Sinta Articles

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

 

Former Hero Mizoha Guwan Has Fate Decided

Not’zar Izweski has shown another example of the mercy he has maintained during his tenure as Lord-Regent. For nearly two weeks the disgraced Mizoha Guwan has languished in the dungeon of Skalamar as he awaited his fate. The Guwan, who took on his deceased brother’s name to escape his punishment and fight within the navy, has had his fate decided by his father, Clan-Leader Hu’tali.

 

The matter was deemed noteworthy enough by Not’zar Izweski that he summoned an attendance by the public of the city as well as our own media station. The crowd in attendance was over three hundred on-lookers, who stood divided between the commoners and noblemen on either side of the grand hall. Not’zar Izweski was seated on the elevated throne with various advisors and cousins of the Izweski dynasty flanking him. Before him was Mizoha Guwan, held in chains with a man of the city Watch holding him there. The Guwan was holding his head in shame and did not look at anyone else in the room.

 

From the entrance entered Clan-Leader Hu’tali, and he approached the throne under the eyes of everyone present. He stood next to his son and bowed before Not’zar Izweski who spoke out to address the crowd.

 

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“Hu’tali, I have thought heavily on our discussion and I trust that you have as well. Because of the situation we have faced, it was my decision that rather than the court I would give you the dispensation to decide the fate of your exiled son.”

 

Clan-Leader Hu’tali spoke up next, and his words sent a tremor of murmuring through the crowd.

 

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“My son profaned our honor and for that I exiled him, believing he was not worth the status of Guwandi. But I cannot deny what he has done. It is my decision as the head of our clan that you remove his status as Guwan. I wish to call him my son once more.”

 

Not’zar Izweski held up a hand to silence the crowd and responded when the noise ended.

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“I am willing to do this. I too must admit that in the literal sense, he is the one that engaged in the heroism of Youthstone, but it was his brother’s name by which it was done. In plain terms he has not distinguished himself on his own terms. Therefore, I will grant your request and by the power of the Hegemon of which I wield I shall return his clan name to him. However, I have rescinded my offer of naming this individual High Kataphract. It would be profane to anoint one who acted in the shadow of another. Therefore, I am going to give him a ship, a spear, a laser rifle, and a quest. If your son can find fame and prestige in this wider galaxy I shall anoint him a Kataphract.”

 

With his name returned, Zizae appeared surprised. The Unathi, his Guwanhood removed, no longer tainted the Citadel with his presence. He finally lifted up his head and addressed his father and the Lord-Regent.

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“I seek nothing in life but redemption and the restoration of my honor and the honor of my clan.I accept your quest.”

 

 

Zizae was, as promised, gifted the shuttle and supplies by the Izweski at Skalamar’s shuttleport. He was last seen exchanging words with his father on the tarmac before departing. It’s unknown if Zizae will find the means to achieve his desired title of Kataphract, but he joins the thousands of Hopefuls now exploring the galaxy seeking prestige and glory.

 

 

 

Edited June 10, 2019 by Marlon Phoenix

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

 

Lord-Regent To Heal Religious Rifts in Sinta Civilization

Lord-Regent Not’zar Izweski has announced a convention of religious leaders from across Moghes to take place. Invitations have been dispatched to the most renown priests of the Sk’akh church, as well as prestigious shamans from Moghes as well as Ouerea. The Lord-Regent has introduced controversy by also issuing invitations to the doomsday prophet Si’akh and the profane constructs within the Aut’akh.The convention is set to take place in New Skalamar on Ouerea. Members of the foreign heresy known as the Tribunal were not invited.

 

New Skalamar only a year ago was the site of a tense stand-off between Th’akh majority rebel forces and the then-Overlord Yizra. The ruling Elder-Chiefs have welcomed the convention, and have pledged that all representatives would be under their protection.

 

The Lord-Regent gave his reason for the convention, declaring that he would mediate the disputes between the faiths.

 

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“The uniquely diverse set of beliefs that our people hold must be addressed. Recent years have seen controversy between the sects of the Hegemony and beyond. We must address the issues that divide our people. It is my right as the voice of the Hegemon to heal the many divides between my vassals.”

 

While the Lord-Regent seems to have high hopes for this convention, several stumbles have already occured. According to releases by Izweski family members orchestrating the convention, High Priest Unzi has snubbed the Lord-Regent by declining to attend. In addition, Si’akh has refused to arrive himself and is sending a representative to speak in his name. Several religious leaders have also condemned the attendance of any Aut’akh representatives and have threatened to join the boycott.

 

Mizali Mortenga, a Clan-Mother of a leading Ouerean family and respected shaman of Kr’ath, was the most vocal in her insistence that it was the Sk’akh church that was forbidden from attending.

 

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“We cannot come to any understanding with a group that is wholly and utterly incompatible with our way of life. The zealots within the Maraziite Order have burned down our temples and persecuted our people, driving us from our sacred grounds. Now our most revered leaders survive in exile in a foreign star system. The Lord-Regent would look to the attempted eradication of our beliefs and speak of compromise? That is unacceptable.”

 

The Lord-Regent is believed to be in continued negotiations with the different factions to find acceptable compromises to encourage as many as possible to attend.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Religious Convention’s First Day Sees Dialogue Between Th’akh and Aut’akh Before Breaking Down

 

An unusual gathering of religious leaders from across the Hegemony has seen both the expected tension and eruptions as well as unlikely friendships. The convention convened early this morning and already on day one there was intense emotion from the delegates and an unexpected breakthrough after a full day of theological discussion and a dramatic confrontation.

 

Lord-Regent Not’zar Izweski was mediating the convention from the throne of New Skalamar’s citadel, with the delegates assembled in the hall before him. The nearly one hundred delegates were divided according to their faith, with the majority being Th’akh shamans, the second most being Skakh, the Aut’akh having four Ansiba delegates, and there being a single Si’akh in attendance.The convention opened with Not’zar Izweski laying out the rules for decorum and outlining his goals for the assembly.

 

 Not’zar then gave the floor to Clan-Mother Mizali Mortenga, who spoke for the Th’akh delegation.

 

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“Does the smoke still rise from the great temples of the Akhandi Order? We no longer have buildings we can call ancient, for you have transformed them into ruins. You have scoured the very ground of our traditions and ancient wisdom. You will answer for the abhorrent crimes of your dishonorable Maraziites.”

 

The Sk’akh delegation, lead by S’th’s leading priest Makazi Neyt’zili, responded angrily as the delegates behind him erupted into shouts.

 

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“It is typical of a woman to not understand the price that must be paid in a war for the very soul of our civilization. You may wish to allow your flock to consort with daemons and cultists but I will not apologize on behalf of the High Priest for delivering Sk’akh’s justice.”

 

The two groups then continued arguing without any grounds being made. Seemingly fearing the talks collapsing in the introduction, Not’zar Izweski intervened and motioned for Clan-Mother Mortenga to address the Ansiba delegates. The Clan-Mother spoke up again, addressing the infamous heathens of the northern pole.

 

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“All people of sound mind and good sense understand the basic law of the universe that any sentient body is animated by the soul, which is imbued upon creation in a womb or an egg. It is also a known law that the soul is unable to interact with inorganic material and is instead maimed by it. Knowing these laws of the universe, how do you ever begin to consider your souls empowered within your profane bodies?”

 

Ansiba Grazali responded after several moments of silence.

 

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“We disagree. Look at the great artifacts of contemporary times and in our history. Your own shamans in ancient times taught that, by praying to the ancestors, these weapons were imbued with their spirits to give the wielder great power."

 

The debate then turned into a three hour long theological discussion between all of the delegates on whether or not it is the weapon or the wielder that is possessed with the power of the additional spirits. In the end, Clan-Mother Mortenga conceded that souls can manifest in inorganic material ‘in certain circumstances’. This was rejected by nearly all the Sk’akh delegates as well as the lone Si’akh delegate, who insisted a soul can only reside in organic material. 

 

Ansiba Grazali then continued.

 

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“The soul is not maimed by the melding of metal and flesh. It is instead empowered. The soul in our Aut’akh bodies no longer need to spend energy to animate our arms, legs, and other organs. The extra power can then be used to give ourselves powerful magic.”

 

This argument silenced the Th’akh delegation, who quietly murmured amongst themselves. Mortenga spoke up after several minutes of the quiet deliberation.

 

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“We are swayed by your argument. It is possible that your beliefs specifically on the soul are not wholly inconsistent with our own as we have originally feared.”

 

Mortenga and Ansiba continued their debate, and two Sk’akh priests spoke up from their own delegation asking certain questions and signalling that they may be open to the Ansiba arguments. These talks were then interrupted by angry shouts from the Sk’akh delegation’s leader Priest Neyt’zili, who stepped forward between the Ansiba and Th’akh delegations. He addressed Not’zar Izweski directly.

 

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“I will not tolerate the entertainment of heathen babbling. Clearly your mind is as crippled as your body if you allow this very room to be tainted by the blasphemy within its walls! I demand that all of these heathens and heretics be thrown out and you apologize to the Sinta people for your conciliatory attitude towards these profane abominations!”

 

Not’zar Izweski rose from his throne, supported on his cane, and spoke in turn.

 

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“No.”

 

This response prompted shocked silence from Priest Neyt’zili. Stunned and taken aback, he spoke up once more.

 

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“You defy High Priest Unzi and the will of Sk’akh?”

 

Not’zar Izweski shook his head and took his seat once more, addressing the entire assembly.

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“High Priest Unzi has declined to attend this assembly and has made no demands of me. It is clear that he trusts the honorable assembled to come to their own conclusions. Now instead of speaking out of turn, do you have any theological arguments to make against the Clan-Mother and Ansiba?”

 

 

Nety’zili angrily announced that the Sk’akh delegation would be abandoning the talks “until further notice”.

 

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“It is clear that only the presence of the High Priest, with the authority of the Sk’akh Church in its entirety, can straighten out this embarrassing debacle.”

All of the Sk’akh delegates walked out, leaving Not’zar Izweski to announce that the convention would be going into recess for the rest of the day and resume “at a later date”.

 

Clan-Mother Mortenga was seen continuing to speak with the Ansiba as they left the Citadel; it is believed that they are continuing their unprecedented dialogue outside of the assembly. It is rumored by some that there are now seeds of reconciliation between the Aut’akh and the many shamans of Th’akh. Such a move would seriously cripple the Sk’akh’s influence in matters pertaining to the Hegemony’s relationship with the Aut’akh, as they are near universally believed to be completely incompatible with the basic tenets of Th’akh and Sk’akh theology.

 

The Si’akh representative left without any comment or dialogue with any other delegate.

 

For his part, High Priest Unzi has left a simple announcement that he would be ending his boycott of the Convention. He has already arranged a private shuttle trip to Ouerea, from his great temple in Skalamar. When pressed for a comment, he said only this.

 

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“I will need to see for myself if the rumors of the Lord-Regent becoming conciliatory towards daemons is true with my own eyes.”

 

[Mofo1995]

Not'zar Claims Delegates As Vassals; Si'akh Appears and Confronts Unzi

 

The Convention of New Skalamar has entered a dramatic chapter as High Priest Unzi of the Sk’akh Church had a fierce and bitter confrontation with the radical doomsday heretic Juzida Si’akh that threw the entire day into disorder as the two engaged in a fierce debate that has redrawn the battle lines between the major religions of the Unathi people.

 

When the day began Unzi himself joined the proceedings and stood at the front of the sizable Sk’akh delegation. Also present were the Th’akh shamans that made up the largest group, lead by Ouerean Clan-Mother Mortenga. They were debating the Ansiba delegation of Aut’akh, who were making headway in convincing the assembly of their compatible doctrines.

 

The Si’akh delegation was a comparatively small team of two individuals; the representative from before who briefly spoke on matters and a new unidentified Sinta in a simple, brown hooded cloak who garnered no interest from the delegation. Not’zar Izweski oversaw the proceedings from an elevated seat at the head of the assembly.

Unzi was dominating the talks, calmly undoing nearly all of the gains that the Ansiba had made with sweeping theological arguments about Sk’akh orthodoxy and its incompatibility with the “Aut’akh delusions”. However one of the final statements Unzi made to the Aut’akh was the preamble of the day’s trouble.

 

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“You seek to redeem your own moral failings by profaning your body with machines, but no amount of automation will purge the taint from your moral character.”

 

The hooded figure with the Si’akh delegate stood upright and lowered his hood, revealing himself to be Juzida Si’akh; the leader of the Si’akh Heresy. He stood out before the dumbfounded collection of delegates and pointed accusingly at Unzi.
 

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“Fool that you are for speaking of moral failings when your very soul has become the epitome of a lecherous parasite!”

 

The Sk’akh delegates exploded into shouts of heresy, filling the entire chamber. Unzi took a step forward and held up a hand to silence his followers. He did not address Si’akh, but the Lord-Regent, speaking in a calm voice despite his  visible trembling betraying his rage..
 

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“Why is he here?”

Not’zar Izweski tapped his  cane against the floor and then used it to rise to address the room.

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“We are here to heal the rift between all of our faiths. It is in the vested interest of the Izweski’s continued hegemony of the Sinta that all vassals are given the time of day in matters such as this. If he becomes difficult, I will have him thrown out. But until that moment, he is a member of this convention.”

 

Si’akh spoke up again, gesticulating wildly and pacing the room as Unzi stared at him in silence.

 

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“I have wandered the shifting sands of the Wasteland and have seen the depths of Sinta depravity and the heights of Sinta virtue. It is with these experiences that I can say with no hesitation that Unzi must seek redemption for the crimes he has committed. I wish I could say that his actions are unfathomable, but I am not blind to the excess of sin. You claim your excess in the now is necessary to stave off a future collapse; but Sinta do not live in the ends! We all suffer your means in the here and now!”

 

High Priest Unzi spoke next, clearly strained.

 

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“Eating raw meat and drinking nothing but water will do nothing to give me the redemption that you claim I need. I am here to save the souls of all Sinta, where you are here to lead them astray with your prophecies and fear mongering. You are a pawn of the occult and in your arrogance you do not understand the harm that you are doing. Your own hypocrisy is staggering as you yourself claim we must sacrifice now for the future false paradise you seek to rule as a god. Were it not for the accords banning the Iron Masks from this planet I would have the head of you and your companion rolling on the floor of this very building.”

 

He then refused to engage with Si’akh further, no matter how much the firebrand preacher goaded him with theological and personal attacks. He spent the next hour of the delegation staring at Not’zar Izweski, who tried to guide the discussion as Si’akh hijacked nearly every moment. The firebrand preacher addressed the unhappy Ansiba in the room, and spared them none of his scorn.

 

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“We collectively allowed sin to manifest in our souls and the result was armageddon. Hatchlings were atomized into less than dust. For these sins we must atone. We must live with the trials handed to us. To live physically comfortable is to live spiritually debauched. You scorn the trials Sk’akh has given you and you seek the handicap of your metal vessels. If only you knew the damnation you condemn yourselves to. Our frail, mortal bodies, cursed with illness and physical handicaps, must be burdens we overcome without shortcuts that make it easier.”

 

The Ansiba responded quickly, trying to preempt any interruption by Si’akh.
 

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“We are in agreement on many areas. The War was caused by sin. Sin is an inescapable condition of the Sinta people. But now in the post-War world we are uniquely vulnerable to demons. The intention of our new bodies is not to make things easier, but to take control over our own destiny once again. We empower our souls so that we are strong enough to stave off demonic influence. Our natural form was ruined by the War, and the disease and rot that plague our people is the result of that. We must adopt many forms so we can survive and thrive in the doomed world we have created for ourselves, and to spread and grow so that we can help others stave off demonic influence.”

 

Si’akh shook his head and withdrew from the discussion, returning to his side of the floor.

 

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“I cannot agree with your methods. If what you were doing came from arrogance I would be filled with anger, but as you do it from ignorance I weep for what you have done.”

 

The discussions continued with an incredible tension apparent to all present. At the end of it the Sk’akh and Si’akh remained irreconcilable, and both continued to sustain hostility towards the Aut’akh delegates. The Th’akh delegation itself was split, with the Ouerean shamans being curious and open to the Aut’akh while the traditional Moghean shamans shied away from engaging with them.

 

At the end of the day Not’zar announced that the convention would be ending for the day, and he rose to thank the delegates for attending. The groups exited outside to a huge crowd of on-lookers behind barricades. Unzi lead the way and refused to respond to any journalists. Si’akh was seen leaving, draped in his hood once more. This was the first, and perhaps the last time that the two have met face to face.

 

Not’zar Izweski exited last and spoke before the people.

 

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“It is of vital interest to our civilization that my vassals are able to speak their minds within an honorable context and seek common cause. Even where common cause cannot be found, we have entered the age where blood will no longer be spilled in the name of virtue and theology. Let this be the beginning of a new era of reconciliation.”

 

Many of the Lords of Moghes and Chiefs of Ouerea remain divided along ideological and religious lines, but many have shied away from direct commentary. They say they are waiting for the final day of the convention, in which Not'zar will announce direct decrees in response to the results of the convention.

 

Edited July 27, 2019 by Mofo1995

[VUX]

Kidnapping: Arkajurhl Drrawa'jur Abducted on Gakal’zaa!

 

Two days ago Arkajurhl, the second son of Guildmaster Mj'akurahur, disappeared from their clan’s estate just outside the capital city of Zikala. Originally search parties were organized that scoured the forests around the city after Arkajurhl failed to return from a planned hiking trail for several hours. M’sai park rangers and Sinta Watchmen searched on foot and with a civilian helicopter but they found nothing. 

 

However earlier today Guildmaster Mj'akurahur released a public statement from his estate. In the statement Mj'akurahur claims that “individuals within his employ” spotted his son in the north “with the savages.”

 

He claims that the northern provinces of the planet, inhabited by Tajara who resist the attempts by the Hegemony to civilize them, have abducted his son in retaliation to his family’s success.The powerful Guild family has an exclusive charter to trade goods from the colony to Moghes. This was granted to them in recognition of their family, one of the first of the Tajara settlers, sincere and spontaneous conversion to the Sk’akh faith. 

 

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“There is no doubt in this one’s mind that his son, who was arranged to be formally converted to the Church, was abducted. This one is furious that they would engage in these tactics to target our family.”

 

 

The northern provinces of the planet are harsh and too cold for permanent Unathi presence, and so many Tajara who resisted the Hegemony’s attempt to bring civilization to them since their liberation by Lord-Admiral Yizarus ended up fleeing to these northern provinces. Because of the relative infancy of the Hegemony’s presence and the harsh climate away from the equator, Overlord Makar Yizarus has said he would be raising proper Tajara to the rank of nobility to rule the lands in his name, but there are currently no Lords anointed and the lands remain relatively lawless.

 

Overlord Yizarus has not allowed this to go unanswered however, as he gave his own statement calling upon a “punitive expedition” to go north and rescue Arkajurhl, calling upon the Kataphract Order for help.

 

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“I understand that the Tajara of the north wish to retain their customs and I respect this. All the Hegemony asks of its vassals is that they follow our laws and respect our religion. These are people who refuse to cooperate with feudal obligations and who seek to know no law but their own whims and foppery. The levy of Gakal’zaa is too small to bring continued order to the northern region, and so we will use the brave and honorable Kataphract to assist us.”

 

The levy of Gakal’zaa consists of a mere one hundred levymen, consisting primarily of Tajara who provide their service and who are armed with steel swords and bolt action rifles. Three hundred Kataphracts have already answered the request of summons by the Overlord, and the expedition is currently assembling within the capital, to be lead by the Overlord himself. Guildmaster Mj'akurahur also plans to accompany the expedition north, saying he wants to “see his son as soon as possible.”

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Overlord Yizarus Returns Arkajurhl To The Fold, But Kataphracts Abandon Quest Over Dishonor

When the Overlord’s expedition reached the village in the northern region that was holding Arkajurhl, they were met by force of arms. The Hegemonic force consisted of one hundred levymen raised from the colony, predominantly local Tajara. There was an additional three hundred Kataphracts that answered the call of Overlord Yizarus; all of them wearing EVA capable voidsuits to protect them from the bitter cold.

The local brigands attacked the incoming expedition with bolt action rifles and a devious assortment of traps hidden in the thick trees or snow. From the top of the hill the twenty defenders sent the expedition’s vanguard scrambling for cover. Fire was exchanged for thirty minutes until the arrival of the main Kataphract regiment. The warriors, wielding steel or energy shields, stormed the hill under fire and engaged in melee. One Kataphract was slain in honorable combat and six others were wounded during the charge, and eight others rapidly began suffering from hypothermia from punctures in their voidsuit and had to be evacuated to one of the heated trucks.

The defenders surrendered in short order with three casualties on their side and many more wounded. After tending to them, the expedition continued over the hill and encountered the independent village just over it.

Entering the village the expedition quickly began searching for Arkajurhl. He was found almost immediately as he was within the manor of the Njarir’akhran nobleman standing next to a young m’sai woman. Our journalist arrived to the scene just as Guildmaster Mj'akurahur was in a heated conversation with his son, and managed to catch this comment from Arkajurl.
 

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“This one could throw away the suns, especially now. He is committed to having his marriage to Mirahla sanctified by the light of the suns. He will marry for love, and he loves Mirahla, but her father will not accept this one if he is not a suns faithful.”

 

 

Mj’akurahur responded angrily, gesturing around the room at the many Kataphracts and levymen.

 

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“By the Sk’akh you can’t just abandon your duty to this family to run off to the north and marry on a whim. Your responsibility is to this family, not these nobodys. You are twenty years old, too old to have these sham’tyrs snatch you away. You are coming back and you will never speak about these people again.”

 

The protesting Arkajurhl was escorted out by the levymen and the remaining m’sai was joined by her father and the rogue nobleman of the village Kae’hanju. The elder came from upstairs escorted by a Kataphract.

Kae’hanju was addressed by Overlord Yizarus, who accused them of the kidnapping.

 

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“You are either bound to the laws of the Hegemony and the fief of the land you reside as vassals, or you are squatters. If you bow and become my subordinate, I will grant you these lands to cultivate in my name with all the obligations that brings. If you refuse then you will be cast out.”

 

Kae’hanju was silent for a moment before speaking.

 

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“We were here before you came and called this land your own. You are an invader and a barbarian. He is not going to listen to you. Just go away, please?”

 

After additional time having a fierce argument Overlord Yizarus decreed that Kae’hanju and all of the inhabitants of the village would be evicted. Emerging from the building, he made the decree before the assembled men outside the manor as well as over the radio for all to hear. The levymen began to methodically and ruthlessly go house to house, declaring to the two thousand inhabitants that they had mere hours before they would be expelled. There was considerable civil discontent about this, and there were over a dozen scuffles between the levymen and the locals.

The Kataphracts were distraught by this news and assembled in groups, having agitated, animated discussions that they would not disclose to our attached journalist. Eventually however as our journalist was attempting to interview the Overlord on what happened they were interrupted by an approaching Kataphract Tazaka. Removing his voidsuit helmet he launched in an angry tirade at the Overlord.

 

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“I have been chosen as the speaker for the Kataphracts that have joined with you. We are deeply offended by what you are doing. Tearing families from their homes and casting them out into the wilderness carries with it no honor and no one will sing of its glory. We refuse your order to avoid staining our names with this acct and we will be leaving this expedition.”

The Overlord became belligerent, and responded in a similar angry tone.

 

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“There is no dishonor in evicting criminals and squatters. You swore to serve me for the duration of this quest and our quest is not yet over!”

 

Kataphract Tazaka moved a hand to grab the hilt of his sheathed sword and responded calmly.

 

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“Wherever our Order goes and whatever we do, our constant quest above all others is to protect the innocent against injustice. It is all we can do to not take up arms in the name of that cause at this moment, and for that you should be thankful.”

The three hundred Kataphract abandoned the expedition in short order, returning south. That left the one hundred levymen of the colony to evict the four thousand villagers. Despite the growing civil unrest Overlord Yizarus continued on the mission. By the rifle and by the sword four thousand Tajara were forcefully expelled from the village. The refugees were scattered in all directions, taking up in the mountains and forests. Overlord Yizarus allegedly considered burning down the village so that the inhabitants could not return when the expedition left, but these rumors cannot be verified.

Whatever the case, once the expulsion was complete the levymen returned to the south. With Arkajurhl returned safe and sound the expedition is a success, but there are worrying signs that in the progress of bringing him back that the Overlord has destabilized the northern regions. A survey shuttle dispatched by the Overlord confirms that many Tajara returned to the village they were expelled from, as there are no forces in the north to force the decrees.

Overlord Makar Yizarus has been agitated at any questions about the expedition, insisting that he was enforcing the law. Kataphracts that we’ve attempted to interview have expressed anger at what transpired, but have come short of criticizing the Overlord himself.

Lord-Admiral Trazarial Yizarus, who many on the colony continue to see as a hero, has also commented on what his brother has done, calling it “unfortunate” and insisting that the inhabitants of the planet be treated with “all due honor”.

The general reception is divided between more traditional Unathi who believe the Overlord committed a gross abuse of the villagers, escalating an otherwise rightful and honorable quest to return the boy who abandoned his family to defect to them. Others believe that the Overlord was merely enforcing the law, and was right to take action against an illegal settlement that defied his rule and squatted on land that did not belong to them.

Regardless of the wider opinion, this incident has exacerbated tensions on Gakal’zaa and it is not clear what its future now holds.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Annihilation Demonstrates Might: But Shadows Loom Over Its Future

 

Lord-Regent Not’zar Izweski himself was present with the large group of noblemen and Admiralty as they witnessed the long anticipated demonstration of the newest addition to the Hegemonic Navy. Previously kept secret, those in attendance knew only that this vessel was a new model pioneered by the Lord-Admiral that would command it: Lord-Admiral Kazk’oa.

 

The delegation was inside a large platform orbiting Pid, the unremarkable moon of Tret. With the Lord-Regent were several dozen Lords of high standing from across Moghes, Clan-Elders from Ouerea, Lord-Admiral Yizarus, Admiral Za'Akaix'Xitac K’lax, Admiral Oyuti, and various reporters. Lord-Admiral Kazk’oa himself appeared as a hologram after the Annihilation bluespace lunged/leapt into the demonstration area, visible on large feeds. After appearing to the impressed attendees, Kazk’oa spoke.

 

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“Honorable attendees, allow me to introduce to you the catalyst of the new age of our people. Annihilation shall obliterate any enemy foolish enough to raise their hand against us. Behold, the future of astro-warfare!“

 

The Annihilation-Class was visible on the screens as the hologram disappeared. Its design is similar to the original Cataclysm-class super-dreadnaught hull. They are truly massive vessels, larger than most other military vessel available to the other factions save for the rusty Hiveships of the various Vaurca Hives. They possess incredibly thick armor and shields, bristle with laser and mass-driver weapons, and a shaped plasteel spear on its front designed for skewering any vessel during a ramming manoeuvre. Their most recent engagement was in a skirmish with Dominia, where both Yizarus and Oyuti had their Cataclysm’s engaged in battle.

 

The Annihilation immediately drew some comments from the attendees as they had time to see it. A series of 15 round holes were present on the sides and top of the ship where the regular Cataclysm hull houses heavy artillery weapons. After a moment the ship suddenly bluespace lunged into close range next to the demonstration target; a large decommissioned human freighter purchased from Hephaestus, retrofitted with dummy missiles and low intensity lasers. After entering into medium range a huge cloud of ejecta erupted from the Annihilation, engulfing it and the surrounding area, as the freighter launched missiles. The missiles were sent on an erratic course, arcing away from the cloud.

 

Two dozen small craft pierced through the cloud, unphased and, firing on the target as a swarm. They left a streak of particulates behind them as they manoeuvred around the target ship to confuse the point-defense. The ship was disabled within moments, and as the main cloud dissipated the Annihilation was shown to have relocated to a distant location. It later jumped back and the strike craft rushed off to regroup with the mothership, ending the demonstration.

After the demonstration Lord-Admiral Kazk’oa appeared once more as a hologram, waiting for the response. Admiral Oyuti spoke up first.

 

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“Spirits, what was that? What did you do to the hull? What was that cloud? What are those little craft? Why didn’t the Annihilation actually fight?!”

 

Lord-Admiral Kazk’oa then explained what had just happened.

 

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“The Annihilation is a carrier. The small vessels are strike craft, outfitted with lasers and armor piercing rounds. We also have troop pods with breacher units and other specialized craft. The Annihilation itself does not engage in close quarters broadsides as the regular Cataclysms do. The cloud was composed of the same meta-material the Klax have used to obscure an entire moon from sight. It shrouds the vessel in a protective ‘chaff’ as the humans call it. It keeps our Daggers safe while they rush to close the distance and take down the enemy.”

 

The assembled Lords were unsatisfied with the responses. Many of them began angrily recounting the ‘maiming’ and ‘disfiguring’ of the mighty Cataclysm. Lord-Admiral Yizarus even angrily asked,

 

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“Who came up with this abomination of a tactic? It is offensive and without honor that the flagship of the entire new fleet will not even be engaged in battle.”

 

Lord-Admiral Kazk’oa, taken aback by the harsh pushback, took a moment to have another hologram near him materialize. It was revealed to be a K’lax Vaurca, wearing the uniform and officer’s sash of the Izweski Naval Academy.

 

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“This is R’itz, a fine tactician and officer. They are the mastermind behind this, having convinced me of its merits early on enough that I had the retrofits done to the ship in its drydock. He will also be the Captain of the vessel, serving under me. As we all know, the foundation of astronaval strategy is mobility and effective delivery of firepower. The Annihilation class of ships is within this strategy.”

 

Admiral Oyuti angrily interjected.

 

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“Leave it to a K’lax to create this. The Cataclysm is the anvil upon which the enemy is placed and then struck, forging a great victory. This Annihilation is nothing but a stool that our enemy can rest their buttocks.”

 

Not’zar Izweski waved his hands to interrupt the resulting argument between Kazk’oa and Oyuti, and he spoke next.

 

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“To claim ancient and revered astronaval traditions against the Annihilation is to argue outside reality. Our navy is younger than anyone in this room. It is by our tenacity and discipline we have held our own among the stars. We must continue to outpace our enemies.”

 

Lord-Admiral Yizarus responded next.

 

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“That we would choose to pick ‘whatever works’ over what is honorable I worry that our future will see us becoming like the humans. I do not find it acceptable that the Admiral of the navy would retreat behind the front line. When I fought the Dominians alongside Oyuti, our ships were battered in the thick of it. I shared the fight with the warriors under me. To send warriors to die in battle while being far from the actual fighting is, forgive me, cowardly.”

 

The Admirals and the nobles continued to argue, disrupting what was meant to be a celebratory occasion. Tensions were not relieved by the time the demonstration ended. Exacerbating this is that while the official carrier tactics are being called ‘Hive Strike Maneuvers’, the dissenting admirals referred to it to reporters as ‘The Strategy of Least Self-Respect’.

 

Members of the nobility continue to lodge complaints that a K’laxan has come to impact Hegemonic naval policy, arguing against its implementation. Regardless of the complaints, the Annihilation is set to join the newly assembled 4th Fleet. It has 75 Dagger strike craft divided into 5 squadrons. It has only point defense and small laser batteries. With its 15 tubes it can launch all its strike craft in 2 minutes and 30 seconds at peak efficiency, and it has onboard production capabilities that allow it to replace combat losses. 

 

The first generation of Hegemonic combat pilots have been assembled within the carrier; predominantly Unathi, there are some reports that a handful of pilots are K’laxan or even Tajara levys summoned from the respective colonies.

Edited December 4, 2019 by Marlon Phoenix

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Wasteland Savages Conduct Strange and Bizarre Ritual That Feed Living Body to Dionae

As Camp Integrity restored the bounty of the land once ruled by the Gaw’raz Clan, Gaw’raz himself dispatched tax collectors and surveyors to assess the state of his estate and the squatters that took residency there since the sands overtook it. When these officials arrived they encountered a large village manage by the Wasteland Clan known as Dorviza.

 

During the surveying of the properties of the squatters on his land, inside one of the huts the surveyers found a remarkable and profoundly horrifying discovery. A Shaman was found hiding in the basement of the home with a nymph attached to him by the shoulder. The surveyors assumed the shaman was kidnapped and in the process of being consumed by the diona in an aberrant ritual done by the primitive Dorviza.  The shaman’s fearful pleas to not expose his situation was assumed to be a result of mind control by the attached diona and the agents left to alert Lord Gaw’raz of the evil rituals taking place.

 

The next day one hundred Gaw’raz levymen arrived at the settlement with a reporter from our station in tow. Ga’zarak Gaw’raz, eldest son of Lord Gaw’raz, met with a delegation outside the village including the ailing shaman. Ga’zarak informed the delegation that their village would be destroyed for doing occultist rituals, but the shaman believed to be the victim was brought out to explain himself and the village.

 

The shaman, Retzk, explained that he was merely a Kizitaa - a “bonded one”. He described how he had formed a bond with a nymph that he had raised after it split from the gestalt that the settlement cohabitated with. The gestalt had taken the place of his arm one day, which had been lost in a Gawgaryn raid three years ago. Ga’zarak protested this, exclaiming in frustration.

 

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“How do we know that you have not been consumed in mind and body by this animal? To whom am I speaking to, if not two?”

 

The shaman responded calmly, showing how his nymph arm and fingers moved.

 

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“My body has been joined by the small nymph that became a part of my life, but my soul has been only strengthened. Diona possess a spirit themselves, which all combine when they form and create a whole, more powerful soul. As my body is shared, my soul is now shared, and my magicks have been made even stronger for it.”

 

The conversation gave Ga’zarak pause and he informed the group that he would be deferring their destruction and expulsion by three days as he called for holymen of the Church to come and give their views. He explained that if they agreed with the shaman that he had not done irreparable harm to his soul with this aberrant process that the village would be shown mercy and allowed to pay taxes and labor to his Clan for their living on their estate. But if they found the process to be spiritually damning that they would all be destroyed as a deterrent to further ‘daemonic influences’.

 

The levymen remain with the village as the Sk’akh church assembles a group of investigators to send to the village.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Maraziites Find Kizitaa Are Not Heresy; But Will Hegemony Accept Them?

Three days after discovering the Kizitaa - “Bonded One” - a Unathi where a dionae nymph formed a symbiosis with their body - a delegation of priests from the Church have descended on the community. They first met with Lord Gaw’raz’s eldest son Ga’zarak, who was stationed in the village with their clan’s 100 levymen. Gaw’raz explained to them the situation and brought the five priests, lead by Maraziite Chapter Master Towaz Uizo.

 

Talking for several hours about the nature of the village and its shaman Retzk, a Kizitaa, Uizo’s delegation then approached the home of Retzk. When they shaman emerged to be seen by the delegation and our journalist they were all startled, and Uizo even drew his sword and shouted that Retzk was a ‘monster’. It took several moments for Retzk to calm him down before they started talking.

 

Retzk explained how he came to own the nymph that would become his new arm, describing in detail the nature of his relationship with the dionae it detached from.

Quote

 

“I was in the city of Kev’at when the bombs fell, and I lost my arm from falling debris. I escaped the ruins with other survivors and we wandered the desert, at least a hundred of us. When the Wasteland engulfed all around us we slowly died off from thirst or radiation. It was three years ago that we found what we now know is called a dionaea.

 

It was the anchor for a small oasis; an island of green in the Wasteland. We feared it but we could not stay far from the oasis. Over time we grew accustomed to it, and eventually, it even learned our language after part of it bit me when I came to touch it. I was the one it spoke to most, and I took it upon myself to teach this bizarre alien our ways. For two years we were with it until it asked me to call it Strangers Upon The Sands Become Like Friends. We protected it and provided it the knowledge it sought while it cleared more and more of an oasis, drawing animals that we could put to work or use as food.

 

Eventually, I told Sands how I struggled, having only one arm, and being unable to contribute to our community. One day Sands asked me if I would form a new Gestalt, and explained what it wanted to do. I was fearful, but I trusted Sands. One of its tendrils had a nymph detach, and it scurried towards me. When it bonded with my shoulder I felt considerable pain and discomfort, but I allowed the ritual to continue to its end with the nymph taking proper shape. When that part of Sands was fully attached I found the arm moved and functioned just like my old.”

 

 

Uizo replied with cynicism about the nymph's motives for attaching itself to the shaman.

 

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“What you have described is a beast with an unknowable mind vastly different to ours deciding that your body is a suitable host to sustain itself like a parasite. It takes blood and nutrients from your body to sustain itself, and how can we know that it won't, when you are no longer useful, continue growing to consume the rest of your body?”

 

Shaman Retzk responded using arguments from the basis of the Th’akh faith, as well as pragmaticism.

 

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“It’s not a parasite; it does not harm me. I nurture it, this is true, but so does a mother nurtures her hatchlings. It sustains itself with me, one it calls a friend, and I have the immeasurable benefit of a working arm. This small fragment of Sands also learns what I learn, which what the full Gestalt of Sands says is its ultimate goal. Not only this but my own soul no longer animates the arm, with the nymph animating it with its own soul. I have become a more powerful magicks user since the bonding.”

 

Uizo scoffed and responded that while he didn’t care for the primitive rituals being mentioned, he could see the pragmatic benefits. He then communed with the other priest, who fiercely debated with one another. Uizo finally cited the first Gestalt to be found on Moghes three years ago,

 

In that time the Church declared that Gestalts are “akin” to the Great Spirit, as just as souls all combine into one deity that rules the universe, so do several nymphs come together to form a greater whole. Described as “From one, many; from many, one”, the faithful were still discouraged from actually considering the dionaea as divine, only as mere totems that prove the divine.

 

Uizo finally spoke to our reporter after the debate concluded, and the priests moved to talk more in-depth with the shaman, including asking to take them to the Gestalt Sands.

 

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“I do not find that this matter is a threat to the spiritual health of the Sinta people. I confess that the process disgusts me and I find the sight of it unnerving, but there is no heresy here. This is not a matter for the Iron Masks. I will confer with the other Chapter Masters, but I can’t see my findings being contradicted.”

 

With the Sk’akh Church not finding Bonding to be heretical, it has been moved back into the hands of the Lords as to what to do with any more discoveries. Now that the existence of Bonded Ones has become public knowledge, more and more sightings are being reported from the Wasteland. Several Wasteland communities that involve Dionaea have Bonded Ones forming arms or even legs.

Several Lords have declared that they will ban any Bonded Ones from their cities, while others are expressing great interest. A great debate has spiraled out of the Church into the wider Hegemony. With this new, strange class of Sinta emerging our society will once again be forced to contend with a shifting and changing future.

 

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

The Hegemon Wakes!

 

Jubilation has spread across the galaxy as Clan Izweski revealed that Hegemon S’kresti Izweski has awoken from his three year long coma. S’kresti returning to the throne will end the regency of Not’zar Izweski, while news of his health have spread celebrations across Moghes.

 

Rumors first circulated about the health of the Hegemon when several of his personal physicians rushed into the Izweski Citadel early this morning. Soon after Not’zar Izweski cancelled a visit to Ta’ha’den and hurried back to the Citadel. Several dozen courtiers and Izweski Clansmen followed them inside, causing a high level of excitement within the capital.

 

As our viewers are no doubt aware, at 9:12am the major media guilds were asked to suspend regular broadcasting and televise an announcement from the Citadel. On screens across Moghes and the galaxy Not’zar Izweski appeared in the grand hall, standing in front of his seat with the Izweski banners behind him. He gave the announcement speech declaring his father’s return in polite, calm tones.

 

Following his speech the Hegemon himself appeared on the screen, and for the first time in three years our leader was seen in person. He was incredibly haggard from his three bedridden years, having lost a considerable amount of weight. His hide looked faded and he walked slowly and carefully, but he stood proud without the help of the nearby doctor and their cane. After positioning himself with his wife Clan-Mother Rak’ta next to him, he spoke.

 

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“It is remarkable to me that our people have weathered these past three years. Rumors of things that I could have never foreseen have taken root within our society and culture have already filled me with great frustration. That my most maimed and incapable son was the one that spoke on my behalf will no longer be the case. So far I have heard of the barbarians that fester within the sands of the Wasteland and the snow of the North. I have heard how Ouerea has slipped from our fingers and how the Burning Mother now shines on alien savages that fester on Tret.  I am going to travel Moghes and review the state of this planet and its people, and then I shall deal with the sorry state of this Hegemony. My time of mourning ends. Now it will be our foes that will mourn.”

 

The bellicose statements regarding the Wastelanders are approved by most Lords of Moghes, who have been fired up by the Hegemon. Many within the nobility say that they finally feel vindicated by the Hegemon’s stance, having dealt with the Wastelanders themselves.

 

With Not’zar’s authority vaporizing in the course of one morning, the young prince has returned to merely being the Heir to the Hegemony. The four fleet Admiral expressed relief at the return of S’kresti, with Lord-Admiral Yizarus giving a direct quote.

 

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“I served honorably under the former Lord-Regent, and I shall always respect him. Now I can once again serve the Hegemon himself, and be his sword.”

 

The High Priest gave an approving statement as well, tacitly mentioning the siege of the Izweski Citadel that the Iron Masks undertook when they feared he was being manipulated by the Clan-Mother Rak’ta with black magic.

 

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“It is good to see that the Hegemon has overcome all the forces arrayed against him, and that the Great Spirit remains within him. I will eagerly follow the Hegemon as he guides us into a new golden age.”

 

The Heir has already been shut out of all of his former administrative duties, as nobles and retainers no longer need to meet with him. He has not left the Izweski Citadel since the announcement, and we are unclear as to what role he will play in the restored S’kresti reign. The fate of Not’zar’s reforms are also unclear. His tenure as Lord-Regent has seen the growing navy be staffed by officers from merchant or even peasant birth to ranks of even Admiral, the integration of the K’lax Vaurca on Tret, the negotiations that saw Ouerea overthrow its Overlord and gain its special government, the vassalization of the Grim Compact, the revival of the Kataphract Order, and a conciliatory tone to the bizarre and offensive things expelled forth from the Wasteland. He has also had great scandals erupt, such as the Iron Crusade that saw the ancient Akhandi Order expelled from Moghes. The secession crisis also created an early mark on his reign, though the victorious war against the weak Kingdom of Dominia restored much of Not’zar’s honor through his victory.

 

The Hegemon in the past has shown an incredible resolve in matters of conflict which has caused many to consider this the start of a new age of expansion for the Hegemony. Admiral Oyuti, leader of the 2nd Fleet, made a fiery remark regarding this.

 

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“Perhaps we shall see more worlds bend the knee, and if they do not, be visited by Cataclysm.”

 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2020 by Marlon Phoenix

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Hegemon Tours Wasteland; Pledges to "Run Out" The Savages

Some time ago Hegemon Sk’resti ascended to the clouds within the Sky Behemoth Asundered Mountains and began his tour across Moghes. The great floating behemoth, filled with courtiers, journalists, and other men of high status roamed eastward over the mountain ridge that divides the Untouched Lands from the Wasteland early yesterday morning. This marked the first time that the Hegemon has left the capital within the past three years. Some have remarked with concern that the Hegemon is undertaking such bold initiatives so soon after waking from a three year long coma; and some more question if he has properly grieved his late son’s passing. But regardless of any concern, Hegemon Sk’resti has refused to slow down.

 

The tour brought Sk’resti to Imas’hi first, deep in the mountains. The ship landed in a valley before the city’s main gate, and the Hegemon disembarked to a huge crowd of cheering Sinta. There he met the city’s Regent, Amz’izi Kiae. She rules the city in the name of her husband who remains comatose after having fallen off their castle balcony only two months ago. The azure, dressed in resplendent jizixi dress and flanked by a dozen courtiers and Clansmen, bowed before the Hegemon and offered him a tour of her city. The royal delegation, followed by our reporters, entered the walls and feasted in the castle. Notably, Not’zar Izweski was not present on the trip. During the feast the azure Kiae told the Hegemon the state of her husband’s city within the past three years. She described in detail how the city was the bulwark against the “horde” of Wastelanders and “other wretches” that now swarm the streets, before she then described the religious tension.

 

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“Sinta in the Wasteland have had their brains addled by radiation. They have actually started to believe in all manner of stupidities. Have you heard of the Si’akh? These savages would ask us, those of noble and refined birth, to settle for raw slabs of meat and glasses of water. Can you imagine shouldering the burden of leadership without being given proper compensation for our labor?”

 

The present nobles guffawed at the remark, and the feast continued for quite some time. As the day drew to its end Sk’resti bid the azure farewell and departed with his retinue, returning to the Sky Behemoth. His tour then went over the mountains into the Wasteland proper, on its way to the terraforming site Camp Integrity. During the journey Sk’resti and the other nobles used binoculars to look down on the Wastelander settlements that the Behemoth periodically lumbered over during its trek. Many of the Sinta - the size of small bugs from the height of the Behemoth - scattered under its shadow or gazed up at it in small groups from one of the Behemoth’s balconies.

 

Lord Tiryzu Izweski, cousin of the Hegemon and an esteemed diplomat, joked that they should spew the Behemoth’s liquid fire on the Wastelanders to “light a procession”. The Hegemon asked what, besides being barbarians, the Wastelanders had done to incur such an immediate wrath.

 

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“Well, recently the Wastelanders have started an odd ritual where they amputate their limbs and replace them with wriggling, giant xeno worms that then feast on the Sinta’s blood. The priesthood say it’s not heresy, but it’s quite disgusting. Civilization really has ceased to exist beyond the Untouched Lands.”

 

The Behemoth soon landed at Camp Integrity and disembarked, meeting with the various Lords whose lands are being restored, as well as their thousands of thankful tenants. Lord Mat’zai once had a lavish and productive estate that was overtaken by the Wasteland. Left under the shifting sands for decades, his Clan’s castle has only a year ago started construction on their new castle on their former lands. He described the jubilation his clan felt when they saw the scaffolds first rising.

 

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“When we first heard back from the prospectors, they told us that over a hundred Wastelanders were stomping over our ancestral home. While the forest that we once overlooked has yet to grow, the news of our home’s restored state had us eager to return. But the squatters here fought viciously with our levymen who moved to evict them. They claim that just because they built a village on our Clan’s land two decades ago that they had some right to it.”

 

Sk’resti promised the Lords that he would pledge troops to help remove Wastelanders from the lands they now occupy.

 

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“It does not matter if it has been fifty years, it does not matter if it has been one hundred years. These Wastelanders have no claim on the lands they inhabit. We will settle in one fell stroke the matter of the savages. With the revival of the Kataphracts of whom I can summon to Moghes whenever we enter conflict, it will be a simple matter.”

 

The Hegemon’s tour will soon bring him to Mudki, before he finishes with a visit to Res’karum and finally Bahard, S’th, and Baandr. After touring Moghes the Hegemon is scheduled to meet with delegates from the colonies, including the K’lax. Rumors circulate that S’kresti has had a difficult time adjusting to the vassalage of the Vaurcan population, and some reports comment that he has considered removing Admiral Za'Akaix'Xitac Klax, the first and so far only one of two Vaurca elevated to a position of leadership outside the colony of Tret.

 

The comments on Wastelanders has also alarmed the Wasteland communities. As the Hegemon’s bellicose remarks continue, rising fear and tensions are beginning to seep across the planet and the colonies.

Edited January 2, 2020 by Marlon Phoenix

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Hegemon Assailed By Wastelanders; Violent Riots Spreading Across Moghes   

 

Religious violence and general alarm have swept across Res’karum following the harrowing events faced by Hegemon Sk’resti during his visit to the city. The city is situated far out into the Wastes, and the Hegemon had declared that he wished to receive delegates from the “savage Wastelanders” to hear for himself how they justified their existence. Lord Yu’zath of the city opened the gates, allowing all sorts of Wastelanders into the city’s castle to meet with the Hegemon. The city is so remote that despite being loyal to the Izweski it is forced to interact with the Wastelanders on a daily basis, and the Hegemon has remarked that this was a chance for the ‘savages’ to pay proper fealty or respect to their better.

 

Late into the day a Sinta in dark brown robes that obscured his face entered with a hatchling that looked to be three years old. He approached the throne silently and none of the present courtiers could make out who he was, save that his tail and hands were black. The hatchling had a visible radiation burn across his copper-colored face, and he walked with a limp that foretold of further disability.

 

From his elevated throne, the Hegemon looked down with amusement and tossed a few credits down at the man.

 

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“I would not think you’d spend your one chance to witness your Hegemon in person and use it to walk in here with a cripple. Take these credits and get out of my sight, Wastelander.”

 

The child babbled as the visitor kneeled and then rose before speaking to the hegemon. The hooded figure dramatically unfurled his cloak to emphasize the hatchling, who stared with wide eyes up the Hegemon. 

 

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“We do not all have second chances as you do, my Hegemon. You have kindness inside you, your eagerness to help me shows this. I bring you a gift in turn, my Hegemon. A hatchling.”

 

The Hegemon scoffed and remarked dismissively about ‘taking in a dirty Wastelander cripple’, gesturing to a Guwan Guard who started to approach the man from the hall’s entrance. The figure continued to speak, with a calm but loud voice that overshadowed the whispers in the room.

 

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“This is no mere boy, my Hegemon. This child has more connection to you than any other being on this planet or in this galaxy. This hatchling came into being on May 7th, three years ago. The day after your son Yakt died and you became incapable with grief. This, my Hegemon, is your lost son Yakt Izweski, reborn in the scalding sands after being barred from the Great Spirit. How fickle are you that you fall into inconsolable grief and now confess you do not care for your son’s suffering?”

 

Sk’resti was visibly agitated and rose from his seat, his booming voice silencing those present and even startling the approaching guard into stopping.

 

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“You lie! I will not be fooled into believing I have yet another cripple son; I will not be fooled into believing some random Wasteland savage you pulled out of a scrapyard has any connection to Izweski.”

 

From behind him, Lord Yu’zath had been peering at the figure and finally spoke up and gestured repeatedly at the Wastelander.

 

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“My Hegemon - is that - he is…”

 

Interrupting him in frustration, the Hegemon angrily demanded to know who this Sinta was to dare speak to him in with such ‘lies and disrespect’ as whispers started to swell in the room from the assembled courtiers.

 

The figure lowered his hood to audible gasps and revealed that he was Juzida Si’akh, the doomsday prophet of the Wastes. He spoke again in louder terms.

 

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“I'm just a simple commoner, my Hegemon.”

 

The Hegemon drew his sword and advanced angrily on Juzida and the hatchling, declaring that he would ‘slay this Wastelander filth myself’ as the shock in the room turned to anger and a cacophony of shouting. Juzida kneeled before the encroaching Hegemon, holding the child out in his arms. But when the Hegemon raised his sword to bring it down on the two, he stopped to stare at the hatchling that looked up and reached out to him without any fear. His sword fell from his hand and clattered to the floor. Juzida looked up and whispered something to the Hegemon, who remained frozen in place. At that moment the room erupted into a full riot.

 

Through insidious infiltration, Si’akh heretics planted within the crowd drew clubs they kept hidden on their person and surrounded Juzida, who quickly retreated as they were assailed on all sides by angry Sinta, leaving the hatchling behind. Two of Juzida’s retinue were cut down in their fighting retreat which spilled out into the courtyard and then the street.

 

The Guwan Guard remained behind, surrounding the Hegemon who our reporter last saw sitting on his knees quietly talking to the hatchling Juzida left behind before all present were expelled out onto the street.

 

In the chaos that began to engulf the city Si’akh and his closest followers were able to escape. No one has heard or seen the Hegemon since the incident began; the castle remains sealed and the gates barred. Outside it vigilante mobs continue to tear through the streets, smashing shops and stores by those accused of being Si’akh sympathizers.

 

In other cities, members of the nobility have expressed anxiety about the incident as further sporadic violence has been reported within their fiefs.

 

Skalamar’s Lord Sirax, sister of the Izweski Clan-Mother, broke ranks with the general desire of the nobility to maintain order and has openly demanded that any Si’akh communities within the capital are destroyed and their inhabitants expelled.

 

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“That these violent heretics got so close to the Hegemon is a terrifying reality to face. Not only do these savages seek to undermine our faith with their wild claims, but their leader cowardly used a hatchling as a shield against the Hegemon’s sword. Is there no end to the depths of depravity that these cultists will sink to?”

 

The City Watch has seen leading angry mobs to known Si’akh districts, and other witnesses saw entire clans being expelled out from the walls. In a rare instance of defiance, a local chapter of Kataphracts surrounded a group of Si’akh heretics praying together in their hut of a temple, holding back angry commoners that wanted to burn the building to the ground. Outside these isolated incidents, there is a general uprise in reactionary violence against the Si’akh. While they are barred from wielding weapons within the capital itself, the Iron Masks have joined in on the general violence, encouraging and partaking in it.

 

High Priest Unzi has also declared his disdain for the affair, talking animatedly with reporters within the Great Temple of Skalamar.

 

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“That Sinta is one of the greatest dangers to the Hegemony since the Coalition. Using his dark arts I do not doubt that what we saw being whispered to the Hegemon was some sort of hex. That child he so willingly abandoned is no doubt the spawn of some occultist rituals. It should be taken out and left in the Wasteland from where it came.”

 

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Hegemon Adopts Wastelander And Names New Heir

The Hegemon has announced that he is adopting the Wasteland hatchling as his son and has given him the name Yakt Izweski. This comes with the startling claim from the Hegemon that the hatchling is his son reborn - a position that has been met with visceral hostility from the Sk’akh church.

The announcement and other startling revelations were done in the Grand Hall of the Citadel. A handful of the immediate family was there, including his wife, Clan Mother Rak’ta Izweski, his second oldest son Not’zar Izweski, their third son Z’krazki, and their daughter Rzasul. Other extended family members were present, including over a dozen of the Izweski cousins.

Inside the grand hall, the Hegemon sat on his elevated throne with the young ‘Yakt’ sitting on his knee when he addressed the assembly.

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“In this body, the soul of my son has been returned to me. This boy is Yakt Izweski, the first hatched of my wife and me.”

Our present journalist spoke up as murmuring and whispers spread through the Hall.

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“My Hegemon, if this is truly Yakt as you claim, then where does he fall on the inheritance? Is he still the primary Heir?”

The Hegemon placed a hand on ‘Yakt’s head as he responded.

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“He will take on the role of Hegemon when my soul departs this realm.”

This shocked several of those there and even many of the Izweski immediate family were seen grimacing. Not’zar Izweski, who has not been seen since his role as Lord-Regent ended, was the only one present that appeared calm and unaffected.

Our journalist tried asking a follow-up question but several angry voices interrupted it. A Sk’akh priest from the Grand Temple in the city shouted over the voices of several other holy men.

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“Reincarnation is impossible! Rakt’s soul joined the Great Spirit and this hatchling on your lap is a common Wastelander. You are being fooled by a heretic, Hegemon!”

Sk’resti angrily waved his hands and demanded that the holy men be removed. The Guwan Guard complied, escorting the holy men outside. The tension remained during the remainder of the assembly. Later when ‘Yakt’ was sent out to the garden to play with several of the Hegemon’s nieces and nephews our reporter Qwikaz was allowed an exclusive interview with the Hegemon on a veranda. Several startling revelations came to light about the Hegemon’s state of mind as we watched the hatchlings chase and maul several farwas. ‘Yakt’ noticeably limped and was slower than the other hatchlings and could not catch the fleeing animals unless they were wounded by one of his kin.

Quote

 

Q: “My Hegemon, I understand that you believe this child is your son. Does this mean that you reject the assessment of the Church that reincarnation is not possible?”

S: “When I looked into the eyes of my son I recognized him in an instant. He reached out to me. It is a miracle that Sk’akh saw fit to return him to me.”

Q: “My Hegemon, what will you do if the High Priest does not accept this?”

S: “I am the Hegemon.”

Q: “The High Priest is responsible for the spiritual health of -”

S: “I am the Hegemon. He will not touch my family again.”

Q: “Will you be taking steps to protect the Si’akh communities that have been growing in our cities?”

S: “If I deign to.”

 

High Priest Unzi for his part responded to the developments with scorn and words of warning for the Hegemon.

Quote

“The Izweski Citadel is a bulwark and impenetrable to physical dangers. But its spiritual defenses are weak. Once again dark forces have infiltrated it. It is entirely possible that the child is a dark spawn masquerading as the Hegemon’s son. We have no way of knowing what dark magic that false prophet has access to. I urge the Hegemon to bring this Yakt to the Grand Temple to be properly evaluated by the Iron Masks. If there is evil in there then we will find it. We may also be able to determine the nature of his soul. He may be a dark spawn or he may be a simple Wastelander.”

Fortunately, the announcement has not created an otherwise sharp rise in violence as the original incident sparked. Several Si’akh dominated communities are still rebuilding from the surge in violence against them or have been completely emptied out as their inhabitants were expelled. Despite this lack of violence from the peasants, there is a growing tension between the Church and the Izweski family. The Izweski Clan has locked down on its opinions regarding this matter and no word has leaked out from the Citadel. Any extended relatives have remained tight-lipped or offer full support to the Hegemon.

Various Lords have expressed uncertainty regarding how they feel about a Wastelander, even one being claimed as Yakt, being suddenly made Heir to the throne. Time will tell if these doubts manifest into open rejection when the time comes for oaths of allegiance to be taken.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Water Treatment Report for S'th During 2294 Recovered

The records for S'th's infrastructure has long been incomplete following the Contact War. Most of the city's paperwork was kept in a regional archive far south of the city and managed by a now-extinct guild. While S'th itself was spared the archive and the town it was in were obliterated in an atomic detonation. Attempts to recover the archives that were held deep in the basement of the archive have been slow, as debris and flowing, radioactive water from shattered pipes makes it dangerous. But recently a find has been made that has been of notable interest for city archivists and historians. A 2294 report "Drinking Water Treatment Plant Residuals Management Technical Report Summary of Residuals Generation, Treatment, and Disposal at Large Community Water Systems" by Master Engineer Marakiz Mozalirai.

Sections of the report, having been kept in several folders, were damaged by water but advanced imaging techniques have allowed them to be reconstructed. These include Table 3-8. Estimated Numbers of WTPs Using Various Primary Disinfection Methods, and Discharge Status for Water Treatment Plants Serving More than 10,000 Sinta.

Of note to modern infrastructure engineers is the comparison of water production per day. The average drinking water production per day for the 553 AQR's is 23.46 million gallons. For all 2,151 AQR's, the average quantity of drinking water produced per person per year was over 53,000 gallons. In modern times...

[The article goes on for several pages worth of text about dry, boring water treatment information from over 150 years ago. . .]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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gwe.shadowhosting.frntr/ff234fFlame7a43.si4

 

 

Email.01.img

 

Re: Suppressing My Story?

========== <============.moghmail>

You dishonor yourself going over my head to the Guildmaster. There is no editorial overreach. We are not suppressing anything.You were to follow the Hegemon's journey with ========== and ========== to report on his recovery. Your footage and audio were scandalous and your article on them was too political. your oueraen sensibilities are bleeding into your work. This is Moghes. You cannot just run around wildly accusing a member of the nobility much less the hegemon of the things you outright said in that article. you would ruin this entire news guild with such a wild story. Don't make this political.

 

Interview05.vd

 

Footage from inside a satchel appears. There is a small slit of light from slightly off screen and a hand withdraws - the camera was discreetly turned on and it picks up muffled audio from two unknown individuals talking in hushed tones in Sinta'Unathi.

"- ntire garrison was sent out. They found the hatchling later playing in the garden behind some of the flower bushes; he had been hiding for fun. We were so relieved. Before they found him the Hegemon would fly into a rage and strike courtiers or demolish furniture and tear paintings off the wall screaming about how he 'wouldn't let it happen again'."

"What does the chaplain and psychologist say?"

"They are terrified. They don't say or do anything. Only Rak'ta calms him down. She sings him something in Azibaba and he's fine."

"What about -"

"I am sorry, I've said too much. I must go."

There is a period of dead air before the hand returns and discreetly turns the camera off.

 

Interview07.vd

 

An in medias res clip from inside a hallway, the holder shooting it incognito from around a corner. Down it there is an open door revealing a balcony. The Hegemon is seen sitting in one of the balcony chairs facing away and talking to someone who is not there. There is faint, muted audio.

"-ou would show yourself. . . . I can hear you . . . - of you are too noisy go one at a time or I cannot. . . No! I won't discuss it!"

The Hegemon, looking angry and frustrated, stands up and turns to re-enter the hallway which causes the footage to cut away before ending.

Interview11.aud

 

 

A simple audio file catching a conversation between two male sinta.

"Speaking generally, these are usually caused by malevolent spirits of those who were killed in battle and now seek vengeance on their killer."

"He has killed?"

"Well, he was a warrior. Not only that but you must remember - ah, you are very young - the Contact War was something he not only lived through but actively fought in. And how it all turned out... Many, many angry spirits now wander Moghes. This sickness he has developed originates from an unseen wounding caused by these spirits clawing at his own, and this unseen wound can be just as deadly as any physical wound. In my time studying with humans I believe they call this, ah what was it - post-trauma disorder?"

"How can he be helped?"

"I don't normally... Enjoy bringing up the heathens... But it is the Akhandi who had records about successful treatments. A warrior would walk alone for four days and four nights before sleeping out in the open air, allowing them time to reflect and for the open air to disperse the spirits gnawing at the wound. Then they make the walk back home, having ceremonially cleansed themselves before having an actual cleansing bath. But this is all speculative - I will not be the one to tell the Hegemon to go take a hike and he'd sooner throw me out a window if I suggested he demean himself by going to therapy or taking medicine."

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

First Izweski to Be Named Kataphract

Z’krazki Izweski, now 20 years old, has seen a remarkable rise in status. The third youngest of the Hegemon has always enjoyed martial pursuits.   The young man has now received the remarkable honor of becoming a Saa of the Kataphracts.

The ceremony took place in front of the Third Scept of Sk'akh; the grand temple that dominates the skyline of the city. There High Kataphract H’izala, the only female Saa'Izweski, swore him in during an elaborate ceremony. Present was Hegemon S'kresti, Clan-Mother Rak'ta Izweski, his older brother Not'zar Izweski, and their sister Rzasul Izweski. Notably present was also the child that Hegemon S'kresti claimed and named Yakt Izweski. He was with the Hegemon at all times.

Normally the anointment of a Saa does not receive such coverage or pomp and circumstance but this will be the first time that a member of the direct Izweski clan has joined the ranks of the order, let alone a direct member of the Hegemon's immediate family.

Before the crowds flooding the plaza High Kataphract H’izala emerged from the Scept to approach the kneeling Z'krazki. She was wearing the same armor as she did when first approaching Not'zar Izweski less than a year ago. Now it was not faded and scorched but resplendent and polished. She then drew her sword and rested it on Z'krazki's shoulder. The young Zo'saa was also wearing steel armor with the Izweski insignia on his orange cape. Then High Kataphract H’izala spoke and the crowd became silent.

Quote

"Zo'saa Z'krazki, for the past year and a half you have upheld the highest traditions of honor and martial strength that all Sinta aspire to. You have excelled in your studies. And now you are taking on an immense undertaking. The hearts and minds of all of our people will be placed on your shoulders. You will have to continue to remain a paragon of virtue. You will be tasked with the protection of innocents, the adherence of honor, and the protection of the Hegemony from any threat that it may face. Before the eyes of your family, your ancestors, and your fellow Sinta, do you accept this great burden?"

Z'krazki looked up and spoke next.

Quote

"I accept this burden. I will, in every breath and action, strive for honor, justice, and fairness. In the protection of the innocent, I will never falter."

High Kataphract H’izala finished the ceremony to rapacious applause as  Z'razki rose as a fully anointed Kataphract. No doubt the honor of this day will forever be marked down in the annals of Izweski history, as one of their own has joined the order that they revived from near extinction.

Z'razki is expected to return to the Izweski Citadel with his family to celebrate his new title. The young Kataphract is then said to be planning an expedition deep into the frontier to earn greater glory and adventures for his own name.

One of our journalists managed to approach the young nobleman for questions as he was preparing to return to the Citadel and managed to ask him a revealing question.

Quote

"Your clan's honor is strengthened; do you believe that your new youngest brother Yakt, the heir, will also join your path?"

Z'razki visibly grimaced at the question and responded curtly.

Quote

"I hope that my new clansman is inspired by me, for sure."

Our reporter then asked a follow-up question.

Quote

"Do you consider him your brother or just a clansman, Saa?"

Z'razki appeared agitated and replied quickly before leaving to return to his transport.

Quote

"Yes, I respect my father's right to adopt. Excuse me."

 

Edited January 25, 2020 by Marlon Phoenix

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Third Scept of Sk'akh Surrounded After Izweski Wastelander Child Abducted By Conspiracy

Sources within Skalamar have confirmed that the Third Scept, the grand temple of the Sk'akh faithful, has been surrounded by the City Watch. The Watch surrounded the property at 8:42 am this morning, bringing over a dozen vehicles and nearly 100 Watchmen. They've blocked off access to the plaza in front of the Scept and have established a cordon around the entire property.

 

Lord Trikzara Sirax, brother of Clan-Mother Izweski, confirmed the action at 9:02 am with a public announcement. The announcement claimed that there was currently a hunt underway regarding a kidnapping. 

 

Quote

"From what I understand we are looking for one of the court chaplains, Iozaka Mizalraki, who worked within the Izweski Citadel. They are the primary suspect involved in the kidnapping of the child called Yakt Izweski. Their complicity in this conspiracy was discovered after interrogating one of the maids that confessed to handing the child off to him. We are doing everything we can to respect the Scept and the faithful in our efforts to apprehend the hatchling abductor."

 

Later Lord Sirax denied that this was a siege. The Watch has not entered the Third Scept, claiming that they want to respect the sanctity of the building and preserve its status as a sanctuary. Instead, representatives have been in negotiation with several priests on the steps leading inside. Our journalist has been able to observe the situation from the fourth floor of a building that overlooks the plaza and the front of the Scept. Watchmen can be seen animatedly arguing with several priests who have barred the doors behind them.

 

A statement from the Izweski Citadel has not yet been released. The Citadel itself has been sealed and all visitors and staff that were on the grounds at the time have not been permitted to leave. There is currently no information on who else is suspected in the conspiracy to have Yakt kidnapped. We also do not know if the fleeing Chaplain had the child when he entered the Scept.

 

High Priest Unzi canceled his trip to To'ha'dat and was last seen boarding a shuttle to return to Skalamar by air. He made a brief comment to reporters before boarding the shuttle back.

 

Quote

"They will not violate the Scept."

 

Law forbids the Iron Masks from bearing arms within the walls of the city but there are eyewitness reports that a growing contingent of the armed faithful are gathering outside two of the main gatehouses leading into the city. The small bands, armed with melee weapons and simple laser weapons, as well as two armored vehicles, have so far respected the boundary. Skalamar Chapter-Master U'zai gave a statement assuring listeners that they were not planning on breaking the law.

 

Quote

"For as long as the Scept is kept secure we see no need to protect it. We gather here of our own free will and we are respecting all laws and edicts. We are here to observe."

 

Regardless of the circumstances, this rapidly unfolding series of remarkable events have sparked concern and tension throughout the Hegemony. The blatant abduction of a hatchling from the immediate royal family has shocked any upstanding Sinta for its blatant, dishonorable brutality. Many are already declaring that anyone complicit in the conspiracy should be branded Guwan or even beheaded for putting a hatchling in danger. On top of this, the hatchling was named the Heir of the Hegemony only a short time ago, making this a remarkably high profile case.

 

Yakt Izweski was recently adopted by the Hegemon under strange circumstances. While many within the upstanding classes have pointed with concern towards the influence the child may be having on the Hegemon, there is currently no dispute that his abduction is an extremely dishonorable act.

 

We will continue to cover this story as it develops.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Hegemon Speaks: Prompts Assault on Scept as Violence Spills Across Skalamar

The silence of the Izweski Citadel was broken today as the Hegemon broadcasted an extraordinary public threat to High Priest Unzi.  The speech preceded a violent skirmish outside the Third Scept and throughout the city that has caused considerable confusion and in-fighting between the City Watch, the respective bannermen of the Izweski and Sirax clans, and the Maraziites. Media Guilds provided the announcement that appeared in nearly every home in the cities and any within the countryside with access.

 

Quote

 

"I have uncovered the conspiracy against my family and the throne and all evidence points to the despicable and underhanded Unzi as its mastermind. This apostate stole my son from me and has locked him away in what has become Unzi's personal palace. This is not a surprise to me; I have known already how Unzi moved against my family and assaulted my home. Now it will be your gates that are battered and your home that is besieged. Two people are demanded to leave the Scept - my son, free to come into the arms of his mother, and Unzi, clasp in irons to face trial for this disgusting crime and their repeated conspiracies against my family.

 

And to do that I will now command the Third Scept be entered by men at arms and my will enforced."

 

 

After the announcement, there was a fight outside the Third Scept. On the steps leading up to the doors, there were a dozen Izweski bannermen ascending to gain entry to the building. They found the doors barred and barricaded on the other side, with several priests shouting at them from windows on the second floor. After fifteen minutes, at 12:12 pm a pneumonic door ram was brought up to breach the entrance.

 

At the same time, the Maraziites that had been gathering outside the two main gatehouses launched a sudden attack to break past the checkpoints into the city. Eyewitnesses report gunfire and fierce melee skirmishes by the City Watch. At the eastern gate, a Maraziite armored vehicle plowed through traffic and broke through the checkpoint, injuring several and clearing the way for more motorized vehicles to follow them inside.

 

Fighting has also spilled out into the streets around the Scept between Izweski and Sirax bannermen. Several Sirax Watchmen that were part of the cordon around the Scept clashed with the Izweski bannermen and each other. The forces involved in the siege have apparently broken into several smaller factions. Commanders on both sides are refusing to participate in an assault on the Third Scept and in turn, are fighting with commanders that are involved to stop them or are being attacked by commanders furious at their betrayal.

 

The several hundred Maraziites and their dozens of vehicles are making a frantic dash towards the Third Scept as the local forces are descending into chaos. We have no information as to the status of the breach but our journalist overlooking the plaza continues to report violent clashes. Several Watch barricades have been overturned by angry peasants and guildsmen who are now entering the plaza to join the fray on either side.

 

As the violence spreads throughout Skalamar the alarm at these events has spread. We already have reports that throughout the major cities and in the countryside Orders of Summons are being received by Sinta from their Lords. Levys are being drawn up and bannermen are being mobilized. It's not clear for what purpose these events are for as there has been little to no communication from the major Lords of these fiefs. The Orders of Summons have been restricted to those on Moghes, and there is currently no mobilizations on Ouerea or any of the other colonies.

 

In the sky above Moghes the 3rd Fleet, commanded by Admiral Za'Akaix'Xitac Klax, has been put on alert after an encrypted message from the Izweski Citadel.

 

High Priest Unzi managed to enter the Third Scept after being allowed through the cordon at an unknown point and was last seen on one of the balconies on the fifth floor overlooking the plaza, flanked by two armed Maraziites. He has not yet made a statement and there is no method of our journalists to enter the Scept.

 

We will continue to report on these rapidly unfolding developments.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

The Third Scept Sacked By Guwan Guard: Lords Declare Themselves In Rebellion

Not since the atomic catastrophe of the Contact War have we had to write on a disaster as catastrophic as what has unfolded today.

 

The violence that engulfed Skalamar resulted in the defeat of the loyalist bannermen around the Scept. Watch commanders and Sirax bannermen that sought to defend the grand structure repelled the forces at 11:22 pm last night trying to force entry into the building. There are a confirmed six casualties from the violent clashes at the plaza from either side. Progress from the Maraziites on the outskirts of the city was not as successful, as the Iron Mask vehicles were gnarled in traffic.

 

As the fighting drew to a standstill, at 5:23am the Hegemon himself was seen leaving the Izweski Citadel in full armor. He was followed by a column of Guwan Guard in their golden-colored armor and hardsuits. They marched from the Citadel towards the blockade set up by the Watchmen and Sirax bannermen. He was joined by Lord Sirax accompanied by a hundred of his loyalist bannermen. The two nobles approached the blockade and was seen by our journalist that was overlooking the plaza. They confronted the defecting Watchmen and several peasants that had thrown in with them. The Watch were armed with clubs and several stun rifles while the Guwan Guard came with advanced laser weaponry, including energy swords and rifles.

 

The Hegemon and Lord Sirax cowed the blockade at the intersection to surrender, and the two dozen defecting Sinta were marched away by Sirax bannermen. Here Sirax got into an argument with the Hegemon. It's not clear what specifically brought the two to verbal blows but we believe it was over whether or not Sirax would join in the assault on the Scept itself.

 

Sirax and his men were then seen moving to attack the other blockades, clearing the way for the Guwan Guard to ascend the steps of the Scept. There the Hegemon was handed a megaphone and he used it to speak to High Priest Unzi who was observing him from the balcony on the third floor. What was said was picked up by our journalist's recording equipment.

 

Quote

"You defy me and steal my child. I will not let you harm my family again. Open the doors or we will put this building to the sword."

 

High Priest Unzi refused the demand. He and his armed Maraziites left the balcony to enter the Scept itself. The Guwan Guard began its assault at 6:12 am. A laser cannon was brought to the fore and it was fired at the entrance, blasting open the barred wooden doors and causing the stacked wooden furniture behind it to catch on fire. Several more shots were fired as gunfire erupted from the Scept itself; the Maraziites were firing Contact War-era rifles and pistols at the assembled Guwan.

 

The Guwan then stormed through the breach and fighting spread through the Third Scept. From reports that came after the fact the Guwan Guard mercilessly began tearing through the halls and rooms, destroying artifacts and smashing apart stained glass windows of the Great Spirit in their hunt for the Hegemon's son. Several priests attempted to stop them. One of them was interviewed by our journalists after the siege itself.

 

Quote

"Three of us threw ourselves on one of the Guwan, but his armor kept him strong enough to move. He had a warhammer and was moving to smash a statue of the Great Spirit sculpted in the 9th century. High Priest Unzi himself stepped between the Guwan and the statue and threw out his arms to shield it. The Guwan just hit him in the side of the head with the hammer and knocked him to the floor before tearing chunks off the statue. The stone dust and debris hit my eyes and left me blinded until paramedics were able to get me."

 

The Maraziites and priests desperately fought to repel the Guwan but they were continuously pushed back to the upper levels by both the Guwan and the fires that were tearing through the building. The Guwan were able to sack the Third Scept completely. Six Maraziites were killed and two priests were seriously wounded. High Priest Unzi was last seen being carried out of Scept on a stretcher, flanked by Guwan Guards, towards an ambulance.

 

By 8:00 am the Scept was fully sacked, smoke rising from the foundations as the flames continued to chew through it. Fire-fighting Guilds were only then allowed to combat the flames as the Guwan established dominance around the plaza and Scept. The Hegemon's son was not found inside the now-flaming ruins and he has blamed the entirety of the Maraziites for the kidnapping. The Hegemon then threatened to purge the Maraziites from Moghes but the retaliation for what has already happened as erupted rapidly.

 

Lord Orezali of Ura'Mastyx, Lady-Regent Amz’izi Kiae of Imas'hi, and Lord Mizaruz Gri'zan of Baandr have declared their intention to depose the Hegemon.

 

Lord Orezali declared his intention and encouraged all the other major Lords of Moghes to join his cause.

 

Quote

 

"The Hegemon is not a sovereign over all Sinta. The position of the clan known to hold Hegemon is the first of all Lords. Their rule exists for as long as we accept it. We no longer accept the rule of Sk'resti. He has become a mad tyrant, one that does not deserve to rule our people. This is a call to all Sinta - throw off this Mad Tyrant. Only a total break within his mind can explain these horrifying events. We will get revenge for his crimes. We will avenge the faith. We will scour our world of his vile influence."

 

 

In response to these developments the Hegemon has declared that he will 'utterly destroy' the traitors.

 

Quote

"If you align yourself against my family then you align with your death."

 

Communication has broken down as other Lords across Moghes have not made it clear which side they will be aligning themselves with. As forces across Moghes are assembling it is clear that a devastating civil war is potentially on the horizon. 

 

Shuttleports in Skalamar are flooding with people eager to escape the potential impending bloodshed. At the same time Kataphracts and other Unathi from across the galaxy are flooding into Moghes to join the fighting, as both the rebel Lords and the Hegemon have sent out a call to their side.

 

The rebel forces are assembling near Ura'mastyx while loyalist forces are assembling outside Skalamar. Several armies are marching or being transported towards the Untouched Lands from the other major Lords but none of them have declared which side they will join forces with; and we may not know the final alliances until the rallying has completed and the battle lines are drawn.

 

As a dark chapter begins for Sinta'Unathi, we still do not know how far the Hegemon will go in his quest to reclaim his missing son, and how much violence will erupt from the civil war now looming over our people.

 

Edited January 22, 2020 by Marlon Phoenix

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

The Hegemon Slain By Kinslayer, But Armies Continue Marching

 

At 11:23am the Hegemon was pronounced dead, killed by one of his kin during a War Council in the Izweski Citadel. While this brutal regicide by a family member is an unspeakable crime, it has been revealed that it may have saved hundreds of thousands of lives.

 

From what we understand the Hegemon had grown increasingly harsh and demanding in his plans for the rebelling Lords. Present during the meeting were his sons Not'zar Izweski, Kataphract Z'krazki, Lord Huz Yizarus of To'ha'dat, and Lord Karkartus of S'th. Present via holographic projection was Admiral Za'Akaix'Xitac Klax, also known simply as Admiral Xitac. He was projected from his flagship, the cataclysm-class HMV Annihilation

 

During the meeting the Lords presented various plans for battle as they waited for reinforcements from the other Lords. These plans changed regularly as they continued to receive news of further Lords defecting; forces being transported by sea from Jaz'zirt had passed Skalamar over and were moving north towards the rebel rendezvous at Ura'Mastyx. Forces from Baandr had also refused the summons and were instead moving to their border with S'th and preparing fortifications. Imas'hi had also redirected its levymen to intercept loyalist reinforcements marching through their lands, sparking a fierce fight that saw the loyalist S'th reinforcements repelled as Baandr’s Lady-Regent Amz’izi Kiae sided with the rebellion.

 

As their options dwindled Hegemon Sk'resti grew more and more agitated until he finally threw himself up from his chair and made a bold declaration of intention..

 

Quote

"I have the power to visit these cities with Cataclysm! They showed their dishonor by siding with those that would kidnap children. They are no better than the Traditionalists. We shall unleash our vengeance on them in the same way that we did to the Azariks. We will split the heavens over their armies."

 

The Lords in the room protested as well as Saa Z'krazki and Not'zar. The Hegemon refused to listen to them and addressed Admiral Xirac to order him to prepare his fleet to begin an orbital bombardment of the rebel rendezvous and then proceed to wipe the city of Ura’Mastyx off the map. Not'zar, Z'krazki, and the two Lords demanded that Xirac refuse the order. Xirac remained silent until the Hegemon declared that if he wouldn't listen then he'd have his command stripped and the K'lax queen on Tret clad in irons.

 

Xirac acknowledged the order but just when his apparition disappeared from the call ending Z'krazki drew his sword and leapt onto the table, calling to his father. Turning around Sk'resti grabbed the hilt of his respective sword in shock and anger. After the Hegemon drew his sword Z'krazki struck, striking him down with lunge through his chest.

 

The entire room was shocked into silence as the Hegemon fell before them. Not'zar Izweski quickly summoned the Guwan Guard and had them seize Z'razki and drag him out of the room while he burst into tears. 

 

We don't know what happened next but with the disappearance of the named heir, Yakt Izweski, Not'zar has resumed his status as Lord-Regent. He regained contact with Xirac and ordered him to abort his bombardment of the rebels.

 

The death of the Hegemon has not calmed tensions. Lord Orezali, the de-facto leader of the rebellion, rejected an offer of a ceasefire from the Lord-Regent and put out a statement.

 

Quote

"We are tired of words. We are tired of dialogue. We are tired of timidity. We rejoice at the death of the Mad Tyrant but we refuse to respect the name of the Izweski with words. The cripple boy Not'zar uses words like a vile toxin to befuddle and confuse the minds of his enemies and dominate them. He is going to have to fight for his claim through iron for once. If Not'zar has enough support from his warriors and Lords to resist our march to Skalamar, then, and only then, will we talk of fealty to the Izweski."

The coalition of rebel Lords, Maraziites, and Kataphracts continue to rally their forces while small scale fighting continues elsewhere.

 

A call continues to go out for Unathi across the galaxy to return to Moghes and take up arms in defense of the Izweski clan. The Izweski forces, smaller in number, continue to rally outside Skalamar. Unathi from as far as Tau Ceti have come to Moghes to participate in the fighting.

 

A pitched battle between the two forces is expected to take place within the week after mobilization finishes. Estimates predict that there will be at least ten thousand Sinta on the rebel's side of the primary battle that will take place between To'ha'dat and Ura'mastyx, while the Izweski are currently fielding almost half of that. However, the Th'akh heartlands in the north have sent forces south to attack the northern borders of Ura'mastyx which has forced the main force to split to repel incursions from these forces from Kutah and Tzonia.

 

The fighting remains isolated to Moghes, but tension remains high on Ouerea and Gakal’zaal. The Elders on Ouerea have announced they will allow Sinta to travel to Moghes and will continue to accept anyone fleeing the civil war but will not begin rallying their own levy unless the fighting spreads to the colony.

 

We are not aware of what is happening on Tret as we do not have any journalists on the planet, but from unconfirmed sources several cargo shuttles were rediverted to the planet and are now making their way to Moghes with unknown cargo.

 

Gakal’zaal has seen a dramatic rise in violence coinciding with a recent antagonism of its population by Adhomai, and its Overlord has claimed he is unable to spare more than a hundred warriors.

The four fleets within the Hegemony's navy have been kept out of orbit of Moghes. Lord-Admiral Yizarus held a meeting with the other Admiralty and informed both the rebel leader Orezali and Not'zar Izweski that regardless of who won the civil war a battle with their fleets would leave them 'incredibly vulnerable to xeno aggression and temptations towards dishonorable victory' and they would not be participating in the fighting.

 

As Sinta reel from the second unprecedented tragedy to strike our civilization within the span of only week we can only hope that the Great Spirit will not allow war to consume Moghes for the second time in less than a century.

 

We will continue covering this rapidly unfolding story as information comes in.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Loyalist Lords Rebuff Not'zar While Battle Lines Drawn Across Moghes

 

Spoiler

Spoiler

A map detailing the current situation across Moghes. Blue represents the loyalist forces to the Izweski, while the red represent the rebels.

 

Not'zar Izweski has faced his first major rebuff today as the loyalist Lords rejected his attempt to appoint officers from the Izweski Naval Academy to take sub-command within the assembled loyalist armies. With the wide number of Clan-Lord defections to the rebel banners, there has been a severe shortage of noblemen to lead the number of levies within a Lord's army. Lord Huz Yizarus of To'ha'dat explained how uncomfortable they were with the prospect of 'peasants in command'.

 

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"Now is especially not the time for the Izweski to abandoned tradition. Let the peasants prance around in uniform in the navy; leave the armies to the warriors and noblemen."

 

With the shortage sub-command positions have been opened to those of lesser nobility. One of these lesser nobles is even a Tau Ceti resident, Szoussz Kas. Despite his father being only a Clan-Leader, he has been granted sub-command of a growing levy primarily consisting of Tau Ceti Unathi. He commands a sizable force of 100 Sinta under the main Izweski army which has nearly finished assembling.

 

Fighting continues within the rebel land of Imas'hi as the loyalist S'th forces commanded by Lord Karkartus made a counter-offensive. Their goal was to break through the rebel S'th line, commanded by Lady-Regent Kiae, and reach Skalamar to reinforce the Lord-Regent's forces. The Imas'hi rebels were entrenched on a hill next to the highway that leads to Skalamar with civilian traffic having been blocked or re-diverted to other routes. Six cannons within the estimated 12,000 strong rebel force harassed the approaching 14,000 S'th warriors. A vanguard force of loyalist mechanized infantry and Warmounts launched an attack on the rebel's right flank as the main line of ranged infantry exchanged laser and ballistic fire. This phase lasted fifteen minutes before the S'th skirmishers withdrew and the heavy infantry charged.

 

A vicious melee broke out that lasted three hours. After clearing the first trench the offensive pushed up to the top of the hill before three Imas'hi breacher suits, supported by ranged infantry, attacked the loyalist's left flank after having been held in reserve behind another hill. The breachers sowed panic and chaos with laser rifles and energy glaives and shattered the loyaist left flank and forced it into a retreat. The entire offensive pulled back and the Imas'hi did not give chase, holding their position. Interstellar Aid Corps volunteers were allowed onto the scene of the battle to help recover and treat wounded from both sides; Lady-Regent Kiae has declined to take prisoners and has allowed warriors from both sides to be taken to the IAC camp within Imas'hi territory with promises of clemency and free travel if they remain disarmed. The S'th attackers saw 412 dead and 99 wounded or maimed while the Imas'hi defenders saw 293 dead and 110 wounded.

 

The fight south-west of Razir saw an unusual blunder. Razir forces commanded by Lord Ki'mokiz were laying an ambush in thick woodland within a valley that the Jaz'zirt rebels must march through to reach Razir. The 5,000 troops, including two breachers and seventeen heavy artillery pieces, were waiting for the 10,000 strong Jaz'zirt rebels commanded by Lord Miazo to finish marching into the artillery kill-zone when scouts spotted a small convoy driving towards the rebel column. Seven Interstellar Aid Corps vehicles had gotten lost and took a wrong turn, putting them right in the middle of the two armies about to clash. Angered and unwilling to risk IAC lives Lord Ki'mokiz had a flare fired to announce his presence and broadcast a message requesting a ceasefire to the rebels. He then marched down the hill with a small contingent towards the convoy as the very much alerted Lord Miazo turned his army about to retreat from artillery range and take up defensive positions. Lord Ki'mokiz flagged down the lead IAC truck and angrily explained the situation to the shocked and embarrassed driver. Men report that he smacked the IAC driver after being asked directions and offered a coffee, barking and screaming at the human for seventeen minutes before sending them off back the way they came. The two armies have yet to clash again by the time of publishing this article.

 

Fighting continues in the mountains that separate Ura'mastyx from the Th'akh heartlands of the north. Lord Hutay'zai of Kutah and Lord Ozmakali of Tzonia have declared for the Izweski. The unusual move seems strange to many as only a few years ago Not'zar's apparent inaction allowed High Priest Unzi to ravage their lands in the Iron Crusade. But when pressed about this decision Lord Hutay'zai made their worldview clear.

 

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"We know Not'zar Izweski. We know his capabilities as a leader. We know that we face greater danger with a Hegemon we don't know than a Hegemon we do."

 

112 of the 9,200 Tzonian warriors and 232 of the 12,000 Kutahiite warriors perished or were wounded clashing with the rebel forces, who in turn lost 312. The main rebel force, disregarding the near 20,000 that broke off to deal with the encroaching Th'akh Lords, now numbers an estimated 42,000. It's split between the command of Lord Orezali, Maraziite Chapter Master Nu'ghai who lead the Iron Crusade, and the High Kataphract Zakeai. It's believed that they have fielded eight breacher suits and a sizable portion of mechanized infantry and artillery.

 

 In comparison, the main force of now 34,000 warriors of loyalist forces gathering outside Skalamar is commanded by Lord Sirax and High Kataphract H'izala with Not'zar Izweski present in a ceremonial command role. It's believed that they are fielding an impressive sixteen breacher suits. In addition, the cargo freighters that departed K'lax arrived and landed in the field nearby and their cargo was revealed to be one K'lax warform and five hundred K'lax warriors. The mighty 20ft tall hexapod warform spread fear in the ranks of its own side as Unathi recoiled or fled from the sight of the beast.

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

There are also unconfirmed rumors that Not'zar Izweski is in talks with delegations from a handful of Wastelander factions which may see an even further unusual addition to his growing army.

 

As the small-scale fighting continues elsewhere on Moghes we are all waiting with bated breath for the primary confrontation that is expected to take place after the main rebel force marches south from Ura'mastyx intent on besieging To'ha'dat and then Skalamar itself.

Edited January 25, 2020 by Marlon Phoenix

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

The Final Night: Armies Prepare as Chroniclers Assemble to Witness and Transcribe

The assembling of both of the main armies has concluded, and tomorrow will mark the beginning of the rebel's main march to To'ha'dat. Both rebel and loyalist armies have each gained nearly a hundred chroniclers, journalists, and poets to record their preparations and the titanic clashes that will begin tomorrow. Our journalists have become like these chroniclers during this conflict, and now we are getting information about the final preparations for the main battles to come.

 

Coinciding with this both sides have confirmed that they will be shooting down any drones and destroying video equipment present during any battles. This move has angered xeno journalists and 'thrill-seekers' that became camp-followers, but Lord Huz Yizarus described the mindset in place on both sides.

 

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"Let the deeds of our warriors be transcribed in song and word. Let us know them at their greatest point and praise them for their deaths. Do not let them be humiliated by allowing anyone but fellow warriors to witness their dying breaths and fallen bodies."

 

With their full size of 63,000 warriors assembled, the main rebel army under  Lord Orezali, Maraziite Chapter Master Nu'ghai, and the High Kataphract Zakeai, the encampments spirits are high as they outnumber the loyalists 3:2. In Lord Orezali's portion of the army men were seen singing and dancing to drums or feasting in the sprawling tents. Things were similar under Zakeai's portion with men celebrating the death of the Hegemon. The mood only changed within the section of the camp where the Maraziites and other faithful assembled. Men there were found to be in constant prayer or cleansing rituals. Near the encampment are the thousands of Warmounts and Threshebasts tied up to regimented metal poles. They graze or sleep next to several columns of armored infantry carriers or landed combat shuttlecraft that themselves seem to slumber.

 

Witnesses within the loyalist camp found a much more somber affair. The outnumbered army of only 42,000 was a strange mix with an unorthodox leader structure. Lord Sirax and High Kataphract H'izala have spent most of the night preparing battle plans to meet the advance of the rebels while Not'zar Izweski toured the camp to see the men. At one point he appeared to realize the effect the Vaurca Warform was having on his men as near 9:40 pm he had his Guwan Guard throw a tarp over the giant beast as it stood motionless with the heavy vehicles. At 10:44 pm several dozen musicians and entertainers to put on a show for the men to strengthen their morale. One of our journalists was able to speak to the Lord-Regent during the show, asking him about his role in the coming battle.

 

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"I understand that my Clan's name is stained. I also understand that I am not the most powerful warrior. But I will prove myself as brave as any and enter battle alongside the men I send to defend my title and my clan. I will not let them compare me to humans who sit in faraway rooms and send men to their deaths."

 

As night came over the final day of relative calm in the Untouched Lands, the same time saw news of conflict from the Wasteland. In the Broken Kingdoms, forces that intended to march from Sahtyr to join the fighting remain trapped behind their walls.

 

Travelers first reported seeing a huge plume of dust approaching the city two days ago. Scouts returning from that direction brought news that caused a mass flight of merchants and guildsmen from the city. What was thought to be a huge storm was revealed to be thousands upon thousands of Gawgaryn Raiders. Mounted on their wasteland bikes with lances or crude ballistics, this huge army drove around Sahtyr and kicked up so much dust that its sandstorm disrupted sightlines and masked the true number of their horde. The raiders fired on the watchtowers, suppressing the defenders but otherwise making no attempt to breach the walls. The already undermanned levy of its Lord Zirak, numbering only 900 capable warriors, did not attempt to sally forth from the walls and remain trapped. It's highly unlikely that the raiders have sided with the rebels and may be seeking to sow further chaos.

 

As the battles within and without the Wasteland continue we can only wait with bated breath for the clash between the main forces.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

The Battle of the Four Hills; Tragedy and Heroism See Thousands Join the Ancestors

Today has seen the most consequential battle within the last 30 years. While our journalists were barred from taking video during their coverage, they along with chroniclers and poets observed the clash from a distance behind loyalist and rebel lines from the vantage point of the mountains, while others were closer to the lines.

 

By 6:40 am the rebel army had marched to the field of battle where they were only 25 miles from To'ha'dat, the only thing between them and Skalamar. Meeting them were the loyalist forces. The loyalist army was in a favorable defensive position. We have reconstructed the battle as best we can from the sources on the ground, many of which described great feats of heroism and tragedy.

 

In the thick of the first line of defense on the first of the four hills the loyalists held, a brutal melee broke out. Rebel war mounts charged up the hill with energy lances to crash into the loyalist infantry. In the brutal fighting that saw them pushed from the top of the hill down the other slope, a loyalist Zo'saa was seen without his helmet to reveal his azure features. When the line was ready to collapse and abandon the hill this azure, Zo'saa Iszak bellowed out a war cry and rallied the men by rushing alone towards the row of rebel shields.  Seeing him throw himself at the enemy while they fled his battle-brothers turned about and joined him in the fray. Side by side once more they fought back the rebels and were responsible for preventing what may have been a full route by the entire flank.

 

In the east, thousands of Kataphracts and mounted cavalry on both sides charged one another in a thunderous opening offensive by the rebels. One of the leading nobles on the loyalist side, Hu'azai Huz'kai, was fighting with his son Saa Jeskai in the snarling mass of war beasts and the clashing riders. Fighting together they were seen skewering rebel Kataphracts with their lances or firing their carbines. At one point when his son broke off to aid his battle-brothers nearby, Huz'kai was thrown to the ground when a rebel rider stabbed his mount in the neck, killing it instantly. Pinned with his leg underneath his mount he managed to empty his laser carbine into four enemy riders before freeing his leg. He fought valiantly but was knocked over repeatedly from the mass of beasts stampeding around him. He was last seen fighting back several Maraziites before one, clad in an iron fish mask, gave him his final battle. The Maraziite drew a pistol to gun him down but Huz'kai delivered a blow that severed the Maraziite's entire arm, sending it and the pistol flying off in an arc. The Maraziite threw himself off his mount on the opposite side and drew his sword with his off-hand. They fought bitterly before the exhausted Huz'kai was ran through by the Maraziite's sword.

 

The forlorn sound of battle horns and radio messages coordinated the loyalists pulling back from the first hill, and the entire left flank regrouping further south as the right flank held firm. This reorganization brought the battle to the second hill on the south-western left flank near the coast. Here the second wave of loyalist reinforcements joined the fray, but the first disaster occurred. The redeployment had been pushed too far south by a sudden brutal offensive from the rebels and cut off almost a thousand loyalist infantry on a peninsula that stretches out into the sea. This pocket was pushed back towards the tip of the peninsula, abandoning three artillery emplacements in the process. To relieve them eight armored shuttlecraft, each carrying a hundred men were sent to deploy shock troops on this peninsula to reinforce the besieged. A second disaster struck when three rebel laser batteries fired on the shuttlecraft, sending one careening into loyalist lines and two exploding into fireballs while their shrapnel scattered into the sea. Four managed to land in the proper deployment area while the third crashed into an explosive fireball behind the bulk of the enemy forces attacking the peninsula. But from the jaws of disaster victory was snatched as High Kataphract H'izala was seen emerging from the fireball in a scorched breacher suit. Dual-wielding two laser cannons she threw the entire rebel line into chaos as she melted heavily armored shock troops. Advancing methodically towards the peninsula she dropped her cannons when they were empty and wielded an energy glaive. Using that and the mounted laser weapons on her breacher suit she single-handedly sparked a full rout of rebels from their advance down the peninsula, allowing the front line to link back with them and solidify an entire half mile further north. The bloodied, battered H'izala was seen struggling out of the severely damaged breacher suit when she was returned to friendly lines, medics staunching a gushing wound on her right side.

 

Another named hero is Zslareoh Oksukzr who joined the fray when the second hill was lost to the rebels. As loyalist forces retreated to the third hill he was seen carrying a mortally wounded battle brother as the rest of his unit rushed towards the waiting armored vehicles with the rest of the retreating forces that would carry them to a new position. Their unit was cut off as the lines of battle shifted. The small group of twenty sinta surrounded their dying ally and locked energy shields, fending off dozens of rebel warriors without relief as they made a slow march towards friendly lines. They fought for an entire hour without relief, not surrendering even as more of their number fell, those pulled in behind the ever-shrinking defensive circle. They were finally able to reach friendly lines where they all to a man collapsed from exhaustion.

 

The lines of battle were now stretched in a long and narrow vertical line from the southwest to the northeast. Despite individual acts of heroics the loyalist forces were forced to abandon the third hill in the face of a vicious and sustained artillery barrage that threatened to eviscerate the tightly packed heavy infantry needed to control the narrower incline. Another call went out and the left and center started a general pullback towards the fourth and final hill, but Lord Sirax halted the center's retreat as he noticed a weakness in the rebel line. He ordered a counter-offensive back towards the third hill. The left flank were unable to join the advance as they were pinned in place by four breacher suits that the rebels had now fielded against them. This created a gap in the loyalist's front line that rebel infantry and riflemen spilled through, enveloping several loyalist units in the center. Behind one of these units was the Lord-Regent Not'zar Izweski.

 

Riding on a War Mount the young nobleman is said to have become aware of a disturbance towards his left but the cacophony of noise from the battle caused him and his retinue of Guwan Guard to be blindsided in a surge of rebel swordsmen. Exchanging gunfire, the two Guwan to his left were knocked off their mounts by laser fire as a rebel swordsman leaped up and grabbed onto the Lord-Regent's saddle with one arm while his left arm brought a sword down towards the Lord-Regent. Not'zar had nervously drawn his sword deflected the blows; one parry had the Lord-Regent knocked off the mount and fall in the grass, losing his sword and without his cane. The rebel swordsman finished climbing onto the Lord-Regent's mount and galloped off with it as a prize. The Lord-Regent had another rebel warrior rush towards him. The rebel holstered his rifle and drew his sword to kill the Lord-Regent by stabbing him. Not'zar threw himself into a roll, out of the way of the first blow and grabbed a discarded spear from a fallen warrior and desperately held it upwards where it pierced the chest of the warrior who was preparing a second thrust. His Guwan Guard managed to fight back the rebel infantry and recovered the Lord-Regent. Not'zar was seen shakily holding up a hand as if to call a retreat. But after a pause, his arm fell without finishing the motion and he held himself up with the recovered spear, demanding they not move from their spot 'without orders from Sirax'. Now having his first taste of battle, the Lord-Regent kept his sword and he and his men did not abandon their defensive position until a general redeployment was ordered.

 

The counter-offensive collapsed and the loyalist forces in the center and left withdrew to the fourth and final hill. By 7 pm the final stage of the battle took place. The loyalist center retreated from the fourth hill, seemingly abandoning it to the rebels. Emboldened, the enemy surged forward, stretching out their line and pushing deep past the left and right loyalist flanks. Then the trap was sprung; the center turned about and held firm while the left and right flanks advanced to envelop the rebel's center line. To sow further chaos and confusion within their ranks Sirax unleashed the terrifying Vaurca warform and the K'lax levy. The lumbering hexapod strode over the heads of the loyalists and rebels alike, firing the massive cannon attached to his back while its claws and mandibles tore Sinta asunder. Between its skittering legs, the Vaurca warriors methodically butchered anything they came into contact with. The rebel's center was completely enveloped and surrounded while its left and right flanks were isolated and themselves were started to be surrounded. With a third of its army enveloped the rebels made two attempts to relieve their isolated forces but were unsuccessful and a general retreat was called.

 

The enveloped pocket of rebel forces fought viciously, with two thousand mixed infantry contending with fire from all sides. In this pocket one rebel warrior, Kshaki Azkuri, distinguished himself by staring down the charge of the K'lax warform. Wielding a lance and with his feet dug into the soil, he was seen waiting to skewer the charging behemoth before it threw him over a dozen feet away to skid against the ground like a stone on a pond; but he succeeded in severing one of the hexapod's feet and slowing the beast.

 

But despite their best efforts, the battle was a foregone conclusion by now. The enveloped rebels surrendered while the rest of the rebel army retreated from the field of battle.

 

Initial estimates put the number of dead at least 9,000 for the loyalist side while the rebels are predicted to have lost at least 10,000. As these Sinta tell stories to their ancestors of their glorious deaths the living now take stock. Countless more Sinta have been grievously wounded in battle, and many are now missing limbs or have had serious battle wounds inflicted on them. The IAC continues to assist in recovering the wounded who are being moved to relief camps behind loyalist lines outside the walls of To'ha'dat.

 

Strangely rumors are cicrulating that several dozen convoys of Wastelanders carrying sinta and diona gestalts have been seen driving from the mountains towards the IAC encampment but no information has been given on why this strange development is occurring.

 

With such a stunning blow delivered to the rebels, many believe that they will be willing to enter into talks with Lord-Regent Not'zar Izweski, who has no doubt proven his claim by the sword. It will take an entire day for us to properly document the events unfolding following this battle but we will deliver updates as rapidly as possible.

 

Edited January 27, 2020 by Marlon Phoenix

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Not'zar Divides and Conquers The Peace; Vengeance Dominates

Not'zar Izweski met with the three rebel leaders that lead their army against him on the battlefield that they fought. On the first of the four hills, surrounded by the torn-up grass and artillery craters and overlooking the savaged landscape, they sat at a polished wooden table that wouldn't look out of place in a grand Lord's Hall.

 

Not'zar Izweski greeted High Kataphract Zakeai first. 

 

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"I greet the honorable Zakeai. I remember the day I anointed you to your post, and I am deeply honored to have seen not only your martial skill but your honorable conduct firsthand as your foe. You are an exemplary Sinta; you fought for what you believed in even though it put you at odds with the man that gave you your position."

 

Not'zar then greeted Lord Orezali.

 

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"I greet the strong and bold Lord Orezali. Your clan name has been one that I have respected for years. Your prestige is unquestioned. I understand that you have feared for your brother who is in the dungeons of To'ha'dat under charges of vampirism from the Church, and I have personally chosen to deliver you a letter from him."

 

Not'zar finally greeted Maraziite Chapter Master Nu'ghai.

 

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"I greet the pious Nu'ghai. The actions of the Hegemon are ones that I and all Izweski deeply regret. We were so overjoyed to see our Clan Leader return that we did not recognize the great wounds of the spirit and mind he was suffering under. I will ensure that I do everything I can to bring us back into the graces of the Great Spirit and return the Maraziites to an empowered position to defend our history and traditions."

 

The talks then went on for several hours. Not'zar Izweski is said to have patiently sat through the extended discussions and never rose to anger or impatience. As the talks went on the rebel leaders visibly started to become agitated. At one dramatic moment when Orezali was discussing reparations to the Church Nu'ghai angrily broke into the conversation.

 

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"Be silent; I won't let a brother of a vampire talk on behalf of the Great Spirit."

 

The arguing of the rebel leaders slowly splintered their interests, and towards the ends of the talks, Chapter Master Nu'ghai had demanded a peace separate from his two allies. An angered Orezali then refused to incorporate any Maraziite demands into any peace. High Kataphract Zakeai dramatically stood up and made a bold declaration before leaving the table.

 

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"Don't you see what is happening? It was a mistake to enter this battlefield of words; Not'zar has divided us to weaken us. We must remain united. Abandon these talks and renew our bond in battle."

 

Neither Chapter Master Nu'ghai nor Orezali left with Zakeai and continued the talks without the spurned High Kataphract.

 

Through political maneuvering, Not'zar managed to secure a tentative peace with Lord Orezali despite Nu'ghai's visceral disagreement on several points. Notzar Izweski has agreed to a wide range of concessions that vastly expanded beyond the rebellion's original aim of deposing the former Hegemon and avenging the Church.

 

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• Nughai's demand that Izweski Clan will front all the costs to restore the Scept.
• Nughai's demand that the Izweski Clan will annul all former prohibitions on the Maraziites being armed within the capital.
• Orezali's demand that the former Hegemon not be given a public funeral and is quietly entombed in the Izweski catacombs.
• Orezali's demand that members of the nobility be given immunity from Maraziite investigations.
• Not'zar Izweski secured a deal that will govern the role of Wastelanders on terraformed parts of the Wasteland and outlines the Izweski's entire policy on the Wastelanders.
• Not'zar Izweski will become the Hegemon and not allow the Wastelander child, still missing, from becoming the Hegemon if he is found.
• Not'zar's demand that High Priest Unzi will be put on trial for both Iron Crusades to determine if they broke their vow as a vassal by attacking another peer of the realm without just cause.

 

 

Orezali and Nughali have accepted the deal and the armies of the rebellion. Orezali sent out a call to disband his levies, a move mirrored by Lady-Regent Kiae and Lord Miazo. Loyalist armies have also begun to disband, with warriors from as far as Tau Ceti beginning to return home.

 

The peace has brought celebrations as well as frustration across Moghes even as there is much more to still do. Not'zar Izweski must oversee the trials of both the High Priest, who remains hospitalized as well as the trial of Not'zar's kinslayer brother. On top of this, the Wastelander child Yakt Izweski remains missing and the investigation by Skalamar's City Watch has uncovered no evidence beyond key figures involved in the conspiracy that the Church was involved. The Hegemon Shadow Service has been given a 'blank check' by Not'zar Izweski to hunt for the hatchling and it has vowed to leave no stone unturned.

 

Several thousand Sinta also face severe battle wounds that have seen them lose arms, legs, fingers, eyes, or other vital parts of their body. A remarkable development has come from the Wastelanders that Not'zar Izweski had spoken to before his climactic Battle of the Four Hills. The "Oasis Clans" have brought over a dozen gestalts to the IAC aid camps where they are conducting strange rituals that will transform the maimed Sinta into "Kizitaa" - Bonded Ones - a Unathi where a dionae nymph formed a symbiosis with their body. One of these Oasis wastelanders, in a camp outside To'ha'dat, described the ritual.

 

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"The most vital part of becoming a Kizitaa is inherent in its name. You must bond with the dionae before you can accept one another on the level needed for symbiosis. Coming into one of our tents, the maimed Sinta meets the gestalt. Charred Sands Upon The Broken Memories, for example, has been meeting with one Sinta who took four visits before this Sinta wasn't disgusted by them. We have them spend time together, with the Sinta telling his life story and opening up to Broken Memories. When Broken Memories felt he could trust the Sinta, and that he could learn from the experiences this Sinta was going through and has yet to go through, he detached a nymph and the bonding ritual was done to transform him into a Kizitaa."

 

Public exposure to Kizitaa remains low, but this may be a watershed moment for their community as the battles have exposed thousands of warriors to these rituals. Many have responded with visceral disgust and have rejected them flatly, but others have been drawn to becoming a Kizitaa due to their maimings. The symbiosis is not without risks; the nymph requires constant nourishment of blood from the body of the Sinta it is attached to.

 

Other consequences include the growing unrest on Gakal'zaal spurned on by the violence on Moghes. Ouerea has also seen a large surge of refugees that feared the violence spilling out into a larger conflict and the colony is struggling to accommodate the surge in arrivals. The rebellion has also created existential questions on the role of the Hegemon and the Lords of the Hegemony. For decades since the Contact War the role of Hegemon had grown more and more powerful, but this rebellion has shown the Lords that their power can rival that of the Hegemon if they work together. 

 

This will no doubt be a watershed moment in the history of the Sinta people and we will continue to report on the developments as they come in.

 

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Trial of the Kinslayer Z'krazki Izweski

Only days after declaring himself the Hegemon of Moghes and all Sinta'Unathi, Not'zar Izweski presides over the trial of his younger brother Z'krazki. The prince, stripped of his titles and status as a Kataphract, was dragged before the young Hegemon in the Izweski Citadel. 

 

Representing Z'krazki's defense was his Advocate Miziak. The accused and his Advocate stood in the center of the room in the stand of the refurbished Grand Hall. Behind them observing the trial was nearly a hundred Sinta all gathering to see the trial. When Z'razki was first escorted to the stand he was met with resounding chants from two groups within the crowd. The first, larger group of Sinta were shouting "Guwan!" while the second shouted "Hero!"

 

Z'razki appeared crestfallen and stared at his feet as the trial went underway. Speaking against the accused was Not'zar Izweski, who as the Lord-Regent is both the judge and prosecutor. He spoke first, laying out the charges.

 

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"Z'razki Izweski. You are accused of Regicide. You are accused of the murder of our father. You are accused of Abhorrent Dishonor. Your guilt has already been determined. We are here to determine your fate. As we know you are guilty, answer this: Why did you do it?"

 

Advocate Miziak began to speak on behalf of his client but he was cut off by Not'zar Izweski, who demanded that Z'razki speak for himself. Z'razki did not respond, and Not'zar Izweski became agitated and continued asking multiple times becoming more irate and angry. Finally, Not'zar gave an extremely rare display of utterly losing his composure as he rose from his seat and slammed his cane against the ground so hard that the polished wooden shaft audibly cracked.

 

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"Why did you kill our father? If you won't justify it to me, then justify it to him and all our ancestors who look upon you now, or - be damned!"

 

Z'razki refused to speak even then, and the very agitated Not'zar Izweski delivered his verdict in strained tones.

 

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"Sk'akh damn you then - your crimes are so despicable that to behead you would be merciful. But I cannot allow our Clan name to be stained by having one of our own to become a Guwan. Will you go Guwandi to find forgiveness from your ancestors? Because you won't find it here, murderer."

 

Z'razki's advocate Miziak spoke up as Not'zar collected himself and returned to his seat.

 

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"We are bound by honor to be loyal to our superiors, for they were ordained by Sk'akh to lead us. But by the same warrior's code, we can still refuse orders that would stain our honor."

 

Not'zar Izweski interrupted, angrily responding in a raised voice.

 

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"He did more than refuse orders!"

 

Miziak coughed awkwardly into his hand and continued.

 

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"You are correct. As I was saying, honor also demands the protection of the innocent. As a Kataphract, the then-Saa Z'razki was bound to an even higher, more strict interpretation of the code. It is not a requirement but a DEMAND that he protect the innocent. And in his actions, though it falls under regicide, were done to defend the innocent."

 

Not'zar Izweski countered again, the grip on his cane turning his knuckles white.

 

"Are you saying that he was justified in - what he did?"

 

Miziak held up his hands in a deferent gesture.

 

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"It is not that he is justified in that he is without guilt. He is justified in that he put the honor of protecting the innocent above himself. He sacrificed everything, and in doing so we still have cities north of Skalamar."

 

Not'zar Izweski shook his head and slammed his cane against the ground again from his seat, sending a loud crack echoing through the room.

 

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"You paint a heroic picture. It does not change the fact my father is dead. It does not change the fact that my brother also died the moment his blade pierced my father's heart. It doesn't change the fact that despite how brave you claim he is for what he did, he won't even justify it to me."

 

Z'razki at this point looked up and addressed Not'zar Izweski.

 

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"I swore an oath. Before you. Before all of you. I kept it."

 

Not'zar Izweski at this point refused to look at Z'razki directly, staring over his head towards the crowd as their interaction continued.

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Not'zar: "Your oath never included killing my father."

Z'razki: "He is our father."

Not'zar: "You are no kin of mine."

Z'razki: "I - had no choice. What would you have done were I not there?"

Not'zar: "I am not the one on trial here! You know nothing about what I would do. I regret allowing you to justify yourself - we end this now."

 

 

Not'zar Izweski then rose from his seat and on a gesture from an attendant, everyone else in the hall rose with him. He delivered his verdict and during it pointed his cane directly at Z'razki.

 

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"For the crime of regicide, I render you guilty. For the crime of murder, I render you guilty. For the crime of abhorrent dishonor, I render you guilty. For these crimes, you are given the choice of going Guwandi or having your head separated from your body."

 

Z'razki responded in quiet tones.

 

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"If dying in battle is what it will take for our father to forgive me when I meet him again then so be it. I will become Z'razki Guwandi."

 

With that, the Guwandi was escorted out of the hall as the trial ended. The crowd was silent unlike when he entered the hall, as everyone understood the gravity of what had happened and showed reverence to the Guwandi for the path he has chosen.

 

Not'zar Izweski left the trial quickly and was apparently on the verge of tears according to those present. Otherwise, Sinta who were present affirmed to our journalist that the trial was fair, while others questioned if it was wise to for Not'zar, both a witness and victim of the crime, to preside over the affair.

 

With the remarkable and historic case of a member of the Izweski Clan's immediate family becoming a Guwandi Not'zar Izweski is now the sole male heir of the late Hegemon and is the last direct member of the immediate family. It's not clear if Not'zar Izweski will retain the adoption of Yakt Izweski; his previous treaty with the rebel Lords effectively abdicated the throne from the child to Not'zar himself.

 

The child is still missing, and the search is on-going. Several dozen more potential conspirators have been arrested, some of which are priests that were in contact with the initial conspirators within the izweski citadel at the time of the kidnapping.

 

Not'zar Izweski will next convene the trial of High Priest Unzi in what will no doubt be a contentious and inflammatory trial. He then has plans to host several delegations from a variety of Wasteland factions.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

High Priest Unzi Faces Trial

High Priest Unzi has been brought before Not'zar Izweski today in the second trial following the calamity of the recent Rebellion Against the False Heir. The High Priest was escorted inside the Grand Hall of the Izweski Citadel flanked by several levymen of the Siras Clan. The grim faced High Priest was wearing his full regalia, with golden chains hanging from his horns and a searing red ceremonial robe that exposed his shoulder and throat.

With him at the stand was his Advocate, Ji'a Markaz. Not'zar Izweski rose from his seat, serving as both prosecutor and judge for this case.

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"Yizra Unzi. You stand accused of violating the feudal contract. You are accused of attacking a fellow peer of the realm without consent of the Hegemon. You are accused of violating your own agreement with the Izweski by allowing armed Maraziites to enter Skalamar. You stand accused of the kidnapping of Yakt Izweski. Your guilt is determined for all but one of these charges. Try to justify your crimes."

Unzi held up his arm and pointed at Not'zar Izweski before speaking.

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"By what authority do you judge me?"

The crowd murmured before Not'zar responded incredulously.

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"My authority as Hegemon. You question it?"

Unzi folded his arms and spoke in response.

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"In 2458, when I first crafted the Maraziite Order, your own Kinsman Lord Ziaura Izweski crafted the distinction in our responsibilities. 'Our civil courts deal with matters of the body and mind, the priests deal with matters of the spirit. If a mind is corrupt, we turn to the judge, If the spirit is corrupt, it is the priests that we turn to. It is only the priests that can be trusted to root out corruption of the spirit.' All the decisions I made were in defense of the spirit of our people, the one that animates our very body and mind. No crime occured because it is by that authority that I acted."

Not'zar slammed his cane against the ground and responded angrily.

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"You are not immune to the law because of your status as a priest. If you engage in crime then you will engage with the court."

Unzi's advocate responded in turn.

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"We acknowledge that he is not immune from civil offenses. But he has done no civil offenses, only offenses that a civil court can ascertain. As you are not a landed priest it is our demand that we face a tribunal of Sk'akh priests and Maraziites."

Not'zar interrupted with his cane hitting the ground again and he rejected the call for a tribunal. The argument went back and forth with several legal arguments to and for the move. In the end Not'zar Izweski rejected starting a tribunal but adjusted the charges after quiet deliberation with several present Lords and priests.

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"I am altering your charges. You are charged with violating your treaty with me when your Maraziites entered the city under arms. You are charged with being complicit in the kidnapping of Yakt Izweski. You are rendered guilty of the first charge by any measure."

Unzi's advocate responded by arguing that the Maraziites were seeking to protect the church that was being attacked, and that it was an exceptional circumstance. Not'zar Izweski rejected these arguments and laid down his verdict that Unzi was guilty. This strict legalistic interpretation of the code of honor, of which a warrior can ignore dishonorable demands from a superior, caused a suprised response from the crowd. Sensing the disatissfaction Not'zar Izweski expanded on the verdict.

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"Warriors are a class that understand their duties and the consequences inherent to ignoring them. You are a priest. You are not a warrior. You have no right or priviledge to question your duties in the hierarchy. We would not sit here and listen with a sympathetic ear to a guildsman or peasant cite the warrior's code of honor as reason for disobeying their superiors. You are rendered guilty. Now the charge is on the kidnapping of Yakt Izweski."

Unzi shook his head and responded angrily, sparking an argument between him and Not'zar.

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Unzi: "I warned all of you about the consequences of bringing that thing into your home. It's evil influence tainted the mind of your father and brother and tore apart your house. But I did not lead or take part in any sort of plot to kidnap it."

Not'zar: "So there are rogue elements of the Maraziites that you do not control?"

Unzi: "The Maraziites are loyal and would not act without me."

Not'zar: "So were you aware of what was going on?"

Unzi: "No. I never ordered anything to happen to the child. And if I was told of a plot I would have ordered it ended."

Not'zar: "Which is it, priest? Are the Maraziites loyal to you or do they scheme in your shadow behind your back?"

Unzi: "This was not a plot from the Maraziites!"

Not'zar: "The arrested court chaplain confessed that he was coerced by an Iron Mask. Your lies are unbecoming of a speaker for Sk'akh. Your innocence is only possible if you testify against the Maraziites involved in the conspiracy, or if you acknowledge your authority over them is waning."

 

Unzi was silent for several moments as his Advocate whispered in his ear, but Unzi in the end shook his head.

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"Neither of these characterizations are correct. You are wrong on both counts. The Iron Masks are paragons of loyalty. And their integrity is not in question."

Not'zar Izweski jumped on this.

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"I reject this. Your arguments are not convincing. You are rendered guilty on the charge of kidnapping. You are rendered guilty on the charge of violating the terms of an honorable agreement. For your crimes I hereby strip you of your titles and claims and exile you from the cities of Moghes. You are cast out to live your days in the Wasteland."

The crowd in the courtroom was deeply divided, with some shouting 'justice!' while others lambasted the Hegemon's punishment on the High Priiest. The uproar disrupted proceedings for several minutes and Guards at one point unsheathed their swords as the barriers in front of the crowd were pushed forward by the crowd that was turning on one another.

The trial was unceremoniously adjourned when Not'zar was unable to regain control of the crowd. Unzi was escorted out through an exit in the catle itself as they avoided the corridor that would put them through the squabbling crowds.

Unzi, stripped of his titles, has now been removed from Skalamar and sent off into the Wasteland. But this does not seem to be the end of his influence with the people - despite losing his status and Not'zar's statement that he will find another High Priest, when Unzi left the city gates of Skalamar he was met with a contingent of Iron Masks and two mechanized vehicles. The former high priest boarded one and they departed off down the highway to destinations unknown.

The Maraziites themselves are currently undergoing an overhaul themselves. Several chapters are being forcefully uprooted from cities that were loyal to Not'zar in the recent Rebellion Against the False Heir. Their headquarters are being emptied and its occupants expelled. Other chapters are seeing its Chapter Masters in open dispute in how to respond to the loss of the High Priest - many are refusing to acknowledge any replacement that Not'zar appoints, forwarding that he has no authority over this much of the Church. Others, a minority, are declaring that they will respect any appointment. The Church itself appears to be sharply divided, with a growing faction of priests expressing disatissfaction with the proceedings.

With this serious blow to the Maraziites, its unclear what the future of the organization will bring. But for now it appears that their bitter feud with the Izweski Clan has either ended or entered a dangerous new era.

The conspiracy to kidnap Yakt Izweski is still not fully uncovered, but Not'zar Izweski has been seen speaking to Hizoni Razi; an azure of the Razi merchant guild that foiled an assassination attempt on Not'zar Izweski in 2460. It's believed from accounts of palace sources that she is being considered to become the Spymaster of the Izweski, which leads the secretive Shadow Service.