PARTIZAN 20: On the Eve of Revolution

Episode Description

The town of Rezevi is quiet, most days. Five years ago, when the war with Kesh first kicked off, the sleepy fishing town’s residents wondered if their lives would be shaken by the conflict. But as an Apostolosian town, the demands of war--mandatory service, expectation of quarter, junior and senior reserve duty--were already stitched into daily life. In reality, it simply meant that their assigned fishing quotas raised a bit. But over the last week, a shocking number of strangers have passed through Rezevi, offering high-tech military scrap in exchange for necessities like bedding, fuel, and chowder.

What the citizens of Rezevi do not know, of course, is that the now-invisible Icebreaker Prime sits in the sea a few hours away, where the Rapid Evening licks its wounds and prepares to play host to rebels, revolutionaries, and radicals the likes of which Clementine Kesh could hardly imagine.

This week on PARTIZAN: On the Eve of Revolution

///Operation Dossier\\\

//Organizations\\


Strand Semaphore: Using ancient Hyphan technology, this messenger service is able to send text-based communications to anywhere on-moon, so long as they’ve built an outpost there.
Lambic House: A group of beer-brewing monks who both operate a brewery and manage a sizable civilian settlement deep in the mountains of the Pique Ridge. Part of the Shepherd’s Crook.
The Shepherd’s Crook: A sect inside of Received Asterism which began soon after the founding of the church as a collection of monks who provided safety and service to then-new colonies… in exchange for wealth and power. Though their extortionist tendencies (and military might) was reined in by the central church, they remain a group focused on local communities rather than central bureaucracy or dogma. They’ve also become the home of the Sovereign Immunities, an elite rank of political advisor which carries the freedom to speak directly when others would be censored and which is offered a high degree of diplomatic immunity.
The Pact of Necessary Venture: Though they trace their lineage back to an exploratory committee founded in the late 14th century of the Perfect Millenium, the Pact was not made in earnest until five years ago in 1418 PM, soon after hostilities began between Kesh and Apostolos. It’s original leadership committee, Plumeria, Gallica, Myosotis, Rye, and Hyacinth determined that to ensure the future stability of the Principality, the Pact would establish a power base in the Scutum–Centaurus arm, amass a vast fleet using the unexploited resources there, and sweep both princepts out of power, replacing the role with a five-part council representing each Stel equally.
The Curtain of Divinity: Though Kesh is technically governed through an elaborate parliamentary democracy, the truth is that The Curtain of Divinity, a secretive organization inside of the Stel (and with agents across all of the Principality), serves as the actual power behind the throne. Knowledge of the Curtain is carefully guarded, and its membership is even further protected. Was originally established to rein in the Principality’s most tyrannical institutions and encourage growth and equity over generations, while hiding the truth of what lied beyond the Scutum-Centaurus Portcullis. Over time, their more noble aims were eroded, and only this final goal remained, along with a much more selfish goal of controlling the state. Is currently in a silent war against the Pact of Necessary Venture.
The Mysteries Metronomica/ “Metronomica”/“The Cult of Perennial”: Guided by the paradoxical belief in historical cycles and radical freedom, the Isles of Logos offers this faith of the Adversary, Perennial, perhaps the only safe ground in the entire galaxy. Though colloquially referred to as “the cult of Perennial,” a title that many group members accept with a sort of sardonic pride, the full name of the group is the Mysteries Metronomica, or simply Metronomica. Both Metronomica’s theology and praxis center on the ideas of eternal recurrence, historical cycles (large and small), and the impossibility of stability. History will turn, and they will help it on its way. Their relationship with Perennial gives them a unique relationship to the Perennial Wave.
The Red Fennecs: Technically, the Red Fennecs are an Apostolosian logistics and transport squad. In actuality, they’re utilized by their commanding officer, Tes’ili Serikos, as the backbone of a humble smuggling operation.
The Sable Court: Some say that on dark nights, they have seen these Ashen witches on the eastern edge of Lake Timea, horns and antlers glittering in the light of Girandole. Some even say that a former elect walks among them. Heresy, all of it.
Company of the Spade: A veteran mercenary unit founded by space miners who learned how to pilot Hollows in the most dangerous of settings. They’ve been brought to Partizan to combine both types of expertise.
The Oxblood Clan: What started as a group of orphans turned into a labor guild and criminal enterprise with connections across Partizan. Occasionally run rough-and-tumble military ops for extra cash. Allies with SBBR.
The Swordbreakers: An Apostolosian squad blessed by the Divine Commitment and led by Cas’alear Rizah, the adopted sibling of the Apokine and Princept Dahlia. They’re known across the war as legend killers who punch above their weight.

//People\\


Si’dra Balos (Si/Si’s, they/them): During their time in a communications division of the Apostolosian Navy, Si’dra saw the cost of war first hand. Now they dream of a world where people can connect instead of fight.
Tes’ili Serikos (they/them, tes/tes’): This Apostolosian transport specialist, black marketeer, and Tes’ili Serikos can get just about anything just about anywhere, for a price. Short, round, fuzzy, and good natured… unless you screw tes over.
The Blossom (he/him): The Lambic House is just supposed to make beer, sell it around the world, and keep people happy. But with each keg delivered by the sect’s Abbot of Provision, the Blossom also serves a short, populist whisper.
Cas’alear Rizah (cas/cas’, they/them): Leader of the Swordbreakers. Cas has brown skin with dark green hair up in a bun, with a few strands hanging down in front of their face (which is framed with similarly colored scales covering cas’ jawline and neck. Broken sword tattoos under their eyes. Reputation as being beautiful and brave by allies, unflinching and unpredictable by foes. Pilots the notorious Ataraxia.
Plumeria (she/her): Former elect of the Divine Past, High Designate of Stel Kesh, signatory of the Pact of Necessary Venture, and Bibliognost of all Divinity. Killed during the theft of the Divine Future.
Gallica (she/her): Elect of the Divine Present, Chief Emissary of Stel Nideo, Verse (missionary) in the Holy Church of Received Asterism, signatory of the Pact of Necessary Venture, and Anodyne of all Divinity.
Myosotis (he/him): Former elect of Future, Chair of the Zenith Fund, signatory of the Pact of Necessary Venture and Wright of all Divinity. Future was stolen from him.
Rye (he/him): Elect of the Space, Second of the Nine Coronet of Stel Orion, Chief Signatory of the Pact of Necessary Venture, and Provedore of all Divinity
Hyacinth (they/them): Former Elect of Motion, Grand Marshal of the Interior, and signatory of the Pact of Necessary Venture, and Prōtostratōr of all Divinity. Served for 99 years as commander of the Black Century.
Zo’la (zo/zo’s, they/them): As a projection artists, Zo’la seeks to create a cinematic work that captures the dynamic spirit of this historical moment. Born to Columnar, then drawn to the Apostlosian ideology of Dynamism (which values speed, change, and violence above all else. A wildcard and a vanguard. Friends with Gucci Garantine, despite having spent time on opposite sides of the Kesh/Apostolos war.
Agon Ortlights (she/her): Aided by her servicebot companions, Agon worked hard to attain the rank of lieutenant in the Company of the Spade, where she’s become a veteren mercenary, a skilled miner, and a hell of a drinking buddy.
Figure A (they/them): A synthetic being that once worked inside of the Divine Past, working to make the data the Divine had available to it more understandable by other people.
Crysanth Kesh (she/her): Clementine Kesh’s mother. Third in line to the throne of Kesh. As Gabardine of the Curtain of Divinity, she is a High ranking member of The Curtain, the highest such on Partizan itself.
Cymbidium (he/him): The deceased Elect of the Divine Past. Gave Thisbe a message to deliver to Mourningbride.

//Places\\


Rezevi: A small fishing village on the island-dotted northwestern coast of the Apostolosian Barranca. The nearest town to the current location of the still-cloaked Fort Icebreaker.
The Prophet’s Sea: A massive ocean that dominates the center of most maps of Partizan. It is said that the sea was made by the prophet Logos Kantel in their first miracle, after walking the length of its radius and climbing a set of hills that would soon become islands.
Fort Icebreaker: A massive arsenal, garrison, airfield, and a firebase all rolled into one. Icebreaker Prime is a rumbling carrier which prowls land and sea, armed with innumerable weapons and potentially housing over ten thousand soldiers. Currently, Icebreaker Prime is under the command of Clementine Kesh and the Rapid Evening, and is hidden in the most unperturbed waters of the Prophet’s Sea.
The Isles of Logos: An independent nation built by the followers of the prophet Logos Kantel’s around their very first church. Though only a small handful of islands in the Prophet’s Sea, the Isles keep a standing defense force that rivals any individual unit of the Major Stels.

//Divines\\

The Divine Past: Part floating city, part living library. The Divine Past was built tens of thousands of years before the Divine Principality was created. It stores an untold amount of information about the cultures it has observed, including the Divine Principality itself. The only person who can access this information is its Elect, who wanders its endless halls and travels across Divinity as equal parts librarian, priest, ship captain, and diplomat. Was destroyed when it crashed into the sand west of Obelle. Is currently being rebuilt.

It was nearly 5,000 years ago when Stel Nideo first built this secret home in the dust. Castles sprouting from rock in a false nebula, designed by a generation for whom the radiant twilight of the past was a beautiful place they were born, but hardly recall, and not a paradise they were driven from. In time, it came to be home not only to Nideo, but to the most powerful members of each Stel, called together with the Princept, in order that they may confer in luxury and privacy. But as the Principality grew stale and neared fracture, this false mirage found itself without steward. Until, that is, it was claimed by what would become the Pact of Necessary Venture. There, in palaces like stalagmites, bathed in the blue and red of the painted particulates that gave this man-made nebula its color, the leaders of the Pact asked: what comes after a Princept? And answered: us.

And so, what was once an opulent yet lonely domain has since become the bustling home for those who elide the difference between treason and patriotism. Now, it is is ballrooms and arsenals, command centres and commissaries, shipyards and their countless product. And a grand hall, where the Pact’s leaders today convene to determine their course in the wake of expeditionary failure. Before them, a map of opportunities, of blood and what it buys. And there, so near the catastrophe, on the moon of Partizan, fledgling revolutionaries began to gather. A gift from history itself, they only needed to be courted, brought into the fold, or else brought to light and sacrificed. Necessary venture, necessary gain.”

Plot

Icebreaker Prime has been parked in a bay near the fishing village of Rezevi, and everyone is recovering and fixing their mechs. Many of the Rapid Evening’s infantry and support staff are unaware they have defied the orders of Kesh, or believe this has been fully according to plan. The Rapid Evening has covertly sent for necessities and equipment from Cruciat, but Clementine uses most of the shipping space for her personal belongings.

Leap fully decodes the Vernacular Rings. SI holds a feast with the stores on Icebreaker to celebrate with the prisoners and make it clear they can come to him for support. Cas'alear contacts Clem via Strand Semaphore to ask to discuss something they discovered about the death of Past.

The Winter Doctor is brought on board; he recommends Clem recuperate in the Isles. Clem heads out on her vacation (leading to the previous scene in "On the Edge of Fracture" where she meets with Valence). That night at dinner Gur announces the coming conference and offers to help everyone contact potential allies. Milli invites Si'dra Balos; SI invites the Blossom via letter as a kind of weird snub.

Clem meets up with Cas'alear, who tells her what cas knows. Past initially aimed to land at the Memoria Teardrop, then Lion's Rest; in the last few hours Past overrode its elect and deliberately crashed, after receiving a message from Crysanth. Cas'alear warns Clem about both the Pact and her mother's extremely high ranking in the Curtain.

Wary there might be stowaways or other troops still on board, Leap and SI go exploring in the lower decks and see a billowing, inky ghost. Clementine arrives back at Icebreaker to find new groups of people everywhere, and is faced with the scale of the revolution. She discusses the Curtain with SI. Gucci surprises Clementine in her Saint Dawn persona and recognises Clementine is completely out of her depth despite her involvement.

Cast

Other Characters