Friends at the Table
On the western continent of Perpetua, four fated adventurers set out on a prophesied journey. While to the east, in the Elevana League, a trio of travelers began to investigate a metaphysical sickness. What, if anything, connected these two groups? Who was powerful enough, invested enough, to watch each from above or below—besides you and I? Perhaps, if not for the impending stress of a familial reunion and the ever present struggle between one’s responsibilities to their culture and to themselves, the brilliant, Terrapine inventor Jonathan would find the perspective necessary not...
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A sudden confrontation! Having ‘sniffed out’ a lead, Antistrophe, Brontë, and Caoimhe have dug their way towards the truth. That truth rests in the underground archive of the Hexcloaks’ regional headquarters in Cenn, City of Iron Chains. But such a basement does not go unguarded. To arms, Team ABC! This week on Perpetua: In Too Deep 03 Perpetua Guide [In Progress v.055] NPCs & Monsters [PNMS] Hortensius, Venomous Hexcloak [NMHR] Traits: Joyful, Experimental, Cruel Stats: DEX 6, INS 10, MIG 6, WLP 10 Attacks: Toxic Whip, Poison Cloud Special Abilities: Heal In-Game Description:...
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Castine, Living Metal, has retreated to his chambers to channel his power. An ancient dragon continues to slam at the city’s protective dome. Kley Kaina has been dragged away by Commander Thereus Aegir. Something suspicious lurks inside the Hexcloak Headquarters of Cenn, City of Iron Chains. And Antistrophe Landrace, Brontë Adelvys and Caoimhe Wake have pledged to get to the bottom of it… literally. This week on Perpetua: In Too Deep 02 Perpetua Guide [In Progress v.055] Dungeon Maps [DNMP] Cenn Tunnels Map [CTDM] Honestly, even though there are a few spots where you can get into fights,...
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A confrontation with the Hexcloak Commander, whose ominous air suggests dire motives. A conversation with the living god of metal, whose curious mind pries into their own. A conflict with an ancient draconic mole, whose thunderous anger threatens the city of chains. Antistrophe Landrace, Bronte Adelvys, and Caoimhe Wake have faced all of this and more during their stay in Cenn. And yet, for now, they’ve remained to help the city—now blocked off from the rest of the world by a massive sphere of pure iron—as it rebuilds from the dragon’s earth-shaking attack. A city as great as...
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The Little Snail floats aboard Captain Hornbeam Hypostyle’s Crystal Conch Express, strapped down to its large, open deck, cutting a boxy silhouette against the light of the horizon. Beautiful though it may be, it also sends a sharp signal to any ill-willed onlookers: There is cargo aboard! It is for this reason that Captain Hypostyle does not like to transport vehicles across the bay… This week on Perpetua: Aquatic Ambush! 02 Perpetua Guide [In Progress v.05] NPCs & Monsters [PNMS] Kay - Clay Crewman [NMKAY] Typical Traits: obedient, learning, gullible Stats: DEX 10, INS 6, MIG 10, WLP...
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Before he departed from Calstega Bay, the man named Onyx, Commodore of the Valte Empire and member of the mysterious group known as the Luminaries, gave the crew of the Little Snail some words of advice: Take a boat east, to Spillaway Peaks, and find an ally there under the Shining Star. Thus do Veile, Elena, Nicky, and Jonathan head towards the shoreline, towards new adventures—and for one of them, old haunts. You may not know Spillaway Peaks. Indeed, places like that are too easily overlooked. Many would tell you a history of Tidaline, Perpetua’s Western Continent, focused only on...
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Cenn, City of Chains shakes and rumbles. A threat once only felt through the tremors of the ground emerges, claws long, hide scaled, and sharp… sharp all over. Even whiskers sharp. A master of the earth. A being that digs not only through the earth, but through—or around, or perhaps outside of—time itself! The Draco-Mole appears! This week on Perpetua: A Roar Across Cenn 04 Perpetua Guide [In Progress v.05] NPCs & Monsters [PNMS] Rotten Draco-Mole [NMGNS] Traits: Frenzied, Confused, Furious, Single-Minded Stats: DEX 6, INS 6, MIG 12, WLP 8 Attacks: Stone Cage, Heavy Claw, Plate...
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All across the Elevana League, pilgrims leave their homes and travel over great distances towards the city of Cenn, determined to meet with the only member of the Ennead who deigns to walk amongst their worshippers. As a matter of propriety and faith, what transpires between Castine and his believers is largely kept between the embodiment of metal and his visitors. But it is not uncommon to see echoes of the conversations in the life that follows. Greater confidence. Lesser cruelty. A new found curiosity. When you walk your lap with the Living Metal, it is said, you may find yourself newly...
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After an ominous meeting with Thereus Aegir, leader of the Hexcloaks, Caoimhe Wake regroups with Brontë Adelvys and Antistrophe Landrace, fresh from their victorious Beachminton showdown in Seawalk. Caoimhe shares the ultimatum she received from Aegir: Find out whether the recent earthquakes are tied to Castine, Living Metal. Which raises the question: How does one go about investigating a member of the Ennead while he is surrounded by his most loyal followers? This week on Perpetua: A Roar Across Cenn 02 Perpetua Guide [In Progress v.05] NPCs & Monsters [PNMS] I’ve been waiting...
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Called to Cenn, City of Iron Chains, Caiomhe Wake, Antistrophe Landrace, Brontë Adelvys (and his two attendants), arrive to find crisis rumbling in burg. The Hexcloaks have quietly taken over town governance, while outside, tremors have turned to quakes, even bringing harm to the Ironclad Parade—the statuary whose inhabitants were once devotees to Castine, Living Metal. Perhaps such devotion is earned in part by the curious community that Castine has built here in Cenn since his arrival a century ago. While the archeological dig that gave Cenn its full moniker continues, the city is now...
info_outlineThis episode carries content warnings for mental manipulation, body horror, and death.
Hours after defeating Artifice, and hours before Motion's flagship breaches the far end of the battlefield, an uncomfortable buzz runs through the air. Even with the reinforcements from Millennium Break and the Apostolosians loyal to Cas'alear Rizah, the defenders of Perennial are outnumbered. Worse: Great heroics on the battlefield might fell a Divine or rout a batallion, but how do you stop a machine god who exists across the whole galaxy, dormant in every particle of the Perennial Wave. Such a feat would require more than battlefield brilliance...
This week on PALISADE: Above the Earth Pt. 5
Damn, you look like you had a bad time / You look like you don't even know why
Dossier
People
Audacious Opportunity "A.O." Rooke (he/him): Once an Orion mercenary, then the commander of the Rapid Evening’s “toughs” squad, and now a unit leader for Millennium Break. K.O Rooke's son.
Kueen Overture "K.O" Rooke (she/her): A long time dispatcher and operator of the Scrivener's Guild, KO has taken the role as a major commander in Millennium Break. Mother of A.O. Rooke.
Passiflora (she/her): Elect of the divine Artiface, naive but devoted to the vision promised to her by The Pact of Free States.
Xiphion, aka Zig’ell Barbos, aka The Red Roc (zig/zig’s, he/him): Elect of the Divine Valour and icon of the Apostolosian military. Zig’ell kept his Apostolosian name in personal use even after being chosen by Valour as its elect. Famed for zig's talent as a pilot and commander, zig spent years serving as Cas’alear Rizah’s confidant and lieutenant, before being promoted and transferred into service directly under the Divine Motion. In her absence, his profile only grew as he secured wins against the Bilateral Intercession. Now that Motion has revived, Zig'ell has returned to her service with optimism and loyalty--quieting any doubts through a commitment to the larger project of the Pact.
Organizations
The Pact of Free States: One of the two factions vying for leadership of the Principality, a joint operation by Stels Columnar and Apostolos. Before they were killed by Kalvin Brnine, they were led in name by the Glorious Princept, Dahlia (they/them), but were controlled in day-to-day matters by members of the original Pact of Necessary Venture, including Rye (he/him) and Gallica (she/her). With all three dead, the Divine Motion has rushed to fill a vacuum many feel but can hardly give word to.
Under her control, the long-held "reformist" goals of the Stel have been set aside for simple, metaphysical domination.
Places
Earth: Ancient home of humanity. Moved into orbit around the center of the galaxy by the Old Earth Cult, under guidance by a manipulative and influential divine called Independence.
Divines
The Divine Integrity (it/its): Sometimes appearing as an articulated staff or a metallic spine, Integrity integrates itself into its chosen user. Once the two are connected, Integrity becomes a powerful exoskeleton, and supports its user in matters of military and morale. Until being assassinated by Brnine, Dahlia, the Glorious Princept, was the elect of Integrity. Now, it has found a new home in Thisbe.
The Divine Motion (she/her): One of the founding members of the Pact, the necromantic Apostolosian divine once led its infamous retinue, the Black Century, on Partizan. They were defeated and dispersed, turned into part of Kalmeria, during Operation Shackled Sun. Now, she has returned to take control of the Pact of Free States, and has set her sights on Perennial at the heart of the galaxy.
The Divine Present (it/its): On first blush, Present might be confused for a small, if luxurious frigate. And sometimes, it is just that: Its oval structure houses living quarters, a humble armory, enough cargo space to hold a single hollow, and even a fully stocked bar. But at a snap of its elect’s fingers, it transforms into a humanoid war machine that serves its elect loyally, outclasses any Altar currently in operation, and is capable of holding its own against many other Divines in combat.
The Divine Commitment (it/its): A malleable divine made of inky black metal that has become one with the body of the Ekpyrosis, flagship of the Pact's fleet. Has historically required two pilots (both in a condition of ego death) in order to be operated, but currently operates alone, tethered by something like loyalty to the Divine Motion. How such obedience was garnered is unclear.
The Divine Valour: A machine the size of a large Hallow, Valour can transform between a vast, roc-like bird form and a more traditional humanoid model. Soldiers claim that serving under Valour gives them a noticeable boost to their morale, but it is unclear if this is a feature of their proximity to the Divine or to its elect.
Objects
The Ekpyrosis: Flagship of the Pact’s fleet, a transforming, beautiful monstrosity designed to casually destroy worlds while simultaneously supporting life in a vacuum. In the time since Commitment's takeover, though, it has changed dramatically.
Columnar Altars: Though Exenceaster March took his research with him when he defected from Columnar and the Zenith Fund he once led, those engineers who remained loyal to their Stel had learned enough to develop their own rival machine, powered not only by Kalmeria, but also by upscaled (and stolen) Equiaxed designs. The result: The ZFC-Wizard.
Central to this design is the modularity and iconic visual design that has been core to Columnar technology for generations. The stock Wizard is rarely seen as-is. Instead, it is used as a frame for a number of other variants. The ZFC-TOME is the workhorse model of the Wizard, able to hold its ground defensively with a massive claymore and an arcane "breath" weapon. The ZFC-STAVE is a designated marksman unit, while the CLOAK was designed to operate behind enemy lines without being caught.
Two commander class units were created as well. The ORB houses the Wizard frame inside of a sphere, which projects a directed energy field to its allies, serving as a shield. The TALISMAN, with its swarm of hard-to-control drones, was designed especially for ace pilots who lead from the front with near-impossible acumen.
Apostolosian Altars: In the age of Kalmeria, Apostolosian culture became fascinated with mastery over (and blending with) the natural and elemental. As such, it is no surprise to see that their Altars (designed in collaboration with Columnar's Zenith Fund), reflect those new interests.
The ZFA-FANG is a new version of an old classic: A Hypercat model with mounted freeze cannons and the ability to skate on ice it creates. The ZFA-TALON offers air supremacy, firing powerful, flaming beams and dropping dense explosive salvos. Both operate with greater efficiency when deployed directly alongside their allies. Operating as an on field commander, the ZFA-TUSK is a defensive powerhouse that can chase down enemies with incredible, wind-driven speeds.
Mysteries
Perennial (she/her): The Principality's so-called 'adversary,' who lives at the center of the galaxy and whose chaotic whims spread through her "Perennial Wave," an ever-present nanoparticle that has bonded with elements of Autonomy Itself and the Divine Motion to create Kalmeria.
Arbor: The result of Thisbe's year of research of Divines, Axioms, and plant life--all three of which have homes in her own body. A growing organism with unknown powers.
Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker)
Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Bullet (@sylvibullet), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000)
Produced by Ali Acampora
Music by Jack de Quidt (available on bandcamp)
Cover Art by by aurahack (aurahack.jp)
With thanks to Amelia Renee, Arthur B., Bill Kaszubski, Cassie Jones, chocoube, Clark, DB, deepFlaw, Edwin Adelsberger, Emrys, Greg Cobb, Ian O'Dea, Ian Urbina, Irina A., Jack Shirai, Jake Strang, Katie Diekhaus, Ken George, Kristina Harris Esq, L Tantivy, Mark Conner, Mike & Ruby, Muna A, Nat Knight, Nich Maragos, Quinn Pollock, Robert Lasica, Shawn Drape, Shawn Hall, Summer Rose, TeganEden, Thomas Whitney, and weakmint for their support
For the finale, we are playing Questlandia 2nd Edition. This season we played Armour Astir: Advent with additional playbooks from Strangers in the Night and 106th Astir Squadron. If you enjoy the show, consider supporting the TTRPG.
This episode was made with support from listeners like you! To support us, you can go to friendsatthetable.cash.