Kythia

Coedd All is Coedd Diplomacy: 5, Military: 1, Economy: 4, Faith: 6, Intrigue: 6 Actions 1) Faith - Conversion in Region 38 (Minority->Plurality)(Success)[Cult] Dice roll doesn't include additional +2 for media support - actioned by GLO as part of their BRG rep. That takes the roll up to 13 A voice recording by Siobhan of Clagarth Once again, cultists spread through Beldhanland (as some there have taken to calling it). Their primary objective of repairing the war damage is achieved and the warshocked population eagerly flock to their meetings and services, abonding the twenty rings of power in increasing numbers 2) Faith - Conversion in Region 48 (Minority->Plurality)(Success) [Coedd] Spend one treasure A voice recording by Siobhan of Clagarth With no explicit instructions to stop, cult members contonue the laborious work of tracking down the nomadic inhabitants of this frozen area and converting them to a cult focused around a type of life barely found in this area. I don't understand Coedd well enough to know what is being done here... 3) Diplomacy (5) - Establish an Embassy with the ArkHive Æternal (Unrolled) [Cult] A voice recording by Siobhan of Clagarth An increasing amount of the administration of Coedd is being performed at the arkhive and this is little more than an acknowledgement of a de facto situation. The top floor of the Intelligence Agency is converted to an embassy with no great fanfare. 4) Diplomacy - Sway Government in 34 (Open+Adjacent)(Success)[Cult] A voice recording by Siobhan of Clagarth 5) Intrigue - Investigate the Mysterious Crater (Roll=16)[Both] Spend one treasure A voice recording by Siobhan of Clagarth 6) Intrigue- Refocus Intelligence Agency to House of Fire (Unrolled)[Cult] OOC - Requesting non-scientists involved in the science program. Cleaners, canteen workers, maintenance, etc. A voice recording by Siobhan of Clagarth Expected Stat Increases Next Turn: +1 Faith, +1 Dip, +1 Intrigue Other mechanical notes: Non-actions Gain a contact in the ArkHive (Intelligence Agency) Support HOF buyout of TP1 in region 22 Coedd took the trding post several years ago and no one was sure why at the time. But apparently whatever purpose it was to serve has been served as attempts are made to expediate the buyout by the House of Fire Submission to the Arkhive The merchants of Coedd, notes by Siobhan of Clagarth Spies Units: 1 Treasure: 2

Yes on Arkhive, Abstain on GCC fluff to follow if I get time

Intelligence Agency Coedd’s Intelligence Agency doesn’t literally throw its doors open for Hexennial visitors but purely because the doors are always open. One of them, in fact is broken and is at its most closed an inch or two ajar. There is a maintenance request in to sort it but maintenance have been busy preparing for the conference and this job was judged low priority. But it does metaphorically throw its doors open to visitors and that’s something. Spies, helpfully wearing badges identifying themselves as such (“Hi, I’m Matt Harry 372.12. Ask me about spying for Coedd”), circulate; inviting anyone who expresses an interest to come and visit. Those that do get a novelty mug and have the sign up sheet pointed out to them. Inside the converted warehouse, visitors are eagerly shown details of countless schemes and treated to a display of ostentatious codename usage. It’s clear to anyone visiting that those present are dilettantes who are largely “spying for Coedd” because it gives a break from their professional duties. “Its a LARP, not an intelligence agency” most will leaving thinking. Those a bit more attuned, though, might spot something else. Yes, they’re dilettantes, yes this is done in fun as much as anything else, but they are good at it. They’re plans could well work. They’re information gathering methods have been well thought out and well executed. They’re secret handshakes may be ridiculous and their codenames absurd (particularly given the fact they often slip up and refer to each other in plaintext) but the codes and ciphers they actually use are strong and at times unbreakable without magic. They might well just be playing a game, but they’re damned good at playing it and what’s the real difference anyway? Coedd Arrival Coedd is old. At the same time Coedd is ever young, eternal and everdying. To be specific, this particular avatar of Coedd is old. Never limber at the best of times it is now close to immobile and takes the best part of ten minutes to walk down the ramp from the ship that brought it here. The walk from there to the room where Ordo Roberts, the sixtieth and forty-two hundredths is preparing for his final mellification is agonisingly slow - acolytes accompany it in shifts to allow time for toilet breaks. Eventually though, several hours after landing, it stands before the venerable scholar and by extension before the beers. Twenty chemical translators beep while those who have had augmented noses installed sniff the air. Coedd !UNTRANSALTED! Tiny-meat. “Tiny-meat” had come up before, on the rare occasions Coedd had felt the need to distinguish between the bees and literally every other form of non-plant life in Tekhum. But the chemical trace being displayed was new and there were excited glances between the linguists in the room. A new word! During its laborious walk from there to the grove they huddled in knots of conversation, occasionally one drifting from one group to another to ensure conversations were disseminated. In the almost an entire day it took it to walk to the grove, a slow consensus emerged. Coedd’s traditional polite greeting had always been translated as “acknowledges” - it was essentially a simple messenger pheromone used as a handshake. Coedd is prepared to send and receive messages. And this new word was similar in structure but with deuterium groups attached. The only other place the linguists had seen deuterium in Coedd’s conversation was in its own identifier, “Coedd”. Their presence here couldn’t be a coincidence, it must be a way of…of elevating the term. The slow consensus emerged and that consensus was that: Coedd greets the bees. A level of respect it was previously thought Coedd was incapable of. Eventually this avatar reached the grove and stood in the middle. Over the course of the year the last of its leaves fall. It can be used, acolytes agree, as compost to feed the hive’s ever present need.

Coedd All is Coedd New Ruler Next Turn Diplomacy Military Economy Faith Intrigue Original roll 4 1 4 2 4 This turn stat increase 1 2 Old ruler stat bonus 2 2 Total 5 1 4 6 6 Diplomacy: 3, Military: 1, Economy: 1, Faith: 10, Intrigue: 10 Actions 1) Faith - Conversion in Region 37 (Absent->Minority) (Success) [Cult] non-Coedd meats fought non-Coedd meat. Coedd aids Coedd. A voice recording by Siobhan of Clagarth The wars on Sansar never seem to end and the cult is kept busy in central Chonkia repairing the damage from the latest battles. Even as they finish word reaches them of another attempt by the elves on region 38 and as soon as the work here is done they will head there. 2) Faith - Conversion in Region 48 (Absent->Minority) (Success)[Coedd] A voice recording by Siobhan of Clagarth Confusion in the cult as Coedd gives one of its vanishingly rare directions. A presence is to be set up in the frozen north, an area almost devoid of plant life and, it had been thought, of little interest to Coedd. But, of course, they go. 3) Diplomacy - Attend the Hexennial Conference (Unrolled) [Coedd] Subactions - Gain Aclaustrophobic Psychiatry, Algorithmic Imagination, Arcane Amplification, Badalian Megadirigibles, Nuclear Fusion, Pseudogravity Engineering, Shrewd Business, Vacuum Adaptation, and Xenolinguistic Cataloguing from the Arkhive A voice recording by Siobhan of Clagarth Coedd's current lead avatar is reaching the end of its natural lifespan. Honestly, I'm suprised it is bothering to create a new one and go through the process of transferring such a large subset of its consciousness, but it appears to be. Had I sat down and thought about it, I probably could have guessed that it would be unsenitmental about its body but I was probably a bit biased by human prejudices here. Regardless, there appears to be a long term arrangement in place in which its avatar's bodies are added to compost heaps in the arkhive and so it makes this last journey to the hexennial to die. 4) Diplomacy - Establish a presence in Kinella (Unrolled) [Coedd] A voice recording by Siobhan of Clagarth Coedd is intrigued by the discovery of sentient plantlife on Badal (as, for the record, are the majority of the cult!) Speculation abounds - is this a long-seperated fragment of Coedd which has changed over the centuries and millenia to lose its unity? If so, the ramifications are...mind-boggling. Or is it, as is more than likely, simply that given a large enough sample size sentient plant life was an inevitability? Either way, Coedd sends a remarkably well formed avatar along with a number of cultists to take up residence amongst the acid clouds of Badal to understand the situation better. Thanks to their allies in the ArkHive they have an understanding of the dirigibles themselves and of ways of communicating with new life if they turn out to not be Coedd which is, hopefully, all they will need. 5) Faith - Convert Region 24 (Absent->Minority)(Success) [Cult] A voice recording by Siobhan of Clagarth Coedd worship has been widespread in the lands of the Elif Dhaoine for several years now and its no great surprise that they have taken it upon themselves to spread the word both through sending small missionary groups to Doine lands which do not already have a presence... 6) Faith - Convert Region 25 (Plurality->Majority) (Success)[Cult] A voice recording by Siobhan of Clagarth ...and through growing their numbers in lands that do. Expected Stat Increases Next Turn: +2 Faith, +1 Dip maybe something else Other mechanical notes: +1 Emp Rep (Ruler turnover while at minimum) Non-actions Gain a contact in the ArkHive (Intelligence Agency) A message to the Biarbu is delivered through normal diplomatic channels: We are disappointed to note the Bairbu's nigh immediate reneging on our agreement. From the point of view of Coedd, this agreement is now suspended. Should the Face of the Flock have an interest in renegotiation, we are prepared to hold these discussions. Following these discussions Coedd gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Eddy Molo G. the four hundred and twelth and seventy three hundredths for his aid in resolving this and the goodwill of the Biarbu is happy to lift its suspension of the agreement. Coedd is denounced by the Ishtahn Word filters in several years after the event due to the lack of any links between the cult of Coedd and the Ishtahn - there's no particularly reliable means of Coedd hearing about the ban and so the news makes its slow way to Sansar in word of mouth and idle chatter. Those same lack of links mean that the majority of the recipients greet the news with a shrug - they've never heard of Ishtahnos, don't know where it is and don't really see how a ban affects them. Out of the minority who hear the news and have also heard of the Ishtahn, the majority reaction is amusement and Coedd friendly media outlets amuse themsleves and their viewers with lists of other things that nobody wanted to do in the first place that the High King of Ishtahnos has banned. Finally, of the exceptionally small number who (a) hear the news (b) see any relevance in it to them and (c) don't respond with outright mockery a three messages filter back (eventually, given the problems with communication and motivation) from three different branches of the cult. Response one: Yeah, no worries. Response two: OK. Finally, response three, from Siobhan of Clagarth is an invite to various IShtahn scolars, religious figures, theologians (non by name - Coedd doesn't know individuals in Ishtahnos) to visit representatives of Coedd either on the island or at the arkhive as Every single point raised is factually incorrect and this might be a useful learning experience. Thaumo-nuclear weaponry returns to Tekhum. Most of the cult don't seem to care, or even have heard the news, but a few leading figures raise voices of protest. Their very nature is inimical to life, it is argued, and represent an especially cruel way of waging warfare. While conventional weapons do at least offer the hope of medical intervention, Thaumonuclear weapons cause damage at very fundamental levels rendering survivors not only permanently affected but their descendants too. Their use is unforgivable in all situations. Senior cultists are on the record asking the House of Fire to eschew their use and destroy the research notes. There are small scale protests from the Coedd minority in Bīt Ereshkigal over the winter but these die down with Spring and the growth of new plants being a higher priority for the average cultist on the street. Arkhive Submission to the Arkhive The govenment of Coedd, notes by Siobhan of Clagarth For ease of terms, the humans (and a smattering of other races) of Coedd live in a theocracy. However, there are substantial differences in practice to the likes of the lands of the Cloudburst Coalition. There, their leader is itself a god and rule is held by it and the clergy. Coedd, on the other hand, shows no interest in day to day governance of its lands and lacks any sort of formal clergy. So the neologism “credocracy” might be more suitable - a government of believers. The civil authorities attempt to rule the land in accordance with what they believe to be Coedd’s wishes (ignoring the fact that Coedd all but certainly has no wishes whatsoever on how human governments are organised - it is, for the record, intensely difficult to fully realise that Coedd doesn’t care what its followers do) The “credocrats” of Coedd have one huge advantage in that over 99% of the inhabitants are similarly believers. So a variety of laws that one might expect - interfering with plantlife for example - aren’t present because they’re simply not needed. Noone was going to anyway. But this laissez faire approach to lawmaking has spread to other areas and I feel quite confident in saying that the meat inhabitants of Coedd have fewer laws regulating their behaviour than any other region on Sansar - the entire corpus fits on three sheets of paper and are written in an informal tone (Quote: “Don’t kill people unless you really have to for some reason. If they start a fight and you’re defending yourself or something”) quite unlike the weighty legalism of most law codes. Each town has its own idiosyncratic structure for the ruling body but over time most are gravitating to follow Hob’s Art’s system as it is by a couple of orders of magnitude the largest settlement on Coedd. Here, the ruling council is made up of anyone who feels like showing up when the council meets - a system that works alright with small population numbers but is starting to show strain in scaling as the population grows. Decisions are made on an ad hoc basis with no concept of precedence or consistency and are confirmed by a rough voice-vote with actual counting only performed if an immediate sense of the room can’t be agreed upon. There are, predictably, no taxes in the island which means civic maintenance is in an exceptionally poor state, doubly so since any overgrown bushes, roots, etc that cause problems are just left to do so. There is a vague agreement that plant life can be cleared from spaceports but this is a laborious process involving digging them up and replanting them elsewhere. Spies Units: 1 Treasure: 1

An eminently sensible suggestion. Perhaps in nine years you will allow us to entertain you and repay the hospitality you have shown. There will be a hexennial that year or you are of course welcome on the island of Coedd. Although...well, I would not wish to jeopardise our newfound agreement by insinuating that the Biargu are stupid or careless, but I would mention that others have treated safety instructions for travelling on the island as safety suggestions and found that to be unwise. No harm is intended to them of course but the jungles of Coedd are not so urban as your magnificent casino and different precautions are necessary. He stands and offers his hand, not sure the Biarbu use handshakes but certain they have been in a human dominated system long enough to recognise the gesture. Unless there was anything you wanted to add? Lets keep communications open.

Iago nods to himself a couple of times, the manner of a man running through precisely what he wants to say. I agree. Such an action would be unprofessional in the extreme and to be avoided in all but the most extreme circumstances. But. The world being what it is I can't...hmmm. This matter is important to us - the followers of Coedd do not leave Sansar often and despite the fun my colleagues are having in the casino that would not normally tempt us here. Good relations with the Biarbu and this agreement we are discussing are important to Coedd and we would not trivially endanger them. Such an extreme breach of professionalism would only be warranted by an extreme risk to Coedd's interests. We would hope you understand and for our part understand that an extreme risk to Biarbu interests must be responded to. We hope that friendly relations can prove to be friendly enough should such a step be taken, but can't be bound to any agreement that rules it out entirely. Still at the table Siobhan's little headshake was unneeded - her colleague was already moving the glass back to a more secure position. As spooked by the sudden arrival of the pitboss as she was. As the winnings were distributed she stared unseeing at them for a moment - talented lipreaders may be able to pick up her running through something to herself - so that's a three gone, an eight gone - and so on. Working out what remained in the deck. Eventually she leans forwards and scoops half of her winnings towards her, leaving the other half, her original bet, on the table. High or low, double or nothing? she asks, And, if the dealer agrees, confidently makes her prediction. 2010 if the dealer doesn't accept the double or nothing, 2510 if he does. Either way, she thinks him, leaves a ten chit on the desk as a tip and moves over to Fortune's Favour, waiting for a hand to start. 2000 if the dealer doesn't accept the double or nothing, 2500 if he does.

Iago nodded along and chuckled to himself. Within his mental map, Sansar was a vast and differerentiared place - the deserts and mountains of Chonkia, the frozen wastelands along the north the dense foresty of Coedd and its near neighbours, the lush rainforest of the Reserve...and so along while everything else in Tekhum occupied a mental box labelled "not Sansar". Of course he knew, if he thought about it, that there was more in "not Sansar" than in "Sansar" but sometimes his internal biases did seep through. If another Elect allows the visit then that, to me, would fall outside the scope of our agreement. We would, as a - ha! - professional courtesy usually inform you of any invites that conflict with Biarbu interests and would appreciate the same but the very nature of our visits mean that may not be feasible in all cases and we wouldn't want such a notification enforced by treaty - even one so informal as this. But yes, you have understood fully. As to your final point, you are quite correct. A bit of unintended provincialism there, please forgive me. Errr, this one would be honoured by your overlooking of his mistake. Let me put this together then: The Biarbu will, excepting direct invites, refrain from both proselytism and subterfuge on the surface of Sansar. Coedd will, excepting direct invites, refrain from both both proselytism and subterfuge off the surface of Sansar. In the case of direct invite by a member of the elect, Coedd will consider it a sign of friendly relations if the Biarbu notify them of such actitivites but accept this may not always be possible. In turn, in that same spirit of friendly relations, Coedd will by default notify the Biarbu of such activities off the surface of Sansar, with the proviso that this may not be always possible. Should it become necessary for the Biarbu to work on the surface of Sansar or for Coedd to work off its Sansar, an offer will be made to the other party to perform the task requested. If that request is refused - with the understanding that doing so doesn't invalidate the agreement in the future - it shall be understood as permission for the party to work outside their normal field of influence. I think that covers everything? At the Blackbird table. Siobhan had rapped for another card as soon as she saw her initial hand and lifted the corner to see the card slid over once it was. A three. Annoying. She frowned for a second then rapped for another one. An eight. With no need to mask her expression she smiled openly. Hold at 21 she said, revealing her four cards and placing them slightly further away from the croupier than was convenient, meaning he would have to lean forwards slightly to get them. She glanced up at one of her colleagues at the bar and gave a very slight nod. He quickly drained his glass and placed it back on the bar, deliberately precariously. (Current bet is 500 chits, for clarity)

Iago flashes his eyebrows, impressed by the technological privacy measures. Nice, we just hide behind a tree and everyone pretends they can't hear us. He sips his drink slowly and thinks through the message. Coedd's areas of interest and the Biarbu's seem to align. You are spreading the word of Fascination while cultists spread the word of Coedd. You've opened the Golden Pheonix while we have the he takes a deep breath and mumbles the next bit, hopefully too fast to hear Super Secret Coedd Spying Base It was funny to them, certainly, but utterly mortifying now he had to say it out loud in a serious conversation. He sips his drink again, letting a pause hopefully killing off some of the impression doubtlessly left by the name. And it seems we might be evenly matched if we were to clash, sapping both our resources. Now. Coedd has no interest in Tekhum outside of Coedd, outside of Sansar. As far as we can tell, the Biarbu have no presence on Sansar. We wanted to initially propose a...a mutual non-inteference treaty. Coedd will not seek to establish its power outside Sansar, the Biarbu will not seek to establish theirs on Sansar. If that were agreeable, we would also propose an expansion - that on the rare occasions when Coedd wishes to operate outside Sansar for whatever reason the Biarbu perform what is needed and vice versa. This is, to be clear, an addition to the original offer of mutual exlcusion and can be rejected seperately. Elsewhere With the slot machines exausted, the group make their way over to the Blackbird tables. While most cast a disinterested eye and then head off to the bar, Siobhan takes a seat and smiles at those around the table. Deal me in the next hand please. She lifted a corner of the cards and looked at their values, sliding a pile of chits over with the other, tapping the table for another card almost immediately.

Siobhan and the others reached the last of the single player games and examined the roulette wheel carefully. Well, pick a number. Coedd is all, so "one" I guess says one but is interrupted by another tapping the rules. What's this...oh, between two and nineteen. Fair enough. Thirty on lucky number seven then? He turned to the others who shrugged agreement. 30 chits on number 7 But Coedd's run of luck was apparently over as the ball stopped on number 3. To various shurgs - they were still up after all - they reclaimed 15 chits leaving the others with the croupier. 1025 chits - half bet = 1010 chits Elsewhere Iago Rhwym, the lead spy and a native of Coedd's lands, smiled apologetically - exagerrating the movement and turning his hands slightly to show they were empty: he wasn't entirely sure on the birds' abilities to read human body language and was high enough in the cult of Coedd to have experience in dealing with beings that couldn't (or, minimally, didn't bother) reading body language. I'm so sorry, no offence was intended and he allows himself to be directed back downstairs to the VIP lobby. In there he stops off at the bar and scanned the cocktail list. One of these please he tapped an item, but can you shake it please, not stir it? I just think it'd be nicer. He rummaged through his pockets for currency but the barman (barbird?) shook his head. Well, that was good news. He scanned the area and, even without knowing Biarbu social rules was easily able to identify the senior Biarbu present. Assuming that a message about his presence had beaten him down here he approached. Greetings, Coedd is all. He thought back to how the birdmen had spoken and consciously mimics their patterns. This one bears a message from Coedd on matters that may aid us both. This one would be honoured if a suitable time for discussion could be found.

Buoyed by their victory, Siobhan and three of the spies move on to the “Path of Destiny” machine. While Siobhan feeds some chits in, one of the others casts an eye over the workings: again working out how to cheat on it, again not too covertly. Half bet = 15 chits New Total = 1025 The odds were worse on this one, but with various exclamations of surprise the machine offers a payout again. Two of them scribble frantically on pieces of paper they pull from their clothing and, moments later, shake their heads. Siobhan bows to their superior maths and hits they "payout" button, adding the fifteen chits to their growing pile. The fourth spy, the leader, wasn't with them though. He had made a quick update to the others then headed off in the direction of the hotel. Coedd intelligence on the Birabu was as weak as it was on most offworlders but they had solid reasons to believe two things: The casino was the front for an intelligence gathering operation and the head of the operation could be found in the hotel. Beyond that, they weren't sure. But he had a simple plan. He entered the hotel and started making his way upwards, towards the penthouse. The first time he was stopped by one of the strange bird people he looked up an enunciated as clearly as he could. I've got a message from B Either the person who stopped him would know that "B" was the codename of the head of Coedd's intellgience network, widely and correctly belieed to be one of the senior linguists in the ArkHive or they wouldn't. If they did, either the message he carried would get him further or it wouldn't. This seemed to be the easiest way to answer those questions.

The route from the ArkHive to Coedd didn’t usually go via Badal. It was…it was something of a detour. But Siobhan was going to be away from civilisation for a long time and when various “spies” within the arkhive had expressed an interest in going to the new Casino - claiming in a deliberately obscure fashion that it was “important” wink for their “work” wink she had tagged along. And so the five of them touched down at the brand new Golden Phoenix - amongst the first to arrive apparently. Neither the ArkHive nor Coedd was much given to opulence and none of them seemed entirely sure how to deal with it. One nervously moved a potted plant a few inches with his foot to give it more space to grow, another very pointedly didn’t look at the dancers. “Spent a bit on this” one mentions, more to break the silence than anything else. “Mmmm” is the only reply he gets. Eventually it becomes too obvious that they are loitering and they make their way in. Siobhan stops to exchange a few words with Pung Neow before following the rest in. OOC - Gengy, available for IC talk or it can just be small talk that doesn’t need writing out. Whichever. When she caught up with them they’re clustered around one of the “Chosen Ones” slot machines. “Spanners” - they had ever-changing codenames and he was a talented mechanic - was squatting in front of it with his ear to the workings “...pretty easily, but it looks like a one time trigger” he was saying as she arrived. “Shut up!” She hissed and was joined by two others. “I mean! At least pretend not to be working out how to cheat.” At a not-particularly-hidden-hidden-signal from the leader they all suddenly looked nonchalant and smiled warmly at the various security cameras and covert and overt pit security. They’d practised suddenly becoming nonchalant on the flight over. The less observant security would see a group of people suddenly pretending they hadn’t been acting suspiciously - the more observant would see the same but also note that the overwhelming majority of the casino’s security had been smiled at even those parts which weren’t meant to be obvious. Coedd’s intelligence network was made of bored researchers, by and large, but they practised. “Shall we make a bet then?” One of them fingered the pile of chits they’d been handed as they came in. “Five?” “Ten!” “Twenty!” “Fifty!” they joined in playfully encouraging a larger bet but with the mention of fifty appeared to realise they had gone to far and soberly muttered “Twenty” to themselves. Wagering 20 on the slots Gain half bet = 10 chits Current total 1010 chits There is a ragged cheer as the machine pays out.

Coedd All is Coedd Diplomacy: 3, Military: 1, Economy: 1, Faith: 10, Intrigue: 10 Actions 1) Faith - Conversion in Region 26 (Establish Coedd Minority) (Success) non-Coedd meats fought non-Coedd meat. Coedd aids Coedd. A voice recording by Siobhan of Clagarth This is well oiled by this point - I wonder if there's a less-machinery-more-plant way of adjusting that metaphor? Well lubricated? Sounds kinda gross. Anyway. It's an appropriate metaphor. Scarcely has the final gunshot echoed away before cultists swarm the area: repairing the damage and spreading the word of Coedd. 2) Faith (10) - Celestial Domain Subaction: Create Holy Order - Choristers of Sian There's no fanfare, no announcement. Internally, nothing really has changed. Nothing is fundamentally altered. But Coedd has spent long enough managing a planet spanning network of cultists that they've grown good at it and can use it more effectively than most, getting more use out of its followers in an equivalent time than anyone else can. A voice recording by Siobhan of Clagarth There is one potentially interesting development though. A group of the human natives have formed something of a..sub-cult? focused around a young girl with a truly incredible singing voice - I've heard her and it really is a once in a generation talent. She sings devotional songs to Coedd, heavily played on local media, and her gifts are being hailed as Coedd-granted. A few - myself included - have queried why on Coedd Coedd would do that. And how. And, again why. But it matters not, they are using her music to increase their devotion and on balance that's probably a positive. 3) Intrigue (10) - Intelligence Agency Subaction - target the ArkHive With cultists across the planet sending information to Coedd and Coedd paying no attention whatsoever to any of it, the backlog is becoming extreme. Its stored electronically, of course, but if it weren't there'd certainly be towering stacks of paper everywhere. The not particularly shadowy figure known as B when people remember to use her codename but usually as Michella Farn subtly arranges for a warehouse in the federal face to be given over to their spy games (there is a broad agreement that it was done "subtly" despite the actual mechanism being her simply asking if she could use it - the land registry records the building as "Super secret Coedd spying base") and begins moving information there for arkhival. An open day is held in celebration of the opening. Visitors are eagerly shown round and many leave with free mugs with "Coedd is All" on the side. In the main hall there is a sign up sheet for those wanting to get involved in the fast paced world of spying for Coedd. 4) Intrigue (5) Assault Organization Base (Imperial Embassy in region 21) Subaction: Using Hives of Scum and Villainy As the sun rises on a glorious summer day, the Imperial Embassy on Sansar's communications light up like a Coedd Day fireworks display. Through every communication method at Coedd's disposal - including a few that her spy network had uncovered and weren't generally known - the same message is received. "Evacuate the building. You have three hours" This repeats for a good fifteen minutes before being reduced to only a few channels, so as not to impede internal communications potentially needed for organsing any evacuation. At the third hour to the dot, five imperial fugitives - violent men with no loyalty to Coedd but a strong grudge against the Empire - place earthernware pots around the perimeter of the complex and then RUN. Vines grow rapidly from the pots and into the Embassy through open windows, airt vents and other openings, seeking out and wrapping round electrical power lines. And then tugging on them, moving wires that shouldn't be touching so that they do and sparking electrical fires throughout the building. As is probably expected, there is no official word from Coedd but senior cultists make no pretence that Coedd viewed the Imperial encouragement of violence against the Elif Dhaoine and the Glorious Purifiers as an attack on her allies that demanded some degree of retaliation. 5) Intrigue - Theft of One Treasure from TEA (Success) A voice recording by Siobhan of Clagarth So apparently there was a succesful hacking attempt on the Eucrus' Alliance's government bank accounts and appparently a similar amount, less transaction fees has appeared in the government accounts here on Coedd. There's some bragging going around that the enemies of the Basu-Rahman group have been punished which I suppose they have but honestly as far as I can tell this was just to prove that they could. Government figures seem a little embarassed by it, if I'm honest. Expected Stat Increases Next Turn: None (Faith and Intrigue both maxed) Other mechanical notes: +2 Renown (+1 Exalt Domain, +1 First to do so) From Higher Powers +2 Renown (+1 Establish Intelligence Agency, +1 amongst first five to do so) From Eyes in the Skies -1 Renown From Hives of Scum and Villainy Net change: +3 Renown -3 EMP rep from attack on base (Action 4) 1 BRG favour repaid (Non-Action 3) Non-actions The Opening of the Golden Phoenix is surprisingly well attended by Coedd's representatives. Siobhan travels there for some final relaxation and socialisation prior to her long sojourn into the jungles of Coedd while representatives of Coedd's "spy" network travel to make contact with Tekhum's other major intrigue power and draw up an agreement: The Nine Year Understanding BRB will not personally take proselytism or subterfuge actions on Sansar, unless otherwise invited COE will not personally take proselytism or subterfuge actions off Sansar, unless otherwise invited BRB and COE will, in this manner, enter into an Understanding of non-interference with each other. Each will be given first right of refusal to act on the other's behalf in their respective territories. Refusal allows the offeror the ability to act unimpeded by this Understanding. Agreement means the offered will take action on the offeror's behalf. Professionalism and secrecy will be maintained regarding the offers made to act within defined territory, excepting acts that might be considered an extreme risk to the offered's interests. This Understanding will last for nine-years, and be reviewed again at the conclusion of that time period. A visit to Neo Guleum. The Golden Phoenix isn't the only draw on Badal. The merchants of Coedd feel aggrieved. They've been ignored by Coedd. Their overtures to the Empire were rebuffed. The Union didn't seem impressed by their work. Noone had taken them up on the advertising campaign they had sponsored. And what do merchants do when they feel unloved? Well, maybe they could change their working practices, form a voluntary code of conduct and reform. Or maybe they could say "No, it's everyone else who is wrong" and seek out the one group in Tekhum most likely to find a use for a merchant group living under a goddess who wasn't interested in setting any laws or regulations whatsoever. They arrive in Neo Gulueum to speak with the psycho-capitalists. Repay BRG favour through The Enemy of My Enemy (theft from TEA) The White Pawns attack a trade post with no defence offered although "attack" might be putting it a bit strongly. At first they set up a cordon and defeinsive positions to hold off the anticipated defenders but over time it becomes clear none are coming. Locals watch with relative disinterest as the refineries are smashed and pulled down, the merchants owning those refineries having fled as soon as they White Pawns mobilised. Overall, any White Pawns casualties would have been caused by the generally hostile nature of Coedd's fauna - though non is specifically tasked to attack them - and any local casualties (aside from the ones killed by Coedd's generally hostile native fauna...) more a misunderstanding than an actual combat casualty. The people want action and they shall have it. A detailed plan is submitted to the Sansar guildhall by Coedd along with carefully labelled seed samples for the various plants detailed: The Plan Low but fast-growing plants are to be planted along the south-western edge of the area (sample 1). These will stabilise the soil and prevent further encroachment of the dust deserts. The nutrients released by their deaths will, in three years, be able to support a secondary ring of plants (sample 2) - slower growing but sturdy fruit trees which will provide needed construction materials, fuel (through burning) and fruit to Veerha. Their eventual death will in turn support an eventual growth along the bank of the water of the third and final type (sample 3) - very long lived plants which will a) give a screen to the water to prevent further dehydration but more importantly b) release water vapour in sufficient quantities to eventually (estimates break down a little at these sort of timeframes but 250 years seems reasonable) increase rainfall on Veerha and move the atmosphere slowly closer to normal - it is understand that when Coedd says "normal" it means "Sansar-normal" Arkhive Submission to the Arkhive The Media Landscape of Coedd - Notes by Siobhan of Clagarth The local media franchises support Coedd thoroughly. This isn't just "they know their target audience", this is a deeper support caused by the bulk of the producers, writers, etc being devoted worshippers of Coedd. Most media outlets in Tekhum broadcast 24/7 making Coedd's outlets an outlier in that they only broadcast in daylight, with the broadcast hours thus varying through the year. I'm not sure why this is the case and no one I spoke to knew either. But they start, to the minute, with sunrise and end, again to the minute, with sunset. You may think this is a result of legislation or regulation, but this is note the case. There is no legislation, no regulations governing Coedd's media whatsoever. Coedd itself obviously has not produced any, but the human government has not done so either. The media of Coedd are unregulated beyond the dreams of the most libertarian laissez faire minds. And so what does an entirely unregulated media do? In this case it broadcasts devotional matter. The three major media companies have slightly different focuses (and slightly different theological beliefs as well, actually) but in the main TV, radio and other mass market media give a constant diet of hymns, sermons, panel discussions and other material related to the faith of Coedd. Even news broadcasts and other factual programmes are heavily biased by the faith of Coedd and present analyses and similar matters through that lens. This wasn't always the case, of course, and the three major companies (and the flotilla of minor ones) were considerably more varied prior to Coedd's efforts to drive out unbelievers fifteen or twenty years ago and vestiges of this can sometimes be seen in the slightly different approaches and theologies I mentioned before. CBC - Coedd Broadcasting Corporation - was previously the more "highbrow" of the media companies with prestige journalism shows, hgih culture and generally targeting a higher class, higher education target audience. It handles the syncretism of Coedd worship by, essentially, ignoring it. It's editorial stance is that the variation of Coedd worship practiced on the sub continent is the correct one and its documentaries ad coverage of the rest of the faith often takes a sniffily disapproving tone. RTC - RadioTelevision Coedd - previously served the other end of the market. Lower culture shows, worse quality journalism, considerably more fart jokes. Nowadays, though, they ironically serve a better class of citizen than CBC. Their cooking, gardening, home improvement and so on shows transitioned seamlessly into Coedd coverage, focusing on the same areas just through a different lens. S4C - Station for Coedd - was, even before the takeover, a religiously themed station (remember that even before the takeover the human worshippers of Coedd dominated much of life). Their output has barely changed over the last couple of decades. Spies Units: 1 Treasure: 0

Siobhan starts to say something but realising the Navarch hasn't finished yet goes quiet again. Siobhan raises her hand at this, holding it up long enough for it to be seen, but waits for a break in the conversation before responding to it. I'm not sure if it's permissable to change the amendment after introducing it, it's not come up before. If it is, though, that sounds like a perfectly fair adjustment. Coedd still abstains though. She glances behind her and gets a nod Unless the arkhive state they're in favour or opposed to the alteration of course. Errrrm, what else? Yeah, you she gestures at the Navarch asked who thought the Hive shouldn't get a vote? I do. It's a little weird I know, but the charter is the will of the bees, at least as I understand it. It could have been set up so the ArkHive could vote on amendments, but they didn't set it up like that. Queen Constance understands this situation a lot better than me and if she says I'm wrong then listen to her not me. But the bees didn't give the Hive a vote and presumably they knew what they were doing when they did that. At least that's my understanding, again listen to the Queen over me on this matter. Because she gestures at the Navarch again the spirit of the charter isn't that all who come in good faith be offered a seat. It's just...not. There's a clear split, an immutable split, between those who get a seat and those who don't. The spirit of the charter is emphatic and unalterable on that point. Who counts as a resident, sure, that could be up for debate. But the fact that not everyone gets a seat at the table? That's not at all the spirit. Also, as a general point, why are we referring to conversions as "hostile". If I take a soapbox to a corner and start preaching and some people listen and agree - that's not "hostile". This terminology is really leading. "Unwanted", "uninvited" even "irritating": I'd allow all of these. But talking of preaching as being "hostile" is just hyperbole and it really seems like an attempt to...to frame the conversation.

Siobhan takes her seat for her first official business while Garrick loiters obtrusively behind her, ready to offer aid whenever it is or isn't wanted. Residents I don't really understand what there is to discuss on this point she starts, looking confused. The charter seems perfectly clear to me. In case there's something I've missed: if Arkhive membership was held by individuals it would be clear who was a resident of Sansar. Is their main house on Sansar? They're a resident then. Regardless of whether they own another house offworld. Arkhive membership is held by governments not individuals, but the same logic applies. Is their main house - their capital - on Sansar? Then they're a resident. I really don't see another reading to the charter. Freedom From Religion This seems like a grubby little thing she says with distaste. How does it improve the ArkHive's workings? And, given the ArkHive only converts by invitation, why do the Llort feel they can deny the religious wishes of everyone else in Tekhum? It's a nasty thing is what it is. You're editorialising. Garrick says from behind her, not unkindly. It's easy to do, don't feel bad. But no one invited you here to hear Siobhan's opinion, they wanted Coedd's. What does Coedd think? She stares, unseeing, at whoever is sat opposite her for a moment while she thinks before announcing Coedd Abstains? a little hesitantly. At Garrick's nod she repeats it with more conviction. Coedd Abstains Fair Labour Practices I guess...On the face of it this would prevent the arkhive from doing most things. Can the arkhive trade tech to the elves? That would, depending on the tech, be supporting the use of slaves. Or from another direction, what if a patron wanted to direct the arkhive to buy some slaves with the intent of freeing them. That would be the acquisition of slave labour and so we wouldn't be allowed to. I just think it's a little broad. Coedd votes No. She's about to continue when Garrick interrupts: Wait, hold on... He's about to continue when Coedd interrupts, through a sharp beep from the translator box. Siobhan and Garrick both stop to read it and Siobhan slumps back in her chair, looking absolutely mortified and on the brink of tears. Coedd supports the ArkHive in whatever it decides she mumbles. Coedd votes Yes

She frowned slightly at the unexpected line of questioning then with an almost audible "oh" caught on - she wasn't stupid give her that much. I'm an Assistant Librarian with the Face of Philosophy and Psychology, your majesty. I've been working on applying our knowledge of aclaustrophoic psychiatry to Glix culture of late but my original research interest was in isolation as it pertains to hive and group minds. Seperation form the whole, you know. But to Garrick specifically, well, I didn't want to say but it looks like he knows? I was looking for his recommendation to take his place with Coedd. What's Coedd to me. Errrm. I grew up in the Reserve, you can probably tell by the accent. And you get very good at noticing things - there are old Elif Dhoiane, there are unobservent Elif Dhoiane, I'm sure you can fill in the snowclone. And there's these trees, we call them Poll trees, and they have these huge leaves, bigger than you and me together. But they have holes in the middle about, ooo she holds her hands about 75 cm apart about this big. And the sunlight comes through the holes and you get low lying plants growing where the sun comes through. And those plants die and they feed the Poll tree roots. No-one has planned this. No one goes round poking holes in leaves or planting ground plants where the sun will get to them. It's just everything perfectly working together by itself. That principle, that's what Coedd is to me. Everything just works. And I guess thats what I am to Coedd. I'm part of the thing that just works. I think I'm right in saying the Hive has a different relationship to Coedd than most places - it seems more aware we exist and have an internal structure than it does, say, the Raidaint Republic. I don't know if you'd agree? But it seems that way to me. And part of that working, from our point of view, is studying. Does that make sense?