The Election
The Archivist’s had but rarely attended these meetings in person, which as a general matter left the position of representative as a fiercely fought over prize, generally won through wagers on future events or contributions of interesting metaphysical trivia to the common understanding.
On this occasion the prize had been won by one Professor Albrecht Becker, an impressively venerable doctor of history and Viennese emigre generally agreed to still have the Academic Legion uniform that occasioned said emigration on proud display in his office. Throughout the Quaestor’s interminable speech, his impressively lifelike glass eye never once ceased peering at one attendee or another, all but filling a notebook with observations recorded in esoteric shorthand.
After Balliation had finished his peace, the elderly academic cleared his throat and, at length, managed to rise from his seat to address the assembled Princes in a steady, if raspy, voice.
“It is, I’m sure, purely a formality. But our fair city’s Archivist has made clear to me that she wishes it stated publicly and without nuance that she has no interest in the Quaestorship, and sees no issue with the present arrangement, from the present vantage.”
That down, he fell into a coughing fit severe enough to seem concerning before sitting down and returning to his notes and observing the meeting.
Spoiler: The Lovelace Foundation
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Becker’s leathery old face split into a wide grin as he read the note, pressing it between the pages of his own book before answering “Patron’ is a grand way of putting it, but she has certainly seemed interested in what you gentlemen-and ladies, of course-have accomplished over there. Even if your building is an absolute blight on the city....”
Taking a long drink of water, possibly just to force himself back on topic, he continued “But yes, it matters what specific field your discussing, but I’m sure I or some of my colleagues or the Archivist would be more then happy in reviewing whatever you’ve discovered and seeing if we can provide some context or criticism.”
Spoiler: Eltest Kha
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Nathaniel Lukas was a well-heeled young man, if one who service in the war and a deep facial scar across his right eye had dragged from ‘handsome’ to ‘striking’. All in all, he fit in rather well among the usual guests of the Light club, not matter how unlikely one was to mistake him for anything but a foreign ambassador.
Delivering his credentials with a crisp salute, he briskly asked to speak with whomever might be serving as seneschal, on the subject of the two organization’s mutual weal’s and growths, and the avoidance of conflict (yes, in those exact words).
Spoiler: Midnight Sun
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A spy with an animal’s head truly shouldn’t be as good at blending in as he was-but then, that was a fairly generally applicable observation for the city’s denizens. Still, Ohmsgate was only so big, and a certain point he took a likely turn and found a strange woman waiting for him, seemingly distracted as her eyes traced probability arcs through the square. Falling into step beside him as she introduced herself with
”Are you human enough to require all the flattery and fencing before we get to anyone useful or interesting? Preferably not, but you do at least seem to be genuinely impress on occasion.”
Falling silently for a span as she looked him up and down with cool eyes, she continued “Now, what sort of understandings does an agent like you require before he undertakes some espionage?”
Spoiler: The Serpent and the Drowned
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Alison Tester was some degree the strangest of the Lamplighters-American, of one. Obviously a sailor rather then an academic, by both appearances and temperment, for another. But she was consumed with the same burning curiosity as the rest of them when some of the Archivist’s planned coincidences had her deliver a vitally needed package to the Orient in the midst of a crisis. And so now her tiny boat worked for the Archivist, and her right eye had been swollen shut with an ugly bruise for the last several years.
So on a certain brisk January day, that boat delivered a few tourists safely to Yigusa Island, before proceeding to a certain point as close to Diver’s Abyss as anyone sane will go, and waiting for a certain signal of accepted parlay (or a signal to run very fast and pray, possibly).
Spoiler: The Waxen Archive
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It was a fine winter’s morning, just before dawn, when a colourful figure slipped into a certain Socelli park, ears tuned for radio waves as she whistled a tune designed to send any primate which overheard stumbling back to bed.
When she reached the exact centre of the area where radios had been overridden, she paused to take a sip form her canteen of honeyed tea, before beginning to speak into the cool morning air.
”Fascinating class, Hymenopetra. Though usually it’s the ants aping civilization in miniature. So I suppose congratulations are in order for passing by agriculture and warfare for a higher calling.”
Taking another long drink, she wiped her mouth before continuing
”Now, assuming you’re not entirely pretense, I believe there’s a chance we’ll get very well. Just look at our titles-cooperating in our work would just make everything much neater, don’t you agree?
With that, she just stood and nursed her tea for a while.
Spoiler: The Novska Historical Society
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Ms. Elsa Keay was a rather dangerously prim-looking and sharp young woman, the only slightly unconventional looking thing about her being the left lens of her eyeglasses refracted light ever-so-slightly differently than it really should. Among many other things, she was both an assistant librarian at the university and, officially speaking, the Illuminated Orient’s secretary and stenographer.
So it really was the least suspicious thing in the world for her to personally deliver a note to the Historical Society’s clubhouse.
Salutations and Best Regards,
At out last general meeting, it was determined that it would be a most worthy endeavour to sponsor and collect a complete and magisterial history of this fair city. Likewise, to organize events or lesser works to raise awareness of our proud heritage, and how our illustrious past leads to the bright future we can look forward to in this new peaceful world.
Naturally, your fine fellowship came to mind instantly as the natural partner for such worthy tasks. As such, it has been left to me to inquire how interested your membership would be in such collaboration?
Fondest Regards,
Ms. Elsa Keay, on behalf of the Illuminated Orient of Novska
Re: Total War: Monstrum IC
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