hexarchate_rpg | Chapter 2.1 (such as it is)

yhlee posting in

[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

From:

vass

Iawa decides not to touch "i owe u". Sasha's the new leader, and they're [so what else is new] a little confused about how to feel about it all. Was it a coup? Sasha seems like someone who might launch a coup. Ashari was untrustworthy, but what is all this?

"Will do," they send back.

They message Ione and Mafyyil: "I'm in my quarters if you want to talk now."

[I'm going to bed now. I'll be busy all day, but can pick this up again tomorrow evening. Which is to say, roughly 16 hours from the time stamp on this comment.]

From:

bariolage

Ione is quick to respond, which some people might find suspicious but really she's just not doing anything she considers important enough to not catch messages first:

Anytime is good, um, I can ask the moth to tell me how to get there right?

From:

yhlee

[The moth will be happy to play hot/cold by singing her to her meeting place--louder the closer she gets, within reason. Sasha and Alric have probably been talking to Cantata about how loud is too loud for humans.]

From:

bariolage

This is even better than Ione was expecting - usually the ground lights up or something like that but this is gamifying being lost - so she's very satisfied-looking when she finally gets to Iawa's quarters.

"Thank you," she tells ... it looks like she's talking to the ceiling ... politely.

From:

yhlee

The Cantata responds with a swelling harmonious chord that probably also serves to inform Iawa of someone's arrival.

From:

vass

Picking the thread up here to save indenting.

Iawa tenses at the harmonious chord plus percussion section. Then they deliberately relax their shoulders and open the door.

"Come in," they tell Mafyyil.

From:

bariolage

Ione is also right there all of a sudden -- now that she's facing the door instead of the ceiling -- and takes the invitation for herself too. Though she'll let Mafyyil go first, not wanting to accidentally bump a flower and cause injury.

From:

mafyyil

Mafyyil had almost collided with Ione and narrowly missed stepping on her foot on the way in. She walks into Iawa's room smiling brightly. "Hello! Very honored to meet you again! You wanted to talk to me about" - she's looking for an euphemism - "alternatively civilized behavior?"

From:

mafyyil

Mafyyil reads this message as well and is actually quite happy: the first almost sane-sounding instructions she's received so far! She decides to take this as a good sign.

Unfortunately, her shaky knowledge of barbarian technology doesn't enable her to answer the message or get directions to Iawa's quarters. Switching the device off and on again doesn't solve that problem, unsurprisingly. It doesn't keep Mafyyil from trying at least once. It's Mafyyil's base response to technological problems.

Still, orders are orders - she considers everyone her superior due to her moral kangaroo failure, so clearly, even a nicely phrased request has to be obeyed. She sets out walking, and, quite predictably, immediately gets lost.

[I think I'm in a different timezone than basically everyone else so it's all good.

Also, can someone rescue Mafyyil by running into her or sending her a clarifying message or something?]

From:

venndaai

Coming out of the common room, Sulen sees Mafyyil in the hallway looking lost, and figures now is as good a time as any to start overcoming their unease at her accessories and general attitude. "Hello there," they call. "Can I help you with anything?"

From:

mafyyil

Mafyyil winces inwardly: oh no, of all the people she could run into, it's the rude person who was so offended by the kangaroo loss they just ran off! She knows it's probably her own moral failings that caused the issue, but certainly a Barbarian (without any enhancements at all) should not pass judgment on that. Still, it can't be helped. As tempted as Mafyyil is to make an expressive finger gesture (that she's not sure Barbarians understand anyway) and walk by without a word... She's, unfortunately, hopelessly lost, so she has to ask.

"Oh, so good to see you!", she replies with a not quite convincing fake smile. "I was just on my way to Iawa's quarters to talk about, um, culture" - she's using the term culture loosely there, but it never hurts to be more polite than strictly warranted - "except, um, those quarters seem to have been misplaced. Do you know the way?"

From:

venndaai

"Of course. This way." Sulen gestures in the correct direction, and begins walking that way. "How are you settling in?"

From:

mafyyil

Mafyyil quickly follows. "Oh, it's all wooonderful, everybody's so lovely!" Two blatant lies, since I'm in quite a lot of pain and I have §%"&§ aphids, so what do you think? seems slightly undiplomatic. This Barbarian already seems to dislike her, and she doesn't want to make the situation worse. "I mean, I think it, um, will be wonderful, as soon as I get the chance to do my duty properly. I'll make good for my failure to be complete, I promise!" She's gritting her teeth there, but, well, clearly she can't blame anyone else for her own shortcomings, not even a Barbarian. She's decided to regard Barbarians as persons, at least as a working hypothesis. So, better to show manners and some enthusiasm. "I already wrote a poem for the start of our journey, tractors in the early morning sun of holy barley fields, I think it's quite fitting!"

From:

venndaai

"Ah," Sulen says. "That sounds interesting." The words, could I read it? stick in their throat. Maybe Mafyyil's poetry could give some insight into her apparently bizarre culture, but Sulen isn't quite masochistic enough to straight up ask for it.

From:

mafyyil

That doesn't sound particularly enthusiastic - Mafyyil is very sensitive to that after her instructors' reactions to her writing. Sulen, however, hasn't even read any of her poems before, so their reaction is a complete mystery to Mafyyil. "I've written it in the hexarchate style, of course!" - she's trying to be reassuring there - "people were so nice to provide me with a writing guide and some, um, literary examples!"

From:

venndaai

"I'm glad to hear you've had support from the others. I've been made second in command on this mission, so if there's anything you need, let me know. I'm the third door down on that side." They point. "But here we are at Iawa's quarters."

From:

mafyyil

Mafyyil smiles politely - of course, Sulen is the last person on... she has to remember she's not on her homeworld anymore... but at least the last person on this moth she'd ask for help. Still, she recognizes the polite gesture and decides to respond in kind. "I'm very honored by your offer!"

Turning to Iawa's door, Mafyyil doesn't see a doorbell, so she decides to just knock - or rather hammer on the door since she's unsure of thickness and sound isolation. "Hellooo? Can you hear me? You wanted to talk?", she calls out.