×Halph

×

The Patrons seem to view surfacers as like, you know, little dogs. You don't want to slaughter them, but you still hit them on the nose with a rolled up newspaper if they nose around in your trash.

Obviously surfacers are entirely too stupid to properly understand Lowest Point, and since none of the Empire actually seems to know what's down there, it seems reasonable to 'save' the surfacer. Remember, Halph wasn't there to kill Beethro. Halph was there to get Beethro to stop. collaborate, and listen

This is why the rooms say 'Wait and you'll be picked up' and 'give up, and just go back with us', instead of har har har you die.

Arguably, Bruntchief is part of the Patrons. The idea seems to be that they want to advance the Eighth's culture, and are constantly foiled by the surfacer inertia in this respect.

So, essentially, they seem to have what they think are the Eighth's best interests in mind, but may or may not actually have it.

×1st Patron, they must obtain permission from the surfacers they "help". It's rather ironic that a concept like consent of the governed would be introduced from the stagnant, rigid Empire and not someplace like Clarbag, but this at least seems positive to me. Perhaps they even negotiate with Aboveground leaders.