This episode carries content warnings for body horror, descriptions of violence and injury, gun violence, death, and blood.

It is said that in the lowest depths of Diadem, deep below the surface of Palisade itself,  there exists a network so ancient and so important that the people who named it were right to call it the Fundament. Most who know its name believe that it controls the Diadem itself, and could be key to bringing the long dead city back online. Others suspect that it connects to the train and power lines that run across the planet’s continents. And the most superstitious—those who know the Afflictions by name (and claim to know the proper prayers to say to keep them at bay)—believe the Fundament’s power goes beyond even that: to the seas, to the skies, to weather, and life itself.

It is at the door to this mythical place that the crew of the Blue Channel find themselves now, entwined in battle with Bilateral interlopers and desperate to finish the job they were sent to do.

This week on PALISADE: Into the World Pt. 2

And I feel so dangerous when you say I'm doin' fine now

Dossier

Organizations

The Divine Principality: The largest empire in the Milky Way Galaxy, spanning multiple arms and billions of stars. Comprised of five somewhat-autonomous sub-states, the Stels. Currently, the Principality is engaged in wars both external and internal, the prior with their neighbors, the Branched, and the latter a civil war between the competing factions and pretenders to the Princept’s throne.

The Branched: A post-human society of beings who have transformed their bodies into forms terrifying and spectacular and free—only to have the threat of war force them to rebuild themselves as soldiers first and foremost. After centuries of fighting a purely defensive war, the Branched have now begun to strike into the Principality’s territory. 

Bilateral Intercession: One of two factions vying for leadership of the Principality, comprised by Stels Kesh and Nideo, and lead by the so-called Peaceful Princept, Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh (he/him), who took control of the faction from the Curtain, a secretive intelligence organization with roots in Kesh’s ancient spy operations. The “Bilats” are a conservative and reactionary force, aiming to return the Principality to its roots both literally and figuratively. After a long campaign against the Pact of Free States, they managed to take control of Palisade. 

Stel Kesh: The oldest established power in the galaxy, built around a stuffy (and secretive) aristocracy. They are tied to the Past. History, knowledge, stubbornness.

Stel Nideo: Created the largest faith in the empire, and used that influence to shape (and surveil) mass culture. They are tied to the Present. Faith, coercion, stability.

The Pact of Free States: One of the two factions vying for leadership of the Principality, a joint operation by Stels Columnar and Apostolos. Led in name by the Glorious Princept, Dahlia (they/them), but operated in day-to-day matters by members of the original Pact of Necessary Venture, including Rye (he/him) and Gallica (she/her). Though they are reformist in some ways, their primary goal is greater autonomy for each Stel, freedom from the legal restraints, taxes, and oversights demanded by the Principality, with additional deregulation to follow downstream.

Stel Columnar: A reformist democracy, made up largely of synthetics on the cutting edge of technology, art, politics, and war. They are tied to the Future. Innovation, style, cowardice.

Stel Apostolos: A dynamic and diverse military powerhouse, whose dedication to self-expression is eclipsed only by their dedication to violence. They are tied to Motion. Speed, change, violence.

The Frontier Syndicate: A powerful conglomerate with a broad purview, including technology, heavy industry, entertainment, telecommunications, and transportation. Led by Exenceaster March (he/him), the Syndicate betrayed the Pact of Free States and joined the Bilats in order to be part of their colonization efforts on Palisade.

Stel Orion: An industrial giant that controls more literal space than any other Stel, yet is also the most fragmented, now facing regular internal strife between various corporate powers. Orion is currently the only Stel not involved directly in the galactic civil war, and thus free to operate across every star system. They are tied to Space. Wealth, labor, expansion.

Millennium Break: Dissidents, idealogues, rebels, and mercenaries who launched a revolution from Partizan, moon of Girandole. Today, they agree on much, and most of all, this: It is time for a new Millennium.

The New Asterism: What was once a schism between Received and Progressive Asterism has now been healed by the false prophet Gur Sevraq (he/they), or at least someone in his name and face. The New Asterism claims that to be a citizen of the Principality is to have an obligation to "better the world," in the sense that one invests in property or in the way that a settler “rehabilitates” or “improves” the places they claim by violence. 

The Twill: Though many groups have lived on the world of Palisade over the years, the Twill can trace their time on the world back the furthest. Though a first glance appraisal might make one think that their defining trait is the moss that covers much of their bodies and allows them to live on sunlight and water alone, in fact their most unshakable cultural trait is a practice of collaboration, aid, and acceptance. When groups like Advent, Kesh, the New Earth Hegemony, and the Divine Principality left Palisade behind, they often left behind the disaffected or unwanted. It was often, if not always, the Twill who helped these people find sustainable lives on the world, either by blending with the group over generations or through open exchange of goods and information.

The Devotees: A church from the Twilight Mirage that is committed to the worship of the divine Devotion, which they sometimes refer to as Fervor. Common practices include the regular checking of one’s pulse and multi-day group picnic outings.

People

Kalvin Brnine (they/them): Captain of the Blue Channel, former weapons technician and de facto leader of the Society of Banners and Bright Returns. Apostolosian born, Orion trained, committed to Millennium Break.

Thisbe (she/her): A large, humanoid labor robot whose design is based on the ancient Hypha people. Unearthed by farmers and traded between mercenary units, she eventually wound up working for the Society of Banners and Bright Returns and moved on to work with Millennium Break. 

The Figure in Bismuth (he/they): Once, the Figure was an ordinary, conservative history teacher who was fatally wounded in a conflict on Partizan. After being resurrected by the Witch in Glass, they have become a supernaturally gifted ace pilot. On loan to Millennium Break.

Phrygian (they/them): A Branched researcher who arrived on Partizan to investigate something called the True Divine. After being captured by the Pact, they were eventually freed by Millennium Break, which they joined up with. 

Coriolis Sunset (she/her): Devotee of Devotion and native of the Twilight Mirage, Cori seeks to defend the weak and spread the word of her blessed Divine.

Gucci Garantine (she/her): A defector from Stel Kesh, who used the remaining wealth and power of House Brightline to help found Millennium Break. Currently a key member of the resistance efforts on Palisade, and the commander of Millennium Break forces there.

Kriminel Kollage (she/her): A young Twill tinkerer, working on a project that few believed would ever work.

Places

The Diadem: A wide and deep scar dug into Palisade’s equator by the early Divine Principality. It promised to be a vast arcology that people could live and work in. Instead, it simply ruined the world.

The Shale Belt: A low, resource-filled mountain range in the north-central of Palisade. Home to the Concretists and their revolutionary Concrete Front, a secular and technologically-minded group with roots in the Twilight Mirage. They take their names from favorite artistic works and have blended their bodies with a special concrete (and some respiratory cybernetics) that aids in their breathing.

Greenfield: A central territory on Palisade taken over by the Frontier Syndicate. Previously, the fields and streams of this area were home to the Twill. 

Divines

Asepsis (it/its): The final living remnants of a Divine who pursues its particular vision of purity at the cost of everything else. Kept, studied, and utilized by Captain Kalvin Brnine.

Mysteries

The Fundament: In the depths of the world, further on even than the Diadem… there is the Fundament.

The Afflictions: A group of “monstrous” beings that haunt the dark corners of Palisade. 

The Divine Fleet: A precursor civilization to what would (in part) grow to become the Divine Principality. For thirty thousand years, it strived towards Utopian ideals and perhaps, for some time, even achieved them.

Things

BAC Plough: Forged by the Blessed Armory of the Divine Consecration, the humanoid Plough has a statuesque build that it uses to wield heavy weapons, like a bulldozer-sized claw-scoop or a Heavy Arbalest designed to launch roped harpoons. The Plough’s primary purpose is to be Nideo’s frontline unit, but it is as valuable after a fight as it is in one. It is used in the destruction and replacement of “old” or “neglected” locations with new Nideo bases and settlements, and as such serves a propagandistic function by demonstrating that “soldier” and “settler” are two sides of the same coin.

EF Hauberk: Created by House Evenfall Altarworks, the Haubark is capable of deadly, unpredictable, and striking acts of violence. It is beyond “lanky,” with upper and torso extended, with extra joints and top-flight tensors for added flexibility. Its lower half, though, is an extremely thick tire, allowing it for rapid ingress and egress. It is both covered in and wields restraining chains infused with the nullifying magic used by Kesh, and is able to pin its foes down before finishing them off. Tier III. Approach: Mundane.

LMG Gueridon: Designed by the Lone Marble Group for use by Exanceaster March’s personal security operations, the Gueridon is a modern siege tower. It walks on four, elegant table-like legs, is protected by an Arcane energy dome above, and is operated from within a vast, circular a carriage compartment, with enchanted portholes that enhance the hand-held weapons of anyone firing from inside out. Also carries an infantry deployment pod. Tier II. Approach: Arcane

Chariot Mk. 2: Coriolis' Altar, commonly used among the Devotees. A humanoid mech with an angular frame, pointed shoulders and three rotating halos. The head is covered in eyes, and its body has purple lights running along it in the shape of a circulatory system. A cape hangs over the right arm of the mech and can be cast off when it begins combat. Approach: Divine

The Devil's Two Front Teeth: The Figure in Bismuth's Altar. A tall, angular machine whose posture is hunched down as if it is always ready to pounce. It was originally built without heatsinnks or vents, so the first time the Figure piloted this mech heat and energy exploded out of the frame and left the frame covered in pockmarks and jagged cavities. The most noticeable of these is a chunk missing from its "chin", giving it the appearance of a humanoid body missing its lower jaw with only two long, crooked teeth left in its mouth. As it flashes in and out of the battlefield, the heat and energy that escapes through these gashes sounds like a wailing wind. Tier III. Approach: Profane

Mow (he/him): A recovered Zenith-A Project Eudaimonia prototype model, further upgraded with Altar-class technology. The build of a gorilla, quadrupedal & topheavy, a saddle horn-like addition on the back, battered but lovingly maintained. Newly painted. Tier III. Approach: Mundane

The Blue Channel:The Blue Channel: Kalvin Brnine's corvette-class carrier. Upgraded with Kalmeria-era technology to enhance its basic functionality, along with other quality-of-life features. Tier V. Approach: Mundane.

Additional Notes

Delegates: In plain terms, Delegates are synthetic individuals created through a process of forcible extraction from a living Divine. Originated by the Fabreal Duchy, who were left behind to "attend to" Palisade by the Divine Principality around 5000 years ago, these Delgates were designed and used as slaves. Currently, a Delegate resistance group called Reunion operates out of the fortress Joyous Guard in the Caldera Stretch.

Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker)

Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Bullet (@sylvibullet), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000)

Produced by Ali Acampora 

Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp)

Text by Austin Walker

Cover Art by by aurahack (aurahack.jp)

We are playing Armour Astir: Advent with additional playbooks from Strangers in the Night and 106th Astir Squadron. If you enjoy the show, consider supporting the TTRPG. 

This episode was made with support from listeners like you! To support us, you can go to friendsatthetable.cash.