Act 1: Choices
Phase 0: Transitions
Phase 1: Choices- Phase 1.1: Prophecy
- Phase 1.2: War
Phase 2: Divisions
Phase 3: Quests- Phase 3.1: Tides
- Phase 3.2: Destiny
Phase 4: Darkness
Phase 5: Light- Phase 5.1: Searching
- Phase 5.1.2: Events
- Phase 5.2: Headway
- Phase 5.3: Truths
Phase 6: Changes
Phase 7: Hunts
Phase 8: Preparations
Phase 9: Prophecies- Phase 9.1: Holy
- Session 226: Whirlwind of Activity
- Session 227: Jungle Warfare
- Session 228: Vows
- Session 229: Jungle Beat-Down
- Session 230: Holy Ruination Part 1
- Session 231: Holy Ruination Part 2
- Session 232: Holy Ruination Part 3
- Session 233: Aurica's Story
- Session 234: Imperial Research
- Session 235: Noble Trouble
- Session 236: Imperial Problems
- Session 237: Gods Don't Save the Queen
- Session 238: Imperial Plans
- Session 239: Imperial Plots
- Session 240: Noble Goals
- Session 241: Noble Border
- Session 242: Imperial Strikeforce
- Session 243: Manus
- Session 244: War At Navarro
- Session 245: Imperial War
- Session 246: Imperial Convergance
- Session 247: What a Pain
- Session 248: Threads of Fate Part I
- Session 249: Threads of Fate Part II
- Session 250: The Chance At PAX
-Phase 9.2: Night
-Phase 9.3: The First Trinity
Phase 10: Godwar
Phase 11: Others
Act 2: Consequences
Mini Series: Heart of Terra
(will come back to this)
Session 226: Whirlwind of Activity
The group gathers together to determine their next actions. Anne lays down her idea for a second goal on top of retrieving the Holy Rune. She decides the second force should go out and attempt to stop the Emperor from taking over the world. The group gathers their things and boards Ulieah, first heading to Nuege, where they meet up with Lenneth, Kaelan and Mercy and leave Zeal, Zuzu, Haru and some others there for safe keeping before heading out the next day. Heading to Islen, the group drops off those who will be taking back the Holy Rune and then flies off again, the remainder using Ulieah for the journey to stop the Empire.
The Empire group heads out and picks up the Hope, dry docking it in Ulieah, adding the ship's crew along with Mia, it's captain, to the team. They then head to the elven forest and after a bit of searching, find Seth in the trees. He guides them in and the group learns that the Extermination Squad is still at work. Seth offers them the choice of migrating the elves or coming down to help with the Templars. The group decides to help exterminate the Exterminators, and hops down to join them.
After gaining entry into Islen through deciet and trickery, Jean's group all manage to get through posing as Hunters and slaves. Truth begins to bug Aschae to contact Sia when she finds she can't get a feel on her, and trying, Aschae finds her, but not to her liking. Somehow, Sia is blocking them from the mark, and feeling in a little, Aschae discovers why, Sia's mind has altered, it's more in line with the High Priestess now, having changed over a few days. The group meets and considers this, realizing they need to rescue Sia, especially after finding a note that says Charles has tried to sneak into the Temple to get closer to Sia to watch her. Not knowing his fate, they consider if Sia's rescue will now interfere with their plans, their scout lost to them.
Truth brings up the point that if they fail to get the rune, they can always try again, but if Sia dies, she's gone for good. They all agree that they will be careful, and begin to make plans.
Session 227: Jungle Warfare
The group leaps into the trees, Seth climbing up and guiding them down to the jungle floor. Here he fills them in a little more on the war effort and begins to lead them to the Elven camps. Along the way they are ambushed by a Sabertooth and manage to injure it, it runs off with Crim's spear and they head after it. Tracking it to a cave, the group contributes to the slaughter of a pack and then expresses their disdain over the act, Seth attempts to control on of the survivors and Lucky hesitantly kills it. Seth then finds a hidden Sabertooth cub and takes it, while Anne questions him on being able to care for it, Seth says even trying is better then leaving it to die.
The group heads on and finds Kohna amidst a pile of dead Templars, her gut stabbed through with her own sword. Managing to get her down, Gemane and Nephilim keep her alive as they rush towards the base. Getting there, all three are treated while the rest of the group aclimates to the new surroundings. Resting till their companions are ready, they talk and prepare for all out war.
Date: 2.07.2390
Getting ready to go out, the group learns that a man named Todd has gone missing. Having to assume the worst, the group assumes he's defected to the Templars and their location is now compromised. Assuming of course, he got around all of Seth's traps. Seth manages to stop the Elves and Humans from fighting one another and get ready to defend, and the group heads out to check out locations to scout. Finding one that has monsters they can use, poison flowers and a nice cliff edge to defend, the group readies for battle.
Session 228: Vows
Deciding to save Sia before the High Priestess could learn of who she really is and try to use her against Jean, the group makes their way to the Temple. Leruste, Belle and Moira are chosen to sneak into the base carrying Truth, Wyrd and Narok respectively as backup. The group enters the Temple dressed as Priestesses, but Ler klutzes out and gets captured, dragged off to see the high priestess. Belle and Moira make their way inside but not without setting the entire place on alert, cornered, Wyrd takes human form and manages to convince the soldiers, at least temporarily, that they're a bunch of lost girls.
Being taken to the High Priest, he decides they're legit and sends them on their way, and they wind up heading to the High Priestess with an escort, when they arrive they find Leruste stabbed through the gut with Truth in her blade form, stuck, and the High Priestess holding Sia's leash, knowing fully who she is. Outside, the Empire launches their strike against Islen, Pupumi goes to the harbor to fight evil, while the others wait, wondering what to do next.
Session 229: Jungle Beat-Down
Setting up for their ambush, the group finds themselves the ones ambushed as metal shots fly in for them, squads of heavily armed Templars step into the battlefield and begin to assault their battle ridge and the trees they laid in wait in. As soon as they cross in, Seth stirs the monsters and sends them out, but his plan to bring L out after them backfires when the monsters focus on him. Seth is able to escape just barely with L's gauntlet and goes into the trees to start taking out the ones on him commando style.
Moira, Cersei and Anne begin to take on troops in the tree cover as Butler, Lucky and Crim deal with those on the Ridge. Lucky turns a grenade on the troopers, causing them all to go up in flames, Crim, Butler and Lucky thankfully only burning, Crim uses his powers to toss himself and them in the nearby lake to cool off as the battle turns bloody for Cersei and Moira, Anne forced into the flowers. Butler lights up the spreading poison flowers sending a wave of poison gas out, then selflessly runs into the cloud to bring Anne out.
Seth, Crim, Butler and Lucky are left to help end the fight Moira and Cersei are stuck in, Anne slightly out of it from the posion. The group makes their way back, realizing not all the Templars came to them, and find the colony in one piece, Ty standing over dead Templars.
The group heals up and starts sending Ulieah down to evacuate themselves when fires begin to spead over the forest. The Elves having made their way out. Moving to board, the fire stops, possibly due to a god, and an Elite Templar attacks the group. He makes it onto Ulieah and heads for the bridge, stopped due to Seth warning Mia to close the doors.
Seth, Lucky and Crim duke it out with the Templar, killing him, and the group takes off. The group heads away from the forest to lick their wounds and decide to head to Braze next for answers. They decide to wait 3 days to heal.
Session 230: Holy Ruination Part 1
Faced with a slave Sia and the High Priestess, the group made no sudden moves and were sent down to the dungeons after pretending to agree to help her find the Angel, Sia oddly not able to use her mark to find her. Down below, they found Charles, and the General sent to watch over them began to order their executions when they began claiming to be friends of the attacking Empire. Wyrd managed to get the group and templars in the cell to stop fighting long enough to talk sense to the General, but as the General began to stand down and turn off a trap, three of his templars turned on him and stabbed him in the back.
The team busted out and took them down, with the aid of the remaining Templars, gainnig a temporary truce. Battered and bruised, the group had to then sneak back upstairs to get to the priestess, where they found Sia on a bed and a figure in the dark taunting them. Belit took out the figure with a dagger only to find it was an elven hostage. The Priestess gave them parting words, thanking them for the latest propoganda image to undo the dissent they'd been creating.
Sia was awakened with a kiss and brought back to her mental state, and after the group fought off some demons to save a priestess girl, they took a secret passage out. Learning that Aschae, Rachael and Jean had gone off to get the rune, they now must decide what to do themselves as Holy and Dark blasts rain down between the armies.
Session 231: Holy Ruination Part 2
The group began to make their way to safety while Amazo, the Emperor, and the Arch Bishop caused massive panick and mayhem. Charles ran off with Sia leaving the rest to their own devices. Leruste ran off to save the kittens while the others made their way into the sewers. Wyrd and her charge were captured and Bel went to save them. Making their way undeground, the group ran into Pupumi who had led some refugees along.
Soon, the group found a spot where they felt Wyrd and Bel and collapsed the ceiling above them to bring them down, along with some refugees and demons. Fleeing the demons, the group raced along and eventually ran into Sia, who brought molten gold down on the demons to stop them. They learned from her that she lost Charles, who stood his ground to let her escape a pack of demons. They then made their way underground to the gates, where they helped the refugees escape and saved a Templar from three Elite demons.
Joined by Revi, they learned that a new prophecy emerged where they were all about to die. Concluding that not going to Jean's aide was the cause, the group formulated a plan to get to her and aide her in the battle with the Arch Bishop. Teleporting in on D, they crashed into the city right by Amazo, who got distracted trying to stop them. Revi helped the group leap to the secret entrace on E, while Bel and Moira ran there on C.
The distraction led to Amazo being hit by a strange power by the Emperor. The group now enters the Palace, where they rush to the aide of Jean, Aschae and Rachael, who fight to get the Holy Rune from the Archbishop.
Session 232: Holy Ruination Part 3
Making their way up the tower, Sia's squad finds themselves fighting a group of elite templars. Attempting to escape the first group, Sia tosses a GOlem at them and forms a hole in the ceiling, but as the group rises, more Templars are waiting for them, chopping into them for heavy damage, injuring Revi's arm, stabbing Truth's neck and cutting into Sia's pregnant belly. While Sia freaks and tries desperately to heal her possibly slaughtered child, Truth rallies herself and starts fighting for ground, Revi falling back, Moira and Narok moving in with deadly efficiency. Sia regains her thoughts enough to heal the group and seal the hole the Templars are trying to force them down, and the group overpowers and kills the Templars after a few deadly moments.
Rising higher, the group reaches the site of the battle Jean, Rachael and Aschae were a part of to find Jean gone, Rachael dying and Aschae little more then a burnt husk about to die. Sia heals the two up and Narok uses his dark powers to destroy a holy barrier, the group moving on. Where they find a God General leaving with their elemental runes, the Arch Bishop standing before them with the runes of Light and Darkness. The group then battles through waves of energy to cut the Light Rune from his hand and allowing the Dark Rune to consume him. The Rune cracks, and Narok tries to absorb it to stablize it, vanishing into it. Out of it pops Jean, reborn after the Arch Bishop supposedly destroyed her body. Sia puts the Holy Rune into her to create balance and the group hops on a teleport pad that the God General used, just in time to avoid Amazo destroying the palace.
The appear in a metal room, the party reunited, and find that opening the door causes air to vanish, using an air bubble the group is able to save themselves and close the door. Sia repairs a bunch of torn space suits and they put them on, exiting to find they are ON the glittering itself, Tareh in the sky above them. They chase after the God General to another metal building, and going down it, they find themselves in the base of General Cheryl and her team. Here Sia tries to explore, but Jean is rushed along to find her runes and she doesn't get to see much, except for tripping Eluere's security systems.
They find the God General trying to destroy the runes on a destroyed teleporter pad. And the group fights her. managing to get half the runes back, the group rallies just as DiMantha appears to gloat and try and take the runes. They learn the God General with a Mash is a woman, and the voice familiar, they fear it might be General Cheryl herself. Just as things look grim, DiMantha senses Gartareh's return and teleports out with 'Cheryl'. The group recovers the runes, and with a self destruct sequence running, they take the only teleporter left to them, coming out in Nuege.
2.05.2390
The group is ordered to rest for a week to recover, so damaged and near death that Sia and Aschae can't even restore mana properly. They agree and begin to plan on what to do, with the Runes finally with them, but Gartareh, King of the Gods, back.
Session 233: Aurica's Story
1.29.2390
Aurica and Rica depart from the Angel's group to go out on their own, when they are attacked by a spear. Rica pulls Aurica out of the way of the attack and they find it was Naja, she claims to test them, but Rica shows distrust with her over the attack. Naja asks what Aurica will do now that Umi, who she called Aurica's "dog", has left her. She decides to head for Braze.
1.31.2390
When they arrive, Aurica and her new followers find the city of Braze under enslavement. Naja finds a shining metal gauntlet and putting it on, summons an Anima, with it she is able to fight Imperial troopers while Aurica secures a boat and Rica leads the slaves onto it. The run to the ship and as they do and try to get away, a flash of light comes over them.
2.1.2390
Aurica, Rica and Naja awaken with the slaves out in the ocean, stuck on a course, but safe from the Empire. The ship chugs along as a pirate vessel nears them. Here they meet Libet and her father, a large pirate captain. The three surrender the ship without a fight in exchange for food and freedom for the slaves when they land the ship. Libet agrees and steers them on. On the boat among the slaves is an Azuha, who they determine to be Reyj's sister. Guilt falls over Aurica and Rica as they tell her what happened.
2.4.2390
The ship nears a port city on the Sinai Continent. As they near, they pass an odd Templar ship with Imperial Technology. The fat guardsman on it declares them imperials and orders an attack. The group races for the docks, chased by the ship and soon attacked by the shore guard thinking it an invasion. They manage to crash the ship into the docks, where the refugees can get off. Rica and Aurica swim to shore and sneak into town while Libet helps the fat man's prisoner, Leruste, escape from Ial, his other captor. The two, joined by Reyj's sister, flee into the city.
The group meets up in the poor section, the three still being chased by Ial and Eamon, which causes Rica to show visible annoyance with Leruste. They manage to get some horses with gold that Rica stole, and head to the richer district, where they get supplies and rest at an inn waiting for nightfall. Finding an ambush waiting, the group rides to escape the town, barely making it without much injury. Riding into the fields for a couple hours, they agree to make camp. Here the group talks to Leruste who seems set on coming with them, despite the risk he might create by being with them.
Rica promises to end Leruste's life if his careless need to stick with them endangers her Aurica. The group rests, and plans to find Oas.
2.6.2390
Finding Oas, and leaving Leruste with Libet 3 miles away, Aurica, Rica, Naja and Reyj's sister approach and Aurica tells the people of Oas the truth about Reyj, how she was innocent, and how she died a hero. Afterwards, with Reyj vindicated, Aurica offers her life to the sister, who doesn't immediately take it. Now, with no goals to continue on, Aurica wonders on what she will do next. Autumn appears and offers her a path, guidance to cover a prophecy in the future where Aurica and Lorelei will have to face one another over the future of Tareh. Aurica turns her down, choosing to take this information and make her own way towards that moment. Seeming to loose their Azuha companion, the group mounts up and begins to ride away from Oas. Aurica thanks the two for being her "dogs", or loyal friends. We hope.
3 Miles away, Ial seizes Leruste and Belit agrees to help her and Eamon bring him back, for a reward. They begin to construct some other plans as well, bad plans.
Session 234: Imperial Research
Landing a mile away from Braze, Anne takes her group to explore Braze and try and get an idea as to what they're up to. Approaching they find signs of a recent struggle and slaves more battered then they might be expected to be. The City ist slowly being convereted into black buildings. Determining there are too many guards, the group looks for an easier way in. While doing so, they see a figure approaching the city in a cloak, Ty rushes after it, and others begin to follow, soon leaving Crim, Butler and Moira alone.
While Crim's group wades and braves the shallows, the others chase the figure deeper into the city. They determine they need some armor, some samples of the plants, and the army's plans in order to get what they need. Following the girl into a building, they overcome a guard and chase her into a planting room, gaining the armor and plants they need. The group then chases the girl on through the city. At the same time, Crim, Butler and Moira damage the docks and sweep the soldiers into the water, running from the enemy ships into the city. Their passage to the others is covered when Amazo, accompanied by Winged ships appears and begins to decimate the city.
The group heads into a large building, the command center, and chase the girl, convincing her to move with them as they are low on time. They fight a group of guards and rush up above. While most of the group finishes the guards, the girl and Seth reach the top and deal with the enemy commander, who nearly slaughters them until the others arrive. Moira gets injured and just as she's getting healed, Amazo himself steps in and tries to capture her. THe group gets free, joining forces with the imperial for a moment. The girl runs with the documents and the group high tails it just before Amazo destroys the building. They rush from the city but are stopped by a giant Amazo. He moves to crush them when Nephilim uses her power to recall them to Ulieah's Lightstone. Seth orders Ulieah to take off and the girl tries to escape from the ship's hatch. Seth stops her and the girl identifies herself as Shae, the girl they met previously. Being forced to wait for them to release her, the girl declares them her enemy.
The group reviews the plans, and chooses to go after high priorities to unsettle the imperial forces. As they make the plans, Gartareh's voice fills their minds, as it does everyone on Tareh, he announces his return, rats out Nuege's Angel involvement, and promises a giant reward to any help to toppling the Angel.
Sessions 235: Noble Trouble
With mounting issues with the Nuege Nobles, Jean and her group are hesitant to leave, but having people stuck in Islen is an issue they cannot ignore. Lenneth sends them through the Light Stone to a monastery north of Islen. They find a new monastery being built nearby, led by Sia's former captor. The group sneaks past and uses Anima D to start teleporting closer to the city. As they get close, a monster phases in front of them and slams D out of escape. The group then spreads out, using Anima C and E as well to battle the winged monster. The battle is joined by Umi and Ailee, leading the refugees away from Islen. They take down the monster, but not before becoming battered. And soon they are able to rest. They make camp with the night mounting and plan to use the Anima to bring the refugees back. With Leruste unfelt in the city, Rachael tries to leave the group to find clues.
The group stops her, knowing Islen will be suicide to approach at the moment. Sia hesitiantly agrees to retreat, even without Charles being found among the others. The group heads back in the morning, using the Anima in groups, and knocking out Rachael who plans to escape them to get to Leruste. IN the mists that have grown overnight, they are able to sneak past the monastery's watch, however, they find a Templar waiting for them. It is none other then the one they saved outside Islen, and returning the favor, she takes the refugees to the monastery while the group goes to the Light Stone.
They heard the message from Gartareh, and choose to rush back to Nuege. When they arrive, they hear yet another message, as Gartareh's voice demands the people of Nuege turn over the Angel. The ground shakes with it and they move up when it finishes to meet Lenneth. They are directed to a side tower to stay in secret, Sia ordering samples of the noble's handwriting as she starts trying to identify the villains in their midst. Jean sneaks out later that night with Truth, Asche, Moira and Umi.
Sessions 236: Imperial Problems
Choosing to persue Butler's mad dreams of harnessing the power of evil plant life, the group heads out to northern Sinai, where they hope to find the samples of an herb they need to synthesis the plants they took from the enemy. Here they meet a man name Malik who offers to guide them. Going out into the wilderness and fighting some monsters, the group comes across a ruins that contains the plants they are looking for. Heading in and ignoring a way too tempting to be good for one's health pile of riches, the group navigates to the bottom where they find the plants.
Heading back up, they find a hidden chamber with a puzzle, Seth and Crim begin working on it, however, night is falling fast and the group makes a break back for town. Strapped for time, they take what they've found and make a note of the ruins for a later time. The plants allow Butler to synthesis a cure for the slave gel which the Empire uses, one weapon gained, but at what cost when diverting from the attacking fleets?
Sessions 237: Gods Don't Save the Queen
Departing Nuege in the night, Jean and her team of heroes, Umi, Truth, Wyrd, Moira and Aschae headed south. Where they fought a Dragon consumed in Darkness, averted catastrophy from Nuege forces fighting one another by destroying a weapon, and continue south. Narok and Belit have caught up to the group while Nephilim, Truth and Mira went to rescue Leruste, who is back, bond reformed, and plannig to head south after them with Rachael shortly.
Kaelan and Mercy have forged an alliance with the major houses that plotted against them, however, assassins seem to still be attempting to take down the Queen. Tired from two nights of many, many mark increases, Jean and her group have stopped in an ice caves. Where Umi has become the hero of the Ice Moles, and brought them all monster steaks to eat.
Sessions 238: Imperial Plans
Hoping to catch the Empire, the group went to Whet, a port city on one of the Island Nations. There they found a peaceful town and a good inn. But like all things that are too good to be true, the group learned there was a heavy Templar presence on the island, recovering some giant artifact from it's ruins. Deciding it was better to cut and run before they were surrounded, the group rushed to the ship. As they neared the Hope, a large group of Elite Templars sprang on them. Quickly diving onto the deck and weighing anchor, the group tried to escape when Templar Ships, and Amazo, intercepted them.
Calling in Ulieah to save them from Amazo's tidal wave, they nearly met their makers when the Empire showed up and started attacking. Cersei leapt overboard to attempt to get one of the Empire's devices. The team boarded Ulieah and Seth told her to run, stupidly also telling her to cloak. They discovered why it was stupid when beams from the heavens came down at the ship, decimating the fleets below. Escaping into cloud cover and readjusting their cloak, so the Gods couldn't track it, they headed out into the island itself, towards the ruins to investigate, while the fate of Cersei, and the device they desperately need, remains unknown.
Sessions 239: Imperial Plots
The Empire group picked up the ship they were promised by the Emperor, taking from it the device that may or may not protect them from being detected by the Church and the Gods. Just after getting it onto the Hope, the Empire's ship self detonated and sank, leaving the others to get back on board Ulieah AI and fly off for more adventures. The group then went and picked up Ruun and Revi, learning the Templar lady they helped died by execution just as expected, the pink haired elf girl "adopted" by Ruun. Nephilim found a street rat too and decided to make him her pet.
Sessions 240: Noble Goals
The group stopped over in Khar, where once the original followers of the Angel, Rachael, Kaelan, Zeal, Valen and Dahok helped the Angel overcome a plague that had leaked out into the town, uncovering Anima T and battling it. The town is now in ruins, the elves who were once slaves there having taken it over, they maintain the main inn building. The group is allowed to rest there for the night, but kept from exploring and finding out what the elves are digging up.
As they leave the next morning, something is rumbling and there seems to be trouble, but the group chooses to honor the request of the elves to leave rather then make enemies. They head to the mountains, where they hope to cross with minimal resistance. Rachael and Ler travelling with Rosetta, follow behind them, catching up.
Meanwhile in the other group, they have located the Empire Vessel promised to them and are about to launch the Hope out to investigate it, hopefully getting the stealth tech they so desperately need.
Sessions 241: Noble Border
Jean's team has entered Navarro after slipping past the border patrol. In slipping through, they had to kill a scout who turned out to be a 14 year old girl. While fleeing, monsters surrounded the group and Aschae threw the girl's corpse to them to get the group free. Now having approached the mountains, the group finds themselves having gone through an Navarran camp and a dig site, Truth presenting Hunter credentials to get them past and Aschae talking culture with the captain for an hour that everyone thought she was doing the hibbity dibbity with him during. Now having come to rest in a cave, the group readies to use Anima technology to pass quickly through the mountains, careful however, knowing a Lizard Queen has made it's lair there.
Sessions 242: Imperial Strikeforce
The Imperial Group headed to the Island Nations, acting on the knowledge that the Emperor sought 3 pieces of teleporter units for some plan to assault the gods. Ever working to disrupt this, the heroes used Ulieah to destroy a church tower and put the city on high alert just before the Empire attacked. Splitting up, a small group flew out with Ulieah to the sea to destroy any incoming imperial fleets that landed.
Meanwhile an infiltration group stalked into the city and waited for any Imperial Covert Teams to try and sneak off with the parts. Finding the statue that led to the hidden area, the group waited for the Imperials to emerge with the parts in question. Nephilim was then sent to pickpocket the item and the group walked off, the Imperials none the wiser that they had been hoodwinked... after trying to hoodwink the church.
Sessions 243: Manus
The group headed into the mountains, where they found a sign warning them not to proceed and saw a woman riding a dark infused dragon. Sensing a god, the group went up the trail and into a cave. Here they found a girl named Manus, the one they had saved from the inner mind of Manus Day. Together with her, they went through the cave's other side and navigated around traps, eventually coming out to Dei's lair. There they fought her and her dragon, Mira in C, Bel in E, and Pupumi being awesome. Aschae seeing a link between Manus and Dei, sacrificed Manus, weakenig Dei and allowing the group to kill her. The group then left after Truth buried some remains of Manus. The group then headed down the mountain. Jean has become withdrawn.
Sessions 244: War At Navarro
The last time we saw our group, they had navigated over the Desert, using Sand Worms and the help of the Gypsies. Along the way, feelings began to come out in the wake of 'the end' approaching. Umi asked Jean is Jean's heart was hers, however, Jean brought up Truth's feelings for her. Umi, feeling she could not stay with competing love, stated she would go find her own pack when it was all over.
3.13.2390
Getting to the fields after a mostly quiet ride from the past week, the group readies for possible resistance as they travel to the forest. Jean sends Umi north before they begin, where Aurica waits. Umi and Aurica are reunited, and Jean's heart is heavy with the loss of her puppy.
Sessions 245: Imperial War
When we last saw our group, they approached Matias, expecting another Imperial Attack, when they arrive, expending enegy for a fast travel, they find the city heavily under attack. Autumn helps defend the city with her people as they drop in using the Stone. Ty going ahead, Mia and Seth on their own as well. The others go to see the Bishop who tells them of the Darkness Prophecy and provides them a secret passage to the ruins containing the teleporters.
Amazo shows up and fights Autumn, then comes after the ruins, the group passes into the ruins where they find Aurica and her group running off with the parts, then must escape Amazo. Autumn provides them a chance to flee and they take it, making tracks, coming back after for those they leave behind. They have one day to get to Navarro, and Revi, defending Matias with Ulieah, has used all but 5% of thier power.
Sessions 246: Imperial Convergence
The Imperial group enters Navarro, trying to sneak past the guards becomes problematic when the Empire launches their attack on the city. The city itself is covered in a terrifying black shield, inside it's an eternal night with no sky. As the first group gets through, they find their powers stripped and cut off from the Mark, Seth is unmasked and strange crystals glow to indicate demonic presence. He and Lucky make tracks into the city while Moira and the others stir up the mob outside and rush the gates.
Losing the guards, the group meets back up in a Phan & Pher's tavern and inn where they make plans. One group goes to find Mana Crystals, veins of energy which will enable the group to use their magik and powers again, while the other group signs up for a tournament. The prize is Knighthood and a chance to meet the Queen. Hoping to get through to the Queen this way, Crim, Cersei, and Nephilim sign up and make plans to use a special poison to fake deaths if they're forced to fight one another.
The group meets back up and solifies their plans, the others, not going to the tournament will locate the teleporter parts and make plans to get it out of the Church's hands, and far away from the Empire.
Sessions 247: What a Pain
Approaching a river, Jean's group finds a lack of animal noises disturbing and Aschae reports that the water is strangely heavy. Determining that the water is dangerously poisonined, the group creates a birdge and crosses the water, only to find Templars approaching them. Hiding in the tall grass and behind rocks, they witness Di'Mantha herself appear to capture them. The Templars turn the field into an inferno to drive them out.
Just when things seem grim, Pariah appears with them and seems annoyed that they would walk into a trap. Seeing no other way out Pariah teleports them all to Autumn's base. Here they meet up with Thomas and some of the others who have gone over to Autumn's side. However, Di'Mantha is approaching and Pariah teleports them all back to the field, using her travel time to cover the tracks. They leave, accidentally, without their vampiric companion. Using Aschae's magick, the group moves through the fire and out away from the Templars. Running, they are met up with again by Pariah, who is severely wounded and beyond help.
He tells them that Di'Mantha killed nearly everyone and that he almost barely got away. Truth uselessly tries to heal him as monsters close in, smelling God's Blood. The group then has to struggle to carry Pariah's shockingly heavy body to a nearby village, hiding him from the sight of the villagers and taking shelter as Jean, Truth and Mara hold the monsters at bay. Pariah warns them about Parita's sister, the Gypsy, and that she's changed, different, and coming for them. He begs them with his dying breaths to not let her fall. He then dies. The group decides to burn his body to lay him to rest. Truth prays for a second time, giving a second god the rite of passage into the next world.
Yeger seems to claim Pariah's soul, though with him in hiding, the team can only wonder how.
Sessions 248: Threads of Fate Part I
The group sets out on two missions, starting together, they go to the Colluseum where the tournament participants begin to fight their way up the ranks. Moira taking out a giant man with a big sword, Crim facing off against a Ninja Girl. Cersei has no problem with her competitors, however, McTreggor appears to be in the roster, and he's taking no time to worry about putting on a show, slaughtering all he faces in single blows.
As the combatants continue, the rest of the group, minus Butler, head along the streets towards the palace to scout things out. Seth spots his Templar sister, Sally, who seems to have a strange ability to sense him out now and Seth leads the groups into the back alleys to avoid her. They move along quickly and find the palace walls too hard to scale without being spotted, determinig they need another way in, they head back to discuss options.
Moira faces her final challenge for the day, a young boy. He refuses to stand down and faces Moira, who uses the poison that Butler made to fake the boy's death. The others notice Kalo seems to be behind the boy's foolish attempt. Sneaking the body back to the inn, they allow the boy to wake up and he explains that his father helped Elves, and for that crim he was executed and his lands, wife, and children given to Kalo. The boy believes his daughter will kill herself. So the team sets out to correct this mess while Seth scouts out his old contacts and tries to find McTreggor.
The group confuses the guards and their dogs, sneaking into Kalo's manor and taking some of his stuff, they then sneak along towards Kalo's room where they find Kaelan's father guarding the door. Crim warns the group that Kaelan's father is a "Repentant", which means someone brought back from the dead and directly under the influence of a god. Noting this, they take advantage when there's a manly scream from the bedroom and Tam moves inside to investigate. Nephilim uses a Glowstone flash to blind the men and the group grabs the girls, further knocking Tam Di'neer out as they rush away, Crim having to pull Revi and her sword off Kalo, knowing that the man's death would put the city on high alert.
The group then runs from the mansion, helping a serving girl who is chained to a bed on the way. She thanks them and agrees to help them get into the castle as a reward, she being one of the Queen's handmaidens. The group returns to the inn and makes plans to send the family away and continue with the tournament.
Sessions 249: Threads of Fate Part II
Finding their way into the castle, the group made preparations to find the Queen and set up a token to teleport into the castle whenever they need. Disguised as Servants they manage to get up to the Queen's Tower, and with certain acrobatics make it into her chambers. There they meet Anora, a girl who isn't blinded by the Church, friends with Gypsy, and keeper of some interesting companions. The Queen suggests they kill the Bishop so she can take power.
Crim, losing to Cersei, is out of the fight and Moira and Cersei are left for the finals. The group meets and decides to help stage the coup, Cersei and Moira agreeing to slay the Bishop when they meet him, the others heading into the castle to make ready for battle.
Date: 3.15.2390
Entering into Meis, the group finds their powers cut out and the Mark interfered with... and hundreds of Templar Blades pointed at their hearts. They are escorted to a tent and held captive as Aurica and her people infiltrate the same camp and wait for nightfall to attack.
While they wait, the God General holding them presents them with trophies, the belongings of the Imperial group. He claims the skulls mounted on pikes around the camp once belonged to them. He then presents the traitor Queen Anora, saying she sold them out, offering her as a prize to Jean to kill.
Session 250: The Chance at PAX
The Templar Captain looks on in glee, expecting Jean to tear Queen Anora apart, when Truth drops a logic bomb. She points out that skulls do not rot so quickly, and the equipment is purely circumstancial, but reguardless, what the Templars want more then anything is a vision of Jean attacking Queen Anora. Stating she is too young to be attacked, and reminding Jean of the last innocent person they killed tied to a chair, the effort is ended, the Templar Captain slaps Truth in anger and walks off, leaving them with Anora.
Date: 3.09.2390
The team follows Anora towards the Bishop's section of the Palace. Nephilim alerts the guards and the team is forced to take them down quickly, however, the damage is done and the group is being chased by guards and Templars. The group follows Anora into a secret passage and then through it, winding up on the other side of the throne room corridor. There they are asked to delay for 7 minutes to allow Anora to spring her track. Seeing overwhelming odds, the group uses wildly erratic force, destroying walls and ceilings around them as they fight the Templars. The overcome them, however, the collapse the palace under them and fall into darkness and pain.
Date: 3.15.2390
Anora relates the events to the party, confirming that she doesn't in fact know if they survived or not, just that their failure caused her to be captured. The group begins to feel sorrow when Aurica tunnels up under them, providing the group with an escape route. Rushing into it and collapsing it behind them, they run along until Jean orders them to change direction, she wants to go down even further. Jean uses her powers and sends them down a slide of Earth into the PAX itself. Here they head down the passages and Truth learns that the chamber she was born in was on the PAX.
Here they are met by the Empire Group, who survived the fall into the depths and found their way back into the freed Navarro. Mira was made captain of the guard and some of the others returned to Ulieah while the rest of the group Lightstepped onto the PAX, needing it's machines to fix Ruun's spine, broken by the fall. The team reunited, they move onwards.
The group is stopped by the God General, who challenges them. Most of the group turns to fight while Jean, Truth, Rachael and a few others rush on. The battle is difficult, as the strongest of the God Generals faces them and challenges their convictions. Still they are able to overpower him, given aid at the last moment by Rosetta, who arrives with Autumn, Phoen and several others. The moment knocks the helmet free, revealing the God Geneal to be Rosetta's brother. Crim manages to destroy the device on his neck, when Butler takes the moment of weakness to put an arrow into his skull, earning the eternal ire of Rosetta.
The group reunites in CHIP's chambers, as he reveals Truth's origins and that he made her, and that all was going according to his plan. Far too close to his plans, as Jean revives the girl, named Chieko, he engages the next step. Using a protocol he placed in 'Jean' long ago, he takes control of the Marks, forcing Jean into a machine to be rewritten. The group learns that the Jean they know is Erica, a girl who was bound with 29 previous test subjects to produce an articifical Lorelei, allowing her to fulfill the plans Angela Bennet laid ages ago. Angela didn't count on CHIP going mad and making his own plans. But she did plan on the group that helped Lorelei to have the resolve to make their own choices.
Together they are able to turn off CHIP's control and free Jean, however, as one last parting gesture, CHIP messes with the Time Portal and sucks people into it, scattering them throughout time.
Stardate: 10-593.3.18
As the PAX studies the Ancient Gitari Ship, an Other Scout Ship appears in space and starts to attack the PAX. As it arms weapons and readies to destroy the ship, they alert Cheryl. Who at the same time is distracted and reads the message, as DWO Hybrids swarm the Mansion, attacking. Cheryl is caught in a blast and the DWOs land, turning on a device. Dragoons all other the world are struck apinfully as their energy is scrambled, causing their powers to malfunction. The other members of the Military Team shoot down some DWOs as they make their escape.
Cheryl is taken down to Medical, as Lorelei asks Miyuki to forgive her for what she is about to do. As Leyaeh destroys the Other Ship, Lorelei shifts reality, she alters the Dragoons, creating the Stigmata, forging the Dragoons from weapons originally meant to fight the Ridariums into weapons made to fight back the Others. The PAX Dragoons also feel these changes, however, the Guardians apparently experiencing a similar attack, do not. After empowering the Dragoons, Lorelei passes out, and hope is restored.