hexarchate_rpg | Chapter 2.1 (such as it is)

[GM's note: This is Ashari's summation of the mission briefing to Sasha, who is the new team leader in the interests of whisking away inactive PCs. While this letter is addressed privately to Sasha in-character, players are welcome to have out-of-character discussions [in bracketed comments] about, e.g., logistical concerns or things that they would like for their own characters. Regular IC discussion--e.g. if Sasha decides to start a meeting to discuss planning--can also happen in comments to this post, without the brackets.]

[Reminder: I'm out of the country from Sun., Dec. 2 to Wed., Dec. 5, so will be out of commission during those days and maybe a couple after. I apologize for the bad timing but hope this will give y'all something to chew on in my absence.]

[ETA: For reference, this is the one existing map of the hexarchate]. It's ca. Revenant Gun, but you can see some sites of historical interest. Candle Arc, for instance, is near the bottom center, in the Glover March.]

Congratulations, Sasha. You're in charge now. I expect you have very strong opinions on how things should be done. I look forward to hearing all about it upon my return.

As I told you earlier, Kaliyan, Ankat, Yehan, and myself will be siting a new base of operations just in case we need to cut our ties to the rebellion, or the Quill-led part of it. But don't worry. I wouldn't leave you entirely without hawks and foxes to play with. Don't hesitate to bully the new recruits as necessary to get the job done. I for one consider it highly promising that you seem to be getting along smashingly with the new Kel.

Here's your part of the mission. I have received reliable intelligence (no, you don't get to ask what I did to get it, unless you want to arm-wrestle for it after I get back) that there's going to be a significant push into the Lanterner era. Moreover, Quill is involved with rebellion operations via a rift to the heptarchate during 852 [h*archate timeline for reference]. Given what I understand to be the historical significance of that time period, this could be a major push.

Your task is to enter 852 via the rift map that Nirai Remi has provided us and figure out what Quill's people are up to. If this is a major intervention, what are they trying to accomplish? Can we get anything out of it?

The exit of the aforementioned rift will take you to a Lanterner orbital stronghold called Autumn Pyre. (They seem to have gotten their naming sensibilities from the Kel, how tiresome.) It's three days' travel by Cantata to Candle Arc, which has not yet happened. (You know what I mean.) Autumn Pyre is a military base, but it also houses a Lanterner aristocrat-diplomat named Aramis kae Pharon who fancies themself a natural philosopher and is interested in studying rift phenomena. Like civilized people, the Lanterners put their family/house name first, the personal name last. The "kae" designates an aristocrat or person of high rank--it can be given to generals and the like even if they're of low birth, it's all very complicated. Unfortunately for Autumn Pyre, but fortunately for us, Lanterner cultural peculiarities mean that kae Pharon is what we'd consider the "ranking officer."

Quill's people have already made contact with kae Pharon. Quill herself doesn't appear to be on site--yet. I've obtained forged orders that should make you look like reinforcements for the rebellion. Things are chaotic there anyway, what with interdimensional travelers. Get to Autumn Pyre and find out what's going on before it comes around to bite us in the ass. Oh, and if you get a chance, grab me some Lanterner red cordial, I've always wanted to try it. Good luck!

Ashari

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Fair! I'm not sure that joining this venture is at all practical. But they have all been vetted."

Sasha gestures to the grid, instructing it to summarize and display the tasks she's about to list. "Anyway, next steps. I'll send you Ashari's letter. Can you redact it into something suitable for the full group--except the teenagers, I share your concerns about Fyedlet and I have to keep Mishka busy somehow--and I'll send out a briefing? After that we're into rounds of meetings. You and I should talk to Virmad about the Lanterners, and I'll send Aymad after more data on the rebellion side. After that I'll meet with some of the others about our cover story. Is there anything else we need to handle immediately?"

"Certainly. I've written up my observations on our new associates; they're very minimal at the moment, but I'll send them to you anyway. Mostly signifier analysis, and a few notes on their behavior yesterday." Sulen had automatically written them up like Inquisitorial reports, and then painstakingly edited to make it less obvious to Sasha that their first instinct is to look for people's breaking points. "I'd advise you to be careful with Reshad. She reminds me of Ashari." Anything else... oh yes. "What about our guests? Gerae and Remi? Can we make use of them on this mission?"

"Gerae's aptitude with locks and memorization may be important once we have a more specific target, and of course Remi is expanding our communication with the moth."

Sasha keeps her voice casual and her hands relaxed as she continues, "How would you describe the similarity between Reshad and Ashari?" Sulen will know they've scored a touch anyway, of course.

"Similarly flexible," Sulen says, as though making a dire pronouncement. And then, more flatly. "Good at lying." They look over Sasha's shoulder, at the empty wall. "I predict she'll be a great asset. But you might have a repeat of the, ah, personality conflict problems." They can't think of a more tactful way to refer to whatever incident left Ashari bleeding and unbalanced, that night on the last mission.

Knots and wires, Sulen is worried about what Sasha will do, not about the beautiful Shuos operative. It's almost flattering.

If there's any chance at all that Sulen is working for her now, though, rather than providing a side-channel for Ashari, she owes them some reassurance that she understands what that entails. "While we're making comparisons--Ashari reminds me of my mother. It wasn't clear to me, at first, that they believed the obligations of command go both ways. I hope we've reached an understanding."

Sasha knows that in their own strange way Ashari is careful with her, which means she's better off than when she first decided to change calendars. But she has people of her own again now, too, an entire team of humans and very vulnerable mothlings. The potential cost of fucking this up is nearly higher than she wants to look at. "I do know that I am obliged to the people who work for me. Including Reshad. And Mishka and Aymad, for that matter."

"Ah... I've heard that mothers can be difficult." Sulen clears their throat. "I thought it was worth bringing up. I'll continue evaluating the crew. Is there any other way I can help? I do have experience doing tedious paperwork, if that ever becomes relevant."

That sounded literal. Is Sulen's mother a being of purity and light? Or do they only have fathers and alt-parents? Sasha should know these things about her people, but there hasn't been time.

"Redact the letter, meet with Virmad, and can you put together a quick set of profiles to share internally? People's names, core skills, and when they are from. I'll want your take on Flute and her people, and the Lanterners as well, as we start pulling data. And forward me your questions, so Aymad and I know what to look for."

Chapter 2.1 (such as it is)

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