Odan-Urr Report #13: In the Flame of Error
I hate everything I am becoming
This Change is torture
there is never enough to give, only plenty to take
All Along the Watchtower:
Vatali Central Intelligence Offices, Essadan, Kiast A
Kiast System, Nilgaard Sector
43 ABY
The Empire stood on high alert following an attack on the Vatali Central Intelligence. The public had been told it was the work of a group of extremists, and that their apprehension was an inevitability; the truth was difficult.
The Royal Spymaster, Zakfein, stood in the Fusion Cell and silently fumed as a younger Sephi delivered the incident review. Isolated incidents of camera malfunctions had been reported throughout the night, obscuring the party that had attacked the VCI. The brief glimpses of the group that had been captured had only shown them from behind, and eye-witness reports were inconsistent at best, except for the two guards at the Fusion Cell itself, whose statements were questionable due to concussions suffered during the incident. Restoring the security system had taken time after their attack; whatever had been causing the intermittent issues eventually overloaded the entire system just before their explosive getaway.
“Sir, the only information we can verify on at this moment is that there were five of them, one wore what appears to be Clone-issued ARC Trooper armor, another carried an electrostaff which we believe to be have caused the initial video interference, the guards at the Fusion Cell report that you authorized their entry, as well as a security audit, which was later contradicted by the desk and the remaining security cameras before the explosion showing your arrival. We’re still analyzing the remaining drives to recover what information the terrorists access—” The technician was cut off as Zakfein raised his hand.
“Not all of the information they accessed was stored on these servers, that’s what alerted me to the intrusion. Report to me once you have a more comprehensive analysis of the situation than we had last night.” The spymaster said dismissively, sliding his own datapad into its carrier as he stepped through the doorway of the Fusion Cell and inspected the destruction at the end of the hall.
A repair team had already begun to assess the damage, placing sheets and scaffolding over the rent section of the wall, which kept the elements out as they began the construction process.
These backwater Odanites, forcing themselves into our way of life, murdering the rightful heir to the throne, and Kaltani blindly continued to allow herself to fall prey to their ambitions. Granting them **and* those damned Quohari rebels Representative status, only to start growing a spine when the whole of the Empire is in chaos.* The Sephi Spymaster sighed as he brought his hands to his eyes and dragged his fingers down the length of his face in exhaustion.
“Wait… Isn’t the Royal Exchange across that alley?” Zakfein snapped. “You, I want the security footage from the Exchange’s alleyway Cameras.” He demanded, pointing to a young agent who dropped a piece of camera debris at the spymaster’s shouts.
“The Royal Exchange. Security. Alleyway. On it, Lord Zakfein!” The younger Sephi shouted as he ran toward the elevators.
With the Royal Exchange holofootage one name was captured, but still they managed to avoid turning their faces to the actual cameras.
“Jon. Jon Who?”
Last Night of the Kings:
Voraskel Palace, Conclave Chambers, Kiast A
Kiast System, Nilgaard Sector
43 ABY
“Empress, the Prince needs to be reigned in. He has taken direct action against another state without the approval of the Crown or Conclave, threatening to compound an already tenuous situation into a full-blown war. He’s mobilized O.U.S.C. forces, without the Warmaster’s authorization, into Burmessian port cities to establish a “Diplomatic foothold” as he is calling it, attempting to coerce the government to hand over the Vauzem by intimidation.” The fiery young Antar Tevil voiced, with murmurs from the rest of the council.
Behind the young Lord Tevil was Lady Eilin Tevil, a figure who had removed herself from politics a decade prior but stood to give her son counsel during the tenuous turn of events.
“The people are in uproar, noble and commoner alike! While the common sentiment is still against the actions of the Separatists, the people believe even more so that the Prince has acted out of line and is bringing war to our doorstep, one that could be potentially avoided with your wise counsel!”
A cough came from across the table, and the Councilor of War spoke up.
“What’s worse, the dissension within the O.U.S.C. is entirely from the former Vatali Navy and Royal Guard contingents, Empress. Your son has fanned the flames of a rebellion against your governance and the cabinet you have selected. Sephi officers from the First, Sixth, and Fourth Fleets have broken off and diverted vessels to join Vosen in Burmessian space. So long as you do not condemn his actions publicly, he’s gaining traction with this Meritocratic Rebellion. We’ve kept this in check since the merger of the O.E.F. and Vatali forces, but your son is quickly acting to undo everything you set in motion.” The Dragon of Kyataru spoke matter-of-factly, with no more passion or interest than someone brushing the lint off their jacket.
“Hah.” Scoffed the matron of House Etlina.
“You’re going to try to bark up and try to correct the issues in our house when you can’t even keep your own in line? One of your own assassinated the Burmessian Prime Minister, and another has been fomenting rebellion against the Empress for the last year. Don’t presume to correct us when you can’t even decide which side of the table you want to—” A’dartia began before Mihoshi threw a holopuck on the table and launched two different dossiers from her datapad.
“Lady Etlina, my duty is to Kiast and her people. I serve with the Empress’ grace for the benefit of the people, and I will always serve the people. The investigation into the assassin’s motives has so far revealed two different motivations, both of which are suspect: A plot to release a biological weapon in Essadan, and the other was scant evidence that the Prime Minister raised a private army with ambitions to attack Kiast Alpha and overthrow our government.” Mihoshi continued, rolling her datapad in her hand and launching another dossier onto the screen.
“Are you referring to the former Governor of Kaal and his so-called ‘People’s Republic’, or perhaps the rising populist party within the Empire? For the first, I’d refer you to House Ghalor, House Keldra, or even this very Conclave. House Ghalor is ruled by a Merchant Noble whose domain is governed by locally elected governors who answer to him directly. House Keldra’s domain has a House of Nobles and Commoners, with lesser nobles governing domains, but electing representatives for a joint law process…” she sighed. “That said, the individual who once ran one of our domains has given to excess, and as such no longer governs Kaal. The populist rebellion, on the other hand? Yes, the former Governor is certainly part and parcel, but he is a symptom, not the cause. The people are against another war, they are against sending their sons and daughters to fight for a cause they don’t understand in a place they’ve historically never had fault with, and they have begun to question certain disparities within the social ladder of our society. This is not our doing so much as the course of nature and history, which I would assume you were never taught, A’dartia if you’re to blame us and not see your own people involved.”
The Empress and her Spymaster sat above the rest of the Conclave as they argued the ongoing events and sighed. Her young son, Vosen, had turned out like his father. It suited the boy that they had thought to share the name with the boy as well, giving it as his middle name. He stirred, moved, and commanded others in unexpected ways, but this was unwelcome and problematic. As was the intervention of the Odanites in this discussion.
“Lady Etlina raises a proper point, Warmaster, though she knows not the proper context. My son’s actions are inexcusable, but so are yours. The terrorist attack on the Central Intelligence offices last night was carried out by those aligned with your people.” The Empress began as the Spymaster stepped forward with cobbled-together holo footage from the attack and the alleyway holo.
“Five of you lowly refugees from New Tython attacked my staff, injuring several and killing two in a brazen attempt to secure state secrets and lay the blame of the assassination at the Empress’ feet.” Lord Zakfein decried as the Empress lifted a hand.
“It has not escaped my notice that the Jedi have been absent from the Council of late. Has the High Councilor been aware of the plot against me, Warmaster? Or is this plot beyond even you, my loyal subject?”
Through Glass:
Phase II of Weight of the World has come and gone, and once more we’ve calculated the individual votes and the combined votes from your activity. The people stand against Prince Vosen’s incursion into Burmessian territory, the invasion of their ports, and his imposition into the political discourse. As well, people view the force nexus on Solyiat with caution and would observe it before taking any drastic measures. Participation continues in the same vein as before; 19 COU members and 3 guests took part in the campaign this month. Considering we had 33 members who actively participated in something during September, once again, I’ll take it.
Phase III (Delayed):
There’s a lot going on right now, I mean a. Lot. Pro Bowl. Parabellum. A myriad of Halloween events. Our Houses are getting some events up off of the ground. Artober (because we don’t Stan the mindless monetization of Inktober). And wouldn’t you know it, in the middle of all of this, your CON is getting surgery!
The Narrative (So Far):
Quermia was a predecessor to it all, and even before that, the Vauzem plot to overthrow the Vatali Empire during the Vatali Unsettled conflict years ago. Following the Quermian Conflict, as the Vauzem Separatists fled, one ship was forced into emergency shutdown in Kiast, where it listed into orbit of Kiast β, otherwise known as the territory of the Burmessian Republic. Aboard this vessel were nobles and officers from the Vauzem Dominion, who, unlike the rest of their crew, were afforded asylum by the Republic.
The Vatali Empire seeks the extradition of these criminals, through any means, which sparked a series of fierce debates between the Empress and the Prime Minister of the Republic, leading to the Prime Minister’s assassination. Investigations into the assassination have revealed the truth: the Empress ordered the minister’s death, and Lord Zarkeif, the Royal Spymaster, ordered a cover-up.
In response to this assassination and the continued refusal to extradite either the Vauzem terrorists or the assassin, Prince Vosen Anasaye, second in line for the Vatali throne and a Lieutenant Commander in the O.U.S.C. Navy, has defied orders from the Warmaster and commandeered the First Fleet, later joined by the Fourth and Sixth Fleets, parking them in orbit of Burmessia and mobilizing troops into the Spaceport of the Capital city while he addresses the Burmessian Parliament as an envoy.
Elsewhere within the Empire, voices of dissent have begun to rise across several different factions. From those who believe the Empress has taken too direct an action against a foreign entity without consideration, to those who believe the power of the crown has been too far eroded. Even more dangerous are the voices calling for revolution within the Empire’s borders, from the nebulous Tisto Kingang and his compatriots, formerly governing Kaal City on Daleem, to the meritocratic factions with support within the Conclave calling for direct action and proof of worth for every citizen of the Empire, opposing the recent addition of Houses Hoth, Bur’vak, and even House Tevil, who bear direct lineage to the Vatali throne.
The tensions between these parties have only grown following the recent bombing of an intelligence agency’s data center. Accusations of terrorism have been lobbed against the Odanites by the Royal Spymaster following the event, further fueling dissidence.
On Solyiat, the mysterious vergence in the proposed site for a new Jedi Praxeum has continued to prove more and more of an enigma. As the Acolytes cautiously investigate and make their way into the depths, to better understand who had been here before, if it was the Sith, or something else, recently uncovered murals point toward Dathomiri rituals held in the depths, leaving many questions. Questions of why the Acolytes of Urr have moved to remove themselves from the grasp of the Vatali Empire, further separating Clan Odan-Urr from their entrenched positions within the Empire, have been raised, placing the High Councilor and the Empress' daughter (and Heir Apparent) in the crosshairs.
The Competitions (a refresher):
I want these to be quick and easy, each phase, and for us to have a bit of room to compensate and adjust for what you guys vote for. As such, each phase will be done with the Art, Gaming, and Miscellaneous Competitions being done in 3 weekly batches, while the Fiction and Roleplay will be done for the full three weeks. The last week will give Jack and me some time to wrap up the grading, adjust our pre-mades based on what you guys voted for, and time to write the fiction for the next phase, as well as punch out the next Questionnaire.
Keeping these competitions simple and accessible is especially important to me as we will be coinciding with the ongoing Seasons (which share a similar ease of entry plan) and other events throughout the year. Remember, these competitions are designed to be **if* you can participate, and not designed for maximum participation.* Enjoy anything, or everything, at your pace and without pressure.
The Club has a lot that goes on, with Seasons being our (new) continual Club-Wide event series, the Houses having their own events, and the Battle Teams having their own. There are going to be adjustments and tweaks made to COU’s own campaigns as we do our best to find ways to work around the heavy amount of competitions flying every which way and help people adjust to the overwhelming feeling that pops up every now and then.
The Templar Jensaarai Want YOU!
Our wonderful Battle Team Leader and good friend, Adem, has stepped down from office due to several mounting issues in real life. Some exciting, others saddening, but has put his best into trying to configure and conceptualize a new path for the Templar Jensaarai throughout, the sad reality of it was that life kept him from being able to deliver everything he wanted to. Knowing his own limits and wanting to make sure that he could see the unit flourish, Adem has chosen to step aside and open up the unit for a new leader.
As with any time we open up our positions to new leaders, there are no major requirements and no rank requirements whatsoever. The way we have operated for the last year and plan to continue operating is simple and leans into a ladder of development. The few things we prefer to see for Battle Team Leadership are:
- New (or relatively new) to leadership positions.
- A desire to learn and help teach others.
- Readiness to write narratives and create competitions for your unit members. (We will teach you how, don’t worry)
- The ability to work together in a team environment.
- Community-building interests (if one unit falters, everyone feels it).
Our goal is to, eventually, train our BTLs to become Aediles and Quaestors, much the same way as Syrena (Kav) and Asani rose from humble BTLs to Quaestors over the last year (though hopefully with a little less urgency next time, love you V’yr, come home!) and let our interim Aediles step back from assistant duties.
Interested parties should email both Jack ([Log in to view e-mail addresses]) and myself ([Log in to view e-mail addresses]), or reach out to us on Discord by the October 17th. Applications should include your notice of intent, why you're interested in the position, and what you feel you stand to learn and accomplish as a new leader in Odan-Urr, as well as qualities you believe will help you adjust to the pressures of leadership.
Scimitar of Lord Hoth:
A few members dropped off this month, with 33/56 taking part in something last month, still overall decent numbers. We’ve had better; last year we had much worse. As long as we maintain this consistent range, I’ll be a happy Consul. A quick shout-out to our Top Ten: (excluding Jack and me) Edgar Drachen, Turel Sorenn, Seals, Remalia Manvar, Syrena Valkar (Kav), Tisto Kingang, Celevon Werd'a, Tallulah Duncape, Asani Armis, and Unknown. You guys throw a lot into the Clan time and time again, and I see you in the Discord a lot, whether you’re gaming, chatting, or just being weird little gremlins, and you’re all appreciated.
Promotions:
- Arabella reached Journeyman 3!
- John Ward reached Journeyman 2!
- Tallulah Duncape has likewise climbed to Journeyman 2!
- Seals reached Equite 3!
News Corner!:
September’s over!
- PulseFeed News Aggregator: Clan Updates #23 - It’s that time of the year again!
- Biennial Confirmation of the Justicar - New Kamjin same as the Other Mav
- Regent Report #5 - Let’s play musical chairs!
- Combat Master Report #6 - CM Review
- Combat Master Report #6.1 - ACC TOURNEY!
- New Vizsla Consul - Vizjizzles delight, a new Consul has been chosen!
- Season 1: Parabellum - Cycle 3 - It’s a vicious cycle.
- Voice Supplemental 25.2 - New VOICE Staff!
- M:Voice Report #4 - Reiden’s Roundup!
- Pro Bowl IX: Reliquary - FROGDOGS FOREVER!
- Pro Bowl IX: Reliquary - Opening Ceremonies - It begins
- Clan Vizsla Address 1.0 - Raiju addresses the Vizjizzles.
- CSP Proconsul Position Opening - Rayne needs a right hand!
- Arcona Consul Open for Applications - Close 2025/10/25 - The Goat is heading to pasture, a who will herd Arcona next?
Closing Thoughts from the CON:
Changes:
Seems like life just likes kicking me when I’m down. I spent a day in the ER a few days back to discover I’ve got a rather serious Gallstone and an abnormal thickening of my gallbladder walls, so your Consul is going to be in and out a lot over the next month with consults and planning for his removal surgery and recovery. Tentative removal date is on the 20th (other option was my birthday, but I am not spending my birthday unconscious and under the knife ever again), so you should be getting me back in proper form around the beginning of November.
Ever onwards!
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Awesome report!