This episode carries content warnings for ecological disaster, bodily transformation, and death. 5,000 years ago, the Divine Principality sprouted, and immediately began to grow in size and power. Founded on the world of Palisade, at the edge of the Twilight Mirage, the Principality spread across the stars and leaving its roots behind and forgetting their “homeworld” as it was lapped by the colorful clouds of the false nebula. New Divines were born. Old Divines were resurrected. Rivals were conquered or courted. Soon, the only enemy remaining were the Branched, a post-human society from the Golden Branch, whose influence and control spread to the oldest homes of some Principality states. Ten years ago, Dahlia, the Glorious Princept (born to Kesh, then kidnapped by Nideo, then rescued and raised into adulthood by Apostolos), declared themself leader of both Stel Kesh and Apostolos alongside a stunning revelation of the Principality’s crimes against Apostolos. Kesh called these claims an Apostolosian ploy for power, and elected a minor noble, Cynosure Whitstar-Kesh as their champion, the Peaceful Princept.  Five years ago, on the world of Partizan, open skirmishing between Apostolos and Kesh developed into a galaxy-wide civil war. On one side, the Curtain of Divinity, an ancient intelligence organization aligned with Stels Kesh and Nideo. On the other, Stels Columnar and Apostolos were put under the control of the Pact of Necessary Venture. Stel Orion itself fell into countless smaller internally and internecine conflicts. And between them all, Millennium Break formed—one hope for real change and resistance. Three years ago, outgunned and outclassed by their rivals, the Curtain rebranded as the Bilateral Intercession and began to search for a way to turn the tide in their war. At just the right time, they found it: Palisade. Their ancient staging ground, and perhaps, a way back into the Twilight Mirage, a system that moves out of time, and which holds power beyond compare… Now, the Bilats have taken Palisade and have begun searching for their way to exploit both the planet and its proximity to the Mirage. But resistance groups across Palisade have been joined by Millennium Break and others committed to stopping the Principality in all its forms. And they begin to act today,  This week on PALISADE: Into the World Pt. 1   Dossier Organizations The Divine Principality: The largest empire in the Milky Way Galaxy, spanning multiple arms and billions of stars. Comprised of five somewhat-autonomous sub-states, the Stels. Currently, the Principality is engaged in wars both external and internal, the prior with their neighbors, the Branched, and the latter a civil war between the competing factions and pretenders to the Princept’s throne. The Branched: A post-human society of beings who have transformed their bodies into forms terrifying and spectacular and free—only to have the threat of war force them to rebuild themselves as soldiers first and foremost. After centuries of fighting a purely defensive war, the Branched have now begun to strike into the Principality’s territory.  Bilateral Intercession: One of two factions vying for leadership of the Principality, comprised by Stels Kesh and Nideo, and lead by the so-called Peaceful Princept, Cynosure Whitestar-Kesh (he/him), who took control of the faction from the Curtain, a secretive intelligence organization with roots in Kesh’s ancient spy operations. The “Bilats” are a conservative and reactionary force, aiming to return the Principality to its roots both literally and figuratively. After a long campaign against the Pact of Free States, they managed to take control of Palisade.  Stel Kesh: The oldest established power in the galaxy, built around a stuffy (and secretive) aristocracy. They are tied to the Past. History, knowledge, stubbornness. Stel Nideo: Created the largest faith in the empire, and used that influence to shape (and surveil) mass culture. They are tied to the Prese