An unremarkable looking man lay, head on his desk in his office. He was absolutly exhausted getting things organized properly to finish construction of his trump card, if his city were to come under threat from forces too great for the self-defense army to hold back. He was starting to doze when his monitor began to blink -INCOMING TRANSMISSION- accompanied by a ringing noise. "For the love of... Recieve transmission." The man said with great annoyance. Another man appeared on the other end, wearing overly ornate, blood stained armor. The man looked like a giant by human standards, even in a sitting position his upper body barely fitting onto the screen. "What is it Onager. I'm not in the mood to do anything when you get back if you want to go on a celebratory pub crawl." The other man laughed in a gravely rumbling voice. "Nah man, this isn't a personal call. All business." He said, grabbing some cloth from offscreen. "What is it then?" the man at the desk said, lack of sleep evident in his speaking and bearing. "Well, we got some insurrectionist activity in the countryside..." Onager said absent-mindedly while wiping something clean of blood. "A few Equus, humans, and a dwarf. Pretty well kitted out." The desk man yawned before replying with a simple "And?" "And it isn't.... Well, we may have a small problem Splint." Onager said, lifting a ballistic armor plate that had three holes punched in it, from a pick by the looks of it. It was a red-black camoflauge, nothing unremarkable except for one of the pauldrons. It was a symbol many of The Global Coalition nations knew too well.
It had been croping up among bandits, rebels, and assassins for some time now. Those few taken alive only said they got it from someone or something called "Eris." It was indeed worrying who this "Eris" was, but most nations had simply dismissed it as one of the upstart companies seeking to try and edge out Ballpoint Tech and Stone INC in the personal armor market, as three member nations of the Coalition sported the similar model of armor. "Looks like The Agency was right on thier tactics if it was them. Gear not so much. Looks like they only sold these fools a few weapons." Onager continued, throwing the still mostly blood covered armor behind him. "We got a fix on this cell's HQ,* so I was just calling to see if I could grab 1st and 2nd platoons 2nd Company and flatten them." "Of course, Just be quick about it. I don't want you guys out there any longer than you need to be." Splint responded. "Yeah yeah, no heroics, no stupid risks, no blind charges at emplaced guns." Onager said. Splint knew the bull headed fool wouldn't listen. He was an assault trooper anyway, so he was sort of required to run in the direction of people trying to kill him.
"Thanks boss man. Can you have'em gear up before we get back? I wanna get this done before happy hour." Onager asked, wiping some blood off his dented and pock-marked armor. "No problem. See you when you get back." Splint said as he clicked off the call.
He pushed back a panel on his desk, revealing an antquated PA system set up, switches marked with the 40 company barracks, R&D, and other vital installations of the city, and flipped the switch to the 2nd company barracks. He grabbed a rather old looking mic and spoke in "1st and 2nd platoons, 2nd Rapid Response Company, gear up and prepare for deployment. Captain geysiege has requested you for a raiding op." He clicked off the PA and set the mic back in the panel, then closed it. He looked at the time, 6:30 pm. He should have been home by now....
Splint stepped out into the cool air of early autumn with a sigh. streets still packed vehicles and creatures of all kinds: Elves, Sythod, Goblins, Dwarves, Humans, Ponies, Manamaids, Bactarians, Mountain Barbarians.... Frankly the city was one giant godsforsaken melting pot. It led to alot of racially motivated and general crime, but proportionally speaking, Sewaturet was one of the safest cities in the world. Splint set down the sidewalk at a steady walk. While he knew his family always got antsy when he wasn't home on time (specifically his daughter) but he was in no hurry. As he approched a main road he saw the small attack craft ferrying the ordered soldiers fly past. He waved at the soldiers on the passanger skids and kept walking. This city was the best he'd ever forged, but he knew it would crumble eventually. He just feared that "eventually" was close at hand.
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The above is introducing my Dwarf's namesake, the Global Coalition's capital city, and figuring on a way to have Eris participate in the large scale battle I had initially planned, though largely indirectly. And now for notes.
Splint: He's a figure of legend among many different worlds, and in most places, eh is known only as "The Overseer." He is a genius of logistics and administration, and due to death being no obstacle, he has become quite a fierce warrior as well. Still his main trait known in legend is bringing nations to greatness. Many who wish to lead assume the name in honor of this legend, though few could hope to match him. Dorf!Splint is an example of this.
What he is: He is based partially upon myself and is in essence, a DF player. in logic, he was plucked from his world by Armok himself to serve as a "Jester," as are countless others. He has yet to be retired, with Sewaturet his latest success. The dwarves of Spearbreakers, like many others across the world, are named for the Jesters of Armok. However, among themselves they tend to be called Forumites (A reference to If Bay12 were a Mountainhall.) They all posses the power to respawn, and don't age past thier mid to late 20s, unless Armok grants them mercy (returning them to mortal status, where they resume normal aging and if they die, stay dead) rendering them functionally immortal and allowing them to become fierce warriors and logistic and orginizational geniuses. Some are seen as heroes and gods, others as cruel despots or demons. many simply call these legends "Watchers." This probably as close to 4th wall breaking as I've ever come.
Insurrection: Anything can and will have militants opposed to it eventually, for whatever fucktarded reason. They're my way to allow Eris to fight in the siege indirectly: By provoking rebel factions to unify and attack the city. Often the only proof of thier involvment with these groups is armor that hadn't had the emblem filed off. Effectivly Eris shakes up smaller nations and militant groups to fight wars for them. The Cell in question here is just a random faction that is a pawn of Joseph's. and thus more expendable than dwarven children.
The Agency: A strange assassination and intelligence group working for The Global Coaliton. They can get information on damn near anyone. And if they can get information on you, they can kill you. Where they operate out of, and what or who they are is unknown, as they communicate only through thier assassins or encrypted text. They're a major player in the background.
* Since Talvieno was confused on that, I figure other might be as well. The cell in question is, as already noted, a throw away rebel group. Joseph is manipulating various belligerent nations not in the coalition and numerous rebelious elements around Sewaturet to fight an open war without actually being tangibly linked, with Eris at worst being considered some upstart arms company that has no ethics regarding who they sell equipment to. This works, as many countries use copies of the armor he uses for his own small "army" or variations of it, and many rebel groups and smaller nations have an emblem similar to his own.
Essentially he has an entire war machine he can employ so long as he can keep those groups on his side and functioning, with other countries not being any the wiser. Joseph is also one of the few entities The Agency can't dig anything up on, further enhancing his seemingly all knowing status. Sorry if it sucks, but I wanted to update the timewar a little bit. And Mr Frog, I'll have to ask you stay your scathing remarks and keep them to yourself, as I wanted to put up something functionally relevant (my will to play DF dropped this afternoon following a hissy fit on my dad's part,) to the timewar plot.
If I need to explain anything more clearly just ask however.