Act 1: Choices
Act 2: Consequences
Phase 1: Effects
Phase 2.1: Ramifications
Phase 2.2: Cold
Phase 3: Clashings
- Session 341: The Long Crisis of Cromwell
- Session 342: The Internal Struggle of Cromwell
- Session 343: Departing Kaji into the Deep Blue
- Session 344: Oceanic Travels and Spying on Allies
- Session 345: The Shores of Amatsune
- Session 346: The Siege of Cromwell Part 1
- Session 347: The Roads of the Fox
- Session 348: The Siege of Cromwell Part 2
- Session 349: The Trippy City of Calico
- Session 350: The Breaking
- Session 351: Ian and the Goddess; The Rare Ore of the Sword
- Session 352: Aftermath at Cromwell
- Session 353: Untreaded Lands; Southward through Gelus
- Session 354: Feeling the Heat
- Session 355: The Holy Monster of the Desert
- Session 356: Rapid Waters; The Third Group from the Empire
- Session 357: Yomi City: City of Hell
- Session 358: Ride the Lightning
- Session 359: Inari and the Angels
- Session 360: Lightning Never Strikes Twice
- Session 361: Setting Off for Sune
- Session 362: Tower Defense
- Session 363: Sune Day
- Session 364: Bad, Bad, Bad Elf
- Session 365: Clashings Part One
- Session 366: Clashings Part Two
Phase 4: Crossings
-Phase 4: Dust in the Wind
Phase 5: Thrones
-Phase 5.1: Enemy Lines
-Phase 5.2: Game of Thrones
Phase 6: Strikers
-RS Arc 7: Holiday Wars
Phase 7: Corruption
-Phase 7.1: Leylines
-Phase 7.2: Dark Magik
-Phase 7.3: Angels
-Phase 7.4: Gods
Phase 8: Peace
Session 341: The Long Crisis of Cromwell
The group gathers and tries to plan out their next move. The conditions in Cromwell are getting worse, extra exhaust from the defenses are polluting the city to the point it can't be tolerated anymore. The discussion leads to finding a way to funnel out the pollution, and if possible, send it against the enemy. After deliberating, they choose to ask the Cardinals first due to how unsafe the idea can be. Juliet takes a small group to discuss the plans over with Byron Jr.
The rest head to the Cardinals, on the way seeing a riot about to break out at the edge of the bubble. Choosing to help, they move over, Belit is able to calm nearly half the crowd into leaving while a quarter hesitate, the last group among the rioters moving to brak into a weapon store. The soldiers move to stop them and Lia creates a shield between them to hold them off as Wyrd tries slowing them all down. Cersei and Narok cause a sign to fall between the guards and rioters, allowing the guards to break them up and arrest them. The quarter that hesitates left without incident. However, here they learn of The Hood, a man who steals from the rich and gives to the poor.
They finally arrive at the Cardinal residence, where they are greeted by Blue and Sing Cardinal, Song with them for the meeting. They sit and Lia outlines what they wish to do and their honest intentions, Sing explains how the idea would ruin the land and not be worth it. After some convincing, Sing surprisingly recommends they ask the Fishters to help them make a weapon. She notes that at such a time as the seige, petty rivalries should be set aside. She also agrees to let Lia help her investigate the problem with the Leyline.
Heading back, the group meets up once more and discusses the solution, Juliet wanting to take more charge in the plans. The group agrees on a plan to take over a factory in the poor district, which would force Byron to exert more protection on the poor section and bring in more supplies. The group splits to make plans, Juliet securing the factory while Lia meets up with Matty Fishter to help her with her problems. Belit goes to find The Hood and learn what she can from him, eventually getting an agreement of cooperation if Juliet's people help the sick and improve things.
Lia tests Matty and finds she has the potential to be a mage, so begins to plot getting the Fishters to release her to the Mason Guild for training, while at the same time helping Matty escape and espousal. Juliet gets the factory secured and begins plans to have it working as the group must now plan to speak to the Fishters for help in making bombs.
Session 342: The Internal Struggle of Cromwell
The group meets to try and figure out where they need to look to find the source of the polution. Lia gets news that Mason Guild mages have been spotted in the city and leaves to investigate with James. Moira, Narok, Cersei, Belit and Wyrd decide to investigate one of the factories pinpointed as being by the city's river. After careful observation, the group finds an aqueduct leading to the river. Slipping inside, they find a fenced off area.
Defeating the fence thoroughly, the group passes through and witnesses workers dumping chemicals into a long tube. The group charges and takes down the dumpers and the soldiers with them, bringing them together for questioning. Wyrd confirms the tube goes down to the river, the group then looks towards inside the factory, having need to question the manager about his waste managment practices.
Meanwhile, Lia enters her clinic to find the Mason mages there and at work, she seems oblivious to a look of awe that they give her. Lia checks them out, trying to confirm they're Mason mages and not a ruse, and while proving a little too paranoid, does manage to do so. The head of the Mason Mages to come, Sandy, sets to work helping Lia, saying she needs the source of the disease to cure it. Knowing that her friends are working on just that, she councils a little patience and work while they wait for the info on the dump site.
Cersei and Belit break into the factory, the fight leading to Cersei being doused in chemicals, a quick shower saves her from becoming goo, but the group is able to take out most of the factory. They break into the main office and capture the manager, who inadvertently states that he was acting on higher orders, dooming him and criminalizing certain nobility at the same time, specifically, the Cromwells in charge. The manager does what he feels is the wise thing and takes the entirety of the blame on himself. The group heads to the clinic to make their report.
Back in the clinic, with the samples from the dump site, Sandy is able to make a medicine, which Lia learns is to attack the disease's magik resistance when stopped from using magik before the medicine is taken. They use the medicine on a young girl, and Lia's Cure Magik is able to cleanse the girl of the disease. A cure found, the gathered mages begin to work on treating the sickness, needing about three days of time to cleanse it from the city.
Session 343: Departing Kaji into the Deep Blue
The Caravan and its occupants finally arrived at Kaji, a small port town containing very little aside a few shops, an inn and a whole ton of ice and snow. Many members didn�t take too well to the cold so once inside many booked it for the comfort of the inn.
Kaelan as she wanders about docks eventually locates the captain of the largest ship heading towards Amatsune. While the ship is large enough to take the caravan and its passengers, its already heavily loaded with supplies that seem to cast some light onto the interest of the goddess of the island...
With other prospects seeming as bleak as the snow and ice around them Kaelan snatched up Nilla so the three could mediate a deal that would gain the group passage. With their pockets lighter and a short time frame the members were whisked onto the ship, and Nilla may or may not have manipulated a man for free supplies, either way they set sail within three hours.
The ocean also doesn�t seem to agree with many on board but the cold soon leaves them as they continue their voyage, roughly estimated to be ten days time. The captain seems to be of good sorts though he doesn�t take any shenanigans from his....questionably sex starved crew, the women having been comfortable until it was certified they are missing the gentler sex as they try to court or just stare mumbling about holding and nice smelling hair. Ian being entertained with stories of monsters as the heroes also hear about the whirlpool of Tanan, remembering their old friend.
It seems that this voyage will be a nice reprieve for them as the heroes relax, sunbathe, and even spot the occasional nymph or two as their destination grows ever close with each day.
Session 344: Oceanic Travels and Spying on Allies
On their journey across the sea, Kaelan's group encounters a thick fog, the crew and the captain tell a story of the ghost ship, the Queen's Mercy, that supposedly vanished in the ocean on the day Queen Mercy died. Soon enough, they see a ghostly ship approaching them in the fog, however, when the boarding planks come out, it's very alive looking Catmews and Bunpers attacking in pirate gear. The crew is overwhelmed as the heroes fight off the pirates, encountering the captain, a very skilled Bunper woman who dances around the attacks of the heroes.
While Kaelan, Seraphim, and some of the others work on trying to narrow down and remove the two Catmew mages shielding the ghost vessel, Butler and Leruste face off against the Captain while Jubei and Truth try and rescuse a kidnapped Lin and Lenneth. As they free the two, Jubei joins the fight with the captain and Truth starts to keep the remaining troops busy, soon joined by others when their occupation ends. Down below, Ian battles kittens and Nilla is outraged as evil kittens attack her caravan.
All this is disrupted as the last shield around the ship fails, Jean unleashes a devastating Holy strike on the ship which causes all the pirates to reel. Seeing their reaction, Kaelan finishes off the Ghost Ship with a Storm Hammer spell and the kitten and bunny pirates are freed, only around 8 or 9 of them killed off in the struggle. As Kaelan and Truth work to mend wounds on both sides, the crew settles down and the captain reveals that the Ghost ship was taking over people, sending them out to pillage innocent ships and whenever needed, kidnap new people to add to the crew, most of the current 'pirates' her own crew, her ship lost at sea.
Later on, as people settle down and Nilla punishes the naughty, Kaelan attempts to recruit some of the kittens and bunnies into her harem, and Jubei decides to get the pickings while they're good. Amused, El continues their Mystifae training and the group settles down to try and recover on the rest of their journey across the seas.
7.16.2862
Juliet's team discovers that the disease that intrigued Lia was contagious by both the consumption of something and a touch from an infected, while not immediately identified, the group searched and around and manages to find proof that chemical waste is being dumped into the city's water supply, an act done in lieu of dumping it into the fading leyline.
Unable to gain substancial evidence as to exactly where this is occuring, the group makes plans to scout out the location and stop it, hopefully helping to cure the disease.
Session 345: The Shores of Amatsune
Arriving in the port city of Kit, the group docks and unloads off the ship, Jubei and Kaelan having added four catmew servants each to the entourage. The people off Kit seem ESPECIALLY happy to meet Ian, who is given a special invitation that creates a halo around his head and gives him access to all the best inns and places along the way to the capitol. This suspicious luck is further examined as several of the young bunpers and catmews with them are given similar rewards, and other children seem to be getting this surprise as well.
Deciding to at least settle down for a bit and determine their travels, the group seeks out an inn, finding one with a hot springs, super expensive, but Ian's invitation gets them in. Rachael urges the group to get horses, and those with Jean purchase some to ride without the caravan if needed. Rachael takes the group aside to ask them if they think Nilla seems intent on selling Ian out to Ama. Kaelan suggests it's more likely they Nilla is using this system to her advantage and that it's unlikely that Nilla is going to do such a thing, and the rest agree. They decide to stick with the caravan to head south. Truth has fruit.
After a day of discovering things about the city, shopping, and discovering the Mystifae academy, the group relaxes in the hot springs, where Jean stops Rachael from drinking, telling her it will be bad for the baby. The group reels at the revelation that Rachael is pregnant, and Truth attempts to communicate with the barely formed child.
The group starts out the next morning for Calico, the first stop in their trip to the Capitol of Amatsune, where a large breasted godess awaits them. After meeting a pair of silly Bunper guards and passing out into the countryside, the group takes in the relative peace and nice feelings that Amatsune has to offer, a land unlike the other two they have experienced so far.
Session 346: The Siege of Cromwell Part 1
With the cleanup of the city underway, the group faces starvation mounting and with 13 (later increased to 16) of their weapons completed, a chance to get things started in taking out the enemy forces. Juliet appears to be having problems at night, screaming and having nightmares, and she's lost 15 pounds in the space of days. Deep testing fails to let Lia find anything, however, she does take a blood sample to work with.
Juliet decides to launch her first assault. Rigging three Ore Throwers in the factory, she sets it up and commands Byron Jr. to send out his men to lure the enemy close to the walls, this involves taking down the walls and starting them up again, so the team comes up with plans to defend the inner city from those that will get past the trap.
Lia, Maka, and Song go along with a solider to the wall to prepare oil on one of the vulnerable VIP gates, the plan to keep Lia out of the initial fight so she can back people up with healing once the wall fires up. Cersei, Wyrd, Narok, Moira, Belit, and Jerrid prepare defenses along the road and engage in battle as the walls come down and the factory, with the remaining people, launches devastating volleys into the enemy ranks.
However, the enemy catches on and launches fire arrows into the factory, it ignites an ore bomb which they launch, but it explodes inside the city, seeming to take out the factory. When James recovers, he sees Mimi and Trish working to ready the two working throwers, however, Juliet is unconcious, sleeping and screaming, and she simply will not wake this time.
Session 347: The Roads of the Fox
The road to see the goddess has continued to be an easy one fro the caravan, to shorten the length of the trip, Jean has been making use of her powers and while it has shaved off time it hasn�t prevented the others from enjoying the beautiful weather and surroundings.
Taking a moment; Rachael speaks to Nilla about her suspicions towards Nilla's use of Ian, but is reassured that Nilla never had the intention of selling the little boy and knew such an action would have dire consequences. With this knowledge Rachael seems at peace and content as they press ever on.
The caravan takes liberty of a short stop where they hear interesting rumors inside the tavern where they eat otherwise they wash up in a large open fountain that the locals use for bathing. Amatsune's relaxed atmosphere and attitudes reminds them that this kingdom really doesn�t seem to fear much.
Once on the road again to Calico the group encounters a river they must cross via a bridge but an empty carriage soon has them on guard and for good reason as bandits soon encroach upon the bridge demanding a hefty toll they seem to have been able to pass on any that come this way; 75% of their wealth. The Caravaners soon have a fight on their hands with these brigand elves.
The fight leaves no one seriously harmed on either side, other that the leader getting a serious beating, the rest seeming morose as they intend to go back into their camp in the woods, since they have been expelled from their old home in Badelf. Any attempts to assist them is swatted off and seems to only aggravate them more and waste time. So after many attempts the party soon carries on.
As they continue on towards Calico another body of water stands in their way; a lake but to their relief a ferry is there which will carry them and even more interesting, its a gambling boat. However, aside from Nilla it seems most don�t have any luck, The others take pleasure in the other things the boat has to offer; Lenneth and Chae watching shows, others taking private company or enjoying high class dining. However Ian seems on edge the whole way.
Finally off the boat the party has finally reached Calico, knowing that their destination is ever closer they stop for the night. Using Ian's vouchers to gain rooms for the night, while Leon and Torin get in due to their positions with the goddess herself.
Session 348: The Siege of Cromwell Part 2
The siege is in progress, with Gelus Troops loyal to the Hill faction storm the VIP gates of Cromwell. At one such gate, a force spearheaded by cersei, Jerrid, Narok, Moira, Wyrd, and Belit try to repel the assault. Belit is soon lost in the mass of armor and weaponry with the enemy soon bringing in a shock force to break through: a walking wall of ore shields and blades backed by an armed goliath. Wyrd and Moira break the wall of shields while Narok defies the overwhelming force of the enemy when he brings downs the goliath single-handedly. Before the defenders can rally, a score of enemy soldiers bubbled with unstable mana, releasing a wave of destruction.
At the walls of Cromwell, Song, Maka, and Lia look on as the enemy soldiers assail the city. Lia and her Serpent Queen Anne make a move to buy the gate defenders some time by disrupting the flow of enemy reinforcements into the VIP gates. When Lia looks again, Maka and Song have vanished in the flow of the battle while the enemy has raised their mana cannons against the city. Lia turns the mana cannons upon one another, unleashing a blast that devastates the besieging army, restoring some measure of balance to this conflict, though not without sacrifice.
Upon the following day, the group goes to the factory in the slums that formed the center of the city's defense. Though it has taken some heavy hits, the factory still stands. However, not all is well, as Princess Juliet has been trapped in a nightmare from which she could not be awoken. Even when she does return on her own, she seems to be held under a dark influence. Lia concludes that a demon has likely targetted the princess, and prepares to raid some livestock for a cure, or perhaps she just wants some breakfast.
Meanwhile, Narok and Wyrd stumble upon several enemy soldiers who have managed to enter the city. Narok succeeds in rescuing Belit from the soliders, who reveals that Maka was also taken as well. Wyrd then takes off after the soldiers in search of Maka.
Session 349: The Trippy City of Calico
The team takes in the many, many, many colorful sights of the city of Calico. Getting a room for the evening the group looks over the service menus to find all sorts of delights available, only to find Ian not sharing in the goods! This causes Truth to become pouty while the rest settle in and get ready for a good night's sleep. Which is interrupted in the morning by bangs and explosions as the city seems to be holding a fireworks special as a wakeup call. The group decides to head out to check out the art festival in town, noticing that Seven, Kaelan's handmaiden has slipped off somewhere.
The entire group heads down towards the art fair, where El gets herself bought as a work of art for thousands of gold pieces. Jubei helps her escape with the goods, and her own goods intact. The kids seem to fall in love with art pieces, which Jean tries to take for them only to find they're secured and they purchase copies for them, Tanan getting a picture of scantily clad men he just loves. Kaelan finds an artist who looks suspiciously like Seven, but she's unable to determine for sure. In the end, helping her out by purchasing a painting called 'Homestead' for a lot of gold.
The group splits up as some take their time leaving the art show, the rest heading to see the parade. Jubei embarrased by El's attire when she pulls an S&M outfit off the racks. Asha flirts with her while Kaelan seems drawn closer to El as well. The group notices eventually that Gemane has not been with them and head back to the hotel to decide their next move, Nilla seeming to be in a rush to get moving again. They agree to travel on, Gemane coming back and revealing she thinks she has a lead on Calico being alive and well, and agrees to meet up with them all in a few days as they journey on.
Session 350: The Breaking
With 16 blocks contested by enemy soldiers, and Juliet growing colder and darker as the day wanes on, the group splits into three teams to deal with situations facing the city. Moira joins Mimi in leading the army assault on the blocks, where they plan to turn the magik devices on each house into explosives to take out the buildings and the soldiers within. Cersei, Wyrd and Belit move into the sewers with Hood, and carry out a rescue mission for Maka. Finally, Lia and Narok team up to hunt down the source of Juliet's issue: a Drude.
Moira and Mimi fight their way through the city, spotting a building with innocent children inside, the two work together to get into the building, take out the soldiers and get the kids out before the explosion. Then they face the dangers of the battle and the explosions to get the kids free, Mimi taking a heavy blow in order to succeed.
Cersei, Belit and Wyrd work with Hood, stopping an underground patrol with swift and deadly strikes, possibly saving a factory and the wall in the process. Coming out near the enemy center, they sneak into the place where Maka is being held and take out the guards, finding Maka tied down and molested thoroughly. Taking her back, they sneak back out and carry her to safety.
Lia and Narok recieve intel that the demon was sent from Neer, and following Narok's Unnatural Sense, they are able to zero in on the demon hiding in the Fishter castle. Catching her trying to escape in the form of a frog, the two chase her down and trap her, once cornered, the demon, Sheila, tries to talk to them. Lia is surprisingly open about this and asks who sent her and why, and Sheila reveals she's being forced, her sister held hostage. Lia agrees to free Sheild on the condition that they help her free Juliet from her spell.
Once back at the castle, Narok is helped by James in convincing Juliet to go to Lia. When she leaves, James takes command and recinds many of Juliet's destructive orders, saving lives. Meanwhile, Lia and Narok force Juliet to touch the component for the ritual to release her, the blood of a departed pet, Anne. Juliet's curse is broken, good news for all, and Lia recieves her confirmation that Anne really did die in the explosion.
Sheila begins to burn up as her employer cuts bridges, and Narok's black magik breaks Sheila's seal, saving her from destruction, she utters that her employers were from Neer in front of the others. Lia assure Juliet that Zegretta would never order this, but it does confirm that Juliet has enemies among Neer's nobility as well.
In the Empire, Jean listens to reports about the unrest in Gelus and Neer's actions, and with the situation so dire, she is asked what the Empire should do. Fully expecting Jean to back her friends, Rica at least, along with Pupbro and Aurica are suprised to find that they're asked what to do. Rica is sent to Gelus as the Empire's Emmisary, and the mouth of the Angel to oversee the war and decide what to do for it.
Back in Gelus, Lia sees to her patients, the returned by injured Jerrid, Maka, and the burnt Sheila. She is given the surprise of Anne's egg hatching, naming the new dragoness Melody. James and Juliet go to 'celebrate' the victory with 'celebration activities' (James is a man now!) and Wyrd grows closer to Cersei. The group is given time to rest, but they must still save Song, who was taken beyond the wall, and decide on their plan of action now that they have made a more then legitimate claim to the throne with this victory.
The team settles down in Amatsune's capitol, Gemet, after using a mirror jump service to save on time and get there even faster than with Jean's time warping ability. Once there, they get a hotel and pass out, learning when they wake that the first mirror jump always seems to take a lot out of people. Having slept till noon, the group packs up and starts to head out for the Palace, moving to go directly to the Shrine of the Goddess. Here they meet with Ama, who recongizes them and welcomes them.
They also are greeted by Amazo, who happily crushes Ler in a bone breaking hug and later plays catch with his body, the rest unconcerned as it's only Leruste. Fi'Anna rushes out to greet her Auntie Kaelan and the group gathers to feast and catch up with old friends. Fi'Anna mentions problems in Neer and the possibility of Zegretta coming to Ametsune as well, raising concerns.
Later, as the group is getting to know and / or catch up with an aged Zuzu and Ty, Ama uses her mirror to contact Zegretta. With this, the group is able to learn about the unrest in Neer over the rebellion in Gelus, and that some are leaning towards pushing a 'peaceful' solution to Gelus, Zegretta mentions that the kingdom will follow the rightful ruler of Gelus, but with that even in question, only time will tell. Zegretta considers leaving her aunt and uncle in charge of the situation, Kaelan guarding her feelings about it.
Most shockingly, is the news that the Flying Machine is missing and Angel never made it home. With this knowledge, Jubei is sent into a depression feelings she didn't do enough, but with no other flying machines known in the world, and the fact that the ship should be able to outfly Serpent Queens, dark theories arise over what could have taken it. Kaelan expresses her worry that either some sort of leftover Godship, or the Darkness Vessel that Kyuun took so long ago could perform such a feat, which may mean far more dangerous adversaries are coming back to Tareh.
The group resolves that for now, they can do nothing, but they have a mission to conclude, now that they are in Ametsune, they have the broken Rune Blade, a smith to fix it, and a woman with Reality Powers to help with the reforging, all they need now is a special rare ore. Considering what the blade does and can do, Kaelan voices wonder as to why they would ever need to use a weapon that requires them to take the Runes from Jean, but then notes with a future Jean with them, there are now two sets of the Runes on Tareh.
Afterwards, the group is introduced to the Shoguns, and their identities become apparent after Kohna identifies them. Reports come in that Juliet has won a resounding victory at Cromwell, and as a result, Gelus is divided into factions, smaller groups vying for control. Worse yet, it becomes known that a Demon under the employ of Neer's nobility attempted to take Juliet's life. Knowing this could not have been Zegretta's orders, it becomes a point of worry that Neer's nobles are acting against her and the future of Neer may be in question as much as Gelus. Ama suggests neutrality in the wars for now, the group has a mission to accomplish, and while Ian is settled down in Ametsune, they must help Ama with some things, as well as find the Special Ore.
Session 351: Ian and the Goddess; The Rare Ore of the Sword
After three days of rest, relaxation, and forming new ties with the kingdom of Amatsune's palace entourage, the group sits down to talk with Amaterasu and discover if she may hold the answer to whereabouts of the mana ore required to reforge the Rune Blade.
The results are lackluster, but better than nothing; they are told that it usually only resides within the realm of the Demon Empire, however on rare occasions they can muster some within the Coalition. Given the group's hand in protecting Tareh from meteorites during the encounter with Gartareh, it is surmised the reason why the mana ore, or star ore, seems exclusive to the demon's realm.
An audience with Amaterasu and her twin, Tsukiyomi, reveals the origin of the blade's ownership lies in Erevis Zhenmei. From the distant past, Erevis once more arises from obscurity, unshrouding the polygamous origins of Nephilim's ancestor as she reveals she herself was once wed to Erevis, as well as Megumi. Amaterasu goes on to explain the feeling she felt was born of Erevis herself, though she admits difficulty in whether it is reminscent memory or the true presence, as being a Progentior meant her true form was energy incarnate and therefore without her essence being destroyed, it is a microscopic possibility she might still be 'alive' somewhere.
Zegretta contacts them through Amaterasu's mirror and informs them then of the investigation regarding Angel and the disappearance of her glider. It seems there are floating islands in certain areas of New Tareh that harbor leftover remnants of the Red Planet faction, and occasionally they perform raids with flying ships. Apparently Angel may have been appropriated because of the glider, but they do not appear to be aggressive and therefore there's a chance she may be merely held, or eventually returned.
Lenneth and Amaterasu have a private talk regarding the family Ama once had, re-emerging later with tears as an equally tearsoaked goodbye is given to Ian, who has decided to stay in Amatsune with the blessing of its palace and goddess, as well as his adoptive parents in Nilla and Thomas, taking up instructor roles. Five, one of Kaelan Di'Neer's catmew maids, misunderstands her mistress and nearly finds an eternal love in Ian that will surely blossom in the future-- sadly it is torn asunder by the wishy-washy former Queen who reclaims her to her side and the road ahead.
Therein, the group not at Ian's celebration bares with the enormity that is Zuzu's mixed breed family, witnessing the eventual houses that Shogun Ty and Zuzu have created over the many years. They also entertain her ban from breeding more by Ty's hands.
Kohna, the assassin hired by the church so long ago, is now a family guardian of Amatsune, handed down by members chosen of descent and agreement to former founder of the island free nation by Libet. Her current charge questions her rejoining her 'master' found in El, the black foxyip, but a letter handed to her soon changes her plans to potentially relinquish instead to join with her when the group receives an unexpected accompanying guest-- the twin goddess Tsukiyomi.
After some debate on their travel route to the island of Sune, some of the newer begin to acquaint with the older members and what's left of the bonds of the traveling group begins to mend, Tsukiyomi and a mysterious guard joining Jean's entourage as they set out on the continued trail of the Rune Blade's restoration.
Session 352: Aftermath at Cromwell
Mopping up after the battle, the city is in a state of disrepair and literal decay, bodies all over beginning to rot and in need of desposing. As the group listens to the total damages, they find out that the rebellion has sparked many smaller rebellions throughout the kingdom. It becomes apparent that they will need to start gathering these people under one banner to win a war, at the same time however, all these breaking lords means that the crown itself is weakened.
When it comes to desposing the bodies, Trish suggests tossing them into the Leyline. Lia objects, wanting time to look into the Leyline, feeling that the exceptional weakening of the timeline at Cromwell might be indicative of all their waste disposal. However, as Trish argues that worldwide the Leylines seem drained, Byron Jr. decides to push on in tossing the bodies. Lia decides to push her investigation but assents to the plan, not having much choice.
Juliet decides she will head south, rebuilding her forces and taking an honor guard of around 5,000 men with her to do so. The group agrees to go with her, Jerrid having to stay behind to oversee the repairs along with Trish. Maka, newly bound as Lia's Aegis, goes with the group. With Song still missing and captured, the group must keep an eye out for her, meanwhile, the group has Hood's agents deliver Juliet a double to pose as her in Cromwell while she travels.
While she chooses a double, Sheila returns from her attempt to get back into Neer, having survived an ambush at Neer's gates. It seems that someone in Cromwell warned her employer that she was coming and sought to stop her. This spells out another problem: Spies in Cromwell. Having to set this to be watched for now, the group settles in and waits for the following day, where they take a carriage out of the city and begin their journey southwards.
Session 353: Untreaded Lands; Southward through Gelus
As the group heads south towards their destination, Cersei finds a giant crystal tree near another wagon. From it hangs dead Gelus soldiers. There is a nearby cave, however the group chooses not to investigate it, pressing on. The next day, a fog hides an ambush. Before the mass of the ambush can reach them, however, more crystal lines appear, incapacitating a large number of them. The rest of the ambush is dealt with swiftly by the group, and Maka brings some of the soldiers back alive.
Cersei tries to interrogate the soldiers, trying to bluff them through torture and threats of death, but they don't talk. She gives up because she doesn't have the stomach for it, but Narok starts to try, before being interrupted by Belit. She tries to lie to them, saying she's working with them, and unties them. They don't fall for the lie, however, and they try to keep her from yelling out. Narok, however, rushes to her rescue, having been watching through the bond. However, if he had waited twenty damn seconds, they could have gotten some informatino out of them. Instead, all they got was that there's some more ambushes up ahead. They are quickly re-detained and kept alive.
The next day, they wake up to find them dead. After giving them a proper burial, they move on to an area where there's some trees. Another two dozen ambushers pop out, and again, a mass of them get caught off guard with crystal traps. The team dispatches the rest, and they find the source of the crystal traps: Two catmews, named Urr and Cleo. After being asked, they tell that they are not the ones who killed their captives earlier. They join the team, and people start to wonder just who killed them. Could it be... THE DRIVER?!
Session 354: Feeling the Heat
The group heads northwards into the desert, finding teh heat to be a challenge, Rachael in fact getting sick overheating with a baby. Rachael is offered a spot in Tsuki's cooled down carriage, and the group trudges through the heat towards the city in the sands.
Encountering a group of bandits, the team has to work together and using spells and tactics they haven't often had a hand at trying before, manage to take down the bandits riding serpents and rock monsters, capturing their leader (before Umi eats him), a female blonde soldier and a spicy red haired lass as their captives.
Heading further north they've stopped at an Oasis town to stock up and rest for the coming trip, getting hydrated.
Session 355: The Holy Monster of the Desert
Outside the inn the group rested in was a job board, where a job was posted to kill the great Holy Beast of the Desert. The job, offering to pay 100,000 gold pieces, seemed quite tempting for both moral and profit reasons. Seeing a danger to the kids, Jean, Umi, Lenneth, Rachael, and a few others take a carriage along the normal safe route towards Yomi while the rest move along to find the monster.
Finding instead a gypsy camp, the group asks around for the location of the beast and instead secure amiable help to find and kill it and a familiar stranger: Angel! With her sight restored, it seems her kidnappers both corrected her eyesight and placed her in a desert where her friends would run into her. Fascinated by their mysterious and as it seems overly polite enemies, the group listens to Angel's story and rests before heading out to fight the beast.
The group finds the beast in the desert, using their varied skills they face it's four varied chimeric heads and manage to take it down, pulling a mana crystal from its core as proof of their deed. The Gypsies drop the group off at Yomi after El brings them back. Arriving in Yomi, the group seeks an inn and decides to splurg a little. Leaving the task of turning in their crystal for a bit later.
Session 356: Rapid Waters; The Third Group from the Empire
The group reaches their deadliest recurring foe, who chases them regardless of time, dimension, or space... a river. Jeff, Cersei, Narok, and Wyrd help to get the wagons to float, and decide to travel down the river. As they cast off, Narok almost gets left behind, but he manages to hop back in in time. Belit, however, got trapped under debris since she never got off the wagon as they prepared to float it. Later that night, Narok and Lia are on watch, and someone (we won't mention who what no it wasn't Narok you're crazy for suggesting that) was neglectful in their duties and they hit a fishing boat. After everyone was okay, they head down their merry way again.
Another boat is on the river only a little bit later, but Lia and Narok work together to avoid it. As morning approaches, there are rocks ahead, but thanks to Moira, they pull a Raiden and manage to avoid drowning. There's soon a split in the river, and they want to take the right path. However, the stream is forcing them to the left, forcing their strongest members to push the rudder.
However, it's not enough, but Narok turns into a bear for the extra oomph, and they are successful. Urr makes an un-bear-able pun, but Narok gives her props anyway, still in bear form.
7.22.2862
Aurica and Rica arrive where they are to recruit help for Empress Jean, and they find a Templar, a woman wearing a cloak and glasses, and a man in a cloak there. No, it's not the start of a bad joke, but their new helpers, Simon, Lana, and Sal. They also meet Ajan, a clumsy little thing. They head for a boat, captained by one Gwendoyln Autumn-Vimes... which is odd that Autumn's name would be attached to Seth's name. Eventually she explains that the Vimes and the Crimsons intermarried, and then intermarried again... with Autumn. But isn't she dead? How odd. Our newly formed group arrives in the steampunky city of Seacrest a few days later to start their mission.
8.5.2862
The wagboat almost tips over as the group tries to avoid a giant pillar, and is invaded by an army of angry turtlesnappers! They bite at various people on various places, but soon they are all tossed back over. The four brother turtles swim away, satasfied that their martial prowess conquered such mighty foes.
8.4.2862
Tsuki's group arrives at Yomi to try and find someone crazy and rich enough to fulfill their cash promise of killing the holy beast of the desert. Meanwhile, Rica's group find an inn and talk about their next move.
8.6.2862
Finally, the wagboat town reaches Lightning Tower Town, an impressive city built under a storm, most of the buildings housing lightning rod towers. They discuss their next move as well. It seems all groups are planning in the calm before a storm...
Session 357: Yomi City: City of Hell
Having entered the city, the group settles in and Kaelan leads a group out to find the mayor to report their deed. While they go out, Thayer sets up shop to sell her goods and those remaining back at the Inn relax. The mayor seems unhappy to see them, when they present a bounty worth 100,000 gold. After some haggling, the group gets the mayor to agree to a tab that the city can pay back for their shopping. Taking a bewildered assistant along with them, the group buys various items and equipment.
They find at the edge of town a special speedy transport to take them to the port of Inari, and settling on a group price, they use the last of their 30,000 gold from the reward to purchase tickets to ride on it. The group packs up and gets aboard, finding their accomodations not too bad at all. They head for Inari.
In the Empire, after hearing about Rica's recent troubles and possibly starting a war between Gelus and the Empire, Jean employs a stall tactic, leaving Rica to her own devices for now. She then points on a map to Sune, ordering troops be sent there to handle a dangerous element, and rescue her friends.
Session 358: Ride the Lightning
Arriving in Inari, the group finds a somewhat 'safe' hotel to stay in and goes out exploring, as they do, they run into Fi'Anna who leaps happily into Kaelan's arms. While the rest continue to look around, Rachael wonders why Fi'Anna is even there.
8.1.2862
Just after finding Fi'Anna gone, Ama also learns via a mirror transmission that Zegretta has been murdered by a demonic assassin, her body not even recognizable, blown to ashes with her attendants. On Tyranna's request, Henry is returned by boat for Neer, while Ama sends out Sir Thomas with a search party to find Fi'Anna.
8.7.2862
Word that someone might be coming to find Fi'Anna has Fi urging her ancestor to take her around to have fun for the day, and seeing no harm in giving a very lonely girl a bit of company, Kaelan agrees. They are put on alert when Lyns attempts to contact Ama are severed in the mirror, and Kaelan grows cautious, the group keeping an eye out for danger as they continue with the day and go to see a play. Thomas arrives and Fi's royal guard manages to convince Thomas to wait for morning before attempting to take the girl home. Meanwwhile, at the docks, a ship docks and Jean finds herself disturbed in the Mark, shutting herself out of it.
This causes the entire group to go on high alert and sneaking around, they find a company from the Empire has come to Inari to seek out the Marked to bring them to the Empress Jean, and to destroy some evil besetting the group, which Jean seems to fear might be herself. After laying low, the group switches inns, Kaelan gets the idea to bribe a ship captain to get them aboard and away from Inari earlir then the two days they were going to have to wait, Lyn giving her the gold to do so. Lyn leaves the town with Thomas to make a new report and they learn what Ama learned a few days after the initial bad news...
On a broken mirror, Zegretta contacted Ama telling her of the attempt on her life and urging her not to send her siblings home, fearing for their lives. Henry seems to have been sent into a bad place, Zegretta also states she plans to find Kaelan, not Ama, and seek her ancestor's help in preparing to fight to take back her own throne. Zegretta begs that Ama take on the care of Fi'Anna in her absence.
Ama lets Lyn know this in code, which Kohna, apparently oblivious of the situation, outright breaks in asking Ama about the city of Inari, possibly giving away their position to anyone listening in. Kohna gets the back of Lyn's hand for this. Ama attempts to cover tracks by making Kohna out to being obnoxiously interested in history, and ends the conversation.
In Lightning Tower, Juliet and her people are presently attempting to garnish entry into the Farron estate. Troubling circumstances arise while Lia is out attempting to get manifest information for a cart so they can sneak into the noble area, Narok and Belit getting themselves on the most wanted list when attempting to save their new elven catmew companions from being sent to the very mansion everyone is trying to get into. The group must now act with more caution, Narok and Belit will need to remain in deep cover or a disguise in order to not endanger the group or discredit them.
Rica's mission to scout the civil war situation takes a turn for the worst when, wanting to check out the possible traitor Garnif family, Rica witnesses the hand of the King having a nine year old Garnif child murdered by fire. Breaking cover, she rushes to try and save the child and a fight breaks out between her group and the King's men. Taking cover in the Linerisas household, the group is forced to lay low and consider their options, not yet knowing that their ship will be discovered and the Angel, Jean, will leave them to their own devices for now, not knowing their side of the story, and only the King's claiming that it was Rica's group who attacked without provokation or reason.
Session 359: Inari and the Angels
Negotiating her way through the city to try and find a ship for the group to set sail on, Kaelan meets up with an Enforcer, a strangely young 14 year old red head with a very familiar weapon. Kaelan does what she does best, using honesty, she explains that she fully intends to go to Jean soon but first she needs to find an artifact of her family's legacy as part of her finding a place on the new Tareh. The girl follows her around, hoping to get her to come with her, and Kaelan is forced to keep away from the group.
Fi'Anna is sent home that very night, she leaves Kaelan a gift on her bed, a necklace of some sort and leaves with her protectors. Wanting to inform Kaelan of this matter, Truth attempts to reach out to her and finds nothing. Not knowing if Kaelan is in trouble, blocking herself out, or simply unreachable with all the enforcers around, Truth and Leruste sneak out to find her, Seraphim going by rooftop as well, what they run into instead is the same enforcer, and Truth feels a Demon Blade presence. Spying, they are able to determine that Kaelan had left the girl to go to the South Gate to say goodbye to Fi'Anna, and the girl reveals in her talking that the sword on her hips is sister to Truth.
Seraphim meets up with them and they return to inform Jean, and the group sneaks out to the docks early in the morning to board the ship. Kaelan waits to go last, as to not tip the enforcers off that the group is boarding, and she is intercepted by the girl once more. Kaelan hands the girl a letter to give to Jean and apologizes for not coming with them immediately. The group gets away, however, it becomes plain that the Empire will not give up coming after them.
Session 360: Lightning Never Strikes Twice
Rica is given the choice to help Lea assinate the Seacrest nobility, listening to her team, she declines the offer and as a result, is told to leave the Linersias household. The group leaves and finds themselves on the run from Seacrest soldiers right off the bat, however, their escape is covered by an explosion which takes out the Seacrest mansion, it seems that Lea planned on going ahead with or without them, but Rica orders the group not to get involved and they continue to run.
In the streets a mile from the docks, the group witnesses a Vampire and a Demon Blade take out the soldiers around their ship, who the group identifies as Ailee and Finn, Rica grinning about having seen Narok and Belit's long lost wife and kid. The group then waits to see where they go, the ship heads south and the duo head away from them, the group carries on and sneaks out of the city, arriving at Monica's house to question her and see what she knows.
Meanwhile, Juliet's group is shocked to learn that the wanted posters have changed, they now invite Narok and Belit to come to the manner for a job. Realizing Farron is desperate and wants to recruit the two into his ranks, the two head off to take up the invite. They find they don't have to negotiate hard, for the service of Narok and Belit, Lord Farron agrees to sign himself up with Juliet's cause, and later for expanded land and a seat on the council. The group has their alliegance, and decides to stick around to see how Farron behaves before moving on.
Session 361: Setting Off for Sune
On their travels towards Sune, Jean's group encounters a sudden storm, or rather, a sudden typhoon, as a wall of water surrounds the ship. It's procession stopped, the group comes face to face with a group of fish-person demons who begin killing the crew, keeping the group at bay with their water. Attacking from three angles as a team, the group is able to break past the barrier of water and take down the demons, but not before the lives of many crew membrs, including the captain, are lost.
The fight is not over however, the Imperial vessel following them is closing in as Tsuki works on stopping the magical storm from destroying them. Butler spots a group of the demons on a rock in the distance, working together the group restores the mast of their ship and gets closer to the rock, where the group is able to obliterate the enemy. Keeping their magic up and working, they maintain distance from the imperial vessel while Angel, Tsuki and Jean build an awesome engine to make their partly crippled ship go.
And a while later, it goes, so fast that it leaves the Imperial ship in the dust, or as they are on water, in their wake. The group high speeds it to the isle of Sune where they notice at the last moment a Neer vessel in their way. Crashing, the group is flung about as are the Neer people in the ship. The group gathers up the survivors, finding that the Neer vessel contained Lucky, Lit, Lucky's foxy decendants... and Queen Zegretta of Neer, escaped from the castle and safe in their protection. Mostly, anyway.
The group is a couple days away from any close city, having camped at the shore to recover, heal up injuries, and allow the tired to rest before they plan to move on and continue their mission.
Currently headed for Lightning Tower, after meeting up with Monica Seacrest and giving her warning, Monica makes her own way off to help Juliet. The group has headed south after deciding the path will meet the most other people, continuing their mission even if there's the chance that they've already failed it. Witnessing a battle where the forces of the McTreggors reduce an Royal Crown army to rubble in a mere twenty minutes, Rica bravely approaches their leader, Revoia, and her new companion, a very much begrudged Umi.
Failing to establish a dialogue, Revoia leaves with the idea that since she works with Umi, Jean would never back her anyway, the anger of a woman scorned. Moving on, the group resumes their trip towards Lightning Tower.
Session 362: Tower Defense
The group decides that with Farron's agreement, they should do some peeking around and make sure that the soldiers working with Farron are agreeable. While the group spies, Belit and Narok are led out by Hoko to investigate a dead body. They find a hole and head down to investigate, and are subsequently trapped inside, things go dark for them. Days pass and the soldiers and Farron begin to believe that Belit and Narok have gone MIA on them, so Juliet decides to make her presence known and in force.
Cersei volunteers to take over training the troops and the group tries to track down the missing duo, however, Wyrd mistakingly misses a scent on the trail and passes over a vital clue in finding out what is going on. The group meanwhile learns that the Lightning Tower itself is powered by four mana generators which draw directly from the leyline itself. They also learn, when fully powered, the tower's lightning can be aimed as far as the first southern town in Badelf to fry it crispy. When Ailee and Finn arrive and make their presence known, the group has no parents to present to Finn, only the promise they're still seeking them. However, just as the group is cluing in to check on the reactors which power the tower defenses, there's an explosion and three of the reactors are taken out. With the tower defenses offline, the forces of Badelf begin their invasion of Lightning Tower.
The group is divided, Farron taking Juliet and her guardians to the Tower to hide safely behind it's remaining defenses, James rushing to join her. The rest, Cersei, Mimi, Lia, Maka, Finn, and Wyrd move into battle, Cersei with Wyrd and Moira, while Lia, Mimi, Maka and Finn head for the southern gate. As they see the oncoming storm of flame weilding elves, Belit, Narok and Hoko, with a new elven companion are making their way out of their underground prison, coming up in a weapons shop, they find themselves joining the already under way as outside, though with Ailee having cleaned up many of those that would have attacked them on exiting, Cersei redirects her group towards a detachment of Badelf soldiers heading right for the tower.
Session 363: Sune Day
Jean's group sets out into the isle of Sune, seperating from the civilians and sending them towards the nearest city, they make their way inland looking for signs of the ore they seek. What they find is a strange rock surrounded by mutated moles, fighting their way through, largely thanks to the Ice Mole Army, the group is able to reach the rock and discover that it is infested with a power called Radiation in the past. Angel instructs them to create holy energy of the highest frequency, and Jean and Truth working together produce it, creating a dose for Butler to use on the rock.
Butler is attacked by a giant beast, the monster attacking, the others rush to help and taking some damage, they manage to down the beast and nuetralize the rock. After hours of excavating it and breaking it open, they are rewarded with half of the ore they need to complete the sword. However, as they do, a group of Enforcers show up, Mary, who was disguised as a peasent on board, turning out to be leading the other two. She makes the same demands they come with them to the Empire, and when the group again hesitates, she decides they want nothing of Jean and turns to go.
It is then that Seraphim speaks up and gets the group to think about their decision, how they are going to seperate themselves from the Empire by continuing to hide. And Truth decides she has had enough and declares she's going, Rachael and Leruste accompany her, Butler, Fi and Thayer joining them as well, Gemane follows after them, the new split group sets out to join the Enforcers and go to see Jean, to clear up what Truth sees as a grevious error. This leaves Kaelan, Jubei, Lin, Future Jean and Umi, Seraphim, Asha, Gini, and the others to quest for the rest of the ore.
Session 364: Bad, Bad, Bad Elf
In Lightning Tower, the battles rage as Cersei, Moira and Wyrd hold the tower with some soldiers, they manage to take down a fire giant, who turns out to be an enchanted, core powered Ore Giant and Cersei, wounded, sends Wyrd to help those at the gates. In the tower itself, Farron levels the might of his tower at the elven city below them, without anyone there to give justification for a better target, Juliet is powerless to tell him to stop. Lia, Maka, Mimi and the others find times hard when an explosion rocks the street they're on as munitions begin to catch fire, as another Fire Giant comes in at them, Wyrd joins their forces and helps them take down the giant.
Narok and Belit, with Hoko, Ailee and the elven companion they picked up, sneak through the elven town when Ailee senses the lightning tower building, she warns them they have ten minutes, and Belit's need for heroics sends Ailee into the town to help the innocent evacuate while the rest head for the gates, where they battle through a legion of soldiers and a commander to get to the gates, time running out, they are forced into a hole with the commander by Hoko as they escape the shock and down below they find elven refugees helped by Ailee, who dies saving the last one.
In the next meeting, decisions have to be made as to what they will do next and Cersei strongarms Farron into Juliet's interests while Belit and Narok are busy seeking out Ailee. The groups settle in to relax only to find a short while later that Juliet and James have been kidnapped by a male caster general of the elves, the Phoenix.
Rica's group, currently headed for Lightning Tower, after meeting up with Monica Seacrest and giving her warning, Monica makes her own way off to help Juliet. The group has headed south after deciding the path will meet the most other people, continuing their mission even if there's the chance that they've already failed it. Witnessing a battle where the forces of the McTreggors reduce an Royal Crown army to rubble in a mere twenty minutes, Rica bravely approaches their leader, Revoia, and her new companion, a very much begrudged Umi.
Failing to establish a dialogue, Revoia leaves with the idea that since she works with Umi, Jean would never back her anyway, the anger of a woman scorned. Moving on, the group resumes their trip towards Lightning Tower.
Session 365: Clashings Part One
In an undisclosed location; James and Juliet find themselves locked up in separate cells, they needn’t wonder who took them or why as they soon are greeted by their captors who quickly set about the task of extracting information from the princess in a variety of horrifying ways, knowing the princess cannot take the kind of abuse James quickly offers up as much information as he can, how much of it is true remains to be seen. However their sadistic captors continue to torment Juliet as they try to find out her name, as she's been seen with Farron. Sadly both the princess and her knight offer up contradicting information. It seems this torment will continue.
Two days later, The residents of Lightning Tower Town are waging a battle on two sides as not only a large platoon of over four thousand strong Badelfs come with Ore Monsters and Behemoths following in toe, come to lay waste but McTreggor's Serpent Queens attack from the sky, Umi seen in their company and fighting. With Lightning Tower and the rest of the town still reeling from its previous fight it is quickly becoming a one sided fight.
Nevertheless, Farron does his best to use the tower to attack their enemies where they cluster, while it does come at the cost of a few lives from those on their side, Lia tries to persuade Farron to not do this in the heat of battle arguing over morality of his tactics. Farron never relents trying to use the last of the mana to take care of those at the base of the tower. Lia prevents him from taking the last blow as the mana runs out.
Farron reels, ready to strike her but soon turns his attention to the fire and screaming below, a fatal mistake on his part as he and the other civilians on the lower levels are roasted by a fire behemoth and now roasting the supports. Umi and Revoia reel needing the tower, Umi leaps off her serpent queen to fight it, as Revoia calls after her.
Outside the city, Rica, Simon and company reach the outskirts of Lightning Tower Town, looking forward to going to an Inn for a proper rest and to enjoy welcoming company for the night, however to their horror they soon see the blazing inferno that is the remains of the city. Rica tries to rush in for help but her company urges her not to, since the tower is full of volatile equipment and likely could explode with them inside should they consider entering, almost prophetically from the distance a loud explosion rocks them.
Simon is nearly consumed by a passing serpent queen, Rica, Scarr, Sal and the rest try to free him, Scarr tossing a poor horse to free Simon. The serpent queen drops him.
On Amatsune; Ama and Jean both discover what has happened, Jean and her posse begin to leave the island.
Future Jean, Umi, and their group reel as Jean begins to vomit and cry as she too feels the effects of that has happened to their friends in Lightning Tower Town, as they scramble to leave they are surrounded by demons, their leader a member of the Cadre.
Session 366: Clashings Part Two
The final five minutes, while Umi rages below, fighting the monster trying to topple the tower, Lia urges Cersei and Wyrd in their need to get out of the tower. Wyrd changes into a Wolf and with the two on her back, leaps out for a Serpent Queen, using gravity powers, she manages to grab on and the three fall down with the Serpent Queen, the plummeting Belit getting caught up with them.
Moira and Mimi are drawn into a fight with Revoia as she grabs them up to flee the explosion. On Serpentback Mimi faces her mother down and the two fight, the result leaving Moira and Mimi unconcious and carried off. The party on Serpentback back in town find themselves carried back into the tower, the creature Umi's and desperate to get to her. The creature gets caught in the rigging of the elevator and they have to cut her loose. Outside, the remaining group members that were on the ground find themselves overwhelmed, as the Elves, prepared for the explosion, pull up shields. The group in the tower just manages to clear it and force a Serpent Queen up as the explosion occurs, Lia shielding them with magik of her own.
All goes dark for Juliet's supporters.
Meanwhile, Truth, Gemane, Leruste, and Rachael play witness to the harbors of Sune being overrun by Demons. The party on land finds themselves surrounded and it is Kaelan who leads the group from engaging in a fight with so many powerful demons with the children still with them and in danger. She attempts to parley with them, and discovers the demons surprisingly agreeable, if the group opts to surrender. On condition that the kids be allowed to leave and those that stay with the heroes be protected, the group agrees, and they are taken away on ship.
Days later, they arrive in the Demon Realm, where they are shown to a fine manor and asked to leave and not wander off, not that any of the team is so inclined as to try such. They have been outfitted with strange suits not too unlike those from the old Empire, to give them sustenance in a realm they will be unlikely to find any, Seraphim seems to be empowered here and starts to speak to the Vampires more, the group is made to wait to meet the head of the Cadre.
In the new Empire, Truth, Gemane, Leruste and Rachael disembark with the red haired Enforcer, and only now does Truth's sibling make herself humanlike to speak to Truth, seemingly coming to trust her. Their first meeting is cut short however, as accusations come from another Enforcer that the reason the Angel has fallen ill is because of the hesitation from the Marked in coming. Hearing she is ill, Truth forces her way through the crowd to find Jean still reeling from the feelings of those in Gelus experiencing terrible pain and vanishing in the Mark. Her sickness is forgotten quickly however at the sight of Truth.
To everyone's shock, Truth especially, Jean embraces her in a kiss and pulls her close, as though lovers. Jean leads them to the palace, showing them what she was given and offering them fine rooms, offering her own bed to share with Truth, who continues to reel from this 180 in attentions, and the conflict of knowing Jean's future with Umi.
In Gelus, in an unknown place, at an unknown time, the followers of Juliet awaken to be thrown into cells, their wounds unhealed, their powers sealed. They face a tormentor, the woman to break Juliet, Wyrd begins to rant and rave at the woman, causing only to get herself shocked and hurt as she taunts, while Lia tries to keep calm and centers herself, hoping the others will take the lead.