The Fractured Concord

Tasked with keeping a profitable and productive order both within and without the Spire of Haustellum, the Fractured Concord was forced into action after the so-called “Enque Incident”, which had invited the attention of humans to the Merchant Princes’ transactions. With a more aggressive approach decided, his efforts were concentrated on removing the influence of the Directorate and their puppet Merchant in the area; Mimetic Assassins were deployed to remove human contacts.

It began with the removal of the local Baron’s illegitimate son and greatest threat to his heir. This, however, the Fractured Concord mused, would immediately draw the attention of the Merchant Prince, the so-called Puppeteer. After the target was successfully removed in what was made to look like a mugging of drunken youths at night, the Fractured Concord decided to turn his attention to the Spire, before he settled affairs in the realms of mortals.

In an aggressive move which sought to send a clear message after the Puppeteer’s failures, he decided to remove the Puppeteer directly, ensuring beforehand that the merchanting license would now be passed to an agent of the Lineages. Over a civilized beverage, the Fractured Concord informed the Puppeteer personally about their inevitable demise. Begging for their life, the Puppeteer suggested they would share information about the Directorate’s research on the Fractured Concord personally, if they were spared. Ignoring the plea, the Fractured Concord allowed for the Finality poison to do its job.

With the Puppeteer expired, the Fractured Concord turned his attention to the human matters, deciding to secretly support Ellaine de l’Enque to succeed the local Baron – and former client of the Puppeteer. Thought to be a strong leader, with strong military support, he considered her appointment a message to all parties involved: leave the humans be for now and avoid attracting attention. Breaking the news to the Directorate, he met with Assistant Director Scheduled Serendipity. Considered extremely ruthless and calculative, the Assistant Director offered the support of their Directorate in his decision about the human matter – then immediately attempted to gain his support in her attempts to take her mentor’s place. Suggesting that to meet production quotas, more manpower would be needed, she proposed the assignment of military troops to the Directorate. This, the Fractured Concord suspected, was intended to enhance her own influence and perhaps overthrow her mentor. In the end, he toyed with her before making it clear that he would not meddle with the affairs of the Directorate but he would assign the troops.

In a way, he did exactly that. When assigning troops to the Directorate, he ensured that he favored no one and that the Directorate members would fight among themselves for troop numbers, turning against each other. Most of the troops were assigned to the Board as a body – but the Assistant Director managed to secure a good portion for herself, taking over much of the project.

Satisfied with the way the meeting had gone and admiring Scheduled Serendipity’s cunning, the Fractured Concord left the meeting, disguised as one of the Directors’ servant drones. Having replicated in a special Avatara its body, he felt safe enough to follow the Director, Equicoval Excellence, in his office, as was expected from the drone, after all. When he was stabbed, it came as an absolute surprise.

Overhearing Equivocal Excellence marking the event as the first Field Trial – and remembering the final words of the puppeteer – the Fractured Concord found it impossible to abandon the Avatara and, horrified, began plunging into darkness.