Episode Description
The members of Millenium Break continue to investigate the world of Palisade, trying to build relationships across the communities of Eversin and Braunton. In the former, they learn that offers of direct help may not always be easily accepted by those in the sights of an occupation. In the latter, they learn that direct occupation is not always necessary for an empire’s reach to be felt. And in both, they come to understand the importance of local culture (basketball) and social ritual (potluck dinner) when it comes to building a movement.
This week on the Road to PALISADE: Wagon Wheel Pt. 2
Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage
Factions
| The Curtain of Divinity: For generations, the Curtain of Divinity operated in the shadows of the Principality, partly as intelligence agency, partly as shadow government. After the events on Partizan, they were dragged into the daylight, and served as one of the two ruling factions of the whole Principality. But as the years progressed, and Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh, the Peaceful Princept, grew in confidence and skill, the group began a steady transformation and the spies began to return to the shadows… |
| New Earth Hegemony: Long since lost to history, the NEH once claimed the entire center sphere of the Galaxy as their home. Characterized by a neoliberal policies and the deep belief in technological solutions, the nation was key to the slow destruction of the ancient Divine Fleet, a predecessor to the Divine Free States (itself half of the Divine Principality’s founding membership). |
Persons
| Ce Gull (they/he): A scout who grew up on a Nidean outpost and joined up with Millennium Break after their home was destroyed by Stel Orio. They’re working on their skills as a gardener. |
| Caeso Wair (he/him): A horse, a cannon, a quiet confidence. There are many ways to be a cowboy. |
| The News of Her Arrival Flowed Between the People of the Village Like ⸢Wine⸣, Rich and Intoxicating (they/them): “Excerpt” of the seemingly absence Divine, Bounty. Excerpts are, of course, like Elects or Candidates before them, except they’re egotistical enough that they have to think of themselves as priests instead of pilots. |
| Broadleaf (he/him): A musician and aspiring chef who towers above others in an elephantine frame. Perhaps you might call him |the heart of this crew. A dreamer, for sure. |
| Lishan Charles (she/her): Seneschal of Eversin, serving as local steward and sheriff, reporting up to the occupying Curtain forces if “trouble” arises. |
| Doctor J (he/him): Eversin’s doctor. Lover of Basketball, the most popular sport on Palisade. |
| Tivanon (he/him): An anxious merchant in Eversin’s market. |
| Tzion Archana (he/him): A Concretist mechanic and technician. Very savvy. |
| Gastone Ol'D'Cassino (he/him): The shady owner of Braunton’s casino. |
Locations
| The Bontive Valley: When the fledgling Divine Principality left Palisade—for reasons unknown by most—those few who refused to leave (unwilling to see themselves become part of a new empire) remained in quiet isolation, blessed by the gifts of the Divine Bounty. Where that Divine is now remains a mystery. |
| Eversin: A small town in the Bontive Valley under Curtain occupation. |
| Shale Belt: On the world of Moonlock, deep in the Twilight Mirage, an industrial accident altered a the respiratory needs of one group of colonists, requiring them (and their descendents) to breathe in special particulates emanated from the town’s unique construction materials. The inhabitants of the Shale Belt, the secular and technologically-minded Concretists, are descendants of those colonists, and chose to remain on Palisade rather than join the nascent Divine Principality when it left 5000 years ago. Over the years, not only did they develop new, more-integrated respiratory cybernetics as medical aids, they also built bonds with nearby regions to ensure that the materials they needed to breathe more comfortably would be integrated into local infrastructure. |
| Braunton: A run down casino town in the Shale Belt, near to the border with the Bontive Valley. |
Articles
| BigStar★: A large wagon drawn by a pair of massive slowderbikes. |
Miscellany
| Kalmeria Particle: A so-called miracle of modern science, providing those that master it power akin to what was wielded before the Perennial Wave. Like most miracles, there is an explanation, but most people have neither the knowledge of nor interest in what it really is or where it came from. Some know that it is named for the rogue engineer Kal’Mera Broun, but few know that it is the result not only of their research into the divine Asepsis, but also the particular consequences of Millennium Break’s battle with Motion and her siphoning of so-called “Autonomy Itself.” |
Plot
Continuing his work in Eversin, Caeso Wair wants to fix a large support pillar in the market square, but is stopped by Tivanon, a local trader. Since Eversin has already put in a request to have it repaired by the Curtain, they will be suspicious about any ‘unauthorized repairs’ done before they get to it. As a workaround, Caeso works with him to repair the larger beam and damage a smaller one to account for the one they reported. Meanwhile, Ce Gull acts as an assistant for Doctor J, helping him collect local herbs while learning from him about them. With Ce’s assistance, Doctor J is able to catch up on his work at the Clinic.
After several weeks in Eversin, the BigStar★ leaves for their next stop, Tivanon temporarily joining their crew to carry supplies to the next town. With the change in load, the BigStar★ breaks down before they reach the next town, requiring them to bring it to a local mechanic, Tzion Archana. Tzion immediately pegs the group as Millennium Break, and joins the caravan, as he doesn’t think the BigStar★ can be kept running on their current parts alone.
The BigStar★ arrives in Braunton, a casino town in the Shale Belt that is populated by Concretists, where Curtain soldiers often take leave. Broadleaf hosts a dinner to gather local workers together, and Wine discovers this used to be a union mining town. Caeso and Wine work on clearing out the abandoned mine so it can be used to stockpile supplies where Curtain forces can’t find them, and to act as a shelter if and when fighting begins in the area. Wine reveals that Bounty faded away during the invasion of the Bontive Valley, as it was spread out over the area; they use the last of their connection to Bounty to make food (mainly mushrooms) grow in the rebuilt mines.
Caeso is approached by Gastone Ol'D'Cassino to repair his expensive watch. Caeso agrees, but is unable to fully repair it. Gastone is the mayor, and has set this up as a ruse to kick out Millennium Break by publicly claiming they stole the watch from him and forcing them to leave. Tivanon stays back, planning on catching another caravan back to the Bontive Valley, and Ce invites along Highway Nine, a local tag-along who wants to join them to their next destination.
Cast
- Austin Walker (⸢Wine⸣)
- Art Martinez-Tebbel (Broadleaf)
- Ali Acampora (Ce Gull)
- Janine Hawkins (Caeso Wair)
Other Characters
- Highway Nine