Turn 1: 1750
"My compliments on the passing of your father," Dimitri stated as he slid into the final seat at the table. "I heard the news while making my way back to the city. All of the peasants were in an uproar about tales of a demon eating its way out of the body and killing the priest ministering to him."
Faina and Adrik exchanged sly smiles as Leonid and others at the table laughed. A few rolled their eyes in toleration, if not enthusiasm at the news.
"It used to be the such tales would raise alarm through the countryside," the most aged of their number cackled dryly, his thinning grey hair jerked with the motion of his head. "To think I lived to see the day where the nobility would disregard the clergy and scoff at 'superstitions.' Hah!"
"It's likely the demon-blood in you that's allowed you to survive this long, Zakhar," Gustavus grinned, taking a deep quaff from his tankard.
The ancient man laughed uproariously at the accusation, the sleeves of his shirt drawing back to reveal something that most certainly wasn't human skin further up his arms. Faina watched with curiosity, she'd never had the opportunity to closely examine the old part-man, but from his family legends, someone far back in his lineage had interbred with a 'moon-beast' of some kind. The result had been a modicum of inhuman strength in their youth with a tendency to age gracefully beyond the limits of most men.
None seated at the table knew precisely how old he was, but the man he'd introduced as his son said that he, himself was in his late fifties yet seemed only twenties.
Both, however, shared the same near-hideous appearance of unhealthy gray skin and a face that appeared as if it were hewn from stubborn and craggy rock.
It was
fascinating.
"Well, now that we are all here," Adrik began, looking about the basement of one of their members' homes, "I think we should begin discussion on our immediate goals for the future."
Old Zakhar finally wound down, still smirking. "Indeed, the boy is right. Well, let's open the floor. Any of you great minds have an idea now that we've properly pooled our resources?"
One of the many foreigners who'd moved to the city, balding man named Francis adjusted his spectacles. "Perhaps that
should be our first order of business? Specifically, deciding
how business should be determined?" He looked around the large table. "We are, all of us, people of influence. Some of us," he gestured to Adrik, "might be just starting our education and terms of service in the imperial bureaucracy, while others are just completing it," he waved at some of the older men. "But we are all nobility or imported intellectuals from our far-flung network. Friends of friends and trusted contacts. This is the first time in two centuries of communications that our entire group has gathered together."
"Hmm... you're correct, circumstances
have changed," Gustavus stated. "Before, when we were all carrying out our research independently with the occasional consultation from one or two other members, having no clear chain of command was acceptable. But lest we wish to imitate the squabbling of our mundane counterparts, I think it would profit us to come to some sort of terms of leadership. Be it a council, a single executive, or something else."
There was a small chorus of agreements at the idea, but young Adrik shook his head.
"I do not think it would behoove us to imitate our counterparts in this respect. Hierarchies breed challenges to power, simply look at those who contest the Empress' authority." Several, including his sister, nodded at the assertion. "Instead, I think it more prudent to create a solid foundational base from which we ought to function. A series of guiding principles, if you will, so that a society of equals might operate without infringing upon each other."
Francis chuckled and waved off the dark look the young Russian noble replied with. "I find mirth not in the suggestion, good sir, but simply... well, it must be said that it is government by another name. Constitutionalism, merely, instead of absolutism."
Adrik frowned, then snorted, visibly relaxing. "Call it what you will, but I find ideas to be safer rulers than people."
Francis smiled widely. "You and I simply must discuss this at length some time soon, why-"
The sound of a particularly loud throat being cleared interrupted the two. A bald man in the robes of the lesser clergy frowned at the two. "I do hope I am not disturbing a lively discussion, but perhaps it might be better to spend our time assessing whether or not we are safe enough before we set to the task of administering ourselves. I propose we determine whether or not another such group of skilled and knowledgeable individuals has taken up residence here in St. Petersburg."
"That would include your brethren in the church as well, Yury?" A critical voice spoke up next to him.
"It most definitely would," the bald priest nodded. "Regardless of whether or not superstition is a valid threat anymore, there are those in the Russian church who still believe, because they have
good reason to, and should they acquire our scent, they will stop at nothing to crush us."
"If we are worried about being found out," Dimitri frowned, "maybe it would be better to concentrate our efforts on creating some sort of front behind which we might operate and conduct our work with plausible excuses..."
"Perhaps a school?" Faina asked. "It would please me greatly to slip the private tutors my late father arranged and attend a proper educational facility. I'm afraid most of our funds are tied up in land and physical assets. It will take some time to properly liquidate them, otherwise my brother and I woud have seen to the problem ourselves."
"A school or, with our assets pooled, we might make a show of buying a new wing for an extant facility. An arrangement such that we might make use of the offices for personal business..." Dimitri trailed off. "Perhaps an apothecary's yard? Or a private medical clinic of some kind? Or a museum or factory?"
Discussion continued long into the night as the various members of the Samsonite Society asserted their own points of view and personal opinions on the matters. Eventually, an agreement was struck that the group would...
-Leadership:
"What kind of leadership should be looked-to? A single person, a council, an elected body? We need to decide at the foundation of our group so as not to breed confusion within our own body. It is of singular importance the some form of hierarchy is established to prevent arguments from fracturing us or stalling important projects."
-Dogma:
"Who are we? What do we believe? How do we act? What is forbidden? It should not be left up to a few, no matter how they are picked. Before we look to governance, we should agree on how governance should be conducted or, for that matter, whether it is necessary at all."
-Reconnaissance:
"It's more important to ensure there are no threats of supernatural origin looming nearby. A thorough investigation of our surroundings will yield us knowledge of where we can safely organize meetings without arousing the church's suspicion at the very least. This is a matter of life and death for all our brethren."
-Establishment:
"We need camouflage, simply put. It is better to properly conceal ourselves before venturing out in search of threats, seeing to internal issues, or other comparative luxuries. This will also give potential avenues of revenue for our organization. Everyone must agree that this is the first, and prudent, course of action before us."
-Recruit:
"Many hands make light work, as the saying goes. Surely any and all of these tasks will be easier should we grow in number. Gathering more expertise, talent, and influence from seeking out like-minded individuals will be extremely profitable for our group.'
-Research:
"There will be time aplenty for such worldly concerns later. We gathered to advance the reach of our works and it is that we should commence with. Some may call it naive or foolish, but should we be so concerned with protecting a group which has accomplished so little worth protecting?"
CHOOSE TWO:
[ ] Leadership
[ ] Dogma
[ ] Reconnaissance
[ ] Establishment
[ ] Recruit
[ ] Research
ONE HOUR MORATORIUM! DO NOT VOTE FOR ONE HOUR!
