The Gutting of Hansun's High Council

And the gathering of more power

Hansun's high council is a shell. A puppet government.
And the Legion are the ones pulling the strings.

— Duncan Atkins, Regiment for Humanity

When news of The Human Augmentation Program's horrific experiments broke to the world, governments that once shared a close working relationship with the Legion began to withdraw -- including the High Council of Hansun, the Legion's closest working partner on the world's stage. This prompted the organization to secretly begin a hostile takeover of the High Council; using bribery, blackmail, and political maneuvering over the course of a year, the Legion managed to assume command of Hansun's government without the general public ever becoming aware.

The Seeds of Decay

Hansun has forever been the unofficial home to the Legion; it's here the organization properly started thousands of years ago, and it's here where the majority of their forces reside. While the Legion has never been officially connected to Hansun's government -- a high council of 12 individuals operating out of Sansu-Sesu, the country's smog blanketed industrial capital -- it has always shared a favourable relationship with Hansun.

That is, until The Human Augmentation Program's horrific deeds regarding the creation of Catalurgy came to light; from that point on, many governments across the world, Hansun included, began to attempt to distance themselves from the Legion.
Construction projects within Hansun were put on indefinite hiatus while funding and revenue ceased pouring in, effectively putting the Legion's operations within the country into stasis. Promises that things would "return to something resembling normal" after "investigations were complete" fell on deaf Legion ears, as the organization quickly began planning operation High Council.

We've managed to get one of the Regiment in on the game -- and better yet, they're working as a Rendulgraph operator transmitting encrypted reports.
Every message they're commanded to send by Legion bastards, they're memorizing to send to us later as well.

— Duncan Atkins, Regiment for Humanity

Conflict Stats

Duration

1.5 Years

Location

Sansu-Sesu, capital of Hansun

Outcome

Government Takeover

Casualties

590 civilians, 1 Council member

Timeline

Catalurgy Revealed
Operation High Council Begins
Information Sourcing
Blackmail and Bribery
Elimination
The Council Calls a Vote

---

Hansun

One of the three superpower countries of Cathedris, known for the expansive size of its borders as well as the might of its military force.
Hansun has a strong culture of respect for elders, and is an incredibly tradition-bound country. It is governed the High Council, which is comprised of 12 elites that make decisions as both executive and legislative branches of government.
Famous cities within Hansun include the capital Sansu-Sesu, the cliffside Soom-Shida and the periodically flooding Malun-Chaujun.

by Arisa Chattasa

Operation High Council

Nikolai, get in here, Thomas just brought us the transcripts. Let's get a good look at what the Legion's been up to in Hansun.

— Duncan Atkins, Regiment for Humanity

OPEN

28741201

recipient; command alpha

Those bastards from Sansu-Sesu seized the shipment of mining equipment we needed for phase two of the tunnels. We've let their tantrum go on for long enough. Call a meeting.

-logistics

---

OPEN

28741202

recipient; logistics

Confirmed. Operation High Council, initiated. Please report as to conditions prior to engagement.

-command alpha

---

OPEN

28741207

recipient; command alpha

Yes, command.
Report: current political conditions of Sansu-Sesu, and Hansun in general.
1. Trust in the High Council is in a strange place right now -- many trust them more thanks to the recent reveals, and the way the High Council responded. Yet there is a strong undercurrent of distrust, due to the prior closeness shared between Hansun and the Legion.
2. Triumph day is soon approaching. Citizens of Hansun will be expecting a strong showing from their government, full of nationalistic pride and celebrations. The High Council is aware of this.
3. Missing people reports; the government seems unable to provide any answers for the large number of people that have gone missing in recent years. There are murmurings that they'll point the finger at us. Unsure of how much they know, but it would not be good to have this blame land at our feet as well.
4. Our best lobbyists have been shut out of many meetings -- most of the High Council seem unwilling to hear our offers anymore. Two of them are still interested, but their... "prices" have gone up.
5. Ag Dwan Palace in Sansu-Sesu is undergoing renovations.

-logistics

---

OPEN

28741207

recipient; logistics

Instructions to follow.

-command alpha

---

OPEN

28741302

recipient; logistics

Proceed based on order of list below. Permission to deviate when needed.
1. Target any and all Triumph Day plans. Where are they going to be located, and what are the intended plans? Who do we know in the planning departments -- get them to talk.
2. While trying to become part of the Triumph Day plans, investigate the renovations to the palace. It would be the perfect time to plant surveillance in their safest place.
3. Begin to prepare for the High Council to point the finger at us for the missing people. When they do it, it should be their own heads that roll. Plant evidence and spread rumours that some of the High Council members [any of them are fine, but try to pick the least liked] were the actual conspirators behind the missing people, and they just used the Legion as the tool to do so. We can handle the scrutiny, they can't.
4. Ignore the fuss being made by the two council members we own. That can be negotiated later. Use the surveillance to find dirt on the others. Look into their families and friends as well; find anything we can use.
Additionally, look into those that are next in line for the High Council. Should we need to remove members from the table, it'd be easiest if we're able to replace them with those we already own.

-command alpha

~

I... I don't believe it. I seriously do not believe it. I never expected them to be behind what happened on Triumph Day, too.

— Nikolai Volkov, Regiment for Humanity

Hang on, there's more.

— Duncan Atkins, Regiment for Humanity

~

OPEN

28750511

recipient; command alpha

We've hit paydirt, Command.
Two members of the High Council appear to be padding their own pockets by awarding contracts to companies they own a stake in. Both companies are less than reputable, and have caught in a few of their own controversies in the past -- and both have been contracted to work on the Triumph Day festivities across Sansu-Sesu. Construction is already underway on the parade route, leading up to the Palace; their plan is to line the streets with a series of raised platforms in order to facilitate better viewing for the crowd. It'll be incredibly easy to sabotage this construction, and have it look like more amateur work from shoddy construction companies.

-logistics

---

OPEN

28750729

recipient; command alpha

Step one is a success. Casualties number into the hundreds, and both companies are now under investigation by Hansun's judiciary branch.
We're prepared to leak the information that two council members have a stake in the companies too, should they refuse to comply. We've managed to... convince the next two in line for the council, should the original members become stubborn.

-logistics

---

OPEN

28750729

recipient; logistics

Release the info. New loyalty is stronger than old, tarnished, begrudging loyalty.

-command alpha

---

OPEN

28750815

recipient; command alpha

Success. Two more council members under our control. That brings us to 4 out of the 8 required for a majority, command.
While the two new members moved into their chambers in the palace, we had them install Sonosap crystals in a few inconspicuous locations. We'll get them to swap them out once a week.
Further reports to follow.

-logistics

~

They're still using Sonosap?

— Nikolai Volkov, Regiment for Humanity

You'd be surprised at how effective it is. It's just a pain how often you need to swap them out; otherwise, they're small, can fit in almost any space, and incredibly well suited to recording ambient audio.

— Duncan Atkins, Regiment for Humanity

~

OPEN

28751019

recipient; command alpha

Report: The remaining council members
Four of the remaining eight members are untouchable. They have no one we can reach, and it appears to be unwise if we were to attempt to buy their loyalty.
This leaves the other four which we must convince. We are digging up dirt on two of them. One is eager to accept Legion coin. The other... a mystery, for now.

-logistics

---

OPEN

28751220

recipient; command alpha

Permission for lethal maneuvers?

-logistics

---

OPEN

28751221

recipient; logistics

Under what directives?

-command alpha

---

OPEN

28751222

recipient; command alpha

We've managed to find dirt on the two suspected council members. They've already gotten themselves in hot water multiple times for various controversies here and there. We've let it slip to them that rumour has it they've got a mutually beneficial relationship with us. Surprising to no one, they're now staunchly against pointing the finger at us for the missing people case. We'll push at this relationship, but it seems like they might be under our control now.
The mystery one is proving to be difficult, however. We've got a back-up next in line prepared, though she's temperamental at best and it's no guarantee that she'll follow our wishes.
Requesting permission to coerce the mystery council member with force, escalating to lethal if required.

-logistics

---

OPEN

28751230

recipient; logistics

Proceed.

-command alpha

~

This "next in line" of theirs... have we gotten to her yet? I like the sound of her.

— Nikolai Volkov, Regiment for Humanity

Not yet, no. But I agree. She'd be a great asset. I'll put Ester on it. And maybe Ash knows something about her.

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~
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— Duncan Atkins, Regiment for Humanity

~

OPEN

28751302

recipient; command alpha

The news is reporting that a council member tragically drowned in their own private pool yesterday.

-logistics

---

OPEN

28751302

recipient; logistics

Are congratulations in order?

-command alpha

---

OPEN

28751302

recipient; command alpha

Congratulations are in order. We now own a majority of Hansun's High Council.

-logistics

---

OPEN

28751302

recipient; logistics

Operation High Council is concluded. Well done.
Now the real work begins. Prepare the High Council, we need them to unfreeze our assets so we may resume tunnel construction operations.

-logistics

~

And that's why our reports show that Legion construction has tripled within Hansun in the last 3 months. With control over 8 of the 12 members, the High Council is now just a puppet with strings pulled by the Legion.

— Duncan Atkins, Regiment for Humanity

by Jonny Clow

Aftermath

Hundreds of civilian deaths, the elimination of one council member, and over a year later; the Legion had coerced, blackmailed, and threatened their way into control of Hansun's High Council. With a majority stake in the council, they were now able to control the commands being issued -- beginning with unfreezing their own assets within Hansun, and allowing for their construction projects to resume.
Of course, this was just the start -- because with such a large influx of power over an entire country, the Legion could begin to truly secure their plans. Hansun began to normalize Catalurgy at extreme rates, pushing for many of its citizens to undergo the dangerous procedure to become a Catalurgist; so much so that specific cities and towns across Hansun became known as the place to go to become a new magic user. Ichor imports began to skyrocket, and the world market responded, with Ichor extraction companies being created at astonishing rates.

Just how arrogant are they, that they think they can get away with this? Blackmailing their way into control over an entire country?

— Nikolai Volkov, Regiment for Humanity

The Uncontrolled

While any decision that passes through Hansun's High Council needs only a majority vote in order to go through, this does not mean that those who are not a part of the Legion's controlled majority are powerless. The four "free" and uncontrolled council members are more than capable of thinking for themselves, and despite the Legion's best attempts to conduct an entirely secret takeover, have begun to suspect their other members.

This makes the remaining four members into targets of extreme interest for the Regiment for Humanity; their intel would be of incredible value to the organization, helping to keep tabs on what steps the Legion intends to take next within Hansun. However, the High Council is hard to get close to -- the Legion, fearing just such an occurrence happening, has tripled security around the palace, and has done all they can to make any council member essentially unreachable.

We have to keep trying. There will be a break in their defenses.
One of our messages will get through. It has to.

— Duncan Atkins, Regiment for Humanity

Memorial of Triumph

Triumph Day refers to the date upon which Hansun was able to defeat its neighbour to the east, securing huge swathes of land for the country; essentially granting it control over the entire continent it resided upon. The now defeated neighbour has been referred to as "war-loving, violent, and unfit to rule" by all the recent textbooks; though many from outside of Hansun look upon those claims with healthy amounts of skepticism.
Following the tragic loss of hundreds of civilian lives during what should have been joyous celebrations within Sansu-Sesu, the High Council voted to enact a period of mourning. The next three Triumph Days would be cancelled -- replaced instead with days of mourning, in remembrance to the lives of innocent people lost due to government oversights and lack of care. Going forward, every Triumph Day after those will contain 590 seconds of silence, to ensure each civilian lost will never be forgotten.

The day that signifies our strength and splendor was forever marred by the greatest loss of life our capital city has ever seen. This horrendous mistake shall never happen again.

— Sansu-Sesu Council Member

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