as safe as it could, currently, be. The people's of the shade cried many things: their revoked right to leave offerings to their healing leader (discretion was key), revenge, alarm that such an attack could take place from outside forces, payback, but although the Shade and their concern surrounded Ala Cait and, only a few of the cries could be heard inside...

The Galal raised their young in clusters, able to fight from a month, but thaught some sense by caretakers. Inside the bunker, Ala Cait's retired caretaker cried or did something very much similar, Ala Cait's cluster was as most culled by time, filled with prospective warriors who lived and died as such, an honor for sure, but raising so many clusters of the dead weighted on a galal, and here it was, a product from the last cluster they raised, one of a few who had a choice and chose away from war, suffering as any warrior would.

The many machines were quiet, with a quiet, soothing rumble and a few lights being the only indicator that they still worked, Ala Cait looked more machine than Galal as the many restaurative devices finished the last touches on her body, supervised by leading experts on the field, usually The patient could be awake in this part, with the parts of the body under treatment kept numbed but this was advised against, The Follower needed rest, and those who knew Ala Cait made the choice for them, knowing they'll take work as more important.

Mor 5, Inf 4

PCs:

Spoiler: The knights of Orias

Show

We were hoping good sense would stop you from such a course, [43] will be in the shade shortly, [44] could be bargained for with a similar offer to the one you previously rejected, allow [29] or [38], offering us an entry into the cluster (we could even arrange for it to be your forces that take it for us, with proper payment), if unwilling to comply remain on your side.

Warmaster Obor.

Spoiler: The competition of minds

Show

Hail wyrds, Can our people expect the same exchange as before or will your new neighbours prove an obstacle to it?

-3rd voice of Hecan

Spoiler: Logopathor, artificial god

Show

Esteemed machine cult, glory to the achievements of your god and their servants.

It seems that problem assails you as it does us, and the light of knowledge in the galaxy is threatened by the coming storm, know that we wish to keep the light from going out, through whatever means necessary, thanks to the unruly knights we have an avenue of trade, and perhaps more.

-Chit'al, Head engineer of the Tria-khan shipyards and associates.

Spoiler: Chrysaorian Hegemony

Show

Are you willing to continue the warpath you started, and if so, do you seek assistance?

Alea, ONU minister of foreign affairs.

NPCs:

Spoiler: Principia personnel solutions

Show

To principia personnel solutions,

Well, no wonder you didn't reply to our last offer, We'll like to get your services of course, both the [1 Econ] plan of service and the [7 stat] Termination offer. If possible we would like to pay [2 econ] for an added service, one so you don't loose the fee of whoever called a strike on us (no need to tell who) and the other to ensure that you deny them service this year, publicly if you want, in order to not divulge your customer's identity.

-Agharia sto, Captain of the great scar, Head howler.

Spoiler: Amaranthine Archive

Show

Esteemed archive,

it seems efforts to contain the threat have been unsuccessful thus far, how do plans for outside aid continue? seeing as our expected entrypoint in [8] was already secured against infection, so we'd like info on possible entrypoints, and the sort of aid most welcome.

Our first and foremost wish is to aid you, but it seems enemies encroach not only from the realm of nightmares the nascence spawned from,
-Chit'al, Head engineer of the Tria-khan shipyards and associates.

[kemmotar]

Oracle Family Company
Influence 4
Moral 5

The two brothers rejoined each others' company in the Managing director's office high above the clouds at the centre of Serkavian's capital. They sipped a thick steaming green liquid from delicate painted red cups, as was traditional.

Excellent Roibhh brother.

Indeed...it comes from a tiny shop in the suburbs of Marhhish..the oldest shopkeeper I have seen...such brittle carapace yet her eyes...even I shudder to think of them. It makes you forget sometimes...there are others who are powerful in our midst and we never even thought of them. Yet she uses her gift to grow the most delicious roibhh you will ever taste. I have offered her the actual moon...all she wants is her small shop. Nothing else...such a waste I think some times...yet not today.

Zerreshhk took another sip and hummed in delight as the thick drink moistened and soothed his inflamed speech plates.

I read the reports..devious plan.

[COLOR="#DAA520"]Thank you brother...you did well yourself. For a number cruncher.../COLOR]

He said, antenae wiggling in amusement, though Meerza did not seem bothered.

Those sorts of plans are only temporary....they won't always work

They don't need to brother...as you know the art of success is balancing the short term needs with your long term goals. Without both...you either never live to fulfill your goals or find that you have nothing left to fulfill them with....

This isn't about exploding suns again is it?

Zeresshk flapped his shoulder carapace at him and kept on sipping his drink. He leaned back on the armchair, his tail lazily marking circles on the sand below the chair. The sand was of course warm and pleasant as it gently abraded the sensitive tip of his tail sending shivers through his body.

Spoiler: Idrian Nascence

Show

[A large ship of particularly greedy or desperate scavengers lands on Kansk, flamethrowers and plasma rifles burning away anything that might threaten their landing zone. But as soon as the better part of their number – and their heavy weaponry – sets out, they are set upon, roots growing through their armour and flesh as packs of predators fall upon them. As the survivors run, they find their ship the nest of vicious shrikes, tearing hull and crewmembers apart with equal glee.]

The scene zooms out showing the continent, the planet the sun of the system more and more stars until it shows a table with 13 figures standing around the table. One steps forward and reveals the shape of the manticore and the worlds that seem clearly to be those of the essence, green as emeralds burn as the manticore stands alone upon its green jewels. All other figures except for one reach into the map and begin plucking the emerald plants from the table, tearing fist sized chunks and ravaging them in their shadowy mouths. Mailed fists dripping with fire. The scene resets. The manticores are chasing the greedy invaders but there are more this time. They hack at the roots and the manticores with blades and flame. Except this time a pack of Kanthi stand at the side watching the manticores and waiting, fangs beared snapping. They are standing outside the territory of the manticores, sniffing at the trees that mark the territory and pacing the invisible border.

They snap and bare their fangs at the invaders but do not cross the line. A member of their own pack stands on the other side of that line having crossed a bridge of stars. It stares back at them with eyes shining green from within. The spot where it once stood in the pack is clearly vacant in the formation. The pack leader reaches out telepathically but recoils as the minds touch. Its aura darkens with pain and sorrow. Images of his mate, the one standing on the other side of the line flash at it but receive no recognition. The Kanthi watch the butchery unable to cross the pack lines. Already the pack eyes other scanvengers approaching its position. The pack is weakened and may not be able to defend itself alone.

Spoiler: Knights of Orias

Show

From the desk of Zerreshhk, Manading director of the Oracle Family Company

Lord commander, though I can certainly respect your stance...It seems you will be barred from expanding your reach the west but seems you will be blocked. I think that is putting it politely. We might consider supporting your "contested" claim to 43...for adequate payment of course. Turnabout is fair play wouldn't you say? We could also split the remaining "free" sectors so that we need not come into conflict. We would happily not contest any claim you may present to sector 29 so long as you do not claim sector 32...We hope this sounds fair to you. After all...you may find yourselves in a position where a friend is worth more to you than an employer. Especially should a fortis 10 come knocking on your door and all the bullets in the world cannot stop it.

Spoiler: PPS

Show

I admit that your automated message does not convey the same...value perhaps than a personal communication. We are neighbours and I am certain you can spare the executives. Afterall, better to face an unreasonable avalanche of violence with an ally than alone...the same is true of us of course. Although we would not withdraw our subscription, without a "live" even unsecured communication...I have a feeling you may soon find yourselves trying to negotiate with literal living cannonballs from space...and in case it was not clear...I am not referring to representatives of our company.

Spoiler: Amaranthine Archive

Show

To: Phase-Knight Wen
From: Managing director of the Oracle Family company, Zerreshhk

Administrator, we would like to seek information from your great archive. Are you besieged by the one who has arisen from Idris? Would you be so kind as to share what knowledge you may have of "them".

[3SecondCultist]

Principia Personnel Solutions
Mor 5, Inf 4

Spoiler: To Channel Seldiva

Show

This call is being recorded for quality assurance purposes.

"Hello there, this is Adias from Principia Personnel Solutions calling back.

We've got your message, thank you so much for getting in touch. If you'd like to expand your services with us to include a Exclusive Non-Interference package, we can certainly arrange that with billing. You would have our 100% guarantee of immunity from any retaliatory strikes using our agency. Just to let you know, that would be another annual dividend in similar terms to the one that your station has already signed for our P.E.S.T. package.

In other news, we thought you would be happy to know that your complimentary strike proceeded according to plan. For security purposes, we will keep all names out of this call.

Thank you so much for choosing PPS, you have a splendid day."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

It's a discounted extra 1 Eco (down from 2) per turn to not only maintain your current agreement with PPS, but also have your faction considered 'out of bounds' for any requests on you.

Spoiler: To the Hecatian Shade

Show

This call is being recorded for quality assurance purposes.

"Hello there, this is Queal from Principia Personnel Solutions calling back.

We're delighted to hear that you're committed to purchasing our P.E.S.T. package this year. We are already hearing back from customers who have nothing but good reviews of the intelligence service and our targeted strike forces, and are happy to announce that you are next in line for a target.

However, a word of caution before continuing. Part of the P.E.S.T. privileges involve gaining access to even our internal servers, so everyone who subscribed last year can - and likely is, hello there! - listening to this call. If you would prefer to list a target in a more private forum, we can make one of our executive suites available.

Regarding excluding an additional contract holder... I'm afraid that our billings are maintained separately for each client. I'm not authorized to make any changes to existing subscription plans. If you'd like to make sure that the tragedy that befell your leader does not see any repeat performance, I'd have to recommend the Exclusive Non-Interference package. For a very reasonable price, your faction is guaranteed safety from any of our future operations!

Thank you so much for choosing PPS, you have a splendid day."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Beyond the offer extended last turn, PPS is willing to throw you a (discounted) offer: for a total of 2 Eco per turn, you would not only get the P.E.S.T. (access to their 9 Esp network and one free assassination, plus the ability to call in strikes) but they will also exclude you from any targeting from them in the future.

Spoiler: To the Knights of Orias

Show

This call is being recorded for quality assurance purposes.

"Hello again there, this is Xander calling again from Principia Personnel Solutions. I was hoping for one more moment of your time?

Firstly, allow me to be the first to express my gratitude on behalf of PPS for your organization's cooperation with our trade extension last cycle. By connecting us with clients on the far side of the sector, the Knights have greatly increased our latitude and ability to operate.

I'm talking to you today because PPS would like to make you an offer for some of your military experts. We understand that your Lord Commander and one of your ARMAMENTs are open for contract; we would like to secure their aid with eventual territorial expansion efforts. Of course, PPS is willing to honour the morality clauses of the initial terms that your organization made public, and our board is willing to sign legally binding documents to that effect should a deal go through.

Please see enclosed our initial offer. We at PPS are willing to pay a fair share, and know that we are willing to raise our price should any true competition avail itself before the window of negotiation closes.

Thank you so much for choosing PPS, you have a splendid day."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

PPS is putting in a bid on both the Lord Commander and Kai & Adnachiel. They are willing to spend 8 Eco for an even trade of Mil VIP points, but will raise their price up if anyone else bids. They're also willing to hear counters for other stats to mutually sweeten the deal.

Spoiler: To the Oracle Family Company

Show

What you receive next is not a call, but rather an actual physical letter delivered through the interstellar mail service. No cheap late night ad, this; the stencilling is immaculate, the signature in embossed black-gold ink and the PPS company logo monogrammed into the crimped edges of the paper.

It's an invitation.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

PPS is extending a formal invitation to sit down with Calepri, their VP of Customer Relations. All you need to do is commit a VIP of your very own to the meeting, and I'll start a private Discord channel.

---

Amaranthine Archive
Mor 5, Inf 4

Spoiler: To the Idrian Nascence (Public)

Show

The missive is a short televised clip shown all across the sector, showing the recognizable profile of Phase Knight Wen. They sit in front of a desk, a single piece of paper there that they do not look at.

"This is a message to the Horizon Signal, but our departments have decided to air it publicly for all of Principia to hear what we have to say to you. This move contravenes many of our policies, yet necessity has forced our hand.

The people of Zephyrus Prime and our neighboring systems have lived in dread for some time now, as it has become increasingly clear that your corrosive touch has infected the very spaces through which you move. Idri and Kansk were lost first, contact gone with old allies, but this year has shown that there is to be no sating your hunger. The Republic, another ally, devoured, and even now as the Archive moves to protect the binary stars of Vudran-Litoshk your fleets darken the Veil Gate at its door.

Though we once thought to contain you, study you for the betterment of the galaxy, it has unfortunately become clear that your essence will tolerate nothing less than complete and utter destruction. So that is what we are going to do.

As of this moment, consider the Amaranthine Archive at war with the infection from Idri.

Good day."

The video clicks off.

Spoiler: To Channel Seldiva, Logopathor, Hecatian Shade, Oracle Family Company, Chrysaorian Hegemony, Knights of Orias

Show

Less than a day after the initial declaration video is made public, a second message - this time nominally private, though due to the breadth of the recipients it will surely be leaked within a few cycles - arrives in half a dozen seats of power. The same Archive Administrator sits behind the same desk; one might think the two missives were recorded right after the other.

"Our first move in this war is to target the Nascence's weak points. As powerful as the Signal is, it has at best a tenuous grasp of public sentiment and any kind of higher understanding of the worlds which it infects. These are soft targets that the Archive has already planned to exploit - but it will not be enough without aid.

All of you represent some of the finest and most resourceful groups in the sector, so the Archive is asking for your help. If we can beat back the Nascence now, deal them a series of crushing blows, they should retreat back or at least halt their advances until a proper bulwark can be established to curb them for good. But to gain that ground will require an unprecedented level of cooperation, from a group of disparate and diverse individuals all across the sector. We address gods and knights, station hosts and company executives alike: help us.

Your generosity will not be unnoticed, nor will it go unrewarded. In exchange, I have spoken to the heads of several of our departments - both fiduciary and archaeological - and they are willing to make unprecedented concessions to those that can swing the balance in our favour. The former comes with a fully funded guarantee of executive control over Archive projects for an entire year, while the latter comes with the deed to future Arco-Medean acquisitions. And of course, the Archive will be happy to help deal with any other aggressors in the galaxy should our immediate needs be tended to.

Do not let chaos win. If the Nascence and others like them are allowed to advance unchecked, there will be nothing but blood across our starways."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

The plan is simple (and the Nascence will know it's coming, but that's okay). The Archive will be throwing every offensive stat they have at the Nascence, targeting their Influence and Science with two separate attacks. They've been banking and should be able to make a couple of nice swings, but they need more. To that end, they are asking for any Influence, Science, Psionics, or Espionage that people are willing to lend, which they will all optimize and combine into two fatal strikes.

The Archive has two things that it's willing to offer in exchange for aid. The first is any Archeotech they uncover to the most stats added to the attack against the Nascence's Science (at least 1 piece, but they're willing to negotiate). The second thing they're offering is their Turn 3 EoT in exchange for the most stats added to the attack on the Nascence's Influence. That player would control the Archive's EoT within reason; nothing that would permanently hurt the Archive or mess up their international relations, but they can take all of the temp stats for that turn for example.

[Writtensanity]

Yahal clicked his beak and then leaned back in the captains chair he’d stuffed into the lounge earlier that day. Captains always got the best of the best and he was left in that stupid communicators chair day after day. Sure, this chair wasn’t official, but at least after the most recent raid he had a captains chair to come back to a the end of the day. He’d barely believed it when he’d drawn first loot, and the rest of the crew didn’t believe it when he chose this chair instead of a new blaster or ship mounted gun. The others were too obsessed with death and mayhem, they needed to appreciate the finer things in life.

Yahal cracked the lid on his drink. It had been a long day and he was going to need energy if he was going to spend the rest of his night on the pleasure deck.

Oh boy was it going to be a night.

As Yahal went to take the first sip of his drink the can started chirping at him, “Remember to get your can signed by a nearby Contestant for a chance to win! Enjoy the fizz of Likeran! Enough Energy for Your Conquest.”

Yahal swore and scanned the room for Brennigan, but thankfully didn’t see the dogmatic captain. The last thing he needed off hours was another tirade about how Capitalism was the enemy and how any system that allowed a Empire to live-stream their expansion was inherently immoral. Admittedly, Yahal didn’t have a political view on Capitalism, but they were both pirates and trying to be high and mighty about it wasn’t helping anyone. They weren’t fighting against the system, they were taking what they could. They were just mercenaries who got to choose their own targets.

Metal groaned and screeched down the hall and Yahal swore again. “Ulgin, if the door is ****ing locked you need to use your pass!” He called out to the likely drunk gunman and sighed before sinking back into his new chair.

The hallway screamed again.

“You idiot,” Yahal pushed himself out of the chair with an over exaggerated groan to confront the dumbass. At least if he gave Ulgin a talking to he wouldn’t get yelled at by engineering for not helping the poor man. It wasn’t Yahal’s fault that Ulgin hadn’t recovered from the thermo round he took to the left brain. “I’ll come open the door,” Yahal called before taking a long sip of his drink.

Ulgin wasn’t at the end of the hallway, instead there was a familiar silhouette showered in sparks. Blood red and gold flashed in the shaky ship light and Yahal tried to figure out where he recognised the silhouette from....

His can.

Yahal glanced down at the drink at his hand, and then at the woman in the doorway. Oh ****. Oh- Yahal reached for his gun but was frozen by the sound of a weapon whirring to life. Yahal waited for his life to end.

“We’ve got a smart one,” Victorya chimed in a sing song voice as she strutted forward into the proper light while keeping one arm-cannon of her battle suit trained on Yahal. The pirate backed away from her and let her past him into the lounge. Victorya frowned at the sad break room and then flopped down into the captains chair. “You got a name?”

“Y-“ Yahal started but his beak betrayed him and he ended up squawking in his native language instead.
“You want a job or you wanna die?” The progenitor asked before she used one of the many magnet systems in her suit to call a branded can of Likeran. She cracked it open and it started to spout off the Likeran jingle and reminded her that she was a VIP customer of the brand. “Job or dead?” she asked again and prompt her weapons to do their entirely aesthetic arming audio.

“Work, I can work. I’ll do whatever you want and-“ Yahal was cut off by Victorya’s finger.

“All you gotta do is watch and enjoy,” she winked before pulling out a small pistol and shooting Yahal in the forehead.

Initializing full immersion inhabitation. Please standby.

Channel Seldiva! A Universe of Entertainment.

I snapped my eyes open and my lungs constricted for a second. I had been dead. I was dead. I was… Fine? I reached out to feel each of my fingers and talons before realizing that I wasn’t lying on the floor, I was standing in the middle of the lounge staring at the ceiling.

“How was your nap?” Victorya asked me as she crossed and uncrossed her legs in the captain’s chair that I’d stolen in today’s raid. I could feel my heart almost leaping out of my chest, as she gave me the once-over. “Pretty good it looks like. Eyes on me.”

I nodded and locked onto her.

“Morning Viewers, I’m on the Ghaldern 3 Station within Kyldan Beta, with me, a couple thousand pirate friends, and you my best friend. Let’s do this, you and me! Here’s a shield,” Victorya tossed me a small silver orb and I somehow managed to keep my hands on it while close to passing out. “Here you’re gonna need some energy to keep up with me, here’s a cold Likeran,” she threw me a new can and I popped the tab on my favorite drink, gulping down the phenomenal mix of all my favorite flavors. “Cheers!” she said with a wink before downing her own drink and jumping out of the captain's chair.

All of Victorya’s weapons armed to life and she turned back to look at me, “Which way we going?”

I pointed towards the gunner’s systems.

“Spicy, I like it!” Victorya took off in a light jog and I sprinted to keep up with her. The orb in my hand started to hum and the personal shield Victorya’d thrown me earlier shimmered to life……


To be continued in front of other posts

Messages: MOR 7, INF 8

Spoiler: To All

Show

The message appears on most accessible frequencies across the planet. For non-Channel Seldiva stations, it appears as an extended ad spot during prime time television.

Neptune is silhouetted against the Channel Seldiva logo in the background, waiting and there is an extended, intentional pause at the start of the message.

Spoiler: Neptune

Show

“Leaders of Principia,” she opens. Her voice is far from the friendly sing-song of most televised Fotuans, it’s cold, unwelcoming and more sickening than sickeningly sweet, “there is something very special sitting on my desk this afternoon.”

Neptune holds up an envelope, somehow completely visible despite the fact that she remains 100% silhouetted against the harsh light of the background. “This is an unsigned war declaration. Intended for… well, someone amongst you. The Archive wishes for it to be the Nascence, the Nascence is likely wishing that it is the archive, and the Artificial God hopes we are planning to challenge the Domin.”

She tosses the envelope to the side, “Personally I hope it’s the Shade, buuuuuut- Cue the music..”

The Music


A sing-song narrator takes over for Neptune as graphic renderings of Channel Seldiva ships bombarding other planets apply across the screen.

That's right! YOU get to vote on the next war that you see on your live-feeds! Channel Seldiva is patiently waiting for the Galactic Congress to assemble, and any nation willing to throw away their official votes to say "Channel Seldiva should attack this nation!" Will be counted in our personal contest.

The nation with the most votes will get a personal visit from our orbital destabilization cannons as soon as we reasonably can! Remember to vote at the Galactic Congress!


Votes placed this way have absolutely no bearing on the official galactic congress and are an official waste in all opinions except Channel Seldiva's, but won't it be funny to place some?

Additionally, votes for The Competition of Minds and Channel Seldiva will not be counted, though they will, additionally, be funny.

Channel Seldiva reserves the right to declare war on someone who doesn't win the competition in addition to the winner of the competition.

Spoiler: To the Archive: MOR 7

Show

Hope you are able to put forward some numbers for the Nasence! Considering their absolute lack of voting power it shouldn't be hard to make them the winner.

Princess

Spoiler: To PPS: MOR 7

Show

Sure, sign us up for the immunity package this season. We understand that would be a total of [2 ECO] correct?

[A_Dinosaur]

The Magnus Apparatus

Protocol: Production Schedule
call(Security level)

RETURN Public

OVERRIDE SET security level = root

ACCESS DENIED

EXTRACT(security level, temp4)

ACCESS DENIED

setAcc(TMA, Admin)

ACCESS DENIED

DECLARE mood varchar(10)
Mood = annoyed

Publish(ProductionScheduleY4.txt)
Targets:
Production Facility 00408004 00432331 Upgrade Commencing [1 eco]
Deep Space Monitoring System Restoration [2 esp]
Host Swarm 2 Completion [2 mil]
Warscape Restoration Project [1 inf]
&&&&&&STOP()
^ARREST OP()
######KILL TASK(Publish)


[Output:] Mood


Morale 12, Influence 4


Players

The Idrian Nascence

Spoiler

Show

[Output:] Hyperlane creation: unnecessary.
[Output:] Archive =/= weak
IF(Assistance = required) [
Discuss further
]

The Chrysaorian Hegemony

Spoiler

Show

[Output:] Standing improved
[Output:] Conflict inefficient resource use
[Output:] Cease Hostilities

Please$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[St. Justicar]

The Idrian Nascence

Influence 1, Morale 6

Spoiler: Oracle Family Company

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[The weakened pack of manticores – though with each movement they become more stylized, each of their eyes now glowing amber crystals, their wicked, venomous tails now brilliant, multicoloured flowers – snarls and raise their hackles as they are forced into a circle, each glowing in an otherwise lightless scene. The caricatured silhouette of a beast tamer or ringmaster from the old Confederacy casts its shadow across the scene, cooing and cajoling and offering bloody hunks of meat, dripping with plasma and glittering with circuitry, to the seven scavengers circling the pack.

The scavengers and beast-tamer are so distracted that they are wholly distracted that when the Kanthi – no longer Kanthi, the bipedal and tailed figures from the earlier visions, light flaring brightly from every crack in their chitin – fall upon them from behind, they don’t have a chance. As the manticores pounces forward, the two groups easily tear the beasttamer apart. Six of the scavengers flee, but the seventh and most fearsome is now surrounded in turn, clearly pained by the light and herded into smaller and smaller circles of shadow. ]

Spoiler: Competition of Minds

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With a sense of satisfaction
[A surreal, multicolored stream, liquids of different colours flowing in opposite directions without issue, different species of life swimming happily through each, heading towards the origin point of the other]

With a sense of curiosity, and no small amount of urgency
[A lumbering and aged behemoth is harried and hunted by a pack of manticores, already bleeding and poisoned from a dozen different wounds but still vital and dangerous. Suddenly, a flock of shrikes descent from the sky, tearing at the behemoth’s many eyes and distracting it while the manticores go for the kill, tearing out each of its throats in one brutal motion. Seemingly content with the arrangement, the two groups of predators tear into the great beast’s carcass in peace, each eating their fill.]

Spoiler: Magnus Apparatus

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The people of Zephyrus Prime and our neighboring systems
nothing less than complete and utter destruction. So that is what we are going to do.


some of the finest and most resourceful groups in the sector, so the Archive is asking for your help
“Personally I hope it’s the Shade, buuuuuut- “
We are already hearing back from customers who have nothing but good reviews of the intelligence service and our targeted strike forces, and are happy to announce that you are next in line for a target.

soft targets that the Archive has already planned to exploit
Turnabout is fair play wouldn't you say?
Discuss further

Spoiler: Amaranthine Archive, All

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[Particularly sensitive or focused psykers across the Sector will, in the days and weeks following the Archives declaration of war, suffer from recurring nightmares. Given their consistency, details will become available to every government soon enough]

A display of the Zephyr cluster, view from above as if from a cartographic display. The stars are dim, save Idri, which has a brilliant viridian halo. From it, vines and roots twist and grow along the hyperlane to Kansk, which begins to glow with the same light as the hyperlane pulses, undergoing a metamorphosis into an umbilical cord carrying something between them. The same process occurs with the Haven, Lanala and Tolwyn systems. And from there, to every star in the sector. Zephyrus is last, consumed and assimilated from all directions. Then, the entire cluster knit together into one vast organism, the spread stops. Sated, it begins to slumber.

Zephyrus prime does not burn, despite all its inhabitants best attempts. The star is gone, in its place a vast, cosmic eye staring down on the world, picking out each and every lonely soul still resisting their destiny. Choirs of former Zephyrites, now firmly rooted to the ground and with skin and branches intertwined through each other, sing an omnipresent, hauntingly beautiful elegy for the Archives as hexepedal beasts the size of tanks dig into their last bunkers. The Hunting horrors can smell artificial light, and without the sun the only warmth and illumination comes from the soft, welcoming inner light of the Nascence.

The dream ends with the last Archivists. Freezing in the dark as they hear their comrades scream.

Spoiler: ooc

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The Idrian Nascence accepts and returns the declaration of war

[kemmotar]

Oracle Family Company
Influence 4
Moral 5

Spoiler: Idrian Nascence

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The response comes back, no scene this time. Only agreement and the feeling of a clock ticking.

Spoiler: PPS

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The response is sent back quickly, in writing and in equally appointed stationery, although the one sent back is slightly fragrant as though peppered with a mix between cinnamon and wet earh (presumably that is a pleasant smell to the Orusians.

"We accept the invitation on the condition that you accept no contracts or take any offensive action against us."

Spoiler: Logopathor

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To: The Artificial God (or representatives thereof)
From: Oracle Family Company, Manading director

Greetings Neighbour.

The video message begins cheerfully showing the image of the Managing director, recognisable having attended the previous galactic congress.

We've not spoken before and that is a shame. It seems to us that you are in a bind...perhaps the very same one we may find ourselves in shortly...although we seem to be blessed with less...ehem...expansion focused neighbours? For the moment anyway. Let us know if you would be interested in some resource sharing deals...and beyond. We would welcome any representative of Logopathor on Serkavian where we may discuss in relative peace. The offering from PPS seems to be quite popular.

Spoiler: The Amaranthine Archive

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To: Phase-Knight Wen
From: Managing director of the Oracle Family company, Zerreshhk

We had been told that the Archive was a place of logic and research. We have not witnessed any behaviour that we have not witnessed from many others in the congress. We consider the Umbra to be a greater threat and were hoping that you would focus your efforts on them. We would be willing to exchange information in that regard.

[3SecondCultist]

The Amaranthine Archive
Mor 5, Inf 4

Spoiler: To the Oracle Family Company (Public)

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What comes in response first is raw footage of the Nascence's ships and aliens, ravaging and performing radically hostile terraforming that should take generations over the span of a few hours. The screams of the dead are not omitted, nor are the mutated songs of the 'survivors'. Innumerable iterations of horror after horror, living nightmares that do not belong anywhere, all of them dominate the screen for several minutes.

Though it has been sent to the Company's headquarters, the footage is played publicly to maximize its impact.

"The Company questions whether or not the Nascence is currently the most pressing threat to our survival, and wonders whether Umbra might not instead be a worthy use of our time. Make no mistake: if we do not check the Nascence now, immediately, then we will be subsumed by them. They would tell you no differently, if you asked. There is insurmountable evidence that the Nascence is existentially the most dangerous issue that threatens our sector, with years of archived research to back up this claim.

It is not charity we are asking for, not a friendly alliance, but a deal. Accept it or refuse it, that is your choice, but do not muddy the issue - intentionally or otherwise - by bringing up an unrelated threat. Until such a time as the survival of our people can be guaranteed, we are only interested in hearing deals that confront and check the clear and present danger."

[kemmotar]

Oracle Family Company
Influence 4
Morale 5

Spoiler: "The Amaranthine Archive - (Public response)

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We all read the reports of the domination of Ultrum...being threatened by your neighbhour is hardly a galactic event...I think it is happening all over and is actively fostered by more than one member of the congress. Perhaps you should also consider them a fortis 10 threat as well?

In fact, since the archive elects to employ such a public venue, I wish to cast my vote for the proposal of the delegate from Channel Seldiva and urge others to do the same. I vote for the Channel to declare war on the Umbra. I would go as far as to welcome those who are of like mind to create a temporary cooporeation committee for dealing with this very threat. We can discuss the details should enough members agree with this proposal.

[Writtensanity]

Hi, I'm Jessiel Ghallar with a small update on Principia's most talked-about popularity contest, the Court of Public Opinion, brought to you by Channel Seldiva. Originally, the Court Of Public Opinion was using the Galactic Congress votes as a way to have factions show their support for who Channel Seldiva should go to war with. Unfortunately, the World Congress sent Channel Seldiva several letters clarifying that they would not 'play along with our games' and that 'Channel Seldiva doesn't own the Galactic Congress.' To which, Channel Seldiva officially replies;

Channel Seldiva doesn't own the Galactic Congress, yet.

In the meantime, the voting process will be adjusted. Channel Seldiva is instituting the following process to decide the Court of Public Opinion.

Spoiler: OOC

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The process for the 'votes' is going to be as follows:

Channel Seldvia is building a collective stat attack on the faction voted on by our peers, which will come with a declaration of war once the attack has been launched. I am aware that I likely still lose the INF for this, even though I'm technically not choosing.

Votes are attained by contributing stats of ratio 3:1 or better to Channel Seldiva's Influence attack against the chosen target. By default, I am committing 8 INF to this attack.

Each point contributed will result in a single vote (So if you send me 5 stats, it's 5 votes towards your target)

In the interest of fairness and not making the starting vote '8'. Rather than taking 8 votes myself, I am going to be counting my opinion as tied for the highest contribution or 8, whichever is lower. (So if the highest someone sends is 4 stats, I only have 4 votes as well.)

This attack will be launched at the earliest window I can:

Spoiler: DOUBLE OOC:

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I need to speak to the GM about the timing. If I am able to ask him to determine the target based on the contributions people make, it will be during the turn 2 EoT. If I need to choose the target for the attack, I will make the attack on EoT turn 3 after tallying up the votes.

If you're worried about our target knowing what's coming don't worry! They won't have time to prepare as the 'winning nation' will be notified in morse code via cannon fire.

Thank you for bearing with us during this understandably difficult time as rules are changing.

[GameOfChampions]

Competition of Minds
Mor 6
Inf 2

Spoiler: To Channel Seldiva

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Greetings Empire of Entertainment,
For our time slot we will be doing a piece called 'Latent Psionic Energies and You!'. It will explore the uses of subtle workings, long term plans, and insidious manipulations.

As far as future plans our next big one will be a galaxy wide one that should target everyone. It will be glorious to watch. Like a galaxy wide best home fails video. We will give.you a fair warning so that you can best avoid the consequences.

Would you take offense if we continued minor trades with the Shade? We are aware of some tension between you two.

Regards,
Zughel the Living Statue

Spoiler: To Idrian Nascence

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Long fingers steepled under a demons grin

Psykers and creatures working together, energy from them all coalescing into one before powering a ritual. Two agents passing information for mutual gain.

Grasping fingers reaching into the body of an unsuspecting sap, grasping the heart to take a bite.

A psyker ritual making use of a targets distraction to break through the back of their defenses. A ship plundered by demons and split into shares for all involved. The start of a race and the prepared genetically enhanced monsters running.

The fingers grasp another alien hand in concert

A university professor calling in an associate for help on a project. The two work together closely and their work changes the world, not for better bit for the more interesting.

Spoiler: To Hecatian Shade

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Greetings,

We don't believe there will be any problems maintaining that trade. We were quite happy with the results.

Regards,
Supreme Judge Anderson

[Vrock Bait]

“Look, Tash, I understand you’re upset about Jarick right now, but-”

“But what?! My brother and sister are dead, Jak. Half our missionary fleet is gone, most of our refugee capacity too. And Logopathor’s doing what?” Tashkent, youngest of the Dellrune siblings, seethed with rage from the computer monitor. “How is anything more important right now?”

Jakan sighed, trying desperately to blink a lack of sleep out of his eyes. “Over the last two years or so, we’ve been hunting a conceptual predator - essentially a thoughtform that kills you when you think about it- across the noosphere. He gave us the blueprints of some kind of conceptual harness and asked us to hide his absence for a while. Nobody else could do the job.”

Tashkent stared blankly through the camera. “But if you know this and can tell me now...?”

“Yes. It’s dead. He can get back himself but we’re pulling Him back faster.”

“About time.”

“Always.”

The call disconnected.

“We’re ready?” Jakan asked the person behind him.

Dr. Gangir Velarall nodded. As one of the small handful of cryptometanoocecologists anybody could still remember and fewer could pronounce the occupation of, he had recognized and purged the dangers of speech years ago.

“Do it.”

The massive, spider-pronged apparatus surrounding the two scientists roared to life, as… something, something nearly incomprehensible but for the rush of power felt throughout the room passed through from one side of the machine to another.

It went on for only five seconds.

“Good morning, Jakan.” The telepathic message rang through the engineer’s ears.

“I see the harness worked, my liege.”

“Again, please, no formality. I am far too old and arrogant to enjoy praise. It always falls short, after all.”

“Old habits die hard.”

“Indeed they do,” Logopathor said, “Now, regarding the situation with the Ultrumites, I understand Tashkent is furious?”

“As is Eshira.”

“Good. They shall join Maravelth in planning our contingencies. He can utilize emotion to our advantage.”

“And for now?”

“Now, we build bridges. Let us hope that those to use them are friends.”

Spoiler: To All

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Greetings to our friends and compatriots across the sector,

We would like to cordially invite you to a diplomatic summit this season. Attached our blueprints for the simple Velerall rig, which shall grant you remote access to the noosphere where it will be easier for us to converse. A tentative agenda will include the issue of the Nascence and Ultrumite-Logopatronite tensions. Do RSVP with any further items you wish to discuss.

Yours in creativity,
Logopathor & Co.

PS: We do apologize for the corpse in advance. Exotic thoughtforms are.. difficult to dispose of.

[Writtensanity]

Spoiler: Midturn: MOR = 7

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Going to vote all YAY for the new NPC

Going to create a hyperplane between 65 and 49. CHOO CHOO.