Reconstructionists

Context

• A cubist cult in Perplex City
• Believe The Receda Cube has mysterious religiously signifigant properties
• Have previously planned to steal The Receda Cube
• Cult Leaders are populary known as "The Recon Eight"
• Strong believers in self-sufficiency and solidarity
• Their secluded compound includes a Substantive Farm, prayer rooms, living quarters, and some samples of very out-dated technology.
• They have knowledge of the sandbars around Lancewood Archipelago from living in a retreat there.

Known Members

• "The Recon 8"
• Kostka
• Brother Hans
• Members revealed in the Recon Encryption Puzzle from Violet's blog
  • Brother Andrius
  • Sister Simla
  • Sister Jaina (presided over the wedding of Keenan "KT" Thoreau and Ripley Wayans
  • Nadia Anek
  • Aiko Entrescore (Member of the Cube Retrieval Project)
  • Demetri Fallon
  • Ryan Klein (Perplex City Sentinel Advertising Manager)
  • Keenan Thoreau (Member of the band Roll For Damage)
  • Gill Yewley
• Sister Yael, The given name of Helena Frye while undercover.
• Locus Donovan, an Undercover Police Office
• Eleanor Tracey, an Undercover Police Office
• Brother Fallow, possibly a recuiter for The Third Power, working within the Recons.

Descriptive

Reconstructionists are one of the off-shoot successors of The Brotherhood of the Six, both of which practice Cubism. They are one of the smaller, radical splinter cells. The The Brotherhood of the Six have long been known to have a hostile relationship with the Reconstructionists, since the groups split over theological and cosmological points nearly a hundred years ago.

Cult members are encouraged to take on new names, and absolve themselves of their old life. It is entirely unclear what the process of this involves, but may require signing over all personal assets to the cult. Known to use aggressive recruitment tactics.

It should be noted: Some members are encouraged to not take on the complete secluded life of the Reconstructionst, and should instead go amongst their daily lives in hopefully prestigious places of note. In this way they may affect a greater good for the Reconstructionist cause.

Reconstructionist scripture includes the statement "(The Cube shall) be delivered from the faithless hands of the Academics." In short, their profound belief is that the cube is a great religious item, and must be liberated.

There exists considerable speculation, both in Perplex City and on Earth, about the legitimacy of the Reconstructionist's intentions, and any possible involvement in the theft of the The Receda Cube. Although no formal ties can be found, an investigation is under way, involving undercover officers Helena Frye, Locus Donovan, and Eleanor Tracey. It appears that the Reconstructists may be a sort of initiation bed for The Third Power. Third Power leaders may occasionally choose to select new 3P members from among the ranks of the Recons.

Reconstructionist formal garb includes long robes, worn at such times as lectures. Their daily life involves Meditation, and Farming. Isolation is desired by the Reconstructionists.

Violet's account

Violet returned to the Recon compound on 10-JUN-05, and in her journal entry titled "Today's Adventures", here's how she described the place. (link)

The compound's huge - must be at least 500 or 600 people living there. The construction, as you'd expect, is really impressive - stone buildings (dormitories, refectory, library, school) that look like they'd survive for thousands of years. The walls are incredibly thick - must be two or three meters thick, I'd guess. I suppose this sort of construction is what gives outsiders the idea that they're planning for armageddon, but I think they just take their construction really seriously. It has the look of a brand-new ancient rustic village, if you see what I mean. The place is dominated, of course, by the huge temple, with those six enormous spires you can see on the skyline for miles around. There's a sense of order as well - you always hear it described on the news as a "compound including livestock", which makes it sound as though there are sheep wandering the streets. But no, it's all ordered pens and bells ringing to signal feeding time. It's peaceful, actually. -- "Today's Adventures"

TimeLine

• 16-JAN-04 - Cube Stolen.
• ??-OCT-04 - "Recon 8" arrested for cube theft.
• 06-MAR-05 - "Recon 8" released due to insufficient evidence.
• 26-APR-05 - "Five of Cups" owner Bernardo Holyoke found dead.
• 11-MAY-05 - Suspicion rises when Academy equipment is found at "Five of Cups".
• 17-MAY-05 - Pietro Salk tries to get in the compound; is turned away.
• 24-MAY-05 - Jessica Holyoke is found at compound; name changed to Kostka.
• 30-MAY-05 - Violet Kiteway visits the compound
• 10-JUN-05 - Violet Kiteway returns to the compound with Kurt McAllister
• 14-JUN-05 - Aiko Entrescore arrested.
• 20-JUN-05 - Aiko Entrescore released due to tenuous connections to crime.
• 03-JUL-05 - KT publicly announces his support for Ryan Klein
• 27-JUN-05 - Recons claim media bias; say The Sentinel is being needlessly slanderous against Cubists
• 30-JAN-06 - Revealed to be on the Nature Trust board.

Puzzles

A file was recovered from the Reconstructionists (see Violet's Blog). She posted it for decryption at Quirky Acuity. The solution to this puzzle was discovered by hawk (view the Unfiction thread).

References

• Perplex City Sentinel
  • article, 06-APR-05 "Recon Eight Released from Police Custody" (link)
  • article, 24-MAY-05 "Holyoke's Wife Found" (link)
  • article, 15-JUN-05 "Entrescore Arrested for Receda Cube Theft" (link)
  • article, 20-JUN-05 "Entrescore Freed" (link)
  • article, 04-JUL-05 "KT Shocker: 'I'm a Reconstructionist'" (link)
  • More Headlines, 28-JUN-05 "Recons Claim Media Bias" (link)
  • article, 10-AUG-05 "Holyoke Case Closed" (link)
  • article, 08-SEP-05 "View from Earth: Religious Freedom" (link)
  • article, 30-JAN-06 "Northside Bombshell: Reconstructionists Part of Nature Trust" (link)
  • article, 28-MAR-06, Reconstructionist Accuses Cult of stealing Cube" (link)
  • More news in brief, 06-APR-06 "Kostka Reliability Questioned" (link)
  • article, 25-SEP-06 "KT Weds in Seaside Lighting Ceremony" (link)
  • article, 03-NOV-06, "Brotherhood Maintains Plan for Restitution" (link)

• Quirky Acuity Violet Kiteway's Blog
  • blog, 25-MAY-05 "Recons" (link)
  • blog, 27-MAY-05 "I'm In" (link)
  • blog, 31-MAY-05 "Yesterday's visit" (link)
  • blog, 02-JUN-05 "A plan" (link)
  • blog, 07-JUN-05 "Back to the compound" (link)
  • blog, 08-JUN-05 "Plans, plans and further plans" (link)
  • blog, 10-JUN-05 "Today's Adventures" (link)
  • blog, 12-JUN-05 "Adventures (Part II)" (link)
  • blog, 13-JUN-05 "A Mysterious File" (link)
  • blog, 19-SEPT-06 "Avast" (link)

• Helena Frye's Theft Case Files
  • Log, year 267 (link)
  • Log, year 268 (link)
  • Log, year 269 (link)
  • Log, year 270 (link)