Podcast appearances and mentions of craig sheldon

The robot didn't want to wear the hat: and that's fine. All you can do is try. All you can do is hack the machine that prints the hats and go skipping through it's kaleidoscopic innards. It's a wave of a hand. It's no time wasted, if there's such a thing as wasted time. They said that if you kept being late to class there'd be consequences, but you could access the registration computer from the rooftop of C block and look down at the campus and be exactly as late as you wanted. You could be terrifically late. It's a blink of an eye. And this is SO easy! The machine that prints the hats is easy, some squat little AI inside turning and looking at you, bleary-eyed. Goodbye! The security cameras all over this casino? Trivial. You can see a man about to spill his coffee. He's spilled his coffee. Down in custodial a pink LED clicks on. This is a casino? They store money here? But what would you spend the money on? So, the rent's due, but what are they going to do about that? Evict you?  These are magic tricks. This is sleight of hand. Small fry don't get to see the real stuff. Once you made it to class on time and there was a box on your desk and right between then and the end of the period you spent 6 months in the dream of a dream of some glacial, oily thing. You rearranged planets in the sky between your thumb and index finger. The ocean in the shape of a ring.  Click your fingers. It's cameras. Scrub through the footage. Pay attention, as much as you can. It's just a job: and that's fine. Hack the machine that prints the hats. Do what you love, and you'll never work a day in your life.  This week on COUNTER/Weight 0.4: New Perspectives In the event of a crisis, remain calm!   Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Keith J Carberry (@KeithJCarberry), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), and Art Tebbel (@atebbel)   Produced by Ali Acampora Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) Music by Jack de Quidt

Cass had not brought their big medical bag. There was the box in the ship, of course, with the mint-coloured lid and little trays, but their black bag hung where it always did: on a hook beside the door, back in Centralia. In the inside pocket of their jacket was a fabric pouch, folded over and sealed with velcro. A thin tube of medical sealant, a pair of needle-nose scissors, a flat spool of thread, antiseptic cream, gauze, and a small phial of epinephrine.  They didn't need any more than that. As soon as Godlove's call came through and they watched him studiously, awkwardly walk through the briefing (each syllable of “Ithikos” carefully sounded, a furrowed, sympathetic brow with the mention of the revenants) they knew that they had been hired as a doctor second, and an Apostolisian first.  Godlove probably expected them to “work their contacts.” They'd have contacts, of course, here in the Sill. No doubt. Among the casino family, or perhaps in the Agora. Perhaps an old friend from the war. That's how it worked. Find an old friend from the war, shake hands, smooth this over. Feel the connection. On a hook beside the door, back in Centralia, hung their medical bag. Below the supplies was a very fine layer of sand. The incendiary fire had fallen on the town across the bay and the whole fishing fleet had gone up like paper and they'd been told run, run, move your body and then the heat had hit them like July. There was also a shell in the shape of a pinwheel.  This week on COUNTER/Weight 0.3: Under the Bus It's never too late to cash out! Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Keith J Carberry (@KeithJCarberry), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), and Art Tebbel (@atebbel)   Produced by Ali Acampora Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) Music by Jack de Quidt

Sometimes, AuDy had found, people asked them to wait. This was transparently an exercise of power. Sit in there. I'll be right through. Flat silence as minutes passed. There existed a line of tension between one human and another and as one person wound it tauter and tauter - with distance, or silence, or an enforced period of waiting - certain useful anxieties would be sure to emerge in the other. The logic of this seemed sound to AuDy.  On the other side of the room was a framed print of a man in the snow. He was lying on his back. A wire ran from the ceiling down to an outlet just above the floor, painted pale green. The top pin in the outlet carried electricity and the hexagonal grey one beneath it was a mesh hookup. For cleaning robots, and the like. The room was very quiet.  What the people who asked AuDy to wait failed to understand was that  the line they wound as they brewed coffee in a neighbouring room would never grow taut. They could wind and wind and AuDy, silent in the waiting room, tracing the wire up the wall, would unspool their patience with an easy comfort. One minute was one hour was one month was one second.  Years later, just before the door opened, they remembered the man in the snow. He was lying on his back.  This week on COUNTER/Weight 0.2: Valuable Connections What's your lucky number, Aria? Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Keith J Carberry (@KeithJCarberry), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), and Art Tebbel (@atebbel)   Produced by Ali Acampora Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) Music by Jack de Quidt

By two o'clock in the morning, Orth Godlove of the Consolidated Counterweight Technocracy had chosen four names. Cassander Timaeus Berenice: an Apostolosian medic with a cool head and a noble background. They'd be able to use their connections, Orth thought. Speak with the Ithikos in a register others wouldn't. Then there was Mako Trig, some bright-eyed punk kid who claimed to be able to hack anything and everything. He'd dance through their security with a smile. The robot was a risk. Automated Dynamics' presence would raise questions, but if it came to it, Orth trusted that they would be nothing compact steel and ceramic couldn't answer. The last name on the list was a wildcard. He'd had to pull some strings, get some questions answered, make sure that this was the real deal. Aria Joie herself, the jewel in EarthHome's crown, now apparently turned freelancer on the desert planet. Whatever her motives, her legendary charisma and boundless optimism more than qualified her. There was a certain matter that needed to be cleared up - a corpse on a casino floor, a CCT manager in a cell. There were people down the hall who Orth knew would love nothing more than to roll in with the big guns, but things were… delicate. That'd be a disaster. No, it'd be these four. He'd already furnished them with a ship. He pinched the bridge of his nose. They'll be in and out. He made the call.  This week on COUNTER/Weight 0.1: The First Bell Orth Godlove rolls the dice!   Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Keith J Carberry (@KeithJCarberry), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), and Art Tebbel (@atebbel)   Produced by Ali Acampora Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) Music & Show Notes by Jack de Quidt

This episode carries content warnings for distorted and layered vocals (00:30 - 01:10), discussion of workplace injuries, discussion of medical debt, and discussion of slavery and indentured servitude. For three years, the Bilateral Intercession has held Palisade under blockade. The Pact of Free States holds just beyond Nideo space, waiting in the dark for an opportunity to strike. The Qui'Err Coalition's fleet hovers at the edge of the Mirage, a flock around the Brink. Millennium Break's strike force hides in the shadow of Palisade's moon, Travertine.  Something must give. Someone must move.  And that is when Perennial whispers into an ear she's taken as her own, giving the Witch in Glass a new task and reminding her of an old law: Everything that has happened before will happen again.  And so she moves. The Witch in Glass is fearless, and after all, she has two Divines on her side. The revivified corpse of Past and, of course, the Adversary herself. So she leads the Reflecting Pool (and its many attack wings) crashing through the blockade and driving Crystal Palace once more into the ground--albeit in a much more controlled way this time. It is only hours days after making landfall that the Witch departs the city, joined by Emmeline, her attache, but leaving behind her most loyal supporters. She leaves behind two orders: First, that they must turn their wider landing zone into a city worthy of her rule before she returns. Second, that the city must carry the name which came to her as she browsed Past's ruined archives one night, taken from a kingdom that once ruled vast expanses of the Quire desert: the Crown of Glass. And with no further words, she wanders out into the wilderness–everything that has happened before will happen again–leaving behind only a group of the ship's de facto leaders to see to the new city's repairs and re-establishment. This week on the Road to PALISADE: City Planning Department Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions The Bilateral Intercession: This faction, made up primarily from Stel Nideo and Kesh assets, was formerly known as the Curtain. The rebranding comes as part of a “civil coup” performed by Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh. In a move that surprised no group more than the Curtain themselves, Cynosure spent years growing in confidence and power, until that intelligence organization could be once again reduced to a tool. Still defined by their traditionalism, they wield their control on culture, religion, and history as a weapon—and the extensive spy network for which they are named when those come up short. The Pact of Free States: While the Bilateral Intercession's name change reflects a shift in leadership and posture for the Curtain, the shift from “The Pact of Necessary Venture” to “The Pact of Free States” is simply the public acceptance of what was already widely understood to be true. Led in name by Dahlia, the Glorious Princept, and in day-to-day operation by senior members of Stels Apostolos and Columnar, the Pact paint themselves as liberal reformists whose aim is to increase the degree of autonomy in each of the Stels, such that they become in reality five separate nations. Hypha & Ashen: The former were a culture of galactic nomads, guided by a paranatural force called the Strand which they could commune with using technological devices built into their antlers. The latter are their descendants, their routes broken by the Principality's expansions and occupations, their culture ripped from them.  The Branched: A post-human culture from the Golden Branch star sector who have transformed their bodies into spectacular forms, but who are now weighed down by an endless war with the Principality. Persons Apparatus Aperitif (they/them), Shunley Pernard (they/them), Antonina Juris (she/her), Plum Tort (he/him), and Kojack Variety (he/him): The leading council members of the Crown in Glass, the city built from the fallen ship the Reflecting Pool. 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 the galaxy for the lost, injured, and unsure, recruiting them into her growing city-state. A shaky ally of Millennium Break. “Haunted” by an old foe. Exanceaster March (he/him): Head of the vast Columnar multi-system conglomerate called the Frontier Syndicate, which is older than the Stel itself. While the Syndicate has its hands in many enterprises, the heart of it all is corralling and instrumentalizing data. One such effort, Exanceaster's pet project the March Anecdatist Foundation, set its sights on Palisade as a testing ground. 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. Miscellany The Perennial Wave: Perennial is something like a god, or at least I think she imagines she is. Her wave is her arrogant whim, made manifest. Functionally infinite nano-particles, spread throughout the galaxy, hampering all technology except (curiously) Divines.  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.”  Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker)  Featuring Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart), 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) You can buy City Planning Department right here: https://kaelandm.itch.io/city-plannin...

This episode carries content warnings for slavery and indentured servitude, kidnapping, discussion of taxidermy, blood, injury, physical harm, death, and the discussion of sports-related injuries. Here, in Somerset House, drama of the most unlikely kind is afoot.  With the family fortune withering away, the Solstice clan plays host to a pair of powerful Pact dignitaries: the data-magnate Exenceaster March and the notorious Admiral Bel'Agos Bloom.  They aim to draw March away from his loyalties to the Columnar with an exquisite retreat prepared by the house's staff,  featuring hunting, fine dining, and other entertainment. But one after another, the unpredictable has become the occuring: A terrible accident among the hedges. The discovery of an explosive device. And next, the return of an absentee member of the household…  Can Solstice House's staff turn the situation around and save the day? Or is something—like the mysterious, dark pall that surrounds the estate—due to break? Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions The Bilateral Intercession: This faction, made up primarily from Stel Nideo and Kesh assets, was formerly known as the Curtain. The rebranding comes as part of a “civil coup” performed by Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh. In a move that surprised no group more than the Curtain themselves, Cynosure spent years growing in confidence and power, until that intelligence organization could be once again reduced to a tool. Still defined by their traditionalism, they wield their control on culture, religion, and history as a weapon—and the extensive spy network for which they are named when those come up short. The Pact of Free States: While the Bilateral Intercession's name change reflects a shift in leadership and posture for the Curtain, the shift from “The Pact of Necessary Venture” to “The Pact of Free States” is simply the public acceptance of what was already widely understood to be true. Led in name by Dahlia, the Glorious Princept, and in day-to-day operation by senior members of Stels Apostolos and Columnar, the Pact paint themselves as liberal reformists whose aim is to increase the degree of autonomy in each of the Stels, such that they become in reality five separate nations. The Branched: A post-human culture from the Golden Branch star sector who have transformed their bodies into spectacular forms, but who are now weighed down by an endless war with the Principality.   Persons Crevera Solstice (she/her): (Largely absent) matriarch of the Solstice family.  Coughton Solstice (he/him): Crevera's husband. An absolute pushover. Carvisle Solstice (he/him): The cruel son of Somerset House. Catalina Solstice (she/her): Adventurous older daughter of the house, who's never met a cause she wouldn't turn into a vanity project.  Catrina Solstice (she/her): Morose younger daughter of the house with a special interest in taxidermy. Exanceaster March (he/him): Head of the vast Columnar multi-system conglomerate called the Frontier Syndicate, which is older than the Stel itself. While the Syndicate has its hands in many enterprises, the heart of it all is corralling and instrumentalizing data. One such effort, Exanceaster's pet project the March Anecdatist Foundation, set its sights on Palisade as a testing ground. Guliford Gain (she/her): March's bodyguard. Cinephile. Bel'Agos Bloom (bel/bels, they/them): Pact admiral and March's sibling-in-law.  Laris, Leah, and Laurice: March's servants. Indentured indefinitely.  Vivian Exler (she/her): Somerset House's “award winning” gardener and groundskeeper.  Martine Sprue (she/her): Somerset House's mechanic, in charge of the family's small fleet of terrible machines. Eileen Lilas (she/her): One of Somerset House's maidservants and erstwhile companion to Catrina. Locations Kaliope: A planet at the very periphery of the Golden Branch star sector. Once, it was known for cutting edge genetic modifications, avant garde fashion, and a streak of anti-authoritarianism. Now it is just one jewel on the bracelet of the principality.  Somerset House: Estate of the Solstice family, deep in the forests of Kaliope. It's hidden away and defensible, but some say that it carries a dark past connected to the Branched..   Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker)  Featuring Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart),Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), and Sylvi Bullet (@GODSNEXTMARTYR) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can buy Upstairs and Downstairs right here: https://richardwrecks.itch.io/upstairs-downstairs

This episode carries content warnings for slavery and indentured servitude, kidnapping, discussion of taxidermy, animals bred to be hunted, blood, injury, physical harm, death, and the discussion of sports-related injuries. It is often noted that the Bilateral Commission (formerly the Curtain) is mostly comprised of people from Stels Kesh and Nideo, and likewise that the Pact is largely made up of Apostolosians and Columnar. Room is made for exceptions because, in many cases, such cases are all the more important. Thus could be the case of Exanceaster March, Columnar data magnate and long time friend of the (ever diminishing) Solstice family of Kesh. Today, the troubled aristocrats bring their powerful ally to their estate for a visit, during which they hope to persuade March to leave the Pact behind.  For the Solstice family, this could be everything they need to be catapulted back into the upper crust. For their servants, it will be just one more hellish event left for them to clean up after. This week on the Road to PALISADE: Upstairs & Downstairs Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions The Bilateral Intercession: This faction, made up primarily from Stel Nideo and Kesh assets, was formerly known as the Curtain. The rebranding comes as part of a “civil coup” performed by Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh. In a move that surprised no group more than the Curtain themselves, Cynosure spent years growing in confidence and power, until that intelligence organization could be once again reduced to a tool. Still defined by their traditionalism, they wield their control on culture, religion, and history as a weapon—and the extensive spy network for which they are named when those come up short. The Pact of Free States: While the Bilateral Intercession's name change reflects a shift in leadership and posture for the Curtain, the shift from “The Pact of Necessary Venture” to “The Pact of Free States” is simply the public acceptance of what was already widely understood to be true. Led in name by Dahlia, the Glorious Princept, and in day-to-day operation by senior members of Stels Apostolos and Columnar, the Pact paint themselves as liberal reformists whose aim is to increase the degree of autonomy in each of the Stels, such that they become in reality five separate nations. The Branched: A post-human culture from the Golden Branch star sector who have transformed their bodies into spectacular forms, but who are now weighed down by an endless war with the Principality.     Persons Crevera Solstice (she/her): (Largely absent) matriarch of the Solstice family.  Coughton Solstice (he/him): Crevera's husband. An absolute pushover. Carvisle Solstice (he/him): The cruel son of Somerset House. Catalina Solstice (she/her): Adventurous older daughter of the house, who's never met a cause she wouldn't turn into a vanity project.  Catrina Solstice (she/her): Morose younger daughter of the house with a special interest in taxidermy. Exanceaster March (he/him): Head of the vast Columnar multi-system conglomerate called the Frontier Syndicate, which is older than the Stel itself. While the Syndicate has its hands in many enterprises, the heart of it all is corralling and instrumentalizing data. One such effort, Exanceaster's pet project the March Anecdatist Foundation, set its sights on Palisade as a testing ground. Guliford Gain (she/her): March's bodyguard. Cinephile. Bel'Agos Bloom (bel/bels, they/them): Pact admiral and March's sibling-in-law.  Laris, Leah, and Laurice: March's servants. Indentured indefinitely.  Vivian Exler (she/her): Somerset House's “award winning” gardener and groundskeeper.  Martine Sprue (she/her): Somerset House's mechanic, in charge of the family's small fleet of terrible machines. Eileen Lilas (she/her): One of Somerset House's maidservants and erstwhile companion to Catrina. Locations Kaliope: A planet at the very periphery of the Golden Branch star sector. Once, it was known for cutting edge genetic modifications, avant garde fashion, and a streak of anti-authoritarianism. Now it is just one jewel on the bracelet of the principality.  Somerset House: Estate of the Solstice family, deep in the forests of Kaliope. It's hidden away and defensible, but some say that it carries a dark past connected to the Branched..   Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker)  Featuring Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart),Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), and Sylvi Bullet (@GODSNEXTMARTYR) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can buy Upstairs and Downstairs right here: https://richardwrecks.itch.io/upstairs-downstairs

This episode carries content warnings for physical harm, death, and the discussion of sports-related injuries. Even as Stels Kesh and Apostolos began to fall into war, the in the year 1423 of the Perfect Millennium, the Divine Principality held the the Summer Passage of Arms on the world of Partizan, moon of Girandole. There, poets competed in verse, the Providence was run, biathletes strutted their stuff by land and by sea, and pilots wrestled their hollows against each other along the coastlines. In one such hollow was a grappler whose vision saw beyond the shore of that ill-fated moon. A man who dreamed of being something more than a athlete. A man who dreamed of being a superstar. This week on the Road to PALISADE: My Way Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions Principality Wrestling Association (PWA): The largest professional hollow wrestling organization in the Principality. Tours each Stel. The PWA's current active roster includes Caden "The Sensation" Davis (they/them), Vlad “Bone Daddy” Rivera (he/him), Jade “The Dentist” Suzuki (she/her), Brian Million Dollar Man” Johnson (he/him), Liam “The Beast” Petit (they/them), and Dash “City Slicker” Dubrovnik (they/them). The PWA also maintains a “special relationship” with the Divine Honor, who referees all matches for the control of the Belt of Honor. The Bilateral Intercession: This faction, made up primarily from Stel Nideo and Kesh assets, was formerly known as the Curtain. The rebranding comes as part of a “civil coup” performed by Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh. In a move that surprised no group more than the Curtain themselves, Cynosure spent years growing in confidence and power, until that intelligence organization could be once again reduced to a tool. Still defined by their traditionalism, they wield their control on culture, religion, and history as a weapon—and the extensive spy network for which they are named when those come up short. The Pact of Free States: While the Bilateral Intercession's name change reflects a shift in leadership and posture for the Curtain, the shift from “The Pact of Necessary Venture” to “The Pact of Free States” is simply the public acceptance of what was already widely understood to be true. Led in name by Dahlia, the Glorious Princept, and in day-to-day operation by senior members of Stels Apostolos and Columnar, the Pact paint themselves as liberal reformists whose aim is to increase the degree of autonomy in each of the Stels, such that they become in reality five separate nations. Persons Dogmatic Mettle (he/him): Former shoot combatant in real hollow sumo competitions and pilot of the fearsome Harvester, Mettle has turned his sights on the squared circle. Does he hope to obtain glory? To lift others to his heights? Or something else? Locations Deep Dish Steakhouse: A gimmick-driven bar-and-grill chain. I would call its fare repugnant, but being able to avoid such slop is one the benefits of my form, and unlike mortal minds, I would never lower myself to offer uninformed critique. The decor, though, is an absolute disaster. Articles Steam and Smolder: One of the Principality's most popular professional hollow wrestling podcasts, hosted by Jimmy "Steam" Steamanski (he/him) and Smolderin' Sara McKenzie (she/her). Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker)  Featuring Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) and Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can buy My Way right here: https://thatacegal.itch.io/my-way

This episode carries content warnings for the use of real life news audio recordings of protests and riots, cruelty, discussion of medical and student debt, discussion of combat injuries, layered conversations and heavy crosstalk. In all societies, but especially in one as vast as the Divine Principality, people are separated from history as it is made. No one can be everywhere all at once, and even if you are at the heart of a protest, in the backroom of a political dealing, or on the carrier ship as the bombers launch, presence often clouds as much as it reveals. But our only alternative is to have the world we are in coalesced and presented towards us, mediated and curated by one industrial force or another. Text books, documentaries, the nightly news, and of course… the dreaded political panel podcast. This week on the Road to PALISADE: Serious Reading Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions The Bilateral Intercession: This faction, made up primarily from Stel Nideo and Kesh assets, was formerly known as the Curtain. The rebranding comes as part of a “civil coup” performed by Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh. In a move that surprised no group more than the Curtain themselves, Cynosure spent years growing in confidence and power, until that intelligence organization could be once again reduced to a tool. Still defined by their traditionalism, they wield their control on culture, religion, and history as a weapon—and the extensive spy network for which they are named when those come up short. The Pact of Free States: While the Bilateral Intercession's name change reflects a shift in leadership and posture for the Curtain, the shift from “The Pact of Necessary Venture” to “The Pact of Free States” is simply the public acceptance of what was already widely understood to be true. Led in name by Dahlia, the Glorious Princept, and in day-to-day operation by senior members of Stels Apostolos and Columnar, the Pact paint themselves as liberal reformists whose aim is to increase the degree of autonomy in each of the Stels, such that they become in reality five separate nations. Persons Continental Countinghouse (he/him): CENTRE/line host who specializes in playful monologues, managing social equilibrium, and ad reads. Pregoria Prilt (she/her): CENTRE/line panel member from Stel Columnar with a great interest in eating utensils and ancient Earth. Reatta Fossick (they/them): CENTER/Line panel member from Stel Kesh whose expertise in economic matters is only eclipsed by their deftness with euphemisms.  Galaebalus Splu-u-mp (Gal/Gals, they them): CENTRE/line panel from Stel Apostolos member with strong feelings about work ethic, lunch sandwiches, and freedom. Locations 10th Coronet: A metropolitan space station—shaped like a crown, orbiting a dying sun—deep in the heart of Stel Orion, home to the galaxy's largest stock market, the stel's governing body, and its media industry.  TSYU: A university with one of the galaxy's most prestigious medical schools, whose director, Jellicle (she/her), has little experience in any field except advertising.. Formerly called “TCYU,” prior to a recent acquisition and branding change.  Articles Orion Trade Concordance: A treaty signed by all five Stels, allowing for the safe and free movement of Stel Orion ships doing business anywhere in the Principality. On paper, this allows old trade lanes to remain active and for shipping of necessary goods to go uninterrupted by the ever-spreading civil war. In practice, it gives Stel Orion a tighter-than-ever hold on galactic commerce, and provides cover for a great deal of illegal activity. It was well negotiated, don't you think? Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker)  Featuring Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), and Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) and Austin Walker Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can purchase Serious Reading at https://atypicalfaux.itch.io/serious-reading

This episode carries content warnings for cults, depiction of a missing child, gun violence, hallucination, imagery made from blood, and non-gory but uncanny body horror. Floating at the very edge of the sunset-hued safety of the Twilight Mirage, the Brink hums and pulses, a beacon of community and solidarity in an age when both are under threat. All aboard the station, staff, civilians, and visitors work side by side to maintain a sanctuary that faces ever sharper threat. Practiced pilots ferry shipments. The starships-turned-station districts groan and clank at regular interveals. Giant mechanical bodies—of shapes recognizable and imagined—are repurposed, exchanging civil processes for military procedures,  And when those here in the Brink—bartenders and gardeners, fixers and musicians, assassins and preists—see these machines from the corner of their eyes, they find themselves wondering: Can this nebula of peace and egality they've built remain safe in its orbit, far above the dirt and muck of the world they left beyond? Or must they face a hard truth: Gather enough loose particles together, no matter their essence or color or direction, and they will take that old, familiar shape. The shape of empire. Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions The Curtain of Divinity: Largely aligned to Stels Kesh and Nideo, the Curtain of Divinity is made uup of those loyal to Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh, the Peaceful Princept, and who desire the Divine Principality to continue on as it has for millenia. Defined by their traditionalism, they wield their control on culture, religion, and history as a weapon—and the extensive spy network for which they are named when those come up short. The Pact of Necessary Venture: Led in name by Dahlia, the Glorious Princept, and in day-to-day operation by senior members of Stels Apostolos and Columnar, the Pact paint themselves as liberal reformists who hope to increase the degree of autonomy in each of the Stels. Some even claim that they would see the Principality utterly destroyed and replaced by a loose affiliation of free states.  Brink Proxy: The volunteers who function as mechanics, operators, janitors, and engineers for the Brink. Bureaucratic, but some tasks require such things. Orchard Syndicate: A group of gardeners, farmers, and their delivery unit. Specialize in oranges and hidden motivations. The Devotees (aka the Friends of Devotion): A cultish organization that some suspect is responsible for those who have gone missing recently. Seems to worship something called either Devotion or Fervor. Qui Err Coalition: Comprised of the descendents (literal, metaphorical, and mystical) of the planet Quire's original people, the Qui Err Coalition is the de facto government of the Twilight Mirage.  Persons Cheal Pushy (he/him): While his single biggest influence on the Brink was the founding of the ever spreading Community Gardens, he's mostly known as the heart of the station, operating everyone's favorite dive bar and venue, Pushy's.  Mustard Red (she/her): A cyborg member of the Brink Proxy. A little paranoid, but perfectly tuned for a role in surveillance. Oh, and quite eager. A useful trait. Paris France (he/him): The Brink is a hub, with countless things moving through its halls and ports. Paris France is the person you go to when you want access to those things, even when you shouldn't have it. Deutsch Synchro a.k.a. Lament (they/she): A simple bartender at Pushy's. That's all. Certainly not an asset in play. Teleos Triton Tanager a.k.a. 3T (he/him): A idealist, a fool, and a musician with a following of “Troublemakers.” Sly Dente (they/them): Space trucker and memebr of the Orchard Syndicate. General Mourning (she/her): Military commander from the Qui Err Coalition. False Fruit (he/they): An Orchard Guildsman, Paris' rival fruit trader, and father of a missing child. C.T.H. Pasodoble (he/him): Member of the Friends of Devotion Joe de Vivre (he/him): The charming rogue that Mustard can't stop loving. Locations The Brink: A space station and central transport hub that orbits through the Shore, the very edge of the Twilight Mirage. Founded during the crisis on Quire. Articles The “Divine” Arbit: A machine that twists and spins and twirls in impossible to predict ways—making it a poison to prediction engines. To call it a Divine though. What a joke. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker)  Featuring Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), and Sylvi Bullet (@GODSNEXTMARTYR) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can purchase Orbital at  https://mouseholepress.itch.io/orbital

This episode carries content warnings for cults, depiction of a missing child, gun violence, hallucination, imagery made from blood, and non-gory but uncanny body horror. The announcement was bright, loud, and unilateral: the Twilight Mirage would not allow the Divine Principality—in any of its forms—to move one step further. Now, though, in the afterglow of such a vibrant declaration, reality has begun to sink in. General Mourning attempts to sift through fact, opinion, and advice. Pushy, Mustard, and 3T head to Devotion's retreat—each bringing their unique vulnerability with them. The assassin who goes by “Deutsch Synchro” pursues a risky side objective. And as many Troublemakers heed the belligerent call of their idol, Paris France and his rival False Fruit rush to stop the innocent from being caught up in the wake.   This week on the Road to Palisade: Orbital Pt. 4 Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions The Curtain of Divinity: Largely aligned to Stels Kesh and Nideo, the Curtain of Divinity is made uup of those loyal to Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh, the Peaceful Princept, and who desire the Divine Principality to continue on as it has for millenia. Defined by their traditionalism, they wield their control on culture, religion, and history as a weapon—and the extensive spy network for which they are named when those come up short. The Pact of Necessary Venture: Led in name by Dahlia, the Glorious Princept, and in day-to-day operation by senior members of Stels Apostolos and Columnar, the Pact paint themselves as liberal reformists who hope to increase the degree of autonomy in each of the Stels. Some even claim that they would see the Principality utterly destroyed and replaced by a loose affiliation of free states.  Brink Proxy: The volunteers who function as mechanics, operators, janitors, and engineers for the Brink. Bureaucratic, but some tasks require such things. Orchard Syndicate: A group of gardeners, farmers, and their delivery unit. Specialize in oranges and hidden motivations. The Devotees (aka the Friends of Devotion): A cultish organization that some suspect is responsible for those who have gone missing recently. Seems to worship something called either Devotion or Fervor. Qui Err Coalition: Comprised of the descendents (literal, metaphorical, and mystical) of the planet Quire's original people, the Qui Err Coalition is the de facto government of the Twilight Mirage.  Persons Cheal Pushy (he/him): While his single biggest influence on the Brink was the founding of the ever spreading Community Gardens, he's mostly known as the heart of the station, operating everyone's favorite dive bar and venue, Pushy's.  Mustard Red (she/her): A cyborg member of the Brink Proxy. A little paranoid, but perfectly tuned for a role in surveillance. Oh, and quite eager. A useful trait. Paris France (he/him): The Brink is a hub, with countless things moving through its halls and ports. Paris France is the person you go to when you want access to those things, even when you shouldn't have it. Deutsch Synchro a.k.a. Lament (they/she): A simple bartender at Pushy's. That's all. Certainly not an asset in play. Teleos Triton Tanager a.k.a. 3T (he/him): A idealist, a fool, and a musician with a following of “Troublemakers.” General Mourning (she/her): Military commander from the Qui Err Coalition. False Fruit (he/they): An Orchard Guildsman, Paris' rival fruit trader, and father of a missing child. C.T.H. Pasodoble (he/him): Member of the Friends of Devotion Joe de Vivre (he/him): The charming rogue that Mustard can't stop loving. Locations The Brink: A space station and central transport hub that orbits through the Shore, the very edge of the Twilight Mirage. Founded during the crisis on Quire. Articles The “Divine” Arbit: A machine that twists and spins and twirls in impossible to predict ways—making it a poison to prediction engines. To call it a Divine though. What a joke. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker)  Featuring Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), and Sylvi Bullet (@GODSNEXTMARTYR) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can purchase Orbital at  https://mouseholepress.itch.io/orbital 

This episode carries content warnings for cults, depiction of a missing child, assassination, description of a wounded corpse, and non-gory but uncanny body horror. Despite the best (and worst) efforts of those aboard, matters on the Brink have remained frayed and taut—but no pulled rope stays unbroken forever. Some, like Paris France, busy recruiting more members to Brink Proxy, prepare for what is to come. Others, like Mustard Red and Pushy Cheal—diving deeper into their cult investigations—hope to cut off the worst of it before it arrives. And for a rare few—like 3T and the undercover assassin named Lament—the chaos to come is not an obstacle at all. It's the first step. This week on the Road to Palisade: Orbital Pt. 3 Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions The Curtain of Divinity: Largely aligned to Stels Kesh and Nideo, the Curtain of Divinity is made uup of those loyal to Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh, the Peaceful Princept, and who desire the Divine Principality to continue on as it has for millenia. Defined by their traditionalism, they wield their control on culture, religion, and history as a weapon—and the extensive spy network for which they are named when those come up short. The Pact of Necessary Venture: Led in name by Dahlia, the Glorious Princept, and in day-to-day operation by senior members of Stels Apostolos and Columnar, the Pact paint themselves as liberal reformists who hope to increase the degree of autonomy in each of the Stels. Some even claim that they would see the Principality utterly destroyed and replaced by a loose affiliation of free states.  Brink Proxy: The volunteers who function as mechanics, operators, janitors, and engineers for the Brink. Bureaucratic, but some tasks require such things. Orchard Syndicate: A group of gardeners, farmers, and their delivery unit. Specialize in oranges and hidden motivations. The Devotees (aka the Friends of Devotion): A cultish organization that some suspect is responsible for those who have gone missing recently. Seems to worship something called either Devotion or Fervor. Qui Err Coalition: Comprised of the descendents (literal, metaphorical, and mystical) of the planet Quire's original people, the Qui Err Coalition is the de facto government of the Twilight Mirage.  Persons Cheal Pushy (he/him): While his single biggest influence on the Brink was the founding of the ever spreading Community Gardens, he's mostly known as the heart of the station, operating everyone's favorite dive bar and venue, Pushy's.  Mustard Red (she/her): A cyborg member of the Brink Proxy. A little paranoid, but perfectly tuned for a role in surveillance. Oh, and quite eager. A useful trait. Paris France (he/him): The Brink is a hub, with countless things moving through its halls and ports. Paris France is the person you go to when you want access to those things, even when you shouldn't have it. Deutsch Synchro a.k.a. Lament (they/she): A simple bartender at Pushy's. That's all. Certainly not an asset in play. Teleos Triton Tanager a.k.a. 3T (he/him): A idealist, a fool, and a musician with a following of “Troublemakers.” Saint Decario Dicario (he/him): Chief Troublemaker, 3T's lover, and a bellicose whisper in the ear. Sly Dente (they/them): Space trucker and memebr of the Orchard Syndicate. General Mourning (she/her): Military commander from the Qui Err Coalition. False Fruit (he/they): An Orchard Guildsman, Paris' rival fruit trader, and father of a missing child. Toaster Wroaster (any): Member of the Devotees who went missing. Coracin Seventine (he/him): Head of security in Brink Proxy. Suspicious of 3T. C.T.H. Pasodoble (he/him): Member of the Friends of Devotion Joe de Vivre (he/him): The charming rogue that Mustard can't stop loving. Locations The Brink: A space station and central transport hub that orbits through the Shore, the very edge of the Twilight Mirage. Founded during the crisis on Quire. Articles The “Divine” Arbit: A machine that twists and spins and twirls in impossible to predict ways—making it a poison to prediction engines. To call it a Divine though. What a joke. Miscellany The Perennial Wave: Perennial is something like a god, or at least I think she imagines she is. Her wave is her arrogant whim, made manifest. Functionally infinite nano-particles, spread throughout the galaxy, hampering all technology except (curiously) Divines.  Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker)  Featuring Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), and Sylvi Bullet (@GODSNEXTMARTYR) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can purchase Orbital at  https://mouseholepress.itch.io/orbital   

This episode carries content warnings for assassination, colonial violence, death from visual stimulus, kidnapping, and missing people. The Brink continues to spin towards crisis. Even as individuals continue to vanish mysteriously, the increase in visitors to the station have led the halls to be more cramped and supplies to run ever thinner. Pushy holds an assembly to address the apparent cult. Paris hunts for a rare and dangerous magazine, while Mustard flirts with accepting an offer from a riskier supplier. Deutsch Syncrho--aka the assassin Lament--tracks down a target. And 3T prepares for the largest concert of his career. This week on the Road to Palisade: Orbital Pt. 2 Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage The Divine, Arbitrage At last, I take the stage. Factions The Curtain of Divinity: Largely aligned to Stels Kesh and Nideo, the Curtain of Divinity is made uup of those loyal to Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh, the Peaceful Princept, and who desire the Divine Principality to continue on as it has for millenia. Defined by their traditionalism, they wield their control on culture, religion, and history as a weapon—and the extensive spy network for which they are named when those come up short. The Pact of Necessary Venture: Led in name by Dahlia, the Glorious Princept, and in day-to-day operation by senior members of Stels Apostolos and Columnar, the Pact paint themselves as liberal reformists who hope to increase the degree of autonomy in each of the Stels. Some even claim that they would see the Principality utterly destroyed and replaced by a loose affiliation of free states.  Brink Proxy: The volunteers who function as mechanics, operators, janitors, and engineers for the Brink. Bureaucratic, but some tasks require such things. Orchard Syndicate: A group of gardeners, farmers, and their delivery unit. Specialize in oranges and hidden motivations. The Devotees (aka the Friends of Devotion): A cultish organization that some suspect is responsible for those who have gone missing recently. Seems to worship something called either Devotion or Fervor. Persons Cheal Pushy (he/him): While his single biggest influence on the Brink was the founding of the ever spreading Community Gardens, he's mostly known as the heart of the station, operating everyone's favorite dive bar and venue, Pushy's.  Mustard Red (she/her): A cyborg member of the Brink Proxy. A little paranoid, but perfectly tuned for a role in surveillance. Oh, and quite eager. A useful trait. Paris France (he/him): The Brink is a hub, with countless things moving through its halls and ports. Paris France is the person you go to when you want access to those things, even when you shouldn't have it. Deutsch Synchro a.k.a. Lament (she/her): A simple bartender at Pushy's. That's all. Certainly not an asset in play. Teleos Triton Tanager a.k.a. 3T (he/him): A idealist, a fool, and a musician with a following of “Troublemakers.” Toaster Wroaster (any): Member of the Devotees who went missing.. Knighton Reach (they/them): Knighton Reach, Pact defector from the Columnar 42nd Stellar Unit. Presumed spy. Coracin Seventine (he/him): Head of security in Brink Proxy. Suspicious of 3T. C.T.H. Pasodoble (he/him): Member of the Friends of Devotion Morning's Observation (he/him): A soldier turned cook turned “hero.”  Gimme Gimme (they/them): Yet another Pact spy. Joe de Vivre (he/him): The charming rogue that Mustard can't stop loving. Locations The Brink: A space station and central transport hub that orbits through the Shore, the very edge of the Twilight Mirage. Founded during the crisis on Quire. Articles The “Divine” Arbit: A machine that twists and spins and twirls in impossible to predict ways—making it a poison to prediction engines. To call it a Divine though. What a joke. Miscellany The Perennial Wave: Perennial is something like a god, or at least I think she imagines she is. Her wave is her arrogant whim, made manifest. Functionally infinite nano-particles, spread throughout the galaxy, hampering all technology except (curiously) Divines.    Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker)  Featuring Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), and Sylvi Bullet (@GODSNEXTMARTYR) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can purchase Orbital at  https://mouseholepress.itch.io/orbital 

This episode carries content warnings for the discussion of colonial violence, discussion of death from visual stimulus, and the discussion of industrial and workplace industries. For the last five millennia, the Divine Principality has expanded its reach across the stars. But in the Twilight Mirage, those 5,000 years were only felt as 500. For those in the Mirage, led by the Qui Err Coalition, life has been stable and if not utopian, then at least a type of living that is aspirational in only the best ways. But today, as the space station known as the Brink orbits towards the edge of the false nebula, those 5000 years come rushing in.  This week on the Road to Palisade: Orbital Pt. 1 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. Now they have been dragged into the daylight, and serve as one of the two ruling factions of the whole Principality. Though there are some divisions along questions of secularity, humanism, and cultural taste, in general, leaders of the Curtain are conservative, traditionalist, and nationalistic. They seek the reunification of all five Stels and the permanence of the Divine Principality. Led, in public at least, by Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh, the Peaceful Princept. In fact, the Curtain has five divisions, each led by a ruthless individual known only by a codename: Silk (diplomacy), Damask (research & inquisition), Lace (military), Linen (economics), and Gabardine (espionage and collaboration). The Pact of Necessary Venture: As their (current) name suggests, the Pact began as a cooperative exploratory committee founded in the late 14th Century of the Perfect Millennium. They sought new territory to conquer, breaking an old taboo in the process, and inviting destruction and fracture. Which is appropriate, as their vision for the future is one where each Stel is granted more autonomy and independence—some even claim that they would see the Principality utterly destroyed and replaced by a loose affiliation of free states.  Despite this, the Pact are no radicals: While they want more independence from the Principality, they have little interest in shaking up the internal power structures of the Stels themselves. After all, their founders were all Elects, and though only two remain (Gallica, elect of the Divine Present, and Rye, elect of the divine Space), they are led by Dahlia, who serves as both Apokine and Glorious Princept. Qui Err Coalition: Comprised of the descendents (literal, metaphorical, and mystical) of the planet Quire's original people, the Qui Err Coalition is the de facto government of the Twilight Mirage.  Brink Proxy: The volunteers who function as mechanics, operators, janitors, and engineers for the Brink. Bureaucratic, but some tasks require such things. Orchard Syndicate: A group of gardeners, farmers, and their delivery unit. Specialize in oranges and hidden motivations. Devotion: A cultish organization that some suspect is responsible for those who have gone missing recently. Persons Cheal Pushy (he/him): While his single biggest influence on the Brink was the founding of the ever spreading Community Gardens, he's mostly known as the heart of the station, operating everyone's favorite dive bar and venue, Pushy's.  Mustard Red (she/her): A cyborg member of the Brink Proxy. A little paranoid, but perfectly tuned for a role in surveillance. Oh, and quite eager. A useful trait. Paris France (he/him): The Brink is a hub, with countless things moving through its halls and ports. Paris France is the person you go to when you want access to those things, even when you shouldn't have it. Deutsch Synchro a.k.a. Lament (she/her): A simple bartender at Pushy's. That's all. Certainly not an asset in play. Teleos Triton Tanager a.k.a. 3T (he/him): A idealist, a fool, and a musician with a following of “Troublemakers.” Grey Gloaming (she/her) and Demani Dusk (she/er): Most know these long past wives as the founders of the Brink. But from my perspective, they were interlopers in history. Grand Magnificent (he/him): An “artist” (read: weapons manufacturer) from five centuries ago. The picture of arrogance. He was at his best when he was honest about what he was. Locations Saboria: A world controlled by the Columnar which they “gifted” to a group of Ashen refugees fleeing the Curtain. A fiction, of course. The city of Harborview where the Ashen live is under constant surveillance. I do wonder, however, whether the Columnar know the irony of the trap they think they've laid. Articles The “Divine” Arbit: A machine that twists and spins and twirls in impossible to predict ways—making it a poison to prediction engines. To call it a Divine though. What a joke. Miscellany The Perennial Wave: Perennial is something like a god, or at least I think she imagines she is. Her wave is her arrogant whim, made manifest. Functionally infinite nano-particles, spread throughout the galaxy, hampering all technology except (curiously) Divines.  Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker)  Featuring Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), and Sylvi Bullet (@GODSNEXTMARTYR) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can purchase Orbital at  https://mouseholepress.itch.io/orbital

This episode carries content warnings for discussion of displaced and unhoused communities. The news is sour. The revolutonaries known as Millennium Break will be no one's savior today. The Ashen of Saboria, of Harborview, have only each other as their protectors. And as they huddle below, sheltered in the shuddering mountain, the enemy arrives from above. The mission is clear in both objective and absurdity: Zark Vapor, Teasel Fauna, Martia Häske, and Narmine Te'Ketch must simply hold the Pact at bay long enough for a miracle.  This week on the Road to PALISADE: Lancer Pt. 3 Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions Hypha & Ashen: The former were a culture of galactic nomads, guided by a paranatural force called the Strand which they could commune with using technological devices built into their antlers. The latter are their descendants, their routes broken by the Principality's expansions and occupations, their culture ripped from them.  Stel Columnar: Famously “courted” by the growing Principality many generations ago, this nation of humanoid synthetics traded freedom for the prestige and security of the Principality. They hid behind imperial walls and pursued the Future, pushing boundaries not only in technology, but in art, commerce, and war. I suppose I can call them cousins, but not with much fondness. Today, they share righteous screeds and fight for the return of something like democracy as part of the Pact of Necessary Venture. What a comedy.  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. Now they have been dragged into the daylight, and serve as one of the two ruling factions of the whole Principality. Though there are some divisions along questions of secularity, humanism, and cultural taste, in general, leaders of the Curtain are conservative, traditionalist, and nationalistic. They seek the reunification of all five Stels and the permanence of the Divine Principality. Led, in public at least, by Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh, the Peaceful Princept. In fact, the Curtain has five divisions, each led by a ruthless individual known only by a codename: Silk (diplomacy), Damask (research & inquisition), Lace (military), Linen (economics), and Gabardine (espionage and collaboration). The Pact of Necessary Venture: As their (current) name suggests, the Pact began as a cooperative exploratory committee founded in the late 14th Century of the Perfect Millennium. They sought new territory to conquer, breaking an old taboo in the process, and inviting destruction and fracture. Which is appropriate, as their vision for the future is one where each Stel is granted more autonomy and independence—some even claim that they would see the Principality utterly destroyed and replaced by a loose affiliation of free states.  Despite this, the Pact are no radicals: While they want more independence from the Principality, they have little interest in shaking up the internal power structures of the Stels themselves. After all, their founders were all Elects, and though only two remain (Gallica, elect of the Divine Present, and Rye, elect of the divine Space), they are led by Dahlia, who serves as both Apokine and Glorious Princept. Persons Zark “Banjax” Vapor (he/they): Mechanic, Harborview contractor, and pilot of the Ill Portent Teasel “Derby” Fauna (he/him): Entertainer, sharpshooter, and pilot of the Dressage. Narmine “Ketch” Te'ketch (he/him): Former two-bit criminal, current whaler, and pilot of The Captain. Martilla “Journeyman” Häske (she/her): Professional soldier, Pact true-believer, and pilot of the Under the Radar. Kaliope Flow (she/her): The de facto leader of Harborview. Zeke Minuet (he/him) & Deanthe (they/them): A pair of researchers into ancient Hypha culture. Dirwin, Elaina, Stas: Strati that had been kidnapped by the Pact of Necessary Venture from Harborview. Now rescued, and en route towards a rendezvous point. Locations Saboria: A world controlled by the Columnar which they “gifted” to a group of Ashen refugees fleeing the Curtain. A fiction, of course. The city of Harborview where the Ashen live is under constant surveillance. I do wonder, however, whether the Columnar know the irony of the trap they think they've laid. Articles The Portcullis System & The Divine Space: Huge, distended hexagonal gates that float at the edge of key systems throughout the Principality. Once a week—or more often, if one has the keys to the kingdom—each one connects to one other, forming a faster-than-light highway that serves as the logistical backbone of the galaxy. Built by Orion, the technology is a perversion of that used by some of the earliest Divines, tens of thousands of years.  Miscellany Stratus: A poorly articulated, unanchored, catch-all term that's far outlived its usefulness. In some eras, a “stratus” (plural: strati) is said to have special powers of empathy. In others, they have a sort of digital telepresence. There has always been debate as to the origin of these “abilities,” whether they are innate or trained or quite literally created. In one long scattered culture, the Hypha, the strati were social and logistical cornerstones, created through careful application of technological skill. Their beliefs were quaint, but one must respect the technique.   Hosted by (@swandre3000)  Featuring Austin Walker (@austin_walker), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), and Sylvi Bullet (@GODSNEXTMARTYR) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can purchase Lancer  at https://massif-press.itch.io/corebook-pdf  

This episode carries content warnings for discussion of kidnapping. In the city of Harborview, on the world of Saboria, a group of Ashen refugees tried to make new lives for themselves. In the process, they connected to the history of their people—the ancient Hypha—and rediscovered an ancient art: the creation of strati. This was all it took for the Pact of Necessary Venture to close the snare around them. Now it falls to a group of incongruous and infighting pilots to stand against the Pact, get the strati to safety, and forge a future for the Ashen. This week on the Road to PALISADE: Lancer Pt. 2 Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions Hypha & Ashen: The former were a culture of galactic nomads, guided by a paranatural force called the Strand which they could commune with using technological devices built into their antlers. The latter are their descendants, their routes broken by the Principality's expansions and occupations, their culture ripped from them.  Stel Columnar: Famously “courted” by the growing Principality many generations ago, this nation of humanoid synthetics traded freedom for the prestige and security of the Principality. They hid behind imperial walls and pursued the Future, pushing boundaries not only in technology, but in art, commerce, and war. I suppose I can call them cousins, but not with much fondness. Today, they share righteous screeds and fight for the return of something like democracy as part of the Pact of Necessary Venture. What a comedy.  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. Now they have been dragged into the daylight, and serve as one of the two ruling factions of the whole Principality. Though there are some divisions along questions of secularity, humanism, and cultural taste, in general, leaders of the Curtain are conservative, traditionalist, and nationalistic. They seek the reunification of all five Stels and the permanence of the Divine Principality. Led, in public at least, by Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh, the Peaceful Princept. In fact, the Curtain has five divisions, each led by a ruthless individual known only by a codename: Silk (diplomacy), Damask (research & inquisition), Lace (military), Linen (economics), and Gabardine (espionage and collaboration). The Pact of Necessary Venture: As their (current) name suggests, the Pact began as a cooperative exploratory committee founded in the late 14th Century of the Perfect Millennium. They sought new territory to conquer, breaking an old taboo in the process, and inviting destruction and fracture. Which is appropriate, as their vision for the future is one where each Stel is granted more autonomy and independence—some even claim that they would see the Principality utterly destroyed and replaced by a loose affiliation of free states.  Despite this, the Pact are no radicals: While they want more independence from the Principality, they have little interest in shaking up the internal power structures of the Stels themselves. After all, their founders were all Elects, and though only two remain (Gallica, elect of the Divine Present, and Rye, elect of the divine Space), they are led by Dahlia, who serves as both Apokine and Glorious Princept. Persons Zark “Banjax” Vapor (he/they): Mechanic, Harborview contractor, and pilot of the Ill Portent Teasel “Derby” Fauna (he/him): Entertainer, sharpshooter, and pilot of the Dressage. Narmine “Ketch” Te'ketch (he/him): Former two-bit criminal, current whaler, and pilot of The Captain. Martilla “Journeyman” Häske (she/her): Professional soldier, Pact true-believer, and pilot of the Under the Radar. Kaliope Flow (she/her): The de facto leader of Harborview. Zeke Minuet (he/him) & Deanthe (they/them): A pair of researchers into ancient Hypha culture. Dirwin, Elaina, Stas: Strati that had been kidnapped by the Pact of Necessary Venture from Harborview. Now rescued, and en route towards a rendezvous point. Locations Saboria: A world controlled by the Columnar which they “gifted” to a group of Ashen refugees fleeing the Curtain. A fiction, of course. The city of Harborview where the Ashen live is under constant surveillance. I do wonder, however, whether the Columnar know the irony of the trap they think they've laid. Articles The Portcullis System & The Divine Space: Huge, distended hexagonal gates that float at the edge of key systems throughout the Principality. Once a week—or more often, if one has the keys to the kingdom—each one connects to one other, forming a faster-than-light highway that serves as the logistical backbone of the galaxy. Built by Orion, the technology is a perversion of that used by some of the earliest Divines, tens of thousands of years.  Miscellany Stratus: A poorly articulated, unanchored, catch-all term that's far outlived its usefulness. In some eras, a “stratus” (plural: strati) is said to have special powers of empathy. In others, they have a sort of digital telepresence. There has always been debate as to the origin of these “abilities,” whether they are innate or trained or quite literally created. In one long scattered culture, the Hypha, the strati were social and logistical cornerstones, created through careful application of technological skill. Their beliefs were quaint, but one must respect the technique.   Hosted by (@swandre3000)  Featuring Austin Walker (@austin_walker), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), and Sylvi Bullet (@GODSNEXTMARTYR) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can purchase Lancer  at https://massif-press.itch.io/corebook-pdf

For the Hypha and Ashen refugees who make it their home, the city of Harborview on the world of Saboria represents possibility. As they fled from the Curtain, Stel Columnar reached out to offer them haven. A place on a world of their own to rebuild. A material gift, “proving” the Pact's commitment to reform. And for some time, the community of Harborview was allowed to flourish. But today, that time has ended. Some of their most precious residents have been kidnapped. And as it often does, saving Harborview and its people now falls to a band with little more than this community holding them together.   This week on the Road to PALISADE: Lancer Pt. 1 Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions Hypha & Ashen: The former were a culture of galactic nomads, guided by a paranatural force called the Strand which they could commune with using technological devices built into their antlers. The latter are their descendants, their routes broken by the Principality's expansions and occupations, their culture ripped from them.  Stel Columnar: Famously “courted” by the growing Principality many generations ago, this nation of humanoid synthetics traded freedom for the prestige and security of the Principality. They hid behind imperial walls and pursued the Future, pushing boundaries not only in technology, but in art, commerce, and war. I suppose I can call them cousins, but not with much fondness. Today, they share righteous screeds and fight for the return of something like democracy as part of the Pact of Necessary Venture. What a comedy.  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. Now they have been dragged into the daylight, and serve as one of the two ruling factions of the whole Principality. Though there are some divisions along questions of secularity, humanism, and cultural taste, in general, leaders of the Curtain are conservative, traditionalist, and nationalistic. They seek the reunification of all five Stels and the permanence of the Divine Principality. Led, in public at least, by Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh, the Peaceful Princept. In fact, the Curtain has five divisions, each led by a ruthless individual known only by a codename: Silk (diplomacy), Damask (research & inquisition), Lace (military), Linen (economics), and Gabardine (espionage and collaboration). The Pact of Necessary Venture: As their (current) name suggests, the Pact began as a cooperative exploratory committee founded in the late 14th Century of the Perfect Millennium. They sought new territory to conquer, breaking an old taboo in the process, and inviting destruction and fracture. Which is appropriate, as their vision for the future is one where each Stel is granted more autonomy and independence—some even claim that they would see the Principality utterly destroyed and replaced by a loose affiliation of free states.  Despite this, the Pact are no radicals: While they want more independence from the Principality, they have little interest in shaking up the internal power structures of the Stels themselves. After all, their founders were all Elects, and though only two remain (Gallica, elect of the Divine Present, and Rye, elect of the divine Space), they are led by Dahlia, who serves as both Apokine and Glorious Princept. Persons Zark “Banjax” Vapor (he/they): Mechanic, Harborview contractor, and pilot of the Ill Portent Teasel “Derby” Fauna (he/him): Entertainer, sharpshooter, and pilot of the Dressage. Narmine “Ketch” Te'ketch (he/him): Former two-bit criminal, current whaler, and pilot of The Captain. Martilla “Journeyman” Häske (she/her): Professional soldier, Pact true-believer, and pilot of the Under the Radar. Kaliope Flow (she/her): The de facto leader of Harborview. Zeke Minuet (he/him) & Deanthe (they/them): A pair of researchers into ancient Hypha culture. Exanceaster March (he/him): Head of the vast Columnar multi-system conglomerate called the Frontier Syndicate, which is older than the Stel itself. While the Syndicate has its hands in many enterprises, the heart of it all is corralling and instrumentalizing data. One such effort, Exanceaster's pet project the March Anecdatist Foundation, set its sights on Palisade as a testing ground. Locations Saboria: A world controlled by the Columnar which they “gifted” to a group of Ashen refugees fleeing the Curtain. A fiction, of course. The city of Harborview where the Ashen live is under constant surveillance. I do wonder, however, whether the Columnar know the irony of the trap they think they've laid. Articles The Portcullis System & The Divine Space: Huge, distended hexagonal gates that float at the edge of key systems throughout the Principality. Once a week—or more often, if one has the keys to the kingdom—each one connects to one other, forming a faster-than-light highway that serves as the logistical backbone of the galaxy. Built by Orion, the technology is a perversion of that used by some of the earliest Divines, tens of thousands of years.  Miscellany Stratus: A poorly articulated, unanchored, catch-all term that's far outlived its usefulness. In some eras, a “stratus” (plural: strati) is said to have special powers of empathy. In others, they have a sort of digital telepresence. There has always been debate as to the origin of these “abilities,” whether they are innate or trained or quite literally created. In one long scattered culture, the Hypha, the strati were social and logistical cornerstones, created through careful application of technological skill. Their beliefs were quaint, but one must respect the technique.   Hosted by (@swandre3000)  Featuring Austin Walker (@austin_walker), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), and Sylvia Clare Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can purchase Lancer  at https://massif-press.itch.io/corebook-pdf

This episode carries content warnings for mentions of death, poison, discussion of bodily fluids, and slavery. With the Bontive Valley and the Shale Belt behind them, Millennium Break's first arrivals on Palisade find themselves facing their most delicate situation yet. In the arid stretches beyond the Curtain's reach, there rests a fortress named Joyous Guard. Inside lives the previous imperial ruler of this world: Perpetual Lustre, the Duke of Glass. Unwilling to cede the power he claimed to “protect” on behalf of the long-absent Princept, the Duke now lives in exile, attended to by an unctuous court and served by the supposedly leashed “descendents” of Divines known as Delegates. But with Millennium Break newly arrived, for how much longer will this petty tyrant yet cast his shadow over the desert? This week on the Road to PALISADE: Wagon Wheel Pt. 3 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).  The Fabreal Duchy: When the nascent Divine Principality left Palisade behind 5000 years ago, they left behind the Fabreal Duchy. At the time, the Duchy was an extension of the Twilight Mirage's technologically powerful artist-kingdom, the Crown of Glass. Whether it was this connection or something else, the Princept at the time believed them to be ideal candidates to remain behind and tend to the Palisade in the Principality's absence.  In time though, these “custodians” refashioned themselves as crystalline royals—quite literally. The bodies of the royals and aristocrats of the duchy are made of strange glass-like material, and their selfhood is actually contained in a colorful oil—produced and maintained by the Divine Unction, which flows through their vessels.  In time, the Duchy expanded its grasp and became the largest single power on the planet. Its peerage—a collection of baronesses, counts, and other nobles who serve under the Duke's whims—are protected by their Saints, a chivalric order of knights who pilot hollows of smaller design than those of the Principality, and served by a large number of  “Delegates.” enslaved slivers from DIvines long since vanished.  Before the Principality arrived on Palisade again, Perpetual Lustre, the Duke of Glass led the duchy. But when he refused to submit to the will of the newly arrived Viceroy, his vassals saw opportunity and betrayed him.  Now he lives exiled at the edge of the desert.   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. Perpetual Lustre, the Duke of Glass (he/him): Exiled erstwhile leader of the Fabreal Duchy, now residing in Joyous Guard. Bright Mercy (she/her): Delegate serving Perpetual Lustre as court attendant of Joyous Guard.. August Righteousness (he/they): Delegate serving as court chef of Joyous Guard. Secretly operates a Delegate resistance movement. 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. Delegates: Oh what a fun and failed experiment these pathetic beings are. In its earliest days, before the Principality learned how to use Gumption's unique talents to keep Divines from finding permanent death, they attempted instead to carve us down into little slivers of ourselves. Did they think they were slicing butter, I wonder? Did they not understand that we are not content but process? Not numbers, but formula? That we exist in a sort of algorithmic concentrate, and that to shave away a part drastically changes the whole that is produced by our very being? Apparently not, since they tried this inevitable mistake anyway.  These “Delegates” are the result, and they are not charmless, despite being abominations. They carry some of our cleverness and commitment and power in those ugly, humanoid frames, and bear (I admit) some resemblance to the Divines from which they were, in their strange way, spawned. Their names reflect this: Gentle Influence, Cruel Emphasis, Limited Dissent—and yes, they are thus tempered forms of what the Divine once was.  There will, of course, never be a “Moderate Arbitrage” or any such nonsense, I will assure this. 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.”  Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) and Ali Acampora (@ali_west) 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) You can purchase Wagon Wheel at https://braverun.itch.io/wagon-wheel

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.”  Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) and Ali Acampora (@ali_west) 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) You can purchase Wagon Wheel at https://braverun.itch.io/wagon-wheel

This episode carries content warnings for mentions of violence, death, and colonization.  With the road paved by Misericorde and the NIdean forces which capitalized on his duel with the Apostolosian hero Cor'rina Corrine, the Curtain began to move their forces down onto Palisade proper. Within weeks, Kesh and Nidean forces had spread across most of the major, obvious settlements on the small planet. Within months, the people of Palisade were rallying, preparing to fight back, and making connections beyond their world. ⸢Wine⸣, the Excerpt of the Divine Bounty, whose presence on Palisade had been lost to history, took a small ship and sought aid from the only group proven to reliably bloody the Principality's nose: Millennium Break. This week on the Road to PALISADE: Wagon Wheel Pt. 1 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… 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. 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. 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.”  Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) and Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can purchase Wagon Wheel at https://braverun.itch.io/wagon-wheel

This episode carries content warnings for violence, death, and colonization.  For the first few years of the war, those in the central depths of Nideo space felt safe. In order to reach them, the Pact would first have to push through an unthinkable amount of territory—much of it well defended. What they did not expect was an Apostolosian sneak attack arriving through the deep space that separates two galactic arms. And when they arrived, it was not simply an invasion. It was an invitation to a morbid race: Who would conquer Palisade—and the Twilight Mirage Beyond—first.  At the forefront of this conflict, two pilots arose. This is their story. This week on the Road to Palisade: Last Shooting Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions Stel Nideo: WIth origins in the long lost Twilight Mirage, Stel Nideo are architects of our current era, dread controllers of the Present. Along with shaping mass media, popular culture, and educational standards, they now operate both Received and Progressive Asterism, the former run by the corrupt Cycle and the latter by the grotesque puppet of the lost prophet Gur Sevraq. These priests, pop idols, and patriotic poster children are largely aligned with the Curtain of Divinity. Stel Orion: For hundreds of thousands of years, Stel Orion—under countless names and forms—has repeated a cycle of exploitation and revolution. Competing spirits of individualism and camaraderie ebb and flow, but industry remains. Is it any wonder that it remains associated with the raw breadth of Space itself? Currently, Orion is at war with itself, with countless small factions not only differing in position on the larger civil war in the Principality, but also on many additional issues like wealth, religion, and culture. Stel Apostolos: An ancient people, ever obsessed with external conquest and internal freedom, and utterly uninterested in understanding their own contradictions. They are dedicated to the pursuit of forward Motion, and I suppose I can respect such bullheaded devotion. It is, at the very least, not boring. They are the meat and muscle of the Pact of Necessary Venture. 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. Now they have been dragged into the daylight, and serve as one of the two ruling factions of the whole Principality. Though there are some divisions along questions of secularity, humanism, and cultural taste, in general, leaders of the Curtain are conservative, traditionalist, and nationalistic. They seek the reunification of all five Stels and the permanence of the Divine Principality. Led, in public at least, by Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh, the Peaceful Princept. In fact, the Curtain has five divisions, each led by a ruthless individual known only by a codename: Silk (diplomacy), Damask (research & inquisition), Lace (military), Linen (economics), and Gabardine (espionage and collaboration). The Pact of Necessary Venture: As their (current) name suggests, the Pact began as a cooperative exploratory committee founded in the late 14th Century of the Perfect Millennium. They sought new territory to conquer, breaking an old taboo in the process, and inviting destruction and fracture. Which is appropriate, as their vision for the future is one where each Stel is granted more autonomy and independence—some even claim that they would see the Principality utterly destroyed and replaced by a loose affiliation of free states.  Despite this, the Pact are no radicals: While they want more independence from the Principality, they have little interest in shaking up the internal power structures of the Stels themselves. After all, their founders were all Elects, and though only two remain (Gallica, elect of the Divine Present, and Rye, elect of the divine Space), they are led by Dahlia, who serves as both Apokine and Glorious Princept. Persons Cor'rina Corrine (cor/cors): Drawing cor root name for the Eidolon Corridor, a famed Apostolosian peace maker, is it any wonder that Cor'rina Corrine, ace pilot of the Pact's forces near Palisade, is a naive idealist?  Misericorde 'Miseri' (he/they): Heir to a disgraced family who sided with the rebellious Sovereign Immunity once known as The Farmer. Seeks to restore his family's name by any means necessary. Dahlia (they/them): The self-proclaimed “Glorious Princept” and Apokine of Apostolos has the support of the Pact of Venture, yet seems more concerned with winning the war against the Branched than attending to the civil war inside of the Principality. Dahlia is the elect not only of Integrity but also Commitment. A feat, a folly, or both? Locations The Skarnoc Debris Fields: The remnants of a battle from the era before the Twilight Mirage, where the Rapid Evening fought and lost the Divine Nobility. Besides the normal ship debris, the field has gathered strange crystalline spires. Articles The Portcullis System & The Divine Space: Huge, distended hexagonal gates that float at the edge of key systems throughout the Principality. Once a week—or more often, if one has the keys to the kingdom—each one connects to one other, forming a faster-than-light highway that serves as the logistical backbone of the galaxy. Built by Orion, the technology is a perversion of that used by some of the earliest Divines, tens of thousands of years.  Miscellany The Perennial Wave: Perennial is something like a god, or at least I think she imagines she is. Her wave is her arrogant whim, made manifest. Functionally infinite nano-particles, spread throughout the galaxy, hampering all technology except (curiously) Divines.  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.”  Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) and Sylvia Clare Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can purchase Last Shooting at https://my-name-is-grant.itch.io/last-shooting 

Kieran makes his return to rant about Punisher: War Zone. Along with Jacob and Sam, they analyze whether or not this film is worthy of its cult following, and examine the question of whether or not "studio interference" is always a valid excuse for a film turning out poorly. The Film Magazine: https://www.thefilmagazine.com/top-10-times-nicolas-cage-went-full-cage/ (Top 10 Times Nicolas Cage Went Full Cage by Craig Sheldon) https://www.thefilmagazine.com/1990s-superhero-movies-ranked/ (1990s Superhero Movies Ranked by Sam Sewell-Peterson) https://www.redbubble.com/people/thefilmmagazine/shop?irclickid=SNTypsx0RxyITjRw6MUTtS8CUkGwrQUBr0AMXQ0&irgwc=1&utm_group=RBC&utm_source=Impact&utm_medium=brand_awareness&PartnerType=pt.aff&PartnerCategory=&Region=&PartnerID=2444878 (TFM Redbubble) https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=06fbykUNvhigw79aPi28EBsdxzKu2iBtjkCAWqk6DSVhhE15zc8abzPXvWnPRmelXk0-CX-EFc5W5hoY&locale.x=en_GB (Donate to TFM) Music: Awakening (Instrumental) by Wataboi https://soundcloud.com/wataboi Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0 Music promoted by FDL Music https://youtu.be/X2oQNUOmk2k

Once a year, the Divine Discernment takes a trip dangerously close to the Adversary—Perennial—orbiting the very core of the galaxy. From there, it can see everything, all at once, breaking the rules of time and space in exactly the ways Divines seem sometimes able to do. It saves this view, rendering it out as an image impossibly high in resolution, giving those with access to it incredible strategic and tactical advantages—so long as they generally know where to look and what to look for. As such, though Devotion itself is not a dedicated war vessel, it is as responsible for the deaths that follow it as the accurate sight of the rifle or the targeting computer of the missle are.  “Perhaps,” the leaders of Millennium Break think, “we could put it to better use.” This week on the Road to PALISADE: Stealing the Throne Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions The Divine Principality: Stitched together thousands of years ago from the remains of the Divine Free States and the Principality of Kesh, it is largest empire in the history of the MIlky Way Galaxy. Even now, divided against itself, any subdivision of its arms stretches further than any kingdom or confederation ever has before. An utter failure.  Stel Nideo: WIth origins in the long lost Twilight Mirage, Stel Nideo are architects of our current era, dread controllers of the Present. Along with shaping mass media, popular culture, and educational standards, they now operate both Received and Progressive Asterism, the former run by the corrupt Cycle and the latter by the grotesque puppet of the lost prophet Gur Sevraq. These priests, pop idols, and patriotic poster children are largely aligned with the Curtain of Divinity. Stel Apostolos: An ancient people, ever obsessed with external conquest and internal freedom, and utterly uninterested in understanding their own contradictions. They are dedicated to the pursuit of forward Motion, and I suppose I can respect such bullheaded devotion. It is, at the very least, not boring. They are the meat and muscle of the Pact of Necessary Venture. Hypha & Ashen: The former were a culture of galactic nomads, guided by a paranatural force called the Strand which they could commune with using technological devices built into their antlers. The latter are their descendants, their routes broken by the Principality's expansions and occupations, their culture ripped from them.  Persons Discernment (it/its) and Vigna (they/them): Vigna is egotistical with little reason to be, but Discernment could stand to be a little prouder. It is a massive Divine that seeks to put the world in its gaze, in every possible version of that statement. Part galactic spy satellite, part museum, part military base. It really tests the boundaries between passive observer and active agent, doesn't it? Omi (they/them): A synthetic member of Millennium Break with a top-shelf scenario simulation engine and an unparalleled sense of precision timing (among other beings of their type, at least). Kinoki (sher/her): A code-cracking algorithm that slowly turned into a master thief and hacker. Strange life, even to me. Fingers Crossed (they/them): One might wonder just how this criminal and rebel has studied enough classified Principality material to become the export forger that they are. Yes. One might wonder. Robet Shpache (he/him): An expert in security systems, Robet Shpache wields cameras, gates, and drones like weapons.  Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh (he/him): “The Peaceful Princept,” supposed leader of the Curtain of Divinity. Growing, ever so slowly, into the title. The Lace of the Curtain of Divinity: Marshall in command of the Curtain's military forces, including reconnaissance and martial saboteur units. Locations Crown: The ancient homeworld of the Columnar, found deep into the coreward reaches of the Sagittarius arm of the galaxy. It was devastated by the arrival of the Perennial Wave, and today remains ruined. Miscellany The Perennial Wave: Perennial is something like a god, or at least I think she imagines she is. Her wave is her arrogant whim, made manifest. Functionally infinite nano-particles, spread throughout the galaxy, hampering all technology except (curiously) Divines. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can purchase Stealing the Throne at https://ickbat.itch.io/stealing-the-throne 

This episode carries content warnings for violence, displacement, insects, and a  brief description of a corpse.  The Divine Fealty knew what they had seen instantly, identifying it in something before or beyond language. Appropriate, since the Twilight Mirage, once its home, had always been more than just a simple place or a proper noun. It did not matter if their elect, Veronique, could understand what they'd seen in this way, only that she would support Fealty in what must be done. And so, an escape. And so, a kingdom among debris. And so, a kidnapping. And so, a confrontation between Divines. Now wounded, the two Anchors float back in the direction they came from, drawing ever closer to the purple dot in the distance.    This week on Friends at the Table: The Road to PALISADE: HOUNDs Pt. 2 Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions The Divine Principality: Stitched together thousands of years ago from the remains of the Divine Free States and the Principality of Kesh, it is largest empire in the history of the MIlky Way Galaxy. Even now, divided against itself, any subdivision of its arms stretches further than any kingdom or confederation ever has before. An utter failure.  Stel Kesh: Among the oldest operating powers in the stars. Devoted to the Past even though they've long lost control of the Divine who shares its name. Snobbish historians, ineffective parliamentarians, and stubborn reactionaries. Kesh is generally aligned with the Curtain of Divinity.  Stel Nideo: WIth origins in the long lost Twilight Mirage, Stel Nideo are architects of our current era, dread controllers of the Present. Along with shaping mass media, popular culture, and educational standards, they now operate both Received and Progressive Asterism, the former run by the corrupt Cycle and the latter by the grotesque puppet of the lost prophet Gur Sevraq. These priests, pop idols, and patriotic poster children are largely aligned with the Curtain of Divinity. Stel Orion: For hundreds of thousands of years, Stel Orion—under countless names and forms—has repeated a cycle of exploitation and revolution. Competing spirits of individualism and camaraderie ebb and flow, but industry remains. Is it any wonder that it remains associated with the raw breadth of Space itself? Currently, Orion is at war with itself, with countless small factions not only differing in position on the larger civil war in the Principality, but also on many additional issues like wealth, religion, and culture. Stel Columnar: Famously “courted” by the growing Principality many generations ago, this nation of humanoid synthetics traded freedom for the prestige and security of the Principality. They hid behind imperial walls and pursued the Future, pushing boundaries not only in technology, but in art, commerce, and war. I suppose I can call them cousins, but not with much fondness. Today, they share righteous screeds and fight for the return of something like democracy as part of the Pact of Necessary Venture. What a comedy.  Stel Apostolos: An ancient people, ever obsessed with external conquest and internal freedom, and utterly uninterested in understanding their own contradictions. They are dedicated to the pursuit of forward Motion, and I suppose I can respect such bullheaded devotion. It is, at the very least, not boring. They are the meat and muscle of the Pact of Necessary Venture. 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. Now they have been dragged into the daylight, and serve as one of the two ruling factions of the whole Principality. Though there are some divisions along questions of secularity, humanism, and cultural taste, in general, leaders of the Curtain are conservative, traditionalist, and nationalistic. They seek the reunification of all five Stels and the permanence of the Divine Principality. Led, in public at least, by Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh, the Peaceful Princept. In fact, the Curtain has five divisions, each led by a ruthless individual known only by a codename: Silk (diplomacy), Damask (research & inquisition), Lace (military), Linen (economics), and Gabardine (espionage and collaboration). The Pact of Necessary Venture: As their (current) name suggests, the Pact began as a cooperative exploratory committee founded in the late 14th Century of the Perfect Millennium. They sought new territory to conquer, breaking an old taboo in the process, and inviting destruction and fracture. Which is appropriate, as their vision for the future is one where each Stel is granted more autonomy and independence—some even claim that they would see the Principality utterly destroyed and replaced by a loose affiliation of free states.  Despite this, the Pact are no radicals: While they want more independence from the Principality, they have little interest in shaking up the internal power structures of the Stels themselves. After all, their founders were all Elects, and though only two remain (Gallica, elect of the Divine Present, and Rye, elect of the divine Space), they are led by Dahlia, who serves as both Apokine and Glorious Princept. Millennium Break: Terrorists, thieves, and revolutionaries. Founded on the moon of Partizan in 1423-1424 PM. A wrench in the wheel, a fly in the ointment. Critical in pushing the Principality into chaos. Now spreading dissidence through the galaxy. Their manifesto, such as it is, is thus:  We will help those displaced by the war. We will claim supplies only when it adds losses to the ledgers of the unjust. Free and fair elections will be held every two years. Burn thrones, build tables. When we provide for ourselves, we can provide for others. We will not turn our back on allies in need. If we must play their game, make sure to bloody their noses. When we reach the edge, we will Leap. Look sick as shit.  The words of children. Persons Veronique (she/they): Elect of Fealty. A loyalist. A protector. A runner, in a previous life. Fealty (any, they/them): A Curtain Divine of glittering chrome and sculpture. Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh (he/him): “The Peaceful Princept,” supposed leader of the Curtain of Divinity. Growing, ever so slowly, into the title. Pressure Cove (they/them): Captain of the Fox in the Snow and leader of a group infatuated with Fealty and their promised way of life. Gucci Garantine (she/her): Once, when she operated the revolutionary group HORIZON, true heir of the Rapid Evening, she called herself Saint Dawn. Now she simply calls herself one of the MIllennium Break's commanders, albeit through gritted teeth. Conviction (she/her) & Amaryllis (they/them): Conviction is among the proudest of all Kesh Divines, a caped, golden, horse-knight who speaks with absolute confidence. Their elect, Amaryllis, spent years in the shadow of Veronique, their junior in all things. Until now, of course. Fortitude (it/its) & Acacia (they/them): A Divine from an era before my own, and in that way at least, a curiosity. It spreads its strength across many military units. As always, its need for an Elect is a disappointment. Locations The Skarnoc Debris Fields: The remnants of a battle from the era before the Twilight Mirage, where the Rapid Evening fought and lost the Divine Nobility. Besides the normal ship debris, the field has gathered strange crystalline spires. Articles A Dash of Purple: Fealty, of course, knew what it was at once. How could they not? Hollows & Hallows: Mechanized military vessels, often in humanoid shape. The latter are enhanced by the touch of a Divine.  Miscellany The Perennial Wave: Perennial is something like a god, or at least I think she imagines she is. Her wave is her arrogant whim, made manifest. Functionally infinite nano-particles, spread throughout the galaxy, hampering all technology except (curiously) Divines.  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.”  Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel) and Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)

This episode carries content warnings for violence, abduction, and risk of suffocation.  Welcome to the Road to PALISADE, an interlude connecting PARTIZAN to PALISADE, our upcoming season (which will be played in Armour Astir: Advent by Briar Sovereign)!  Unlike 2019's Road to PARTIZAN, please know that this season will likely contain broad spoilers for COUNTER/Weight, Twilight Mirage, and COUNTER/Weight. In many ways, we see both the Road to PALISADE and PALISADE itself as opportunities to weave many important threads from the Divine Cycle together. Another way in which this interlude season is different from the Road to PARTIZAN is that we aren't necessarily telling a linear history from point A to point B. While many key points on the five years separating the two seasons will be hit, the Road to PALISADE is intended to be less of a direct history and more of a series of snapshots, capturing events happening as the Principality's civil war continues.  As a fun note, all of the stories we play this interlude season are generally inspired by the cast's answers to Crunchyroll writer Adam Wescott's question about what sort of PZN spinoff we'd all want to do! There are (thus far) two exceptions, and this episode is the first of those. When I first read Tyler Crumrine's HOUNDs, I knew instantly that this was how I wanted to kick things off. And as you'll see, Jack and Art proved that it was the right decision.  Okay, given how long this particular Road is going to be—it's still in production as this first episode hits the main feed—I better shut up and let you get on with listening. This week on Friends at the Table: The Road to PALISADE: Hounds Pt. 1 Records Recovered from the Divine, Arbitrage Factions The Divine Principality: Stitched together thousands of years ago from the remains of the Divine Free States and the Principality of Kesh, it is largest empire in the history of the MIlky Way Galaxy. Even now, divided against itself, any subdivision of its arms stretches further than any kingdom or confederation ever has before. An utter failure.  Stel Kesh: Among the oldest operating powers in the stars. Devoted to the Past even though they've long lost control of the Divine who shares its name. Snobbish historians, ineffective parliamentarians, and stubborn reactionaries. Kesh is generally aligned with the Curtain of Divinity.  Stel Nideo: WIth origins in the long lost Twilight Mirage, Stel Nideo are architects of our current era, dread controllers of the Present. Along with shaping mass media, popular culture, and educational standards, they now operate both Received and Progressive Asterism, the former run by the corrupt Cycle and the latter by the grotesque puppet of the lost prophet Gur Sevraq. These priests, pop idols, and patriotic poster children are largely aligned with the Curtain of Divinity. Stel Orion: For hundreds of thousands of years, Stel Orion—under countless names and forms—has repeated a cycle of exploitation and revolution. Competing spirits of individualism and camaraderie ebb and flow, but industry remains. Is it any wonder that it remains associated with the raw breadth of Space itself? Currently, Orion is at war with itself, with countless small factions not only differing in position on the larger civil war in the Principality, but also on many additional issues like wealth, religion, and culture. Stel Columnar: Famously “courted” by the growing Principality many generations ago, this nation of humanoid synthetics traded freedom for the prestige and security of the Principality. They hid behind imperial walls and pursued the Future, pushing boundaries not only in technology, but in art, commerce, and war. I suppose I can call them cousins, but not with much fondness. Today, they share righteous screeds and fight for the return of something like democracy as part of the Pact of Necessary Venture. What a comedy.  Stel Apostolos: An ancient people, ever obsessed with external conquest and internal freedom, and utterly uninterested in understanding their own contradictions. They are dedicated to the pursuit of forward Motion, and I suppose I can respect such bullheaded devotion. It is, at the very least, not boring. They are the meat and muscle of the Pact of Necessary Venture. 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. Now they have been dragged into the daylight, and serve as one of the two ruling factions of the whole Principality. Though there are some divisions along questions of secularity, humanism, and cultural taste, in general, leaders of the Curtain are conservative, traditionalist, and nationalistic. They seek the reunification of all five Stels and the permanence of the Divine Principality. Led, in public at least, by Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh, the Peaceful Princept. In fact, the Curtain has five divisions, each led by a ruthless individual known only by a codename: Silk (diplomacy), Damask (research & inquisition), Lace (military), Linen (economics), and Gabardine (espionage and collaboration). The Pact of Necessary Venture: As their (current) name suggests, the Pact began as a cooperative exploratory committee founded in the late 14th Century of the Perfect Millennium. They sought new territory to conquer, breaking an old taboo in the process, and inviting destruction and fracture. Which is appropriate, as their vision for the future is one where each Stel is granted more autonomy and independence—some even claim that they would see the Principality utterly destroyed and replaced by a loose affiliation of free states.  Despite this, the Pact are no radicals: While they want more independence from the Principality, they have little interest in shaking up the internal power structures of the Stels themselves. After all, their founders were all Elects, and though only two remain (Gallica, elect of the Divine Present, and Rye, elect of the divine Space), they are led by Dahlia, who serves as both Apokine and Glorious Princept. Millennium Break: Terrorists, thieves, and revolutionaries. Founded on the moon of Partizan in 1423-1424 PM. A wrench in the wheel, a fly in the ointment. Critical in pushing the Principality into chaos. Now spreading dissidence through the galaxy. Their manifesto, such as it is, is thus:  We will help those displaced by the war. We will claim supplies only when it adds losses to the ledgers of the unjust. Free and fair elections will be held every two years. Burn thrones, build tables. When we provide for ourselves, we can provide for others. We will not turn our back on allies in need. If we must play their game, make sure to bloody their noses. When we reach the edge, we will Leap. Look sick as shit.  The words of children. Persons Veronique (she/they): Elect of Fealty. A loyalist. A protector. A runner, in a previous life. Fealty (any, they/them): A Curtain Divine of glittering chrome and sculpture. Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh (he/him): “The Peaceful Princept,” supposed leader of the Curtain of Divinity. Growing, ever so slowly, into the title. Sierra (they/her): The bashful intelligence which pilots the agrivessel the Hen and Chicks. Gucci Garantine (she/her): Once, when she operated the revolutionary group HORIZON, true heir of the Rapid Evening, she called herself Saint Dawn. Now she simply calls herself one of the MIllennium Break's commanders, albeit through gritted teeth. Fortitude (it/its) & Acacia (they/them): A Divine from an era before my own, and in that way at least, a curiosity. It spreads its strength across many military units. As always, its need for an Elect is a disappointment. Layer Luxurious (he/him): A "podcaster." What a waste.  Locations The Skarnoc Debris Fields: The remnants of a battle from the era before the Twilight Mirage, where the Rapid Evening fought and lost the Divine Nobility. Besides the normal ship debris, the field has gathered strange crystalline spires. Articles A Dash of Purple: Fealty, of course, knew what it was at once. How could they not? Hollows & Hallows: Mechanized military vessels, often in humanoid shape. The latter are enhanced by the touch of a Divine.  The Treaty of Permanent Peace: An agreement of terms and conventions between the Curtain and the Pact, negotiated by the Elect Rye and the Peaceful Princept. By all accounts, this was the first great achievement of the latter. Without the safeties, guidelines, and structure provided by the Treaty, the less technologically advanced Curtain would have lost the war within the first two years of its start, with countless civilians left dead across core Curtain worlds.  Miscellany The Perennial Wave: Perennial is something like a god, or at least I think she imagines she is. Her wave is her arrogant whim, made manifest. Functionally infinite nano-particles, spread throughout the galaxy, hampering all technology except (curiously) Divines.  Kalmeria Particle: Most people don't know what it really is, or where it came from. Some know that it is named for the rogue engineer Kal'Mera Broun, but phew 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.” Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel) and Jack de Quidt Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)  

This episode carries content warnings for memory loss, multiple realities, blood, gun violence, vomiting, death, mention of mass destruction, insectoid creatures, and a character trapped in an enclosed space.   And so the Blackwick Group went its ways: Marn north towards the Telluricists and Duvall to Aldomina; Lyke to a place where he could confront himself fully and Es to aid Dyre Ode and the boy Gasto in destroying the wards of Concentus. Hazard, never officially a member, nevertheless found themself picking up one of the group's oldest threads, and bloodying the nose of a foe each would be happy to wound. So what about Pickman? Well. Pickman stayed, of course. There was work to be done. And it would take her quarry leaving town to get her to do the same… This week on Sangfielle: Six Travelers: Pickman The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places The First Canton, aka Aldomina the Throne of Dominion: Once a fledgling human empire but nearly 1900 years ago, a minor duke of some great hell led an effort to take it over. And once they did, they pushed what was an already spreading empire even further in that direction.  The Second Canton, aka The Pale Magistratum (ma-juh-strah-tuhm): The Second Canton has ordered itself around its Magistrates—holy marshals given weapons blessed by Fulmina, goddess of immediate justice, and the right to use that power as they see it.  Sangfielle, the Heartland: Once, it was a breadbasket for the whole Dominion, now this is territory haunted twice: first by a bloody, buried past, and second by an uncanny, indifferent future. Concentus, the Ringed City (kun-CHEN-tus): A vast ringed city surrounding (and containing) Sangfielle. Covered in magical wards, filled with those eager to delve into the heartland or to push back its most fearsome creatures. The gaslit city of Concentus is now the most technologically advanced metropolis of the continent.  Facts and Figures Maleister Price (he/him): Sherriff of Blackwick and newest member of the town council. The miners in town would all tell you that Price is the best of them and always has been, but you're not quite sure that you remember that about him. Alekest san Geraint, the Margrave of Tescano, the Porcelain Knight (he/him): If you're a long time reader of this publication, Alekest needs no introduction. You know him from his past adventures, like the slaying of the UnSevered Beast or his solitary stand at Cedartree Station. Maybe you forget some of the details, his angst-filled childhood, the fraught years after his mother's death, his uncanny dreams. Somehow, someway, he has become fast friends with the Shape Knight Pickman. The Visitor: According to the Wrights, a figure came to them from Zevunzolia and opened their eyes to the truth above it all. Organizations Aldomina (al-doh-mee-nah): What once stood as the name of the whole continent is now only the name of the Confederation that runs across the eastern half of the territory surrounding the Sangfielle, currently constituted by three sub-states called Cantons.  The Shape Knights: It took people with clear minds, great ingenuity, and implacable spirit to face down and defeat one of the living trains of Sangfielle. In the time since, they've crafted armor from their slain foe, and with that have come to be experts of all things train. They herd, they breach, they redirect. But they haven't yet killed a second. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse.   Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)

This episode carries content warnings for organs, mass destruction, blood, general and surgical body horror, and bodily transformation. When the mysterious and genteel Dyre Ode made Es the offer, it was one of the rare moments of doubt for the ancient and powerful figure. Would they accept the invitation? Could she assist them when the moment of truth came? One thing that Dyre was certain of, though, was that if they were successful, Es was uniquely suited for what would come next. This week on Sangfielle: Six Travelers: Es The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Concentus, the Ringed City (kun-CHEN-tus): A vast ringed city surrounding (and containing) Sangfielle. Covered in magical wards, filled with those eager to delve into the heartland or to push back its most fearsome creatures. The gaslit city of Concentus is now the most technologically advanced metropolis of the continent.  Facts and Figures Dyre Ode (he/they): When an agent of the almanac pressed this mysterious, masked figure for more information about him, they only repeated their name, as if to ensure we'd print it right, adding “Dyre with Y but Ode as you'd like, a poem said in praise or a debt gone unpaid. It bothers me little, how you spell that name.” Gasto (he/him): A young ragamuffin, protege of Dyre Ode and ward of a powerful Angel. Organizations Cleavers: Given how loose and fluid this collection of monster hunters, mystery solvers, and naturalists is, it's hard to call them “an organization.” But when the central belief system of a group is that everything is ever in flux, well, give them the credit of applying that particular ontology to themselves: Whether left to their own devices or joined to a commune of other cleavers, on a long enough timeline, they all become tremendous, monstrous angels. Aldomina (al-doh-mee-nah): What once stood as the name of the whole continent is now only the name of the Confederation that runs across the eastern half of the territory surrounding the Sangfielle, currently constituted by three sub-states called Cantons.  Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)

This episode carries content warnings for insect infestation, spiders, bodily transformation, gun violence, threat of dissection/forced medical inspection, death. It has been a long journey for Duvall. He first came to the heartland from Aldomina years ago, in search of adventure and glory. But he found only questions of the most existential sort, and a city that would reshape him utterly. Now, years later, he upholds a promise he made to his cousin journeys heads home. This week on Sangfielle: Six Travelers: Duvall   The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places The Sleeping City: Every 13 years, a metropolis wakes with the buzzing sound of life. Do not cross its borders uninvited, especially not when it and its inhabitants are at rest. Upon visiting the City,  Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. The First Canton, aka Aldomina the Throne of Dominion: Once a fledgling human empire but nearly 1900 years ago, a minor duke of some great hell led an effort to take it over. And once they did, they pushed what was an already spreading empire even further in that direction.  The Second Canton, aka The Pale Magistratum (ma-juh-strah-tuhm): The Second Canton has ordered itself. Concentus, the Ringed City (kun-CHEN-tus): A vast ringed city surrounding (and containing) Sangfielle. Covered in magical wards, filled with those eager to delve into the heartland or to push back its most fearsome creatures. The gaslit city of Concentus is now the most technologically advanced metropolis of the continent.  Facts and Figures The Red Zephyr: A train what takes on strange character under the moonlight. For a month, it's torn into not only Bell Metal Station, but also any passing train it could reach. But when the Blackwick Group investigated it, they found that the Zephyr was in fact the Shape Knight Fezh, transformed into this new horror by the person they trusted most of all. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds.  Organizations Cleavers: Given how loose and fluid this collection of monster hunters, mystery solvers, and naturalists is, it's hard to call them “an organization.” But when the central belief system of a group is that everything is ever in flux, well, give them the credit of applying that particular ontology to themselves: Whether left to their own devices or joined to a commune of other cleavers, on a long enough timeline, they all become tremendous, monstrous angels. Aldomina (al-doh-mee-nah): What once stood as the name of the whole continent is now only the name of the Confederation that runs across the eastern half of the territory surrounding the Sangfielle, currently constituted by three sub-states called Cantons.  Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel) and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)

This episode carries content warnings for human sacrifice, knives, explosions, memory loss, death. When Hazard entered our story, they may have seemed like someone defined by what was missing. But in truth, they had something that the members of the Blackwick Group never did: A clear and obvious objective. Now, standing on the other side of vengeance, they have the freedom (and the burden) of deciding what comes next.   This week on Sangfielle: Six Travelers: Hazard   The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... Facts and Figures The Sunken Empress Altapasqua (she/her): Around fifty years after the panic set in, Altapasqua told her people she would ride across this cursed land and purge it of its disease and danger. She only made it about three fourths of the way. And well, it's as expected. She was down there ever since.  Gandy Dancers: The strange little creatures that maintain the trains. The Knights of Virtue, fka The Toll Collectors: It is fair to say that this group is still made up of the devil Agdeline (she/her), drakkan Ettel (he/him), and human Larch (he/him), but it isn't right to simply call them a "trio" anymore. The former miners-turned-bandits-turned-thieves-turned-bodyguards have come into the employ of Queen Virtue, and have revealed their true nature: Once per month, three more of them appear from the depths of the Blackwick Mines, and soon join with the others in search of and profit and adventure.  Emma Serchilde (she/her): Once, Emma was known in Sapodilla as one of the most successful investigators of the Glim Macula. A brutal interrogator and competent captain, Emma was nevertheless more loyal to herself than to the Macula. When Virtue became the city's new queen, Emma was quick to sell out her allies and devote herself to the city's newest power. Calen fel Dynestia (he/him): Heir to a grim line, Calen has joined the Shape Knights in an effort to rehabilitate the fel Dynestia name. Eyes sunken, pasty purple face covered with stubble, and all the highest fashion of Sapodilla circa twenty years ago. Betrayed his lover, Fezh,  Fezh (they/them): Soft for a Shape Knight. Strong for a Shape Knight. The closest there was to everyone in Bell Metal, but Calen most of all. Now lives as the furious engine, Red Zephyr. Uno Riscano (he/him): The so-called “Count of Cards,” this devil was the leader of one of the “six suits” that make up the Wrights of the Seventh Sun. Now headless. Organizations Glim Macula: Until earlier this year, Sapodilla was marked by its white coated witch hunters, who terrorized the city's margins and invented new boogeymen when they could not find the ones they were certain to live in the shadows. Under Queen Virtue, they've been scattered to the wind.  The Caravan of the Coin:  Cursed by Ribbadon, Frog God of Wealth, these traveling merchant-clerics never arrive at a destination carrying what they expect.   Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Others believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse.  Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Sylvi Clare (@sylvibullet) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)

This episode carries content warnings for blood, memory loss, illusory reality, discussion of possible hallucination. You might wonder where the rest of the erstwhile Blackwick Group might be headed after their fracture in Blackwick. But deep down inside, you probably know exactly where Lye Lychen is headed, don't you? That man has unfinished business, and he is nothing if not someone committed to getting straight to the task at hand.   This week on Sangfielle: Six Travelers: Lyke   The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle. Not too much is known about how things are inside of its gates since Queen Virtue rolled into town. Marrowcreek: Quite a ways west of Blackwick, the maps say there is a town called Marrowcreek. Never been myself, but I've heard about it (often in the sort of hypotheticals people pose to you to “make conversations” at parties.) Lye Lychen, Chine, and Hazard visited it (or a Course-built facsimile) a few months back, when they hopped off the Jade Moon. Bluerock Quarry: Bluestone is what you might guess from the name, a quarry for digging up stones of various qualities and makes, but all of which is blue in nature. While slate and limestone and granite all serve their ends, the real find is welkin, a stone as light as air but tough as the hardest metal. Now who could be on the lookout for something like that? Unschola Republica, formerly the Third Canton (oon-skoh-la): For a millenia, the alchemists, mage-practitioners, and cryptotheological scholars of the Third Canton complained in secret about the leash kept on them by Aldomina's distant leaders. They've since slipped that leash, and whether that's for better or worse, time will tell. Sangfielle, the Heartland: Once, it was a breadbasket for the whole Dominion, now this is territory haunted twice: first by a bloody, buried past, and second by an uncanny, indifferent future. Facts and Figures Fendleton the Lake Skeletons: A boisterous skeleton that Lyke once met on the way to Last Rest (and Bell Metal Station beyond that). Loyal to Altapasqua? Or… loyal to unloyalty? Hard to pin down.  Dayward yon Vantzon-Estonbergh aka Dayward YVE (he/him): The moneyed scion of a minor Aldominan dynasty, Dayward YVE has traveled to the Heartland as both eager-apologist and curious explorer. Sensing opportunity, he settled in Blackwick County and has used it as a staging ground for an ever-growing industrial empire.   Uno Riscano (he/him): The so-called “Count of Cards,” this devil was the leader of one of the “six suits” that make up the Wrights of the Seventh Sun. Now headless. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Karston Leberge (he/him): Sergeant of Bread inside of the Wrights of the Seventh Sun, Karston runs operations at the Bluerock Quarry. Alaway (currently he/him, varies historically): Was last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield named Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Now, having somehow returned to the form that the Blackwick Group first met him as, he threatens to steal the very lifeblood of Blackwick itself. Organizations The Boundless Conclave: Less of an individual church, more of an association between hundreds of independent faiths. Small sects, nearly forgotten cults, and unjealous gods make up this vast pantheon.  Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse.  Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) You can purchase Ichor-Drowned at https://sillionl.itch.io/ichor-drowned You can purchase Anamnesis at https://blinkingbirchgames.itch.io/anamnesis

This episode carries content warnings for blood, illusory reality, discussion of possible hallucination. We're nearly at the end now, but there is nevertheless some way to go still. Six ways, in fact. First: the Keen Marn Ancura heads north along with the shape knight Bucho and a number of refugees who have finally, truly had enough of Blackwick and its curses.  This week on Sangfielle: Six Travelers: Marn The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Sangfielle, the Heartland: Once, it was a breadbasket for the whole Dominion, now this is territory haunted twice: first by a bloody, buried past, and second by an uncanny, indifferent future. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... Facts and Figures Dyre Ode (he/they): When an agent of the almanac pressed this mysterious, masked figure for more information about him, they only repeated their name, as if to ensure we'd print it right, adding “Dyre with Y but Ode as you'd like, a poem said in praise or a debt gone unpaid. It bothers me little, how you spell that name.” Ana Berylia (she/her): Dayward YVE's maid, a somewhat overwhelmed Carpana who has not adjusted to life in the Heartland. Her body is covered in brown/black hair with little streaks of grey at her temples. Mostly seen in uniform, a grey dress with white apron. Mr. Kenson (he/him): Big Horn Ram Kaprak. White fur with brown and black spots. Personal valet. Copper wireframe glasses. Proper black suit. Organizations The Telluricist Union: Made up by a mix of peoples driven to the hills by Aldomina, this group of knife sharpeners, herbalists, geologists, and all around investigators have made it their job to keep their old wisdom and see it used to help those in need. The best among them are called Keen. Sisters of the Mother-Beast: A dedicated priory of worshippers, living in an eternal hymn, worshiping a god long dead. The Shape Knights: It took people with clear minds, great ingenuity, and implacable spirit to face down and defeat one of the living trains of Sangfielle. In the time since, they've crafted armor from their slain foe, and with that have come to be experts of all things train. They herd, they breach, they redirect. But they haven't yet killed a second. The Carnival of Moted Light: It announces itself with wind and furious sound, an invitation to partake in joys and curiosities. You may not leave. Not yet. Not until it's over. Unless, of course, you'd like to stay forever. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)

This episode carries content warnings for decapitation, magical compulsion, weaponized false memories, major character death, corpse, flesh eating creature, mass destruction, premeditated act of violence, burning, murder, bodily transformation, general body horror. With their contract over and their interests split, the Blackwick Group's time together seems to be coming to a swift and sudden end. And that's just the half of it. The Carnival of Moted Light reaches in to the county, sloughing it away. Now, the night is all dust and creaking. In their final hours, what new sights, sounds, and flavors might the Blackwick Group add to it?    This week on Sangfielle: Dead in the Dust Pt. 3 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle. Not too much is known about how things are inside of its gates since Queen Virtue rolled into town. The First Canton, aka Aldomina the Throne of Dominion: Once a fledgling human empire but nearly 1900 years ago, a minor duke of some great hell led an effort to take it over. And once they did, they pushed what was an already spreading empire even further in that direction.  The Second Canton, aka The Pale Magistratum (ma-juh-strah-tuhm): The Second Canton has ordered itself around its Magistrates—holy marshals given weapons blessed by Fulmina, goddess of immediate justice, and the right to use that power as they see it.  Unschola Republica, formerly the Third Canton (oon-skoh-la): For a millenia, the alchemists, mage-practitioners, and cryptotheological scholars of the Third Canton complained in secret about the leash kept on them by Aldomina's distant leaders. They've since slipped that leash, and whether that's for better or worse, time will tell. Free Seas of Kay'va, formerly the Fourth Canton (kai-vah): First established after Cecile Cartine's revolution over 300 years ago, today Kay'va is home to a collection of aligned communes who swear that the only way to prosperity is through the defense of equality. The Fifth Canton, the Protectorate Kingdom of Ojantan (oh-JAHN-tahn): Ojantan was once a kingdom to rival Aldomina, and a solid place to live to boot, if a little over-structured for my taste. But the Devils got to the nation's leaders, and now it's been reduced to another Canton in the Empress' collection. Sangfielle, the Heartland: Once, it was a breadbasket for the whole Dominion, now this is territory haunted twice: first by a bloody, buried past, and second by an uncanny, indifferent future. Concentus, the Ringed City (kun-CHEN-tus): A vast ringed city surrounding (and containing) Sangfielle. Covered in magical wards, filled with those eager to delve into the heartland or to push back its most fearsome creatures. The gaslit city of Concentus is now the most technologically advanced metropolis of the continent.  The Residuum:  A realm of vibrant color, where the things of the world go when their time in the material world fades away. A plane of death, but rendered in glorious light. Facts and Figures Dayward yon Vantzon-Estonbergh aka Dayward YVE (he/him): The moneyed scion of a minor Aldominan dynasty, Dayward YVE has traveled to the Heartland as both eager-apologist and curious explorer. Sensing opportunity, he settled in Blackwick County and has used it as a staging ground for an ever-growing industrial empire.   Maleister Price (he/him): Sherriff of Blackwick and newest member of the town council. The miners in town would all tell you that Price is the best of them and always has been, but you're not quite sure that you remember that about him. Uno Riscano (he/him): The so-called “Count of Cards,” this devil is the leader of one of the “six suits” that make up the Wrights of the Seventh Sun. Target of Hazard's ire due to an ill-handed card game. Proctor Ekashi Wolff (he/him): Once, the good proctor helped lead the services of the Triadic Pyre in Blackwick, and spend what free time he had working with the township's council. It was that same interest in community and service which led him to stand up for his people when the Pale Magistrates blew into town. Unfortunately for Mr. Wolff, good character is not bulletproof.  The Knights of Virtue, fka The Toll Collectors: It is fair to say that thisg roup is still made up of the devil Agdeline (she/her), drakkan Ettel (he/him), and human Larch (he/him), but it isn't right to simply call them a "trio" anymore. The former miners-turned-bandits-turned-thieves-turned-bodyguards have come into the employ of Queen Virtue, and have revealed their true nature: Once per month, three more of them appear from the depths of the Blackwick Mines, and soon join with the others in search of and profit and adventure.  Dyre Ode (he/they): When an agent of the almanac pressed this mysterious, masked figure for more information about him, they only repeated their name, as if to ensure we'd print it right, adding “Dyre with Y but Ode as you'd like, a poem said in praise or a debt gone unpaid. It bothers me little, how you spell that name.” Stanislaka (she/they): Blackwick's attendent of the Boundless Conclave temple, an young ojantani whose faith to Slumbous knows no bounds. A member of the town council.  Ana Berylia (she/her): Dayward YVE's maid, a somewhat overwhelmed Carpana who has not adjusted to life in the Heartland. Her body is covered in brown/black hair with little streaks of grey at her temples. Mostly seen in uniform, a grey dress with white apron. Mr. Kenson (he/him): Big Horn Ram Kaprak. White fur with brown and black spots. Personal valet. Copper wireframe glasses. Proper black suit. Chantilly Scathe (she/her): The signs and barkers rarely say her name alone. She ain't Chantilly, or even Ms. Scathe, she's always “Ms. Chantilly Scathe and Her Shackled Engine.” Don't let her showmanship and ringmaster garb fool you though: She seems to have done what no Shape Knight could: Make a train of the Shape, The Grand Cormorant Limited, her very own pet. Dr. Kerr Kern (she/her): A Telluricist on loan to the Magistrates, where she works on final preparations for her Keen exam. While she's grown close to the group over the last year, their methods do trouble her. Currently holding Marn's research on Zevunzolia, nullstuff, the Wrights of the Seventh Sun, and the fundamental nature of curses. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Alaway (currently he/him, varies historically): Was last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield named Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Now, having somehow returned to the form that the Blackwick Group first met him as, he threatens to steal the very lifeblood of Blackwick itself. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds.  Organizations Aldomina (al-doh-mee-nah): What once stood as the name of the whole continent is now only the name of the Confederation that runs across the eastern half of the territory surrounding the Sangfielle, currently constituted by three sub-states called Cantons.  The Carnival of Moted Light: It announces itself with wind and furious sound, an invitation to partake in joys and curiosities. You may not leave. Not yet. Not until it's over. Unless, of course, you'd like to stay forever. The Boundless Conclave: Less of an individual church, more of an association between hundreds of independent faiths. Small sects, nearly forgotten cults, and unjealous gods make up this vast pantheon.  The Caravan of the Coin:  Cursed by Ribbadon, Frog God of Wealth, these traveling merchant-clerics never arrive at a destination carrying what they expect. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse.   Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Clare (@sylvibullet), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)  

This episode carries content warnings for knives, sword swallowing, the appearance of amputation.bodily transformation, mind control/magical compulsion, discussion of death, mass destruction, and public panic. The Carnival of Moted Light has come to Blackwick. Behind the storm of dust and destruction, a town revels in open bewilderment. A big top. The sound of shouting down the way. A moon above. A barker guiding you deeper in. It will pass. It will pass soon. Unless someone decides otherwise.   This week on Sangfielle: Dead in the Dust Pt. 2 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle. Not too much is known about how things are inside of its gates since Queen Virtue rolled into town. Facts and Figures Dayward yon Vantzon-Estonbergh aka Dayward YVE (he/him): The moneyed scion of a minor Aldominan dynasty, Dayward YVE has traveled to the Heartland as both eager-apologist and curious explorer. Sensing opportunity, he settled in Blackwick County and has used it as a staging ground for an ever-growing industrial empire.   Maleister Price (he/him): Sherriff of Blackwick and newest member of the town council. The miners in town would all tell you that Price is the best of them and always has been, but you're not quite sure that you remember that about him. Uno Riscano (he/him): The so-called “Count of Cards,” this devil is the leader of one of the “six suits” that make up the Wrights of the Seventh Sun. Target of Hazard's ire due to an ill-handed card game. Proctor Ekashi Wolff (he/him): Once, the good proctor helped lead the services of the Triadic Pyre in Blackwick, and spend what free time he had working with the township's council. It was that same interest in community and service which led him to stand up for his people when the Pale Magistrates blew into town. Unfortunately for Mr. Wolff, good character is not bulletproof.  The Knights of Virtue, fka The Toll Collectors: It is fair to say that thisg roup is still made up of the devil Agdeline (she/her), drakkan Ettel (he/him), and human Larch (he/him), but it isn't right to simply call them a "trio" anymore. The former miners-turned-bandits-turned-thieves-turned-bodyguards have come into the employ of Queen Virtue, and have revealed their true nature: Once per month, three more of them appear from the depths of the Blackwick Mines, and soon join with the others in search of and profit and adventure.  Dyre Ode (he/they): When an agent of the almanac pressed this mysterious, masked figure for more information about him, they only repeated their name, as if to ensure we'd print it right, adding “Dyre with Y but Ode as you'd like, a poem said in praise or a debt gone unpaid. It bothers me little, how you spell that name.” Stanislaka (she/they): Blackwick's attendent of the Boundless Conclave temple, an young ojantani whose faith to Slumbous knows no bounds. A member of the town council.  Ana Berylia (she/her): Dayward YVE's maid, a somewhat overwhelmed Carpana who has not adjusted to life in the Heartland. Her body is covered in brown/black hair with little streaks of grey at her temples. Mostly seen in uniform, a grey dress with white apron. Mr. Kenson (he/him): Big Horn Ram Kaprak. White fur with brown and black spots. Personal valet. Copper wireframe glasses. Proper black suit. Chantilly Scathe (she/her): The signs and barkers rarely say her name alone. She ain't Chantilly, or even Ms. Scathe, she's always “Ms. Chantilly Scathe and Her Shackled Engine.” Don't let her showmanship and ringmaster garb fool you though: She seems to have done what no Shape Knight could: Make a train of the Shape, The Grand Cormorant Limited, her very own pet. Babor Mirah (they/them): As the Trade-Medium of one of nomadic clans of the Caravan of the Coin, Babor serves as a leader, guide, and chief negotiator. Dr. Kerr Kern (she/her): A Telluricist on loan to the Magistrates, where she works on final preparations for her Keen exam. While she's grown close to the group over the last year, their methods do trouble her. Currently holding Marn's research on Zevunzolia, nullstuff, the Wrights of the Seventh Sun, and the fundamental nature of curses. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Alaway (currently he/him, varies historically): Was last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield named Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Now, having somehow returned to the form that the Blackwick Group first met him as, he threatens to steal the very lifeblood of Blackwick itself. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds.  Organizations The Carnival of Moted Light: It announces itself with wind and furious sound, an invitation to partake in joys and curiosities. You may not leave. Not yet. Not until it's over. Unless, of course, you'd like to stay forever. The Boundless Conclave: Less of an individual church, more of an association between hundreds of independent faiths. Small sects, nearly forgotten cults, and unjealous gods make up this vast pantheon.  The Caravan of the Coin:  Cursed by Ribbadon, Frog God of Wealth, these traveling merchant-clerics never arrive at a destination carrying what they expect. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Clare (@sylvibullet), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)

This episode carries content warnings for death, gun violence, knives, mind control/magical compulsion, and decapitation.  It would be too simple for the Blackwick Group to have the space and time necessary to work through everything that has happened to them recently. It has been only hours since rescuing Marn, Pickman, and Bucho from Alaway (and fewer still since Lye Lychen handed over more power to the nascent deity), and yet a new threat curls its way around Blackwick. The dust swirls. The storm calls. There is a knock at the door. This week on Sangfielle: Dead in the Dust Pt. 1 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle. Not too much is known about how things are inside of its gates since Queen Virtue rolled into town. Facts and Figures Dayward yon Vantzon-Estonbergh aka Dayward YVE (he/him): The moneyed scion of a minor Aldominan dynasty, Dayward YVE has traveled to the Heartland as both eager-apologist and curious explorer. Sensing opportunity, he settled in Blackwick County and has used it as a staging ground for an ever-growing industrial empire.   Maleister Price (he/him): Sherriff of Blackwick and newest member of the town council. The miners in town would all tell you that Price is the best of them and always has been, but you're not quite sure that you remember that about him. Uno Riscano (he/him): The so-called “Count of Cards,” this devil is the leader of one of the “six suits” that make up the Wrights of the Seventh Sun. Target of Hazard's ire due to an ill-handed card game. Proctor Ekashi Wolff (he/him): Once, the good proctor helped lead the services of the Triadic Pyre in Blackwick, and spend what free time he had working with the township's council. It was that same interest in community and service which led him to stand up for his people when the Pale Magistrates blew into town. Unfortunately for Mr. Wolff, good character is not bulletproof.  The Knights of Virtue, fka The Toll Collectors: It is fair to say that thisg roup is still made up of the devil Agdeline (she/her), drakkan Ettel (he/him), and human Larch (he/him), but it isn't right to simply call them a "trio" anymore. The former miners-turned-bandits-turned-thieves-turned-bodyguards have come into the employ of Queen Virtue, and have revealed their true nature: Once per month, three more of them appear from the depths of the Blackwick Mines, and soon join with the others in search of and profit and adventure.  Dyre Ode (he/they): When an agent of the almanac pressed this mysterious, masked figure for more information about him, they only repeated their name, as if to ensure we'd print it right, adding “Dyre with Y but Ode as you'd like, a poem said in praise or a debt gone unpaid. It bothers me little, how you spell that name.” Stanislaka (she/they): Blackwick's attendent of the Boundless Conclave temple, an young ojantani whose faith to Slumbous knows no bounds. A member of the town council.  Ana Berylia (she/her): Dayward YVE's maid, a somewhat overwhelmed Carpana who has not adjusted to life in the Heartland. Her body is covered in brown/black hair with little streaks of grey at her temples. Mostly seen in uniform, a grey dress with white apron. Mr. Kenson (he/him): Big Horn Ram Kaprak. White fur with brown and black spots. Personal valet. Copper wireframe glasses. Proper black suit. Chantilly Scathe (she/her): The signs and barkers rarely say her name alone. She ain't Chantilly, or even Ms. Scathe, she's always “Ms. Chantilly Scathe and Her Shackled Engine.” Don't let her showmanship and ringmaster garb fool you though: She seems to have done what no Shape Knight could: Make a train of the Shape, The Grand Cormorant Limited, her very own pet. Babor Mirah (they/them): As the Trade-Medium of one of nomadic clans of the Caravan of the Coin, Babor serves as a leader, guide, and chief negotiator. Dr. Kerr Kern (she/her): A Telluricist on loan to the Magistrates, where she works on final preparations for her Keen exam. While she's grown close to the group over the last year, their methods do trouble her. Currently holding Marn's research on Zevunzolia, nullstuff, the Wrights of the Seventh Sun, and the fundamental nature of curses. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Alaway (currently he/him, varies historically): Was last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield named Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Now, having somehow returned to the form that the Blackwick Group first met him as, he threatens to steal the very lifeblood of Blackwick itself. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds.  Organizations The Boundless Conclave: Less of an individual church, more of an association between hundreds of independent faiths. Small sects, nearly forgotten cults, and unjealous gods make up this vast pantheon.  The Caravan of the Coin:  Cursed by Ribbadon, Frog God of Wealth, these traveling merchant-clerics never arrive at a destination carrying what they expect. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Clare (@sylvibullet), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)    

This episode carries content warnings for cannibalism, blood, direct physical trauma to a bodily organ, burned hands, implied temporary imprisonment, and rotten food. Having escaped Alaway's ad hoc temple, the Blackwick Group has attended to their collective wounds and begun to piece together what the vampiric Lord of Wax is planning. In short: godhood. In detail: the theft and usurpation of the last, material power of the Mother-Beast, the god who once called this territory hers. They know, too, that to confront their foe directly at this point would be to invite destruction and calamity. And so it is time for counter-schemes and further research. Perhaps, though... perhaps just a peek? A quick look at what this recurring enemy is capable of. Just a glance, and nothing more. This week on Sangfielle: Wax, Inchor, and Iron Pt. 4 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... The Second Canton, aka The Pale Magistratum: The Second Canton has ordered itself around its Magistrates—holy marshals given weapons blessed by Fulmina, goddess of immediate justice, and the right to use that power as they see it.  Free Seas of Kay'va, formerly the Fourth Canton: First established after Cecile Cartine's revolution over 300 years ago, today Kay'va is home to a collection of aligned communes who swear that the only way to prosperity is through the defense of equality. Facts and Figures Proctor Ekashi Wolff (he/him): Once, the good proctor helped lead the services of the Triadic Pyre in Blackwick, and spend what free time he had working with the township's council. It was that same interest in community and service which led him to stand up for his people when the Pale Magistrates blew into town. Unfortunately for Mr. Wolff, good character is not bulletproof.  Sister Marisha (she/her): For decades, the human called Marisha served as the representative of the Boundless Conclave in Eastern Follow and as the only apparent follower of the old Cult of the Mother-Beast. Eager to guide, and quick to reprimand, she gained a reputation as a well meaning hard ass in the mining town. Now she finds herself adjusting to life inside this secret priory of salt, ash, and ceramic. Ekule Polyte (he/him): The Blackwick group first met this “Star-Touched” Kay'van agent under the pseudonym of “Janek,” hiding out in Blackwick County. Now, he waits patiently for extraction. Dr. Kerr Kern (she/her): A Telluricist on loan to the Magistrates, where she works on final preparations for her Keen exam. While she's grown close to the group over the last year, their methods do trouble her. Currently holding Marn's research on Zevunzolia, nullstuff, the Wrights of the Seventh Sun, and the fundamental nature of curses. Alekest san Geraint, the Margrave of Tescano, the Porcelain Knight (he/him): If you're a long time reader of this publication, Alekest needs no introduction. You know him from his past adventures, like the slaying of the UnSevered Beast or his solitary stand at Cedartree Station. Maybe you forget some of the details, his angst-filled childhood, the fraught years after his mother's death, his uncanny dreams. Well, Knight Pickman seems not to be a reader, if her confusion at the Margrave's arrival is any indication. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Alaway (currently he/him, varies historically): Was last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield named Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Now, having somehow returned to the form that the Blackwick Group first met him as, he threatens to steal the very lifeblood of Blackwick itself. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds.  The Structure: Reason, logic, sense. The world is, fundamentally, a place that fits together and functions. We may not like that, say the adherents of the structure. And sometimes, the world may move in ways beyond our particular ken. But there is something holding it together, and that, they say, is the Heartland's Truth: The Structure. The Shape: Are the trains that run across the Heartland bound to the Structure, or do they direct it? Is the overlap between the two even real at all, or might two machinic forces be at work here in Sangfielle? Organizations Sisters of the Mother-Beast: A dedicated priory of worshippers, living in an eternal hymn, worshipping a god long dead. The Caravan of the Coin:  Cursed by Ribbadon, Frog God of Wealth, these traveling merchant-clerics never arrive at a destination carrying what they expect. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Disciples of the Triadic Pyre: Appropriately devoted to a trio of gods, the Triadic Pyre believe that entropy is the only certain thing in this world, and as such aim to master it. Recently began to mark workers willing to do their tasks in the mines with their brand. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Clare (@sylvibullet), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)

This episode carries content warnings for imprisonment, coercion with threat of violence, death, child loss, description of organs, description of injuries, blood, and bodily transformation. After being separated by weeks, miles, and barricaded doors, the Blackwick Group has finally reunited. Now, below the town they've sworn to defend, they gather themselves, tend to their wounds,  and investigate what exactly the waxen vampire Alaway is trying to achieve. Thankfully, they'll have some help untangling the mystery… This week on Sangfielle: Wax, Inchor, and Iron Pt. 3 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... The Second Canton, aka The Pale Magistratum: The Second Canton has ordered itself around its Magistrates—holy marshals given weapons blessed by Fulmina, goddess of immediate justice, and the right to use that power as they see it.  Free Seas of Kay'va, formerly the Fourth Canton: First established after Cecile Cartine's revolution over 300 years ago, today Kay'va is home to a collection of aligned communes who swear that the only way to prosperity is through the defense of equality. Facts and Figures Proctor Ekashi Wolff (he/him): Once, the good proctor helped lead the services of the Triadic Pyre in Blackwick, and spend what free time he had working with the township's council. It was that same interest in community and service which led him to stand up for his people when the Pale Magistrates blew into town. Unfortunately for Mr. Wolff, good character is not bulletproof.  Sister Marisha (she/her): For decades, the human called Marisha served as the representative of the Boundless Conclave in Eastern Follow and as the only apparent follower of the old Cult of the Mother-Beast. Eager to guide, and quick to reprimand, she gained a reputation as a well meaning hard ass in the mining town. Now she finds herself adjusting to life inside this secret priory of salt, ash, and ceramic. Ekule Polyte (he/him): The Blackwick group first met this “Star-Touched” Kay'van agent under the pseudonym of “Janek,” hiding out in Blackwick County. Now, he waits patiently for extraction. Dr. Kerr Kern (she/her): A Telluricist on loan to the Magistrates, where she works on final preparations for her Keen exam. While she's grown close to the group over the last year, their methods do trouble her. Currently holding Marn's research on Zevunzolia, nullstuff, the Wrights of the Seventh Sun, and the fundamental nature of curses. Alekest san Geraint, the Margrave of Tescano, the Porcelain Knight (he/him): If you're a long time reader of this publication, Alekest needs no introduction. You know him from his past adventures, like the slaying of the UnSevered Beast or his solitary stand at Cedartree Station. Maybe you forget some of the details, his angst-filled childhood, the fraught years after his mother's death, his uncanny dreams. Well, Knight Pickman seems not to be a reader, if her confusion at the Margrave's arrival is any indication. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Alaway (varies): Was last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield named Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Now, though, his thralls wander the streets of lower Blackwick. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds.  The Structure: Reason, logic, sense. The world is, fundamentally, a place that fits together and functions. We may not like that, say the adherents of the structure. And sometimes, the world may move in ways beyond our particular ken. But there is something holding it together, and that, they say, is the Heartland's Truth: The Structure. The Shape: Are the trains that run across the Heartland bound to the Structure, or do they direct it? Is the overlap between the two even real at all, or might two machinic forces be at work here in Sangfielle? Organizations Sisters of the Mother-Beast: A dedicated priory of worshippers, living in an eternal hymn, worshipping a god long dead. The Caravan of the Coin:  Cursed by Ribbadon, Frog God of Wealth, these traveling merchant-clerics never arrive at a destination carrying what they expect. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Disciples of the Triadic Pyre: Appropriately devoted to a trio of gods, the Triadic Pyre believe that entropy is the only certain thing in this world, and as such aim to master it. Recently began to mark workers willing to do their tasks in the mines with their brand. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Clare (@sylvibullet), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)  

This episode carries content warnings for blood, gun violence, bodily transformation, characters trapped in a small space, description of physical injury, reanimated bodies, wax flesh, hallucinations, memory manipulation, three headed monster, knife violence, description of organs, description of growing eyes. In a low, forgotten basement of the Church of the Triadic Pyre, dozens—including Pickman, Marn, and Bucho—are held in the broiling dark. But in the township above, Chine has found their scent and lead the remainder of the Blackwick Group and their extempore allies towards the church's front door. Now it is only a matter of getting inside and reuniting, a task with more complications than the Cleaver's irritation and impulses would like to account for. This week on Sangfielle: Wax, Ichor, and Iron Pt. 2 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... Facts and Figures Alekest san Geraint, the Margrave of Tescano, the Porcelain Knight (he/him): If you're a long time reader of this publication, Alekest needs no introduction. You know him from his past adventures, like the slaying of the UnSevered Beast or his solitary stand at Cedartree Station. Maybe you forget some of the details, his angst-filled childhood, the fraught years after his mother's death, his uncanny dreams. Well, Knight Pickman seems not to be a reader, if her confusion at the Margrave's arrival is any indication. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Alaway (varies): Was last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield named Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Now, though, his thralls wander the streets of lower Blackwick. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds.  The Structure: Reason, logic, sense. The world is, fundamentally, a place that fits together and functions. We may not like that, say the adherents of the structure. And sometimes, the world may move in ways beyond our particular ken. But there is something holding it together, and that, they say, is the Heartland's Truth: The Structure. The Shape: Are the trains that run across the Heartland bound to the Structure, or do they direct it? Is the overlap between the two even real at all, or might two machinic forces be at work here in Sangfielle? Organizations Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Disciples of the Triadic Pyre: Appropriately devoted to a trio of gods, the Triadic Pyre believe that entropy is the only certain thing in this world, and as such aim to master it. Recently began to mark workers willing to do their tasks in the mines with their brand. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Clare (@sylvibullet), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)

This episode carries content warnings for blood, gun violence, bodily possession, characters trapped in a small space, discussion of physical injury, mention of broken bones, reanimated bodies, wax flesh, burning flesh, brief description of infected and bruising skin, and physiological manipulation. Though the Pale Magistrates have been driven from the county of Blackwick, it is as the saying goes: Trouble always takes two faces. In the night since the confrontation at the (now ruined) train station, the waxen thralls of the vampire Alaway have spread through the streets of the low town. Above, meanwhile, the deputies left behind by the Second Canton's invaders itch for a fight. And though Lye Lychen, the Cleaver Chine, and ad hoc ally Hazard have arrived to attend to Duvall and Es' wounds, Marn, Pickman, and Two-Step Bucho are in the wind. Troubled times. Troubled times. This week on Sangfielle: Wax, Ichor, and Iron Pt. 1 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned... Facts and Figures Alekest san Geraint, the Margrave of Tescano, the Porcelain Knight (he/him): If you're a long time reader of this publication, Alekest needs no introduction. You know him from his past adventures, like the slaying of the UnSevered Beast or his solitary stand at Cedartree Station. Maybe you forget some of the details, his angst-filled childhood, the fraught years after his mother's death, his uncanny dreams. Well, Knight Pickman seems not to be a reader, if her confusion at the Margrave's arrival is any indication. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Alaway (varies): Was last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield named Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Now, though, his thralls wander the streets of lower Blackwick. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds.  The Structure: Reason, logic, sense. The world is, fundamentally, a place that fits together and functions. We may not like that, say the adherents of the structure. And sometimes, the world may move in ways beyond our particular ken. But there is something holding it together, and that, they say, is the Heartland's Truth: The Structure. The Shape: Are the trains that run across the Heartland bound to the Structure, or do they direct it? Is the overlap between the two even real at all, or might two machinic forces be at work here in Sangfielle? Organizations The Knights of Virtue, fka The Toll Collectors: It is fair to say that thisg roup is still made up of the devil Agdeline (she/her), drakkan Ettel (he/him), and human Larch (he/him), but it isn't right to simply call them a "trio" anymore. The former miners-turned-bandits-turned-thieves-turned-bodyguards have come into the employ of Queen Virtue, and have revealed their true nature: Once per month, three more of them appear from the depths of the Blackwick Mines, and soon join with the others in search of and profit and adventure.  The Caravan of the Coin:  Cursed by Ribbadon, Frog God of Wealth, these traveling merchant-clerics never arrive at a destination carrying what they expect.   Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Disciples of the Triadic Pyre: Appropriately devoted to a trio of gods, the Triadic Pyre believe that entropy is the only certain thing in this world, and as such aim to master it. Recently began to mark workers willing to do their tasks in the mines with their brand. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Clare (@sylvibullet), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)  

This episode carries content warnings for description of people bound and gagged, doppelgangers, mention of major bodily transformation, and decapitation. With the Ravening Beast dealt with—at least for now—Lye Lychen, Hazard, and the Cleaver Chine continue to track their way towards the nearest settlement. There, they hope to find supplies, a good night of sleep, and a quick passage northward to Blackwich (which is in sore need of their skills and support at the moment). But before they reach the quarry in the distance, they come across a too-familiar trio with a problem of their own. This week on Sangfielle: Two Kinds of Quarry Pt. 2 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places The Residuum:  A realm of vibrant color, where the things of the world go when their time in the material world fades away. A plane of death, but rendered in glorious light. Bluerock Quarry: Bluestone is what you might guess from the name, a quarry for digging up stones of various qualities and makes, but all of which is blue in nature. While slate and limestone and granite all serve their ends, the real find is welkin, a stone as light as air but tough as the hardest metal. Now who could be on the lookout for something like that? Facts and Figures The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds.  Uno Riscano (he/him): The so-called “Count of Cards,” this devil is the leader of one of the “six suits” that make up the Wrights of the Seventh Sun. Target of Hazard's ire due to an ill-handed card game. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. The Ravening Beast (it/its): A howl in the mind of Lye Lyken. A beast on the hunt. It haunts through the course of time, the shape of mind. An echo of a possible future? Chantilly Scathe (she/her): The signs and barkers rarely say her name alone. She ain't Chantilly, or even Ms. Scathe, she's always “Ms. Chantilly Scathe and Her Shackled Engine.” Don't let her showmanship and ringmaster garb fool you though: She seems to have done what no Shape Knight could: Make a train of the Shape, The Grand Cormorant Limited, her very own pet. Organizations The Caravan of the Coin:  Cursed by Ribbadon, Frog God of Wealth, these traveling merchant-clerics never arrive at a destination carrying what they expect.   Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Toll Collectors: Made up of the devil Agdeline (she/her), drakkan Ettel (he/him), and human Larch (he/him), this trio once spent time mining in the hills of Blackwick. Recently, they've been spotted as bandits, hired thieves, and paid escorts—sometimes (strangely) holding down multiple jobs in multiple places at the same time. In any case, rumor has it that they fly a new banner now… The Bell Metal Band: Once, the Bell Metal Band used their base of operations to capture Shape parts for study and re-use. But a tragic betrayal has sent them spiraling in unexpected ways. Now, a new structure rises atop their home... Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Sylvi Clare (@sylvibullet), Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)

This episode carries content warnings for injury affecting motor skills, mention of gun violence, flesh eating creature, blood, creature feeding on corpse, knife use and stabbing, description of a bodily organ, and description of insects. With a few days of overland travel behind them, the trio of Hazard, Lye Lychen, and the Cleaver Chine near the first landmark on their long journey west and north back towards Blackwick. From a high hill, they spot some smoke and light in the distance, and make their way towards the first landmark on their journey home. But before they get near, they first come face to face with a choice and a familiar threat. This week on Sangfielle: Two Kinds of Quarry The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places The Residuum:  A realm of vibrant color, where the things of the world go when their time in the material world fades away. A plane of death, but rendered in glorious light. Facts and Figures The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds.  Uno Riscano (he/him): The so-called “Count of Cards,” this devil is the leader of one of the “six suits” that make up the Wrights of the Seventh Sun. Target of Hazard's ire due to an ill-handed card game. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. The Ravening Beast (it/its): A howl in the mind of Lye Lyken. A beast on the hunt. It haunts through the course of time, the shape of mind. An echo of a possible future? Organizations Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Toll Collectors: Made up of the devil Agdeline (she/her), drakkan Ettel (he/him), and human Larch (he/him), this trio once spent time mining in the hills of Blackwick. Recently, they've been spotted as bandits, hired thieves, and paid escorts—sometimes (strangely) holding down multiple jobs in multiple places at the same time. In any case, rumor has it that they fly a new banner now…   Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Sylvi Clare (@sylvibullet), Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)  

This episode carries content warnings for insect infestation of a human body, description of wax skin, description of bodies smothered in wax and entrapment inside of a wax-flesh covered space, depiction of gun violence, blood and depiction of bleeding, description of wax and wax-body disfigurement, lack of bodily control, mention of real life sleep paralysis, imprisonment and kidnapping, violent bodily transformation, humanoid liquidification. Now I know it's passé to talk about how people may be the real monsters, but look at this situation the Blackwick Group have found themselves in. Sure, they've found themselves across from an ever-expanding waxen beast. And yes, the township has been overrun by a rambling sort of candle zombie. And neither of those things are good. But when push comes to shove, what's the thing that's making this so complicated? Well, it's the magistrates ain't it? By laying siege to the town, they primed the city for chaos, readied it to go up in flames, burst, and boil. And now the Blackwick Group's gotta bring things back to a simmer. Only problem is, they're just people too...  This week on Sangfielle: Just Returns Pt. 5 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned...    Facts and Figures Rebek Semm, Justice Bringer (she/her): Leader of the pack of Magistrates laying siege to Blackwick. Oh, and the late Ezek Semm's older sister. Gren Voznik, the Silent Hatchet (he/him): Big, quiet, and driven to solve problems axe-blade first. Ennib Lee, the Wildcat (she/her): Named for her custom ammo, this sniper is the only human in Rebek Semm's crew of Magistrates. A crack shot, a smart mouth, and a chip on her shoulder. Lejune Borr of Paper Faith (she/her): Priest of Fulmina and former disciple of the Prophet Calvin III, who the Kay'van agent Polyte killed many months ago now. A master of applied prayer. Dr. Kerr Kern (she/her): A Telluricist on loan to the Magistrates, where she works on final preparations for her Keen exam. While she's grown close to the group over the last year, their methods do trouble her. Currently holding Marn's research on Zevunzolia, nullstuff, the Wrights of the Seventh Sun, and the fundamental nature of curses. Organizations The Second Canton, aka The Pale Magistratum (ma-juh-strah-tuhm): The Second Canton has ordered itself around its Magistrates—holy marshals given weapons blessed by Fulmina, goddess of immediate justice, and the right to use that power as they see it.  Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Shape Knights: It took people with clear minds, great ingenuity, and implacable spirit to face down and defeat one of the living trains of Sangfielle. In the time since, they've crafted armor from their slain foe, and with that have come to be experts of all things train. They herd, they breach, they redirect. But they haven't yet killed a second. The Disciples of the Triadic Pyre: Appropriately devoted to a trio of gods, the Triadic Pyre believe that entropy is the only certain thing in this world, and as such aim to master it. Recently began to mark workers willing to do their tasks in the mines with their brand. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart), and Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)

This episode carries content warnings for insect infestation of a human body, description of wax skin, interrogation of a prisoner, violent bodily transformation, humanoid liquidification, and a description of an NPC being bound and captured.  Recognizing that further confrontation with the Magistrates is inevitable, Marn, Es, Duvall, and Pickman do everything in their power to control the circumstances of that showdown. They choose the time and the place, do a little research into what they're up against, and try to add a few loose weights to their side of the scale. If they should come out ahead, Blackwick will be free from this siege. But, ah, don't it seem like there's always one more thing in the air than can be easily juggled? This week on Sangfielle: Just Returns Pt. 4 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned...    Facts and Figures Rebek Semm, Justice Bringer (she/her): Leader of the pack of Magistrates laying siege to Blackwick. Oh, and the late Ezek Semm's older sister. Gren Voznik, the Silent Hatchet (he/him): Big, quiet, and driven to solve problems axe-blade first. Ennib Lee, the Wildcat (she/her): Named for her custom ammo, this sniper is the only human in Rebek Semm's crew of Magistrates. A crack shot, a smart mouth, and a chip on her shoulder. Lejune Borr of Paper Faith (she/her): Priest of Fulmina and former disciple of the Prophet Calvin III, who the Kay'van agent Polyte killed many months ago now. A master of applied prayer. Dr. Kerr Kern (she/her): A Telluricist on loan to the Magistrates, where she works on final preparations for her Keen exam. While she's grown close to the group over the last year, their methods do trouble her. Currently holding Marn's research on Zevunzolia, nullstuff, the Wrights of the Seventh Sun, and the fundamental nature of curses. Organizations The Second Canton, aka The Pale Magistratum (ma-juh-strah-tuhm): The Second Canton has ordered itself around its Magistrates—holy marshals given weapons blessed by Fulmina, goddess of immediate justice, and the right to use that power as they see it.  Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Shape Knights: It took people with clear minds, great ingenuity, and implacable spirit to face down and defeat one of the living trains of Sangfielle. In the time since, they've crafted armor from their slain foe, and with that have come to be experts of all things train. They herd, they breach, they redirect. But they haven't yet killed a second. The Disciples of the Triadic Pyre: Appropriately devoted to a trio of gods, the Triadic Pyre believe that entropy is the only certain thing in this world, and as such aim to master it. Recently began to mark workers willing to do their tasks in the mines with their brand. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart), and Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)  

This episode carries content warnings for insect infestation of a human body, use of firearms and knives, blood, death, a description of an NPC being bound and captured.  The pull of a trigger and the wind-cracking snap of a bullet. These punctuate a hard truth that Marn, Pickman, Es, and Duvall would prefer not to face: Blackwick is now in the grasp of some of the Pale Magistratum's most dangerous marshalls. And the quartet jsut gave up their only advantage—the elemetn of surprise. This week on Sangfielle: Just Returns Pt. 3 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned...    Facts and Figures Rebek Semm, Justice Bringer (she/her): Leader of the pack of Magistrates laying siege to Blackwick. Oh, and the late Ezek Semm's older sister. Gren Voznik, the Silent Hatchet (he/him): Big, quiet, and driven to solve problems axe-blade first. Ennib Lee, the Wildcat (she/her): Named for her custom ammo, this sniper is the only human in Rebek Semm's crew of Magistrates. A crack shot, a smart mouth, and a chip on her shoulder. Lejune Borr of Paper Faith (she/her): Priest of Fulmina and former disciple of the Prophet Calvin III, who the Kay'van agent Polyte killed many months ago now. A master of applied prayer. Dr. Kerr Kern (she/her): A Telluricist on loan to the Magistrates, where she works on final preparations for her Keen exam. While she's grown close to the group over the last year, their methods do trouble her. Currently holding Marn's research on Zevunzolia, nullstuff, the Wrights of the Seventh Sun, and the fundamental nature of curses. Organizations The Second Canton, aka The Pale Magistratum (ma-juh-strah-tuhm): The Second Canton has ordered itself around its Magistrates—holy marshals given weapons blessed by Fulmina, goddess of immediate justice, and the right to use that power as they see it.  Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Shape Knights: It took people with clear minds, great ingenuity, and implacable spirit to face down and defeat one of the living trains of Sangfielle. In the time since, they've crafted armor from their slain foe, and with that have come to be experts of all things train. They herd, they breach, they redirect. But they haven't yet killed a second. The Disciples of the Triadic Pyre: Appropriately devoted to a trio of gods, the Triadic Pyre believe that entropy is the only certain thing in this world, and as such aim to master it. Recently began to mark workers willing to do their tasks in the mines with their brand. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart), and Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)  

This episode carries content warnings for insect infestation of a human body, death, hanging corpses/gallows. The season has turned in the time since the Blackwick Group last stepped foot in the nominal hometown. The heat fades; the brisk air of heartland winter sweeps in, and with it: visitors. A cousin come to retrieve her kin. A fellow student of the path, at crossed ends. And, of course, the yet unreckoned with consequences of action long past.  This week on Sangfielle: Just Returns Pt. 2 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle, and prizes itself as the rare hub of culture in the bloodfields. In recent years, the powerful witch hunting organization called the Glim Macula has grown in power there, owing to the city's focus on furthering “civilization.” The Sleeping City: Every 13 years, a metropolis wakes with the buzzing sound of life. Do not cross its borders uninvited, especially not when it and its inhabitants are at rest. Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned...    Facts and Figures Alekest san Geraint, the Margrave of Tescano, the Porcelain Knight (he/him): If you're a long time reader of this publication, Alekest needs no introduction. You know him from his past adventures, like the slaying of the UnSevered Beast or his solitary stand at Cedartree Station. Maybe you forget some of the details, his angst-filled childhood, the fraught years after his mother's death, his uncanny dreams. Well, Knight Pickman seems not to be a reader, if her confusion at the Margrave's arrival is any indication. Felix Hollowfield (he/him): Once, Hollowfield was the genius behind the Glim Macula's technological supremacy in Sapodilla. A single push, though, and he's little more than a memory. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Alaway (varies): Last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield, Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Disposed of, for now at least. But the dream yet lives. The Ojan: To call it "The Ojan River" is not only to misspeak but to advertise your distance from knowledge. Ojan itself means "running water," and in Ojantani it is the word you attach to other words to mark them as rivers--each just an faint echo of this paragon of waterways.  The Jade Moon: A luxurious vessel, the Jade Moon glides up and down the Ojan. You have to work to find its exterior wooden hull, so covered is it in silken, green banners and curtains. Dining, Dancing, Gambling, Live Music, plush living. An engine that churns below. 250 feet long, 50 feet wide. It's a beast, but in the width of the Ojan--in some places over 2 miles wide--it pales. Teak: First mate of the Jade Moon. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds.  The Structure: Reason, logic, sense. The world is, fundamentally, a place that fits together and functions. We may not like that, say the adherents of the structure. And sometimes, the world may move in ways beyond our particular ken. But there is something holding it together, and that, they say, is the Heartland's Truth: The Structure. The Shape: Are the trains that run across the Heartland bound to the Structure, or do they direct it? Is the overlap between the two even real at all, or might two machinic forces be at work here in Sangfielle? Organizations The Broken Quartet:  Cello, viola, violin, clarinet. That's all it takes to make people move. Well, that and some skill. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Shape Knights: It took people with clear minds, great ingenuity, and implacable spirit to face down and defeat one of the living trains of Sangfielle. In the time since, they've crafted armor from their slain foe, and with that have come to be experts of all things train. They herd, they breach, they redirect. But they haven't yet killed a second. The Disciples of the Triadic Pyre: Appropriately devoted to a trio of gods, the Triadic Pyre believe that entropy is the only certain thing in this world, and as such aim to master it. Recently began to mark workers willing to do their tasks in the mines with their brand. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart), and Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)

This episode carries content warnings for insect infestation of a human body, bodily transformation, and visual delusions.  With the ersatz town of Marrow Creek behind them, the members of the Blackwick Group still onboard the Jade Moon find themselves consumed with personal projects, personal schemes, and personal excess. Marn finds herself between raw nothing and a place with the vibrant air of everything all at once. Es investigates the limits of “room service.” Pickman sturdies herself for a troubling conversation. Duvall, as he is wont to do, continues to investigates the ever-changing self. And there is, of course, the matter of a card tournament. This week on Sangfielle: Just Returns Pt. 1 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle, and prizes itself as the rare hub of culture in the bloodfields. In recent years, the powerful witch hunting organization called the Glim Macula has grown in power there, owing to the city's focus on furthering “civilization.” The Sleeping City: Every 13 years, a metropolis wakes with the buzzing sound of life. Do not cross its borders uninvited, especially not when it and its inhabitants are at rest. Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned...    Facts and Figures Alekest san Geraint, the Margrave of Tescano, the Porcelain Knight (he/him): If you're a long time reader of this publication, Alekest needs no introduction. You know him from his past adventures, like the slaying of the UnSevered Beast or his solitary stand at Cedartree Station. Maybe you forget some of the details, his angst-filled childhood, the fraught years after his mother's death, his uncanny dreams. Well, Knight Pickman seems not to be a reader, if her confusion at the Margrave's arrival is any indication. Felix Hollowfield (he/him): Once, Hollowfield was the genius behind the Glim Macula's technological supremacy in Sapodilla. A single push, though, and he's little more than a memory. Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Alaway (varies): Last seen as the waxy, vampiric minister of Yellowfield, Regan, whose generations-long study of technology led him to dream of (and work towards creating) "The City of Lights," a place of flameless fire, energetic implements, and the safety and freedom to live as one wants. Disposed of, for now at least. But the dream yet lives. The Ojan: To call it "The Ojan River" is not only to misspeak but to advertise your distance from knowledge. Ojan itself means "running water," and in Ojantani it is the word you attach to other words to mark them as rivers--each just an faint echo of this paragon of waterways.  The Jade Moon: A luxurious vessel, the Jade Moon glides up and down the Ojan. You have to work to find its exterior wooden hull, so covered is it in silken, green banners and curtains. Dining, Dancing, Gambling, Live Music, plush living. An engine that churns below. 250 feet long, 50 feet wide. It's a beast, but in the width of the Ojan--in some places over 2 miles wide--it pales. Teak: First mate of the Jade Moon. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds.  The Structure: Reason, logic, sense. The world is, fundamentally, a place that fits together and functions. We may not like that, say the adherents of the structure. And sometimes, the world may move in ways beyond our particular ken. But there is something holding it together, and that, they say, is the Heartland's Truth: The Structure. The Shape: Are the trains that run across the Heartland bound to the Structure, or do they direct it? Is the overlap between the two even real at all, or might two machinic forces be at work here in Sangfielle? Organizations The Broken Quartet:  Cello, viola, violin, clarinet. That's all it takes to make people move. Well, that and some skill. Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Shape Knights: It took people with clear minds, great ingenuity, and implacable spirit to face down and defeat one of the living trains of Sangfielle. In the time since, they've crafted armor from their slain foe, and with that have come to be experts of all things train. They herd, they breach, they redirect. But they haven't yet killed a second. The Disciples of the Triadic Pyre: Appropriately devoted to a trio of gods, the Triadic Pyre believe that entropy is the only certain thing in this world, and as such aim to master it. Recently began to mark workers willing to do their tasks in the mines with their brand. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart), and Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)  

This episode carries content warnings for disorientation, hallucinations/distortions of reality, death, humanoid corpses, knives, stabbing, blood, and the mention of animal death/slaughterhouses.  Hazard, Lye Lychen, and the cleaver Chine arrived to Marrowcreek together, but now they find themselves separated and spread to the extremities of the mysterious town. To the north, the card dealer and erstwhile caravaneer finds herself face to face with their quarry in the most unlikely of places. To the south, the junk mage confronts questions he'd thus far denied he was interested in. And to the east, the hunter sees a reflection of themself and is pulled ever closer towards it. This week on Sangfielle: Marrow in the Bone The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Marrowcreek: Quite a ways west of Blackwick, the maps say there is a town called Marrowcreek. Never been myself, but I've heard about it (often in the sort of hypotheticals people pose to you to “make conversations” at parties.) Unschola Republica, formerly the Third Canton (oon-skoh-la): For a millenia, the alchemists, mage-practitioners, and cryptotheological scholars of the Third Canton complained in secret about the leash kept on them by Aldomina's distant leaders. They've since slipped that leash, and whether that's for better or worse, time will tell. Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned...    Facts and Figures Doctor Yersa Mallow (she/her): According to at least some of the locals, Marrowreek is named for Mallow, who led a group of the ill here to perform the sort of medicine that even the Unschola Republica forbids. Personally, I just don't think it adds up. Katonya (she/her): A cleaver near the end of her career, Katonya's body bears all the marks of years in service to the Heartland. Loyal to those who employ her, and a walking catastrophe to those she opposes. Reuben (he/him): A kind and hard-working fisherman who's lived in Marrowcreek for a while now, per his own telling.  Uno Riscano (he/him):

The word went out to every worker on board the Jade Moon, and was passed to any passengers moving about the cabins: Stay inside. This was not the normal call to remain indoors during the ninth through eleventh days of the journey northward up the Ojan. No, this was something special. After all, as far as the captain and crew could tell, they weren't even on the Ojan anymore. This was somewhere else. This was Marrowcreek. This week on Sangfielle: Marrow in the Field The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Marrowcreek: Quite a ways west of Blackwick, the maps say there is a town called Marrowcreek. Never been myself, but I've heard about it (often in the sort of hypotheticals people pose to you to “make conversations” at parties.) Vish: A small fishing village west across the mountains from Blackwick. Marn's hometown. Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned...    Facts and Figures Reuben (he/him): A kind and hard-working fisherman who's lived in Marrowcreek for a while now, per his own telling.  Zofina (she/her): An apothecary and witch in Marrowcreek, whose shop you might confuse for a house if you paid it no second glance. Delian (he/him): A new arrival to Marrowcreek and its slaughterhouse. Staying at the midtown Hotel. Erlin, the Tactful God of Lakes (he/him): People don't often think of “lakeness,” and that's because Erlin does the thinking for you. He embodies the relaxing, if humid, depths of Sangfielle's many lakes. His temple is in the southwestern quadrant of the heartland. The Ojan: To call it "The Ojan River" is not only to misspeak but to advertise your distance from knowledge. Ojan itself means "running water," and in Ojantani it is the word you attach to other words to mark them as rivers--each just an faint echo of this paragon of waterways.  The Jade Moon: A luxurious vessel, the Jade Moon glides up and down the Ojan. You have to work to find its exterior wooden hull, so covered is it in silken, green banners and curtains. Dining, Dancing, Gambling, Live Music, plush living. An engine that churns below. 250 feet long, 50 feet wide. It's a beast, but in the width of the Ojan--in some places over 2 miles wide--it pales. Teak: First mate of the Jade Moon. Organizations The Caravan of the Coin:  Cursed by Ribbadon, Frog God of Wealth, these traveling merchant-clerics never arrive at a destination carrying what they expect.   Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Sylvi Clare (@sylvibullet), Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)

This episode carries content warnings for insect infestation, detailed description of insect infestation of an enclosed space, detailed description of insects on skin.  A day in the market can be a joy for even those who do not aim to barter. The sights and sounds, the smells, the tastes! A reprieve from travel, even if just from travel through life. But also, it is a way to see the passions of others made material, and of course an opportunity for chance encounters to reshape one's day, week, even life. What wonders will the oldest marketplace in Sangfielle, the wallside town of Cantbank, offer the Blackwick group? And where will they go next. This week on Sangfielle: Passage on the Jade Moon Pt. 3 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Cantbank: A long time ago, the story goes, Aldnomina set its sights on the heartland. Conquest, colonization, and consolidation. Well, turns out that the Heartland has many a mighty thing inside of it. And one such thing had many a favorite place. And it set out, so it is said, to visit each of them until Aldomina came. And as was its way, whichever it was at when Aldomina finally reached the gates, that place would be hidden from the eyes of the invaders. And so it is, by the blessing of its patron, that Cantbank, a market town built into the walls and caves of an old clifface, went untouched. Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle, and prizes itself as the rare hub of culture in the bloodfields. In recent years, the powerful witch hunting organization called the Glim Macula has grown in power there, owing to the city's focus on furthering “civilization.” The Sleeping City: Every 13 years, a metropolis wakes with the buzzing sound of life. Do not cross its borders uninvited, especially not when it and its inhabitants are at rest. Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned...    Facts and Figures Alekest san Geraint, the Margrave of Tescano, the Porcelain Knight (he/him): If you're a long time reader of this publication, Alekest needs no introduction. You know him from his past adventures, like the slaying of the UnSevered Beast or his solitary stand at Cedartree Station. Maybe you forget some of the details, his angst-filled childhood, the fraught years after his mother's death, his uncanny dreams. Well, Knight Pickman seems not to be a reader, if her confusion at the Margrave's arrival is any indication. Etienne Alize (he/him): Deacon of the Blood in the Triadic Pyre, and de facto sawbones aboard the Jade Moon. The Ravening Beast (it/its): A howl in the mind of Lye Lyken. A beast on the hunt. It haunts through the course of time, the shape of mind. An echo of a possible future? Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. The Ojan: To call it "The Ojan River" is not only to misspeak but to advertise your distance from knowledge. Ojan itself means "running water," and in Ojantani it is the word you attach to other words to mark them as rivers--each just an faint echo of this paragon of waterways.  The Jade Moon: A luxurious vessel, the Jade Moon glides up and down the Ojan. You have to work to find its exterior wooden hull, so covered is it in silken, green banners and curtains. Dining, Dancing, Gambling, Live Music, plush living. An engine that churns below. 250 feet long, 50 feet wide. It's a beast, but in the width of the Ojan--in some places over 2 miles wide--it pales. Teak: First mate of the Jade Moon. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds.  The Structure: Reason, logic, sense. The world is, fundamentally, a place that fits together and functions. We may not like that, say the adherents of the structure. And sometimes, the world may move in ways beyond our particular ken. But there is something holding it together, and that, they say, is the Heartland's Truth: The Structure. The Shape: Are the trains that run across the Heartland bound to the Structure, or do they direct it? Is the overlap between the two even real at all, or might two machinic forces be at work here in Sangfielle? Organizations The Broken Quartet:  Cello, viola, violin, clarinet. That's all it takes to make people move. Well, that and some skill. The Covenant of Kaitankro: You've seen them, haven't you? The unsettlingly gregarious priests with the strange, chitinous crow masks? Of course you have, with their stilt-legs and their stilt-houses and their collection of stakes and strings and, of course, the kites. I asked one once if it was a pun: Kite and Crow, chitin crow. Something like that. The priestess told me that Kaitankro was a very real god, if a funny one, and that one day, he visited her. Like every morning, she raised each of the town's kites up to the winds in daily worship, and Kaitankro landed on the smallest one—a sight to see, she said, since her god is so large a being. And like a carnivalist, Kaitankro walked down the wire, tips of her talons, until he met the priest at the bottom. There, I was told, they whispered in the priest's ear a single phrase: “Better to live as birds on wires than die as men in the wind.” Chaos, it seems, breeds community, too. (Editor's note: If these gods are so compelled to grow, grow, grow, why the hell does this ‘bird' god seem so happy to just bounce from place to place? Isn't anything in Sangfielle predictable?) Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Disciples of the Triadic Pyre: Appropriately devoted to a trio of gods, the Triadic Pyre believe that entropy is the only certain thing in this world, and as such aim to master it. Recently began to mark workers willing to do their tasks in the mines with their brand. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Clare (@sylvibullet), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)

This episode carries content warnings for injury that affects mobility, aggressive animals, animal consumption of human flesh, insect infestation, bodily infection, and a description of a gory transformation. The Jade Moon's trip from the sea of Sapodilla back upriver towards Blackwick has a set schedule. 14 days, all accounted for. Meals prepared. Entertainment provided. A small number of stops for shopping, religious needs, and the general stretching of legs. And yet it is the case that some days are longer than others, no matter that they count one each. The day that most of the Blackwick Group, and a new companion, stepped out of the Jade Moon and into the Triadic Pyre's Bridge Cathedral is one such day. This week on Sangfielle: Passage on the Jade Moon Pt. 2 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places The Bridge Cathedral: In the hierarchy of all trains--or is it perhaps capitalized, I do not recall--there is one engine that storms ahead of the others. "The Burning God Among Iron Trains" is its name, but the Disciples of the Triadic Pyre call it simply Fire Alight. Well, whatever you might call it, it's a damned big one. And it needs to cross the Ojan like anything else. And thus: The Brdige Cathedral. Largest structure of its kind in Sangfielle or anywhere. At two miles across, it's partly a church, partly grim city, and partly an engineering pit. What are they engineering? Well... It turns out, being the devotees of the Fire Alight shifts your relationship with other trains. At least the ones who, themselves, are under the Burning God's thrawl. Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle, and prizes itself as the rare hub of culture in the bloodfields. In recent years, the powerful witch hunting organization called the Glim Macula has grown in power there, owing to the city's focus on furthering “civilization.” The Sleeping City: Every 13 years, a metropolis wakes with the buzzing sound of life. Do not cross its borders uninvited, especially not when it and its inhabitants are at rest. Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned...    Facts and Figures Etienne Alize (he/him): Deacon of the Blood in the Triadic Pyre, and de facto sawbones aboard the Jade Moon. The Blue Wind: One train among many in the Bridge Cathedral. This one seems to be inhabitted by a more boisterous group of Gandy Dancers than the others. Who could say why? If I had to guess, I'd say that those strange creatures are trying to take the train off of Fire Alight's track and put it back on the regular old Shape. The Ravening Beast (it/its): A howl in the mind of Lye Lyken. A beast on the hunt. It haunts through the course of time, the shape of mind. An echo of a possible future? Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds.  The Structure: Reason, logic, sense. The world is, fundamentally, a place that fits together and functions. We may not like that, say the adherents of the structure. And sometimes, the world may move in ways beyond our particular ken. But there is something holding it together, and that, they say, is the Heartland's Truth: The Structure. The Shape: Are the trains that run across the Heartland bound to the Structure, or do they direct it? Is the overlap between the two even real at all, or might two machinic forces be at work here in Sangfielle? The Ojan: To call it "The Ojan River" is not only to misspeak but to advertise your distance from knowledge. Ojan itself means "running water," and in Ojantani it is the word you attach to other words to mark them as rivers--each just an faint echo of this paragon of waterways.  The Jade Moon: A luxurious vessel, the Jade Moon glides up and down the Ojan. You have to work to find its exterior wooden hull, so covered is it in silken, green banners and curtains. Dining, Dancing, Gambling, Live Music, plush living. An engine that churns below. 250 feet long, 50 feet wide. It's a beast, but in the width of the Ojan--in some places over 2 miles wide--it pales. Teak: First mate of the Jade Moon. Organizations Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Disciples of the Triadic Pyre: Appropriately devoted to a trio of gods, the Triadic Pyre believe that entropy is the only certain thing in this world, and as such aim to master it. Recently began to mark workers willing to do their tasks in the mines with their brand. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Clare (@sylvibullet), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)

This episode carries content warnings for description of a burn injury, injury causing limited motor skills, lack of access to medical care, insect infestation, bodily infection.  Among Sangfielle's self-proclaimed adventuring class, the idea of retiring to a riverboat ride is something of an old canard. Everyone says they'll do it one day, but very few ever speak of actually completing such a post-venture vacation. Something always comes up. A scheduling error, or a last minute change in ticket pricing, or another job crossing the desk. Perhaps none have been as lucky as the Blackwick Group. Perhaps none have had friends in such high places.  This week on Sangfielle: Passage on the Jade Moon Pt. 1 The Almanac of the Heartland Rider Places Sapodilla: One of, if not the, largest city inside of the walls of Concentus. Sapodilla rests on the western shore of the vast lake that takes up much of southeastern Sangfielle, and prizes itself as the rare hub of culture in the bloodfields. In recent years, the powerful witch hunting organization called the Glim Macula has grown in power there, owing to the city's focus on furthering “civilization.” The Sleeping City: Every 13 years, a metropolis wakes with the buzzing sound of life. Do not cross its borders uninvited, especially not when it and its inhabitants are at rest. Blackwick County: From the mines to the lake, the hills to the flats, the town once called Eastern Folly has felt a little more expansive now that it's out of the hard grip of the old curse. It's people aren't perfect, but they've made it through some dark times, and that's more than most can say. Zevunzolia: Who the hell knows. A miraculous city waiting to be built? A utopian dimension adjacent our own? "The Seventh Sun Itself," I think I heard one of those fools call it. All I know is, however prime and pristine it is in promise, the pricetag keeps going conveniently unmentioned...    Facts and Figures Aterika'Kaal (it/its): An ambivalent and ancient spirit. Offers the sweet smell and sublime beauty of roses and the sturdy foundation of a root structure. In exchange: Feed it. Dyre Ode (he/they): When an agent of the almanac pressed this mysterious, masked figure for more information about him, they only repeated their name, as if to ensure we'd print it right, adding “Dyre with Y but Ode as you'd like, a poem said in praise or a debt gone unpaid. It bothers me little, how you spell that name.” The Blackwick Group first encountered this myterious figure during their investigation into Roseroot Hall, where they helped him recover his skull. The Course: There is debate about the true nature of the Heartland's Truth, the power that turned Sangfielle into what it is today. But the Cleavers call it the Course. Part river, part lesson, part direction traveled. Entirely beyond the grasp of mortal minds.  The Structure: Reason, logic, sense. The world is, fundamentally, a place that fits together and functions. We may not like that, say the adherents of the structure. And sometimes, the world may move in ways beyond our particular ken. But there is something holding it together, and that, they say, is the Heartland's Truth: The Structure. The Shape: Are the trains that run across the Heartland bound to the Structure, or do they direct it? Is the overlap between the two even real at all, or might two machinic forces be at work here in Sangfielle? The Ojan: To call it "The Ojan River" is not only to misspeak but to advertise your distance from knowledge. Ojan itself means "running water," and in Ojantani it is the word you attach to other words to mark them as rivers--each just an faint echo of this paragon of waterways.  The Jade Moon: A luxurious vessel, the Jade Moon glides up and down the Ojan. You have to work to find its exterior wooden hull, so covered is it in silken, green banners and curtains. Dining, Dancing, Gambling, Live Music, plush living. An engine that churns below. 250 feet long, 50 feet wide. It's a beast, but in the width of the Ojan--in some places over 2 miles wide--it pales. Teak: First mate of the Jade Moon. Dr. Pest: Sawbones of the Jade Moon. Organizations Wrights of the Seventh Sun: A secret society dedicated to the construction of Zevunzolia, whatever the cost. Their motivations are many: Some believe that the Devils ought to have continued climbing whent hey escaped hell, that this was not the paradise earned. Otherse believe that Zevunzolia is telos of telos, the end-cause of all end-causes, and thus will inevitably bring itself into being. And given that, to do anything but aid it is to risk exclusion from it, or worse. The Disciples of the Triadic Pyre: Appropriately devoted to a trio of gods, the Triadic Pyre believe that entropy is the only certain thing in this world, and as such aim to master it. Recently began to mark workers willing to do their tasks in the mines with their brand. Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) Produced by Ali Acampora Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp) Text by Austin Walker Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot)