Babel - Chapter 4

This page is a recollection of the events of Chapter 4. Contained in this page will be an overview of the events of Chapter 4 and other relevant materials to Chapter 4 that may or may not be significant moving forward into Chapter 5.

Advent of The Fifth

With all Horsemen dead through one means or another, and The Horseman War finished, things should have been looking positive. Sadly, the trouble seemed to have only just begun. Thought at first to be a result of banishing the harbinger’s, a quake tortured the earth on the 9th of Arodus, though quite where it originated from was never discovered. What is known now is that this marked the unleashing of a seal and the march of The Fifth Horseman. On the 10th of Arodus, 48 IA, a mysterious figure on horseback, accompanied by riders of his own, took to the field near Babel. Avalia Naramoore, Carou, Delvar Starbreaker, Gwen Embergaze, Kanda, Luna Atreides and Ronda Azureleaf deployed to meet him, only to find that what battle might have been had would not even begin as they were all drawn into an unknown plane. There they met Thane who was unmasked as The Fifth Horseman, The Horseman of Final Death, being utterly forgotten. Whatever plan he'd hatched, it became clear that the failure of resurrection magic was his doing and, upon growing bored of entertaining questions, The Fifth drained the being of Ronda Azureleaf to fuel his machinations and partly drained the being of Gwen Embergaze before being 'struck down' by the tiefling. Freed of that plane and with Thane's corporeal form no longer present, the adventurers returned to Babel to discover that sightings of a strange warped angel were noted, descending into The Ghostlands.

What followed on the 11th of Arodus was an intermission in divine power among clerics, paladins and the like for nine days. It would later be discovered that this marked The Godfall, signaling the fall of almost all major deities to the planet of Chronus. In light of these events, one could be forgiven for thinking more would transpire in short order, but instead came an eerie and lengthy period of calm known today as the Five Years of Rest. Whatever The Fifth was doing, he seemed in no rush to do it, leaving the gods bereft of ideas as to how they'd fallen and of a way to address the matter.

The Five Years of Rest

During this period of calm and beyond the gods, unsure of how to proceed, mostly presented themselves as emissaries or possessed their greatest followers so as not to test their potential mortality. In doing so they integrated themselves into whatever society took their fancy. Sarenrae rather obviously took residence in The Holy Kingdom of Sarent while Torag, bucking the trend of subtlety, made his home in Dun Holvar and began bringing about its resurgence. Most, however, flew entirely under the radar either out of fear or in attending to matters not meant for mortal eyes.

The Endbringer Cult

The first signs of activity since the advent of The Fifth were within the distant Setlaar States with the steadily rising rumor of The Endbringer Cult. Supposedly dedicated to the end of this world and the birth of the next, The Cult mostly committed bombings, random shootings and other acts of terror with the aim of sowing discord among the states, as well as adding to its number through the use of resurrection. It was soon found that any being resurrected since The Horseman War began could be a sleeper agent for The Endbringers, leading to widespread prejudice against any that had previously experienced death whether founded or not.

It wasn’t until the 13th of Pharast, at the annual Setlaar Congress of Lords that the true threat behind The Endbringers was revealed. In attendance this year were the usual cadre of lords and ladies though, thanks to the machinations of Lady Bosu, so too were the Eterans Claire Veil, Cormick Thale, Gwen Embergaze, Loana Kis and Solaya, with Avalia Naramoore opting to attend this year as well. Towards the end of the festivities, Thane’s champion himself stormed the congress, the wanted terrorist Theo Jung, a literal man on fire. Seeking to strike fear into all in attendance he gave a short speech before launching a torrent of destructive energy at the group, only to have it blocked by the Operator Al’Akhir whose sacrifice would prove a defining moment in Setlaar history.

While the Setlaar mourned the loss of Al’Akhir, The Cult stepped up its activities, provoking a rather extreme reaction in turn from The Alinibal Court and the Setlaar Armed Forces. Weaponizing the loss of their Operator for political means, The Court justified the deployment of the 1st Abroad Fleet to Etera, aiming to penetrate into The Ghostlands to end both The Fifth himself and his champion, Jung. The Cult had thought of this already though and, with a great many agents in place, turned the fleet’s guns upon itself resulting in the greatest military disaster in Setlaar history. Tragic as this was, it did prevent their ulterior motive, the conquest of Etera, from coming to pass and furthermore forced the SAF into cooperation with the growing Eteran Crusade against the Ghostlands.

The Ghostlands

An artist's rendition of crusaders battling the undead in The Ghostlands.

Long had The Ghostlands been a sore upon Etera, but The Fifth Horseman’s new residency there was the last straw. Much of the discussion, wrangling and political movement to motivate seeking a solution to The Ghostlands took the largest part of The Five Years of Rest, but finally Etera was ready for a crusade. With a cause established, funding came easily with an initial fund of two million, one hundred thousand gold raised by generous donors and invested adventurers. All the while what became known as The Crusaders’ Council formed, with representatives from a great many interested parties ranging from the paladins of Fort Ragathiel to the ephemeral fey of The Wild Hunt. Even the Setlaar, reeling from the destruction of the 1st Abroad, ended up cooperating and, in doing so, giving a seat to the esteemed General Samaud of the Setlaar Armed Forces. Known either as the Ashfall Accord or The Renesal Crusade, depending on your perspective, this joint force was ready to resolve The Ghostlands once and for all, and flush out The Fifth.

The Chapel of Solace

While battling the undead was all well and good, The Crusade had more concrete and long term goals in mind, that of establishing a forward base. What used to be considered impossible, then looked rather more feasible given the Hollow influence on the otherwise mindless undead. Somewhere, unknown to them, The Ghostlands had focused its efforts on dealing with Thane’s incursion, meaning where once an impenetrable wall of undead might manifest there were, instead, victories to be had.

The first and most obvious site for this forward base was a location known as The Chapel of Solace. While adequate distractions were made, the adventurers Alester, Fa’asese, Ilvaria, Leon Zoro and Valerie were sent ahead to scout out the ruined chapel and determine its suitability on the 29th of Erastus, 54 IA. They were successful, but not without attracting the attention of Hollow agents in the area and needing to do battle with a more elite group of the Ghostlands Undead.

Still, the news was encouraging, they just needed a more elite force of their own. A few days later, on the 2nd of Arodus, 54 IA, this second foray was launched with the aim of purging The Chapel and making room for Crusade forces to begin fortifying it. Dur Hal, Fii, Lucca Rodenn, Rhad Hy-Wald and Yukiko Nikaido were supported by troop movements as they made their way in, confronting the undead there and laying low champions of their army. The assault a success, The Accord was able to bring a great many of its supplies and manpower forward, establishing an invaluable, if ultimately short lived staging ground.

A Village of Phantoms

With a far greater reach now than ever before, The Ashfall Accord was able to focus on targets previously beyond them, one such being a village, known for its apparitions, a ways off. Astire, Danti Duskcoat, Morrigan, Tsu-an Oriata and Zor-Kylo followed this lead and pushed through a force of undead in the area, confronted in the end by a holy ghost of sorts. Recognizing that they were not of The Verk Empire, the spirit offered to guide them.

When they were intercepted by dark spirits of The Fifth Horseman’s Hollow minions, treachery was suspected, but it was soon found to be a coincidence. These powerful fell agents made an offer to abandon the crusade and join their master, but were promptly turned down and retreated to observe and otherwise toy with their prey. The spirit then led them onwards, revealing to them a sacred tome with knowledge of relics dear to the Renesal Dynasty; a crown, a scepter and a ring. While vague, the importance of these relics was clear enough, along with the knowledge that the ring lay within The Temple of Iris.

Light in The Dark

With scouts reporting the presence of a great beacon of light, providing an impenetrable wall against the undead it was uncertain what might lay beyond. All further reports told of a powerful presence about it, of the undead amassed but unable to proceed, though another champion known only as The Stormcaller was proving the most deadly threat.

Knowing a simple adventuring party would not do, The Accord put out the call for a veritable raid to be assembled, supported as always by Crusade troops. Aldric Longbottom, Alloces Veil, Astire, Claire Veil, Cyrsessith, Elisabeth, Pyria, Terra Azureleaf, Ymir and Yuurei Shi lead the charge on the 15th of Rova 54 IA and, though the battle was something to behold, their grit and determination won out over the undead forces and they crossed the barrier without harm.

What they found was not some mere village or settlement, but The Temple of Iris itself, told of in the sacred tome recovered. Those living there, oblivious to the goings on of the outside world, were quickly brought up to speed and agreed to serve as The Crusade's new and far more secure hub going forward. Not just that, but the tome hadn't lied. The Temple did indeed house one of the relics spoken of in its pages.

The Ring

Learning from the Temple priests, the tale of the three relics were told, as well as their importance. Without them, the capital would remain sealed to them and the still heart of The Ghostlands beyond reach. The ring, in the possession of The Temple priests, had need of restoration and so an effort was launched to acquire both obsidian and a gem, symbolic of Iris' light. Both items proved relatively easy to locate, if a little challenging to retrieve with the obsidian sourced from still animate obsidian golems while the gem was wrenched from the innards of a great, dead worm.

Given that the ring, now restored, still powered The Temple's defensive barrier the priests remained loathe to part with it, stating that if the other relics could be had that they would bestow the ring on those that would break the seal and end The Ghostlands once and for all.

The Crown

Studying the history of Renesal, historians of The Crusade and Iris' temple priests determined the crown to be in the keeping of a Graven Knight located beyond a hidden passage in the northern city ruins deep within The Ghostlands. Astire, Crysta, Enoch V. Ito, Haru, Kalise, Pyrion Vesker and Yuurei Shi set out to reclaim it on the 25th of Abadius 55 IA, fighting past forces of the now alarmingly well adapted Ghostlands Undead until they came face to face with the knight, a champion in his own right. This adaptation applied to him too, making the clash both a deadly one despite the number on the adventurer's side. All the same, they triumphed eventually and brought back the crown. All that remained was the scepter, making all prior challenges seem minor by comparison.

Battle of The Western Wastes

Preparations

The last of the great artifacts left behind by the Renesal Dynasty, the scepter, was also the most contentious to retrieve. Said to be held in the clutches of mighty dragons to the far West of the Ghostlands’ territories, the progress of the invasion invariably crawled to a halt as the Crusaders’ Council debated on how best to approach acquiring the treasure. Scouts in the region that were deployed to survey the opposition noted an exceptionally large amount of undead that curiously held the symbology of the Verk Empire upon many of their armaments. With the knowledge that the Ghostlands would react with volatile retaliation to any massive displays of destruction, it was determined that the best possible means of retrieving the scepter would be to provide a distraction to this conglomeration.

To this end, Knight-Commander Saintsoul of Fort Ragathiel volunteered the sons and daughters of the General of Vengeance to the success of the mission, and sent Knight-Captain Erafell as well as an accompanied force of a thousand men, including cavalry, to the border of the forbidden region for the battle ahead.

Prior to the confrontation, the strategy employed by Erafell relied on the cooperation of four groups of mercenaries that would be deployed to different key regions across the wide expanse of the battlefield, entrusting the empowered individuals to deal with any undead champions that might appear to contest the areas.

The Waste Warden

The first group, composed of the adventurers Haruko, Orakoth, Willow, Incredibilis, and Haven Fueurmin, was to be sent to the ruins of what seemed like a large temple. There, and with the cooperation of a squad of Ragathiel soldiers and Paladins, as well as the usage of an artifact known as the Luminous Lens Cannon, they faced down the titanic undead Blue Dragon, Kastermourn.

The skies cracked above the battlefield with the storm of lightning that was elicited from the maw of The Waste Warden, and the clouds shook with the clash that took place high above the clouds and all throughout the area. Eventually with great bravery and skill, Kastermourn was cast down, cursing the name of all gathered, and swearing that his great mother Kalypsolda would devour them all.

With Kastermourn’s defeat, the group hereafter earned the title of ‘Stormbreakers’ from the soldiery of Fort Ragathiel, the Luminous Lens Cannon taken back to the Fort for an unknown purpose.

The Twin Legionnaires

The second group, composed of adventurers Vish Vepes, Zylfaerd, Liyanna, Cecile, and Yukiko Nikaido, was deployed to a large oasis in the desert that at one point had been utilized to secure fresh drinking water to the people of the Renesal Kingdom. Along the way they assisted Knight-Lieutenant Teris Bale and Knight Boagrius of Fort Ragathiel in driving back a fearsome horde of the undead, allowing the forces of the warrior cult to get a formidable foothold during the conflict. Continuing on to the oasis, the mystery of why dragons and undead Verk soldiers were to be located in the same place began to unravel itself, as they were met by two fearsome swordsmen.

The entities known only as the Twin Legionnaires fought with an usual grace that lacked the force of ordinary blows, and held within their grasp fanged swords that were later identified as Wretchblades. These swords, rather than rend just flesh, were made to combat the significant strength of mighty beasts by depriving them of their constitution and vigor, thereby leaving them easy prey. In other words, a perfect weapon for dragonslayers.

Though the Twin Legionnaires and the blood magic they employed sullied the oasis and nearly bested the group, through their combined efforts the crimson duelists were slain and their weapons claimed by an unknown force. Hereafter, the group garnered the title of ‘Bloodbane’ by the Fort.

The Half-Scorned

The third group, comprised of Serule Graves, Maldrik Shiarza, Lucca Rodenn, and Niriel, was assigned to a ruined tower close by the maw of where the scepter was said to be located. As such the area saw some of the thickest fighting of the battle, with every effort being made to draw the undead horde away. After assisting Knight-Lieutenant Illinore Reylis and her retinue of knights against a frightful force of undead cavalry, the group pushed onward and were surprised to encounter but a singular figure surrounded by the injured and dying of Ragathiel soldiers that had made it that far.

Much to the shock of those present, the figure took a moment to introduce himself as Mardin “Half-Scorned” Yulixis, Captain of the 57th Battalion deployed into Renesal lands under the command of Generals Oreneth and Flavius. With a grim personality befitting one accursed by undeath, Yulixis entertained questions about why the Battalion had been sent into the Ghostlands, commenting on how his purpose was to find and eliminate the brood of dragons that was located in the area the battle was currently taking place in. The overall purpose of the expedition however, of why Verk had come to Renesal lands in the first place, Mardin could not provide a competent answer, apparently the details having been withheld from him.

Eventually, the compulsion of the Ghostlands’ mysterious force drove Yulixis to engage the group and battle, and after a display of keen prowess and adequate merit, the Captain of the old Empire was brought low and the area secured. As a result of their victory, the group earned the title of “Scornslayer.”

The Waste Queen

The final group, brought together with proficiency and haste, was composed of Astire, Sera Sage, Terra Azureleaf, Ashley Naramoore, Delvar Starbreaker, and Haru. Sent into the heart of the conflict with the requirement to retrieve the scepter from the source of the brood’s activity, they were accompanied by a group of Crimson Aspirants led by the mysterious Knight of Metal. Though the escort group suffered heavy casualties, the Aspirants nonetheless proved disturbingly effective against the malicious, and ill-raised draconic entities that assailed them.

Reports were provided to authorities in Fort Ragathiel that inside the cavernous maw of the brood’s lair, was a great wyrm that proclaimed herself to be Kalypsolda, Suzerain of Talvantis, a long dead kingdom of Eteran origin. What transpired inside the cave, no one but those who went in are sure, but soldiers near the general area stated that they could feel great tremors rip through the ground, as if the world itself was shaking.

Whatever the result, the adventurers emerged with scepter in hand, at last completing the trio of Renesal artifacts, and allowing the forces of Fort Ragathiel to at last retreat from the field in victory.

Trials and Tribulations

While the Crusade forged ahead, the supposed terrorist organisation Tribulation March sprung into action, fighting a shadow war with The Endbringer Cult while investigating more practical ways to slay Theo Jung.

The Echoes of Hylja Boer

One promising lead pointed to Jotnar, afflicted by an unending cold as a result of Theo’s actions there prior to taking the mantle of Thane’s Champion. Seeing an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, The March employed the aid of Alloces Veil, Ashley Naramoore, Claire Veil and Loana Kis to transport and use an experimental god-killing weapon attuned specifically to the essence of Inkariax, the being directly responsible for maintaining the pall of deadly winter and for locking the fires of rage within Theo. Though they succeeded, slaying the Velstrac equivalent of an Empyreal Lord and freeing Jotnar from the curse of winter, it was not without cost as their guide turned out to be Jung in disguise all along. A brief fight ensued, almost obliterating Ashley, before both sides disengaged and Theo fled. What was learned, however, was that some hint of sentimentality remained with Jung, perhaps enough to exploit.

The Sons of Sand

Back at Fort Alliance, the SAF are managing a war on two fronts with their contribution to The Ghostlands and the increasingly more overt efforts of The Endbringer Cult back home. In an effort to combat a sinister plot by The Cult, Commander Benedict DeChance, of the SAF’s 'Sinful' 66th Repentance Battalion, employed the aid of adventurers Isabelle Zoradyne, Lucca Roden, Rhad Hy-Wald and Saint Jacob to venture to The Draconic Range in Eatash Alram and prevent the acquisition of a powerful artifact by The Cult that would potentially prove catastrophic for the local God of The Alrimal, Zaeed Abadi, The Son of Sand. After fighting their way through an ancient tomb to get to it, they arrived too late to find The Cult, with a resurrected and hollow Operator Al’Akhir, already having claimed it. With no other option the adventurers were able to shatter it, preventing the enslavement of Zaeed but also releasing the ancient and evil demi-god Yakuul, The First Son of Sand and servant of The Great Hunger. In a tense stand-off both sides attempted to convince the hungry demi-deity to abandon the other, but he ultimately left to explore how the world had changed on his own terms.

Madinat in Flames

Pilots got a good view of the destruction during their recon or transport assignments.

As the Crusade on Etera neared its climax, The Cult, knowing full well that their master would soon be exposed, put into action their ambitious endgame plan. Spurred on by the orders of their master’s champion, The Endbringer forces rose up within the Setlaar city of Madinat on the 4th of Neth 54 IA and put the city to flame and ruin with several surgical bombings and an impressive display of force. Casualties were high, not to mention the damage to buildings and infrastructure. Those that could flee went to Blue Ring or beyond where they found shelter, while others remained trapped in what was effectively a warzone. Those SAF forces that could be spared engaged in bloody battles throughout the city, Operator forces seemingly still focused on The Ghostlands themselves. In need of aid, the Setlaar once again turned to Eteran adventurers for aid and were not left wanting.

Deployed to deal with rallied bandit forces, the heroes Eichi, Haruko Nezumi, Haven Fueurmin and Vish Vepes were recruited and deployed to the residential and downtown districts where their efforts proved vital to expelling the murderous outlaws.

Meanwhile, Fa’asese, Isabelle Zoradyne, Liyanna and Vetra Whitemane were dispatched to the industrial district to aid a contingent of SAF troops in dislodging several groups of Endbringer Cult soldiers from key locations of importance. Without their aid, casualties among the SAF would have been far higher and the destruction yet more complete.

Finally, Ignatious Lumen, Lucca Roden, Pyria, and Rhad Hy-Wald took to the Noble District where the strongest of The Cult’s forces were, those of the Jundiin. Taking on the Court’s special forces, turned or not, proved no easy feat, but they too were victorious

These key victories effectively spelt the end of The Cult menace, though Jung remained at large, now returned to his master’s side. The brave heroes were all honored with an award, after which the Setlaar turned their full military attention back to The Ghostlands for the final push while picking up the pieces back home.

Sorrow on Siacros

Not all too long after the destruction of the Setlaar 1st Abroad, The Fifth’s forces began their dark works on Siacros, targeting the weaker and less established nations first with a mind to draw more souls to their master’s keeping.

The Scarlet Kingdom

With The Endbringer Cult firmly set on its task, Theo Jung found himself directed towards the waning Scarlet Kingdom, a fitting place to start. He may not have feared reprisal, trusting well in his overwhelming power, but delays could not be suffered all the same. So it was that with unrelenting force that The Champion of The Fifth brought his fury down on the kingdom of the damned, personally leading the more hardened and powerful hollow into more a slaughter than a war. All in all it would be mere weeks before the kingdom lay in ruins, the only survivors deep within the swamps of Bittermarsh or having fled entirely.

The Gilded Demesne of Abadar

Being a city dedicated to Abadar himself, Thane took a personal interest in the downfall of The Gilded Demesne, though this wasn’t the only reason. The enchanted vault that the capital city, Vault-upon-Chronus, was known for contained a great many riches and artifacts, invaluable to The Fifth’s plans in the long term. Once Theo’s work in the now ruins of Scarlet was concluded, he returned to his master’s side where they wove a life-ending incantation that cleansed the city in one, terrifying act.

The city now empty, Theo and The Fifth began trying to break into The Vault itself. Though Thane’s knowledge of magic was vast, Theo’s was not and the Vault withstood their combined might, unyielding. Without more time to spend on the matter, Thane vowed eventually to come back and finish his work and returned to The Ghostlands, leaving Theo with the task to continue scourging Siacros.

The Beylik of Karakol

Third on The Champion’s list was the desert nation of Karakol. Having gathered that they would be targeted in time, the desert folk had accelerated efforts to harness what they believed to be one of the unearthed Towers of Magic. They fell short however, Theo arriving too soon for them to activate the tower. Unlike with Scarlet, this was a matter for him alone and his might was devastating. Made even more spectacular by the scorching effect of his fiery powers on the desert sand, when Theo was done all that remained were smoking ruins and great fields of glass, a lasting testament to the power of The Fifth Horseman.

The Gods of Chronus

Throughout these events there went ignored a growing gap, left by Thane for his eventual and planned ascent to some new form of godhood. He wasn’t the only one capable of exploiting it however, even if others would do so unknowingly. Though many with more divine callings would feel an easing of their path, it would be a select few whose efforts had been most recognizable that would manage to cross over entirely into the realm of godhood. What wasn’t expected was just how it would work, what sort of gods they would become. Known now as The Gods of Chronus, these deities have their ties to the world itself and retain much of themselves beyond the apotheosis. Supremely powerful on Chronus, but fallen elsewhere, it would eventually prove critical for such beings to exist.

First among them was the tiefling inventor, Avalia Naramoore, rising as The Self-Forged Lady of Mithral and Goddess of Technology. Others would trail behind, though eventually Zaeed Abadi, The Son of Sand, and Ronda Azureleaf, The Mistress of The Tide, would take their own places following Thane’s defeat. Others, proto-deities, linger still, not quite ready to stand truly tall among their peers just yet though the way remains open as a gap Asmodeus seems unable to close.

Soul of The Empress

Meanwhile, The Tidal Empire struggled with the transient nature of their Empress after Ronda’s soul was shattered via The Fifth’s assault on Asmodeus, prior to The Godfall. Effectively framed for this act of attempted deicide, the still fallen gods summoned Ronda and her council to stand trial. While the proceedings themselves were farcical, not least due to the lack of understanding from The Empress’ council, time was given to gather evidence and the trial adjourned. With great effort, those willing to aid The Tidal Empire gradually managed to piece the soul back together while learning more and more about Thane and his origins, with the most important discovery throughout this effort being that of ‘Goodness’, the coalescence of Thane’s good nature and weaknesses.

Despite these discoveries the defense was simply not capable of adequately weaponizing the evidence and proving Ronda’s innocence, leading to her banishment to beneath the ocean for what was supposed to be all time.

Before the trial could conclude however, the god Magrim bestowed upon Cormick Thale the important, but mind rending, knowledge of an ancient weapon in the form of a spear. Though the damage to Thale’s mind was worryingly dire, he was able to piece together what the necessary components would be as well as the process by which it could be made.

Forging The Spear

The knowledge of the spear presented a final, unique opportunity to end The Fifth once and for all, though completing it would be no easy task. The materials alone were stuff of legends, including the captured essence of each Horseman, a spearhead forged of Orichalcum in The Soul Forge itself, stoked by the fires of a great and terrible dragon, and a shaft of wood from The World Tree itself. Thankfully one of the hardest parts, that of ‘Goodness’, had been acquired and offered up by The Tidal Empire, leaving the rest to the other nations. Once completed the spear was to be reinforced by the finest archmagi of The Circle of Mirrandrar and the divine powers of Sarent’s great priests before finally being sanctified by a true god.

With much effort the materials were gathered up, mostly offered by those adventurers that had fought in The Horseman War, and The Spear itself was forged with the enhancements laid upon it. The final matter, that of a true deity's blessing, presented some concern given the godfall. However, if The Fifth had attempted to prevent his own demise by descending the gods, he hadn’t accounted for those new Gods of Chronus. With some convincing, The Self-Forged, first of the Chronus-specific pantheon, gave her blessing to the spear, though she warned well of using such a weapon again.

Fall of The Fifth

Not long after this, Asmodeus finished work on the altered contracts and committed them to reality, allowing the fallen gods to reascend. At first things were tense owing to the silence of the gods for a whole two weeks following their rise, but eventually contact was re-established. Accompanying their rise was the presence of a great many stars in the sky, occasionally growing larger and winking out entirely at random, only to be replaced by others later on. While some looked into the phenomenon, their exact nature has yet to be determined though no means of transportation seems to be able to reach them.

Sensing his impending defeat, The Fifth Horseman fled to Incandelth and, in doing so, scourged the land with hollow magic to taint it and end untold lives. Unable to allow further destruction, the final battle drew near with the heroes Aurelius V. Gale, Cormick Thale, Delvar Starbreaker, Ronda Azureleaf, Selena Sage and Willow bringing their might, and the spear itself, to bear against the Thane on the 16th of Arodus, 55 IA. The battle itself was grueling, only won in the end with the direct blessing of the now reascended gods and an Empyreal Lord, but through perseverance and the sacrifice of Ronda, the day was won.

A Champion No More

With the prospect of peace returning to the table, the peoples of Chronus felt they could finally relax. The Incandelth Peninsula would, of course, never be the same, but at least it could begin to heal. There was yet one loose end to tie up though, that of Theo Jung. The Fifth’s champion hadn’t been present during the final battle and attempts to track him were entirely unsuccessful, but they wouldn’t have to search much longer.

The Counterfeit Sky

Jung's twisted mind conjured forth some truly surreal imagery to depict his inner turmoil.

Broken entirely by Thane’s defeat, Theo’s mind manifested a powerful mindscape in the state of Muhlheim, borne of his twisted memories and regrets. Calling again on adventurers with prior experience, Alloces Veil, Ashley Naramoore, Cormick Thale and Loana Kis were sent to delve deep into the mindscape on the 2nd of Rova, 55 IA. Inside they confronted not just Theo, but the manifestations of his most powerful emotions and memories, those with which he punished himself and those with which he justified his actions. Successfully unbarring the way, it was just prior to the final confrontation that something entirely unexpected transpired.

Fate Rewoven

What exactly drove the enigmatic Outside Man, R’Than, to appear before the heroes is a mystery, though ego may well have played into it. Upon revealing his involvement in events thus far, a tense standoff ensued with the heroes demanding R’Than set right the wrongs wrought by his tampering. Thale, going so far as to threaten undoing his entire existence to spite the Faceless, managed to force the being’s hand, if only a little. Unwilling to undo The Fifth’s efforts entirely, a middle ground was struck. Theo would never become The Fifth’s champion, but another instead.

Then and Now

To many everything was as it should be. The Cult? Broken. The Fifth? Defeated. The Gods? Risen again. To those that knew though? Much had changed, though largely in relation to The Endbringer Cult, its impact on the Setlaar and the fate of the Siacron nations.

The terrorist attacks by the Endbringers were not as destructive or accomplished, most especially the killings of Operators in training and infiltration of the military. In this new timeline, the Operators are more numerous, and the Setlaar Armed Forces much less compromised, leading to increased participation in the Ghostlands. Most obviously to the rest of the world, the 1st Abroad was not decimated, but merely damaged. Though it still deterred dreams of a Setlaar conquest of Etera, it did result in the expansion of Fort Alliance from a fortified outpost to an expansive military base with an airfield and military harbor. Otherwise the SAF stands much stronger in general, along with the Operators themselves.

The velstrac demagogue Inkariax still lies dead, his hold over Jotnar still gone, but the adventurers who did the deed were led by Theo Jung himself to the creature's lair. When the Alinibal Court learned Theo, who was still a wanted criminal for his involvement with Inkariax's wintery holocaust in Jotnar, was being sheltered by Fort Ragathiel, it led to a tense standoff where force was thankfully averted due to the actions of Cormick Thale, Commander Benedict DeChance of the SAF, and the gnoll Archbishop Romulus Cicero of Ragathiel from the Court's own ranks. Theo remains with the templars at the Fort, his aid in slaying Inkariax recompense enough for his crimes.

The War in Madinat is now known as the Battles of Madinat. Kyros once again proved less effective as leader of the Endbringer Cult, and was not able to garner as many allies to help in attacking the Setlaar megacity. Rather than severe loss of life and almost total destruction of Madinat, the Cult instigated a series of riots across the metropolis, using the citizenry as human shields to prevent reprisals. The Eterans’ involved in Madinat were instead celebrated for destroying the Cult without any civilian casualties.

On Siacros, where Theo laid waste to The Scarlet Kingdom entirely, Kyros opted for a subtle approach, fracturing the kingdom into baronies and leaving it to its fate before moving on to The Gilded Demesne of Abadar and aiding Thane in his life-purging incantation. This slower approach to Scarlet caused a subsequent delay with The Vault, though Kyros’ arcane power allowed more success, bringing about the corruption of The Vault’s defenses even if Thane would still run out of time.

This did buy The Beylik of Karakol vital time to unearth The Illusion Tower though, shrouding themselves as a ruin among the sands with its power. Deterred, Kyros reported that The Beylik had destroyed itself with the misused power of The Tower and so they were spared, leaving Karakol free to reveal itself with Thane now obliterated.

Otherwise, everything else remained much the same with the world still able to breathe easy after a terror near seven years in the making.