Agemarnoull (0605, E655876-6)
A lovely—if slightly plain—landscape, its continents separated only by small seas. Once ruled by the priestly class of a single, pacifistic religious order, Agemarnoull long ago splintered into dozens of sectarian theocratic states, each more militaristic than the last. Their complex theologies and pantheons are largely incomprehensible to anyone unwilling to spend years in study, but all agree on one point, that Uorr is the highest god among all gods. From there, each sect has their own interpretations: the Naites worship Uorr-Na, God of Birth; the Ponites worship Uorr-Pon, God of Storms; the Tiites worship Uorr-Ti, God of Endings; and many more. None will suffer any other to rule, and war has become an inescapable part of everyday life.
The people of Agemarmoull are not generally as zealous as their leaders. Most folks would prefer things were quieter, of course—if they could just conquer the heretic-states, they're sure that would be the end of it. They send their sons to the fronts and get on with things as best they can.
Patrons
- Xenon Delacruz, Tourist.
Barrel-chested, with cropped hair, a floral shirt, and brown sunglasses. The camera around his neck swings precariously as he moves. He has a suitcase that he won't let go of. He says he's looking for some bodyguards while he's visiting Agemarnoull, and invites you to talk about your rates over drinks at a great local bar he read about in this month's issue of Galactic Traveller Magazine, a place called "The Trench."
Once you're settled inside, Delacruz's demeanor changes completely. He explains that he is not a tourist, but is actually Lieutenant Commander Walter Royce in the Poronor Navy, on a very important black-ops operation here in Agemarnoull. His mission was meant to be reconnaissance-only, but the timeline has shifted forward significantly in the last seven hours. He needs help to complete his revised orders, and his superiors have approved him to recruit suitable candidates as he sees fit. The pay is 50,000 credits (negotiable up to 75,000), but you'll have to travel to Poronor with him after the mission for debriefing and payment. Complete discretion is required; even saying as much as he has puts himself and his entire operation at risk. You must accept or reject the job based only on this information.
Should you accept, he explains that a young priest-scribe of Uorr-Yut (God of Work) named Enzo Creed has recently grown in grassroots popularity across several sects with a message of reconciliation and cooperation. Royce says that his orders are to get a tracking device onto Creed's person before the next squad arrives—actually, his orders are to call in a small orbit-to-ground ballistic missile immediately after the tracking device is in place. The problem is Creed does not take private audiences. Thirteen hours from now, Royce plans for you to pose as a group of supplicants, come to present your needs before Uorr-Yut. When he offers his ring to be kissed, one of you will deposit an invisible, textureless tracking substance ("the slime," Royce calls it) on Creed's hand. He hands you a piece of clear film, and explains how you can easily press it into Creed's palm without being noticed. He warns you not to get it on yourself or anyone other than Creed. Royce himself will be in the next building operating the attendant electronics, and you'll rendezvous here at The Trench for extraction immediately after. You will not see him again until then, so ask your questions now.
Once the slime is deposited on anyone, it takes 2D minutes for the missile to hit. Anyone in the same building as the tagged person at that time dies. If that person is Creed, and if you live, and if you go directly to the rendezvous point, Royce is true to his word. At the debriefing on Poronor, a suited man makes it very clear that they have ways of handling operatives with loose lips.
- Ever Wise, Haruspex.
High Priestess of a new incarnation of Uorr: Uorr-Ba, God of Sleep. She has gained a significant following by the clarity and accuracy of her divinatory powers. Four of her followers have come to bring you to her, as she saw in the viscera.
In her temple (a hastily converted warehouse space on the edge of town), she flays living animals on a cinderblock altar. Spreading the entrails, she speaks of the future in an ancient, unintelligible tongue. Blood both old and fresh stains her hands and white robes. She informs you that she has a very important reading to make, concerning countries and empires and worlds, and so you will fetch a quagga for her to kill. She warns you that the quagga is a rare and irascible creature, strong and large and dangerous. She has already had payment sent to your accounts: 8,000 credits each. Should you negotiate a better rate (up to 12,000 each), you find that she actually sent that amount instead.