The Sunday Scratch | Issue #1

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THE NIGHT OF TWIN FLAMES
21 November

The horror of November 14th arrived with rising plumes of smoke and a blockade on Old Town. First they struck at the Festival Grounds, creating a diversion that drew guards and concerned citizenry alike. They created a hostage situation, literally and figuratively holding the lives of others in their clutches. Then Petal Court began to burn.

In the span of a single night the Holy City and its undercity neighbors have seen more calamity than they have in nearly a year. Rising tensions and dissatisfaction has culminated in something all living people know too well—cruelty, barbarism, and desperation. This was not an unprecedented display of force, neither was it unpredictable, but the lessons learnt from this will go unconsidered for weeks and months. Now is a time of action. Now is the time to fall into the same rut we always do when struck with an open hand.

We retaliate. We lash out against those deserving and undeserving as though it will provide solace and fill the void of things lost. We instead create a cycle of events that lead to an inevitable end. Someone, many someones; mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, loved ones and friends will die at this conflict’s end. In fact, many have already perished. Their deaths are a footnote to all but the impassioned few who have preached from the moment this conflict began that this course of action was not just.

And yet we persist.

We persist and yet, a thousand lives have been lost.

The burning of Petal Court resulted in the deaths of 421 Yanar, 111 Cielothar, 20 Altalar, 10 Url, 5 Avanthar and 1 Ailor.

The burning of the Festival Grounds resulted in the deaths of 2 Ailor firefighters.

The burning of Crookback Bay resulted in a death count exceeding 1000 due to the burning of the neighboring district and the ships which were already in poor condition. The people that have committed sins that can only be forgiven by the Spirit will tell you the same. They did it for justice. They did it because no one else would. We exist now, little more than a week after these fires were set, and all we’ve to show for it is mass property damage totalling in the hundred thousands and too many lives lost.

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The attack began with diversionary tactics at the Festival Grounds. A small group set the unused tents aflame and proclaimed they had a hostage to all walking by, drawing a crowd and eventually a set of guards. By this point they had multiple groups situated in Old Town and had blocked passage with wards and physical barricades.

The third and final bridges were the exception, whether because the attackers had failed to complete their preparations in time or because Solatium and Arcanum forces broke through. On the third bridge a group of guards engaged the attackers and the fourth was deserted, allowing our reporter to slip through unmolested.

An attack of this scale hasn’t been attempted in two years, and the practical experience of the guard force is a result of relative peace. The organization displayed by the attackers is incomparable to those used by the Clickers, the most recent encounter Regalians have had with something of this level.

If there's one thing that was lacking it’s a spine among the Regalian citizenry, who largely sat by while the city began to burn save the few who took immediate action. In years past there were countless initiatives aimed toward enabling the populous to better defend themselves and now should be no exception. The city is in desperate need of organization and direction from those in charge, but with the government’s attention divided between a war at home and a war on the front it’s necessary for the skilled among us to make use of their expertise.

PUBLICLY INDICTED
Petal Court: Kaahl Sarnai, the Withered Rose Coven, the Athanasia Scion, and the Soth'hrii Cluster, plus numerous independents.

Crookback: Members of House Haagenvig, Humaira Reinard, Einherjar, La Fra'ae, and the Orthae Hold Sihndar.

ACTIVE BOUNTIES
There is a 200 regal bounty on the heads of anyone responsible for the Crookback burning, supplied by the Crookback Council.

A WORD WITH THE MONSTER THEMSELVES
16 November

They stood surrounded by their compatriots, lounging against a barricade that was their only defense against tumbling backwards. The Lodestar was casually directing a conversation, flippantly addressing those around them with both gesture and word until they noticed my presence. Despite their reputation and recent action our interaction bore no weight and as far as I could tell they bore no ill-will.

They ushered me forward, disengaging from the group they were talking with to join me in a lounge area. Before they’d even spoken they managed to paint a picture of who they were, leaning against the back of the lounge in bloodied armor. I’d no doubt the blood wasn’t theirs.

From there our interview began with a simple question, one I’d no doubt was weighing down the minds of many. Why?

"’Why?” They drawled. “Decent way to start it. In regards to that specific event, mhh.." The attack on Petal Court was a calculated effort to strike back at their enemies; oppressors, despots.

“What we did served to prove several points and announce our intention to overthrow an unjust regime." A regime which was largely unconcerned with who or what it squashed. They continued on with prompting, their gaze obscured by the helmet they wore.

"When I refer to 'those who benefit from this system' I'm not solely raggin' on Petal Court. They are, of course, part of it— a group with innumerable wrongs masquerading under the guise of 'peaceful folks'(1)—but there are other more egregious examples that I could call to mind. So more than anything, really.. I'd like to think of this as retribution. Karmic justice for crimes unpunished."

The Lodestar had a history of their own; a service record and achievement in war, and a list of crimes longer than it had any right to be. They didn’t take offense when I mentioned this, in fact it seemed they were expecting it.

“I've a long history with this sort of thing, and never once have I considered myself any better for it. This ain’t an excuse, but I’d say my nature can be best surmised as any of the names the uncaring masses’ve hurled at us. Devils, daemons, monsters—since the moment I was born it was made abundantly clear that this world wasn’t gonna accommodate the existence of folks like me. So... I suffered for it; I know, in the future, that much will only continue to be the case. Maybe that's my karma. I couldn't say.

Not that I’m bitchin’; suffering is inevitable. We wouldn't be human if we didn't suffer, wouldn't find value or meaning in anything if it'd all come freely—but just because it hurts doesn't mean it's immutable. Our actions on the Night of the Twin Flames proved that the balance can be upset, that we can take strides towards realizing our dreams for a better world; I'd never have done what I did were I not certain of that much.”

Anyone with knowledge of the world would understand the precedence of something so weighty, they could acknowledge that when backed into a corner what comes afterwards is often violence. I couldn’t speak to the Lodestar’s personal experiences, but I knew they weren’t the first to fight against powers they thought oppressive and they wouldn’t be the last.

“[T]here was a time where I wanted nothing more than for a peaceful path to exist: I don't relish the violence, I don't enjoy knowin' there'll be casualties, but in spite of whatever ideals I'd once held, time has proven that holdin' hands and singin' songs of understanding will never undo the damage that centuries worth of oppression inflicted. When I’d had that moment of clarity and realized it for myself I was left with two options: fight it, or drown. Probably don't gotta clarify which I'd chosen.

A long time ago, when I'd first come to understand that I shouldn't apologize for what I was. Despite its every effort to wring the individual out of me, to strip me of parts and ambition ‘til I was a perfectly “acceptable aberrant”, the kind that society could be comfortable sharin' the same air with, I've held onto my one and only aspiration: Freedom. And if the world in which we live won't allow me that much, then I'd simply have to change the world. One step at a time, no matter how many it took."

A harrowed sigh escaped them and finally shattered the quiet, the devil delivering their verdict with grim certainty. "[T]he cycle needs to be broken, and if the only one with the strength to see it through is me—then so be it. I'll rip it to shreds and leave nothin' behind.

It won't be luck that wins us the day. Resolve, rather. The will to keep movin' forward in spite of everything.”
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1. Notably, Azelloa’s Idealists and other similarly aligned Yanar groups have committed terrorist acts within Regalia.

ASSEMBLY RECAP: 13 NOV 308
13 November

Several motions were voted on during the November 13th Assembly. A vote was conducted among attending houses that would ban the ownership of slaves to their own domestic citizens, still allowing foreign property transit, but also ban the purchasing of slaves to their domestic subjects.

Another motion was considered to elevate the civil status of multiple races, the third in as many weeks.

SLAVERY

GRAPH: Displays the voting split. Houses not in attendance or whose choices were unclear are listed as unknown.​

Houses Peirgarten, Delmotte, Avalorn, Reinard, Slumberwood, Sorenvik, de Azcoissia, de Ortiz, and Cadieux voted Keep, making no changes to their legislation.

Houses Harhold, Typhonus, Black, Viduggla, Drachenburg, Kreiburg, and du Triege voted to abolish slavery within their lands. There is a notable exception with Viduggla, whose people practice Bondebillung; the act of taking slaves through conquest or as punishment for crimes done. Viduggla has at present created a legal exception for Bondebillung, allowing them to keep and maintain Ailor slaves in direct opposition to Saffran Law.

House Harhold and House Drachenburg are not expected to experience any difficulties owing to this legal decision. House Black may experience a sudden drain of Altalar traders. House Typhonus may equally experience a drain of Altalar craftsmen.

CIVIL STATUS
MOTION: Raise Yanar, Sihndar, Isldar, and Manathar to First Civil Status. Raise Ka and El-Maraya to Protected Civil Status.

RESULTS: 20 votes against. 5 in favor. 0 Invalid.

The Assembly on October 13th saw the same dissenting voices as the ones who spoke during this vote. Baron Latimer, who had weeks earlier expressed a disinterest in raising the Avanthar’s Civil Status or advancing Yanar’s had the following comment:

"I cannot tell whether I'm more disappointed in the fact we shot down this exact same proposal the other week, or the fact you chose to pick the Isldar, a race which current runs amok in Ellador, the Manathar, which have three citizens in total, over the race which occupies a seat in this assembly, and notable veterans from past Regalian Wars. That is all."​

It can only be assumed Baron Latimer was referring to his own military accomplishments and veteran status, to which the Assembly brought up the ways a few of these races have assisted the Empire in years past. This proposal was predicated on allowing those races capable of understanding Ailor culture the ability to represent themselves in court but the motion ultimately went unpassed.

TAX RATE
MOTION: The Tax Rate shall increase 5%, taking it from the current 30% tax rate to 35% tax rate.

RESULTS: 20 in favor. 7 Against. 0 Invalid.

COMMENSALISM: MOO TO NEW?
21 November

An aberrant of unknown ability has reportedly acquired an Oorl worm from local Urls and used it to attain symbiosis; a process largely known for fundamentally changing individuals and being incompatible with those of strange afflictions.

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DEVELOPING STORIES​

The fate of Humaira Reinard, the remaining perpetrators of the recent arsons, and more will be discussed in The Sunday Scratch's upcoming issue.

WRITE-INS
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MENTIONS @Yurs for the interview. @Caelamus mentioned in a footnote below said interview. @caubeenedCorvid mentioned in the assembly article. @Mad_Gadfly so you can see the assembly statistics.

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