Contract: The Don's Request
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Next: Mad City Behind The Veil
While stripping the mercenary's of their gear Bash saw a tattoo on the leader's arm that sent him into a rage. It was of a wall of flames flickering around an invisible shield. Not long after Bash started to calm down the leader's comm unit started speaking with a soft Latin voice.
"Avissa, we finally got the communications array assembled and operational. I am sending the warning back to the other wardens. Someone will come after us to finish the job if we fail to destroy those lore guardians and their records."
With some skillful grunting from Jerzac Scarlewe the voice continued "We are returning shortly" but the ruse could only carry you so far.
The voice asked for some specific personal information before you heard "Shit, that's not Avissa. We return at double time."
You quickly made the choice to clear the rest of the temple with at speed so you could be long gone by the time more enemies appeared. You hastily cleared the empty rooms to the north. While Bash was doing so Genji relayed a brief sketch of his background and his interest in the lost Elves. This came in handy when you entered the inner sanctum of the Temple of the Twelve. Here 2 statues and a "preserved" elf stood watch over the collected secrets of this place.
The elf dropped into a combat stance and questioned you on your intentions. Genji conversed with him and learned his name, Panelliar. After some questioning Panelliar granted you access to their collected works. Professor Muhali and Genji spent some time reading about the Oatian Elves, their love of astronomy, and their absolute fascination with a perfectly circular group of twelve stars that they took to calling the Gate of the Twelve. The more they focused on this bizarre constellation the more their scholars had dreams of strange symbols. The fascination turned to obsession. Various theories were thrown around like it was a battery, a weapon, a transportation gate (most popular), or even a child's science experiment from a First Generation Species. All resources were thrown at finding a way to reach this impossibly distant location.
The solution? A Kzonchin Generator that could punch through reality and instantly bring their whole civilization to those stars.
While the nerds were nerding out Bash explored this small library and found a bright yellow orb floating at chest high. When he approached the elven gaurdian moved with impossible speed and held his spear Bash's throat and ordered Bash, via Genji, to step away since "He is unworthy of out knowledge." Instead he directed Genji to touch it.
The orb grew a corona of hair like tendrils of light that stretched out for several feet then rapidly plunged into Genji's hands and burrowed their way just under his skin towards his head. His long scream was cut short when they reached his temples and plunged inwards imparting generations of elven memories. Them rest of you watched as the orb pulsed light up the tendrils, getting smaller each time. When it was all used up Genji collapsed to the floor. His mind was overflowing with information but one thing stuck out: the pride when an engineer finished the last entry on the blueprints of the first kzonchin generator.
Miffed Bash kept exploring and found a door in the back of the library that did not make sense based ion his knowledge of the building layout. It was surrounded by more of those strange symbols and felt similar to the Aiudara in Qabarat. When asked, Panelliar said it would take you to the precise moment you needed to see. Taking another chance, Basn and Genji walked through the door to so GODS at war with each other.
The small observation deck they stepped onto had an entire wall that acted as both window and HUD. It looked out at a supernova containing rapid intense flashes within it. Literally with a thought it focused on those flashes to show two fleets fighting within the explosion. The ships somehow manipulated their shields to scoop the ejecta, compress it, and hurl it FTL at the enemies. Enemies that seemed to blink out of existence and reappear behind other enemies while preparing their own shots. After watching for a minute the two crewmates started to understand the two sides. One side consisted of many types of ships all blinking in and out while the other mainly had large ships spewing out immense waves of small fighters and only the main ships blinked.
One of the fighters rocketed towards the observation deck containing the two humans. The floor and walls vibrated producing something resembling a voice:
Seeing the ship scooping ejecta Bash and Genji threw themselves back through the door and slammed it shut. After reassuring themselves they were still alive they recounted what they saw. Now that everyone had a moment to think you realized that had to have been a battle from the Meridath War. Realizing the importance of that gate Jerzac Scarlewe reversed the retreat order. You would defend this place to continue reasearching once the threat passed.
Roquesta (Rocket) Strauss and Jerzac planted the extra explosives left by the mercenaries along the trail up the mountain. After waiting some time a woman and 4 guards came down the trail. Once they stepped onto the trapped area Jerzac ordered the charges be blown.
The woman, presumably Mercedes, spoke out through the dust and smoke, "You've taken their knowledge and used their device haven't you? You don't know what you've done. We'll have to cleanse this system starting with you." For all her bravado, frightening Rocket, and confusing Bash you made quick work of the subordinates. Throughout she continued to play with your minds while also causing extreme mental pain. Jerzac was able to drive off Bash's confusion by the power of a "Nub Rub™". This allowed him to bring the fight in close.
Realizing that she would lose, Mercedes pulled up her comm and shouted in "An opposing group has acquired the information. I am unable to eliminate them. Secure the planet." With that she threw her gun down and offered her surrender. (There was some minor questioning back and forth during the fight but we can cover that during the session.)