Day One

The party was able to haul back all of their goods.They spent a week recuperating from the ordeal. On the seventh day after it had happened, they heard a commotion outside. It sounded like explosions that felt close and loud. Sakiran investigated and peeked out. There were many people on the street handing out things. Sakiran expressed fear to Leoric and asked what they could be. He explained that they are fireworks and there was a festival on. She asked for him to come with her and he said they can all go.

They heard thumping music and there was the smell of food everywhere. Young children handed out black and white flowers to people and passersby, hawkers were trying to sell goods. There was bunting with the Gratus symbol on them. The end of the street had been blocked by a massive stage. Huge Gratus constructs, metal men, flanked each side of the stage. Some guards had decorated themselves with flowers in their armour and looked relaxed. Draut decided to look for food. Draut waded through the crowd and saw a vendor selling dried, spiced meat. Leoric followed Draut and Sakiran kept close to them. A young boy handed her a black flower and a white flower. Leoric had an entire lau made of flowers. Sakiran handed Draut a black flower saying it represented the new kinship between their tribes. He nibbled on it and tucked it behind his ear.

They continued walking down and saw that the stage was heavily guarded. The music faded as a figure walked onto the stage. It was the tiefling from earlier, Pryce. He stood regally in the middle of the stage. He held a microphone and gave a speech "mourning" the loss of Flah'fle. He called him a half-breed and used Flah'fle's real name, Berenike Demeter. There was an image of him that had been doctored so he was in a Gratus uniform.

Sakiran whispered urgently to Leoric that no one but her knew his name. He asked if she was worried and she said yes. Pryce was talking with some officers at the back of the stage. Leoric zoomed in with his new cybernetic eyes and saw he was looking over some reports.

Leoric went to the black noodle stand and saw a half-elf woman. She had ragged hair and asked if he'd like some noodles. They looked very oily within the tray. He handed over a rand and a crown for the noodles. The meat stand was run by a chipper looking gnome. Draut asked the "little boy" what he was selling. The gnome made a face. Strips of dried meat. Draut put his hand on the counter and asked if it was real. He inspected them. He gave the gnome ten rands and had them bagged up.

Draut asked who Flea was. Sakiran explained that he was a friend of theirs and she was worried that they knew his real name because he only told her. Draut expressed admiration for him being a man of action. Draut saw a strongman game. They saw a towering human with a glowing snapping turtle tattoo, who greeted Draut and Sakiran and said they both look strong. Draut bowed to Sakiran and offered for her to go first. She only managed to get the puck halfway. Draut himself only managed to get it slightly higher than Sakiran. Draut handed it to Jaxon, who had been following them silently, and offered for him to try. Draut said if he wins, the man by the bell might like him. Jaxon snatched it away reluctantly. The vampiric strength came out and it smashed right to the top. Jaxon and the man express surprise. He gains 100 rands as a reward.

Draut leaned to Sakiran and stated the mongoose has claws. Sakiran nodded and begrudgingly accepts that he did indeed. Jaxon walked around smugly. Sakiran was angered by his preening after he had not said a word to them all day, nor had he attempted to make restitution for attacking Leoric, and launched a punch straight into his nose. Blood gushed out of his nose as it is broken.

Jaxon questioned what it was for. Sakiran shook her head and made to walk away. Sakiran realised that he didn't get back up. She turned on him and called him pathetic. She screamed at him to fight back for once. Jaxon shook his head and stayed on the ground. Leoric touched Sakiran on the shoulder and asked her to hold his noodles. She spat on Jaxon and took the noodles, walking away with Leoric to the shooting gallery. Jaxon waited for Sakiran to go away before getting up out of the dirt and sorting out his face. He was being laughed at by some onlookers.

Leoric and Sakiran walked to the shooting gallery together. He asked why she punched him. She said she was infuriated by him and asked if it had been unreasonable. He told her that she told him she wanted to control her rage. She went silent and looked away in shame. He told her to eat the noodles, since they'd be getting cold. She quietly said she wasn't particularly hungry and handed them back. He finished them off as they walked to the gallery.

Colton was running the shooting gallery and Leoric was happy to see him. He took the 2 rands payment and the gallery fires up. Leoric fires a bullseye at the slow moving target, though missed all other shots. Colton said he's unlucky. and offered to make it more interesting. He put an expensive rifle on the table that is huge. If he got all three shots, he gets a 50 rand prize. Sakiran helped him lift it and steadies the weight.

Colton moved the targets back. Leoric hit the first target. The kickback hurt. He missed the second. There was a big impact as people cursed it. The final shot was aimed and fired - right through the centre of the target into someone's house. A door slammed open as the resident stormed out of their house. Colton looked concerned. Leoric said they won't talk about that as Sakiran looks horrified.

Jaxon walked away being showered with meat crumbs and covered in his own blood. He cast cure wounds on himself and his nose fixes itself. Jaxon looked for a booze vendor. The tiefling vendor asks if he wants a large or small glass. Jaxon asked for a large. He downed the beverage despite the bad vibes that he gets. It had a mango hit as it entered his mouth. It turned bitter on its way down. It knocked him back a little as it hit strongly. He regretted his decision as he wobbles. The creepy tiefling was breathing at him and staring. Jaxon then wandered off and tried to find the rest of the party. He walked down the path and heard a big boom from Leoric's attempt at the shooting gallery. Leoric was holding his hands up. They saw Jaxon walking up from their left. They could smell alcohol on his breath. It was starting to get a bit late, since the street lights were now on.

Something changes, and they saw the purple light flicker like a strobe. The beam was failing. The beam of energy briefly cut out and the star expanded. A massive wave of heat slammed down and Leoric's eye went blank for a second. The beam was flashing now with a purple energy field around the star. It was now scorching hot.

The two giant machines picked up a few things and walk off. The Gratus soldiers seem panicked. The street was dead. Some stalls have been abandoned, but not all. Leoric starts stealing goods from the store. He found a small lockbox that contains 25 rands.

Someone came up to them wearing a dark hood and beckons them over. They went into an alleyway. They followed him and he pulled down his hood. It is Pryce. Leoric asks what is going on. Pryce explained that there had been an incident on the lower levels. Some of the terrorists had detonated one of the generators. The star was no longer stable. Pryce said they don't have enough time and they need to work together. Pryce told them that they need to complete the ARK Project and leave the planet. They had around 90 days before the star breaks containment. He told Leoric to read the document labelled Bastion Diagnostics. They had picked up a generator plan. Sakiran asked if they have anything in Elvish. Pryce said they were scrubbed, but most is very ancient. The city was extremely old. He explained that it was the fault of the phage cult and that they needed to become one with a religious entity. Pryce says he gave a morale boost with his speech earlier, but it would not last long. Leoric and Sakiran questioned him about it by asking why he had lied about Flah'fle's intent and how they found out his real name. His house, House Beratus, betrayed him.

Pryce asked if they knew the Altarnie. Sakiran said they had encountered one and he was extremely deformed. Pryce said that they needed a main power cell. Pryce offered them a reward - they can join him on the ARK. Sakiran panicked and realised that Ranabi, her son, will die. She told him that he needs to be on the ship as well. Pryce said he can only fit 100,000 on the ship. Pryce said he can potentially spare one scout search. He would attempt to find him. She gave his details and told them to do what they need to to get him to come with them. He, in turn, needed something from her. Pryce admitted he didn't know if he can convince the Altarnie to help them. He said he was able to give them a day to decide what course of action to take. He also said that they can try to persuade the rebels to help them. Leoric told him they'll need some time to think. He says he will be in contact tomorrow at about 5. They acknowledged this. Pryce called to Jaxon, pulled out a letter and handed it to him. He says his mother and sister were alive. Jaxon is incredulous. He asked how. They were captured in the attack, not killed. They were currently with an orc warband. He expresses his condolences. He then left the party.

The party head back to the bar. It was scorching hot on the streets. The neon lights were flashing on and off. People were not used to this kind of heat. The party were considering their options. As they drank together and Draut sat on his hoard of coins, Sakiran asked what Leoric thought. Leoric admitted he wasn't sure. Sakiran told him that she heard myths that there was a city of Altarnie in the mountains to the east who could bring back the dead. Leoric wasn't sure and asked if it could be true. She said she chose to believe it. They talked about their options and they are both solemn. She said if they go to the southern tower they may not come back. Leoric said that they can either chase the ghosts of the past or go on a suicide mission. They both take a few drinks as they are deep in thought.

Jaxon was eavesdropping on the conversation while pretending not to. He felt that he had his own personal issues that were more important than the world ending, so refused to speak to the party while he considered his options.

It was towards the early hours of the morning now. The party felt like they could finally sleep when they hear a knock at the door. It is Pryce, and his eyes have big bags underneath them. Sakiran offered him some blueberry absinthe. He said he hasn't seen Altarnie Ale in some time. Sakiran fetched Leoric by knocking on his door gently. She banged on Jaxon's door and he asked what it is. She tells him the tiefling is back and it is important.

Pryce rubbed his face as the party assembled. The command had ordered a purge of all lower levels. Leoric asked why don't they kick them out. Pryce said they will have an army marching towards them if they do so - it was easier for them to just get rid of them all. Leoric asked what if they fought back. Pryce asked if he really thought they can fight back. Pryce admits he is telling them this because he has no one else to talk to. He had convinced command not to target them or the upper level.

Pryce asked if they had made a decision. Sakiran straightened up and admitted Leo is right, there was no point in chasing after ghosts. She said they will go to the southern tower. He looked around and pressed a few buttons on a device on the table. Leoric's cybernetic eye went out. Pryce admitted that he doesn't believe the council is acting in the confederation's best interest. They stopped trying to maintain control and were outright brutal. They were making decisions that don't make sense, such as the lower levels being purged. If the party have any information about why they would do this, Pryce requested that he be the first to hear of it. He praised Leoric for spotting the bugs in the bar. He pointed all of them out before they came back on. He handed them an emblem, a symbol of the Gratus Intelligence Network. It could open doors, but not to be too liberal with it because he could not cover everything. Leoric confirmed that they will go to the Southern tower. Pryce slammed a drink down and told them to stay safe before he left.