PARTIZAN 46: Operation Shackled Sun: Act 2: The Gate

With Kalar and the Figure in Bismuth rescued from the Pact and their apparently game-changing intelligence delivered—albeit cut in two and sent to different people—Millennium Break is ready to confront operation Shackled Sun directly. As such, the Company of the Spade and the Blue Channel lead an a 1-in-1000 attack against the secret Portcullis gate deep within the heart of Girandole. Can the group make it through the chemical clouds of the gas giant, board the enemy station, and stop the Pact's plan in its track? And more importantly: Win or lose, how will the world see them as they do it?

This week on PARTIZAN: The Gate

///Operation Dossier\\\

//Organizations\\

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. Currently, the Curtain is most firmly aligned with Kesh and Nideo, and fights in an open war against the Pact of Necessary Venture and Millennium Break.

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.

Currently, the Pact has finds its greatest support from members of Columnar and Apostolos. They are in a state of open conflict against the Curtain and Millennium Break.

Millennium Break: Dissidents, idealogues, rebels, and mercenaries. Even now, they agree on little, except this: It is time for a new Millennium.

GLORY: With the help of advanced Columnar cloning science, the Glory Project (or simply GLORY), claims to have resurrected (and made immortal) heroes of the nation's past called Eidolons. On Partizan, they field Kleos, Apothesa, Vervain, and the squad's leader: Laurel, elect of Motion.

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.

//People\\

Logos Kantel (they/them): The prophet who, it is said, brought life to the once barren moon of Partizan. For nearly 1000 years, they have been held as prisoner by the Curtain in the depths of a prison underneath the Chasmata Quarry. Now, "rescued" by the Pact of Necessary Venture, they are being led to a secret facility inside of a hidden Portcullis, deep in the depths of Girandole, where they will be able to reach out to their god for aid. Little do they know, the Pact of Necessary Venture is poised to enslave the being that comes through the gate.

The Witch in Glass (she/her): A former scion of Kesh who, after knitting a bond with the adversary Perennial, came into control of the body of the Divine Past. Now scours Partizan for the lost, injured, and unsure, recruiting them into her growing city-state. A shaky ally of Millennium Break. Haunted by an old foe.

Gur Sevraq (he/them): Once the Leader of the Church of the Resin Heart, now a discontinuous prophet: One self welded to the consciousness of their greatest living rival, the other a representative of everything he once opposed. Once controlled the Divine Future, but that was lost to Stel Nideo after his great fall.

Cas'alear Rizah (cas/cas', they/them): Leader of the Swordbreakers, sibling of the Glorious Princept. 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. Was badly wounded in the defense against Motion and GLORY in Auspice, and now, through a combination of the Witch in Glass' gifts and ongoing rehabilitation, is working to return to fighting form.

Laurel (they/them): Elect of Motion, new mortal leader of GLORY, and a clone of Cassander Timaeus Berenice, an Apostolosian war hero of the Golden era. Recently selected by Motion as her new elect, catapulting them to leadership. They have served well, with a remarkable propensity for strategic thinking and tactical execution. Pilots the Demiurgos.

Vervain (they/them): Member of GLORY, clone of their Apostolosian tragic hero namesake, and a bright reflection of Ver'Million Blue. Using their Divine, the historic Vervain was able to predict enemy movements and turn the tide of battles with uncanny strategic foresight.

Kleos (they/them): Skin is fully like a shiny maroon. Bright red cloak wrapped around neck and hanging back like a cape, totally topless otherwise. Khaki army pant capris, a spear slung over their back, and a heavy sidearm at their waist. Pilots the Epoche.

Apothesa (they/them): Former field commander of GLORY's main Hallow unit. Supposedly a clone of the ancient (perhaps even mythical) eidolon of construction, military action, and history. They have big team-parent energy. Long wavy hair, perfectly kept pilot uniform, stern features, sterner attitude. Pilots the Aporia.

//Places\\

Girandole: The massive gas giant around which Partizan orbits. Deep within its gaseous storms rests a secret Portcullis which leads towards the space sector containing the Nobel homeworld and Autonomy Itself.

The Reflecting Pool: The city that has emerged inside of the Divine Past's body, led by the Witch in Glass. Its citizens come from every walk of life on Partizan, all united in the desire to leave the past behind and start a new life. Currently being used as a flagship for the allied forces of Millennium Break and the Witch in Glass.

Obelle: A small, seaside town between Apostolos territory to the north and the independent lands of the Prophet's Path to the south. Once a sleepy agricultural town with tiny small tourist industry, it became the starting place of the now all-consuming war on Partizan when the Divine Past was driven into the sands west of the town.

//Divines\\

The Divine Space (it/its): Key to the Portcullis system's galactic operations, the Divine Space not only can step in to manage the opening and closing of the gates, but more importantly, tracks and monitors everything that moves from one Portcullis to another, giving Stel Orion, the Pact of Necessary Venture, and its elect Rye a serious advantage in all matters strategic and logistical.

The Divine Motion (she/her): Long after enemy fuel tanks run empty, Motion continues to power Apostolosian machines of war (like its infamous retinue, the Black Century) and service (including the massive Barranca Loop that allows Apostolos to regularly launch ships spaceward). Ver'MIllion Blue's rival. Has taken a new elect, Laurel, a clone of the Apostolosian war hero Cassander Timaeus Berenice, a young, yet intuitive Apostolosian commander known to be attentive and authoritative in equal measure.

//Things\\

The Demiurgos (aka "The Demiurge," Laurel's mech): A Pneuma model (see below) which has been modified using cutting edge research and materials, including recovered parts of the supposed "exemplar," Branched materials, stabilized Perennial Wave particles, and, of course, Motion's own divine power.

The Blue Channel: Kal'Mera's Broun's corvette. Though it's rated for spaceflight and features a cargo space large enough to hold at least three hollows, it does not have the ability to break escape velocity on its own.

"Autonomy Itself"/"The True Divine"/The God of the Nobel/The God of Logos Kantel (they/them): Granted the power to transform Partizan into a living world to Logos Kantel 1000 years ago. Guided the Nobel and other cultures in the Scutum-Centaurus arm through the course of their history.

Operation Shackled Sun: An ongoing military operation led by Motion and her allies in the Pact of Necessary Venture. Through the use of a web of space stations called The Lattice, the Pact plans to capture the raw energy of the being that is worshipped as "Autonomy Itself."

The Portcullis System: Once, every 10 days, the Portcullis System activates. A hundred thousand of these massive structures, elongated, city-sized hexagons of stone and circuitry, shudder, shake, and howl all at once. And at the edge of every star system in the Divine Principality, a geyser of liquid energy, red and oppressive, explodes into darkness. Ships emerge from these crimson and white waves. Ships filled with medical supplies and mineral wealth, purveyors of faith and career politicians, censored information and refurbished war machines. The lifeblood of a vibrant, vicious empire.

Curtain Ideograms: A vast collection of graphic symbols and code words used by the Curtain to communicate information clandestinely.

//Additional Notes\\

ACT 1 SCORE

Challenge #1: Rescue Kalar and the Figure in Bismuth

Roll 1: Kalar: 3d6, 10 Cool (spinnable - SPUN: 13)

Roll 2: Figure: 3d6, 15 Doubt (LOCKED)

Roll 3: Thisbe: 3d6 11 Cool (Spinnable - LOCKED)

Roll 4: Phrygian: 3d6 9 Doubt (Spinnable - LOCKED)

Roll 5: Figure, 3d6, 7 Cool (Spinnable - LOCKED)

Roll 6: Kalar, 3d6: 11 Doubt (Spinnable - LOCKED)

Roll 7: Thisbe: 3d6, 13 Cool (Spinnable - LOCKED)

Roll 8: N/A

Total Cool: 44

Total Doubt: 35

Act 1 Total: 9 COOL

Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker)

Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Clare (@sylvisurfer), 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 and Austin Walker

Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp)

Text by Austin Walker

Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)

A transcription is available for this episode here.

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