Into The Past
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| + | [[Into the Past part 2|Chapter III: Into the Part, second part]] | ||
Current revision as of 07:14, 5 February 2008
- the party appears in a room that looks identical to the one they just left*
Bill: So we’re home, right?
Amy: Well, this is the time period you live in. We’re back mere seconds after you and Jason went back in time to find Matt.
Bill: Oh good, so not much time has passed since we left.
Matt: Yeah, convenient. That way we won’t have to worry about missing things at home.
Bill: Well actually I was more worried about missing tonight’s episode of South Park.
Amy: …
AI: …
Jason: Bill…
Bill: A JOKE! I know! We have to worry about fighting the Imperials now. I’ll catch the rerun.
Amy: Jason, do you have any idea of where to start our research?
Jason: You mean you don’t?
Amy: I’m afraid not. Other then records of the attack on Micras kept by the imperials, I don’t know much about what happened. That is one of the reasons I joined up with you.
Jason: Hmm. The records of the attack looked like the Imperial fleet was highly organized. They attacked the major military targets first and forced those countries into surrendering, then worked their way down to the less powerful. Plus they had something called the “SuperOmen” gravship.
Amy: I’ve heard of it. It was the most powerful ship in their armada.
Jason: It’s obviously based on Jasonia’s designs. Our engineers have been trying to make the concept feasible for years.
Matt: Hey, I’ve heard about that. JASO on Amity Island has been working on some experimental engines and the like. They publish their results every so often.
Amy: You are certain that this a design from this time period?
Jason: Absolutely. I’ve had to approve the documents as the President. The design is unmistakable. And based on how effective the Imperial attack was at eliminating the most powerful targets first…
AI: The obvious conclusion is that they have had some way of getting information from Micras.
Jason: Right. Probably spies.
Bill: Spies?! Who would sell out their entire planet?
Matt: People that didn’t know who they were dealing with. Or people that got paid the right price.
Bill: I won’t believe it!
Matt: If I paid you a billion dollars right now, but told you that in 1000 years the planet would be attacked, would you take the money?
Bill: Absolutely not!
AI: But there are humans that would. Historically, almost all major conflicts have escalated because of wealth or resources.
Amy: It’s true. So where should we start looking?
Jason: Jasonia, I guess. The research could take years… and we’re still a long way from home right now.
Bill: New Demesosian Airport in Tapfer has flights to Jasonia.
Matt: Let’s check out the town of Micronia in this time period. Maybe we can find someone that can help us get off the island.
- so they head into the town. Mostly just house with an item shop, but also a largish building that is an inn and tavern. They enter that*
Matt: Looks like a lot of the town is here. Maybe there are some sailors that can help us?
(NOTICE: at this point I’m going to assume that the “choosable leader” option has been implemented, so any text said by “Leader” is that person. If it has not been added or is tossed as as a bad idea, just assume Jason says everything said by Leader.)
Leader: *stepping forward a bit* We’d like to charter a boat to the mainland. Would anyone here like a job?
- an awkward silence. Then a scruffy sailor at the bar speaks up*
Brimah the Sailor: Aye, I’ve got some business in Stod City today. I could take ye lot along for, oh, 250µ.
Leader: *the player is given the choice to accept the price or to exclaim “We can’t pay that!” If they don’t have the money it defaults to not being able to pay*
(if they agree): Brimah: A deal we have then. Ye pay when we cast off.
(if they refuse or cannot pay): Brimah: Is that so? Well, I need to make the trip anyway, so I guess ye lubbers can work as part of the crew for da trip.
Leader: When do we depart?
Brimah: As soon as I tell da crew… what is that sonny?
- the barkeep at the tavern comes over to him and they have a whispered conversation for a short time*
Brimah: Argh… dat’s right. Da ship needs to be stocked with provisions for da trip. We can’t leave until tomorrow.
Leader: There’s no way we can leave today?
Brimah: I’m afraid not.
Barkeep: Captain Brimah’s crew has room and board at this inn whenever they’re in port. Since you are now part of his crew you can stay here as well.
Amy: Thank you for your hospitality.
Barkeep: Snell here will show you to your room. Lunch will be served down here in the main room in a few minutes.
- the party is taken upstairs and given their room key*
Matt: Mmm, a good meal will be nice after all that future slop.
Amy: Indeed. It seems we have been fortunate in our travel arrangements.
Jason: I don’t like how that turned out. It seems fishy that we were delayed until tomorrow.
Bill: What’s the problem Jason? The world won’t be destroyed in one day.
Amy: Yes, Jason. We could use the time to recover your strength.
Jason: Excuse me? Who’s the psychic here that gets the weird feelings? I’m usually right about these things!
Amy: I think you’re being overly paranoid.
Jason: I think I’m still the leader of the team and that this seems wrong.
Amy: Really now. What are you suggesting? That we find another sailor in this small town willing to haul us to the mainland? That we attack these people because of your “feeling”?
Jason: … just keep your guard up.
Amy: Always.
- a knock on the door. It’s Snell, the bellhop*
Snell: Lunch is served, good sirs. Please come down at your convienence
Bill: Great!
Snell: Oh, one other thing. Master Rubus, the owner of this tavern, asks that you deactivate your robot.
Matt: Excuse me?!
Snell: Begging your forgiveness, good sir, but the master is wary of robotics. Seen too many horror movies about robotic revolutions and the like, I’m afraid.
Bill: *snicker*
AI: I understand your human concern. I shall power down until the morning.
Jason: You’re sure you’re okay with this AI?
AI: I don’t eat and don’t see the need to jeopardize our travel arrangements.
Snell: Thank you for your understanding, uh, robotic sir. I hope to see you downstairs. *he leaves*
Jason: … way wrong…
Amy: Enough. I’m starved. Come on guys. *all exit but Jason and deactivated AI*
Jason: … *gives AI a look and leaves*
- downstairs at dinner*
Bill: This is, um, interesting. What sort of fish is it?
Another sailor at the table: Broiled MagiGARP.
Bill: Magi… GARP? That dirty fish?
Sailor: Fwa ha! Breadbasket of Tapfer. Eat up! Get past the taste and it’ll keep you going all day.
Matt: Really? *yawn* I feel like I could use a nap.
Amy: Same here. It has been a long day. I think I will retire.
Jason: I never get enough sleep anymore myself… let’s head up.
Brimah: I’ll meet ye folk down here in the mornin to cast off.
Jason: Thanks. We’ll be there.
- the party leaves for their room*
- way later in the night*
Bill: *waking up* Ugh… it’s night? How long did we sleep? Some nap…
Bill: *poking Matt* Hey bro. Wake up. Man, he’s out cold.
Bill: Blah… stupid biological clock. Maybe a walk will help.
- bill leaves the room and heads down to the first floor. Light is coming from an open doorway. He gets closer and hears voices*
Voice 1: I’m telling you, they had a destroyer robot with them! And that woman with them was wearing ID tags of an Imperial officer!
Voice 2: So you drugged them all?! We’re so dead.
Bill: *to himself* Drugged? So that explains the fish… that sounds like the barkeep talking to someone.
Barkeep: No, see, they didn’t know any of the codes They’re not from the Imperium!!
Voice 2: So who in blazes are they?!
Barkeep: I have no idea.
Bill: *to himself, panicked* Imperium! Spies, here in Tapfer?!
Voice 2: Listen, you miserable excuse for a man! We’re being paid very well for our work here and so far we’ve kept it all neatly away from suspicion. If these travelers are enemies of the Imperium, any business they have around here is bad news for us!
Barkeep: I know, but, what do we do?
Voice 2: What else? Kill them! Like we did to that farmer that found the way into your communications station in the back!
Barkeep: K-kill them? Armed travelers?
Voice 2: We have no choice. You kept them here for the night. That was good work. But if they escape to Stod City we’ll never catch them. We kill them tonight.
Barkeep: *gulp* When?
Voice 2: Now! Grab your dagger. They should still be out from the drug.
Bill: *more panicked* I have to do something! *He hides around the corner at the bottom of the stairs and draws his sword*
- The barkeep comes out of the room, followed by a solid looking man. As the barkeep rounds the corner Bill runs him through. He collapses.*
Barkeep: Ugh!
Voice 2: Damn fool! Looks like he didn’t use enough of the drug!
Bill: Warrior training. Good circulation system. Gets rid of toxins quickly.
Voice 2: Indeed. *without warning he attacks. Battle fight between Bill and this man*
- after it ends* Bill: I hope no one heard that… gotta clean this place up!
- scene changes to Bill inside the room where the two men were talking, with their bodies in a corner*
Bill: Nothing much here out of the ordinary. *going to the desk* It looks like this is the antidote to the drug, in syringe form. I’d better get those guys up.
- back upstairs, Bill sticks everyone with the antidote and reactivates AI*
Jason: Bill, what in blazes?
Bill: Listen to me. We were drugged at the meal. The barkeep and this other guy were planning to kill us!
Matt: What!
Bill: It’s true! I jumped them downstairs. They’re dead now.
Jason: Man…
Amy: But why would people want to kill us?
Bill: They recognized AI and your ID tags Amy! I think they were Imperial spies!!
Jason: WHAT?! Spies here?
Amy: Ach… I used these ID tags to impersonate a human in the service of the Imperials. I didn’t think anyone in the past would know of them. Clumsy of me.
Bill: I swear I’m not making this up!!!!
Matt: Calm down Bill. We believe you.
Jason: Spies here… which may mean they are all over Micras!
AI: And it may mean we will be pursued if we are identified as enemies in this time period.
Matt: We need to know more about their work here.
Bill: The room downstairs looked empty but the barkeep mentioned some sort of station with a hidden entrance outside.
Jason: We need to check it out quickly.
Amy: Now?
Jason: News of their deaths will spread quickly in a small town like this. We’ll be arrested for murder if they catch us. And if they don’t, we’re leaving bright and early anyway.
Amy: You’re right. Let’s go outside.
AI: My sensors should be able to locate the entrance quickly.
- they go outside*
{NOTE: Wouldn’t giving AI a “X-Ray Sensors” ability to locate hidden things like this be cool?}
AI: Here it is. A ladder leading to an underground room.
- down in the room*
Matt: Some of this equipment looks similar to the things they were using in the future.
Jason: So, they were Imperial spies…
Bill: You didn’t believe me?!
Jason: I did. But it’s so hard to even think that there are spies on Micras when the attack happened so far in the future.
Amy: You said it yourself. The attack was well coordinated. And if they used your gravship they must know all about our technology.
Bill: Most of this just looks like records detailing the current technology and politics of Tapfer. Nothing THAT important.
Matt: Hmm… listen to this.
Jason: Found something?
Matt: I think so. It’s a report from “Black Wind.” It talks about the decline of magic among humans and the “formation of the sector” and some sort of major operation.
Jason: So humans really could use magic a long time ago…
AI: This may be an Imperial incident in the past. An attempt to alter our future to make humanity weaker and less resistant in the invasion.
Amy: Any clues to when or where it happened?
Matt: It says a woman named Myrin tried to interfere and was killed. And something about “The Emperors”
Jason: Doesn’t really ring any bells.
Bill: Same, and I studied history a bit.
Jason: Did you?
Bill: *annoyed* Don’t give me that. I’m not ALL young and stupid.
Amy: … anyway, if this was an event of historical importance, investigating is our best chance. We may be able to find more information about what the Imperium was doing in our past.
Jason: If “the Emperors” have any historical significance, they’ll be in Jasonia’s archives.
Matt: Right. To Jasonia then.
Jason: To bed, then. Drugged sleep isn’t restful sleep. I still feel awful. Hopefully we’ll be able to get out of here without suspicion tomorrow.
- they go back to sleep and wake up in the morning and go downstairs*
Captain Brimah: Aye, that lubber Rubus must be still out cold. Too much liquor. Wouldn’t be the first time. Just leave ye key on the counter.
Jason: Err, right.
Brimah: I’ll meet ye at the docks. *leaves*
- The party has a bit of time to buy more items in town or sell stuff to try to raise the money*
Brimah: Well, do he have the 250µ we agreed on?
(if they give the money) Brimah: Splendid! You’re free to do what ye wish on the ship, provided ye don’t annoy me crew.
(if they don’t or claim they don’t) Brimah: Well then grab a mop, swabby. I’ll still take ye, but ye be working the entire time!
- on the ship*
If the player paid the money, they don’t have anything to do. They can wander the ship and find a few minor items on the hold, and go to sleep when they wish.
If they player was forced into joining the crew, they have to do a few minor tasks such as moving crates from one side of the room to another and pressing shift really fast to crank up the sails. They are moved automatically from one task to another and can’t open the chests.
Either way, the next morning they are in Stod City.
Captain Brimah: Good luck mateys!
Jason: Thanks you captain, take care. *the captain returns to this ship*
- after leaving town, on the overworld map*
Bill: Tapfer has magnetic monorails that can quickly help us cross to New Demesos Airport. The nearest stop is to the northeast of here. Unfortunately, with all the people taking the monorails between cities the rest of the area is getting a bit lawless…
Matt: Yeah, it was rough growing up around here. We didn’t take that many family trips.
Bill: When we joined Audentior we were promised to receive funding and support to patrol the roads, but it never happened. And we haven’t fared much better under Jasonia’s leadership either.
Jason: Hmph. I have a million other things to worry about.
Amy: *giggling* You three seem to be good friends. You make this trip easier for me.
Bill: Well, you’re our friend now too! It’s good to have you with us.
Amy: I… um… yes… thank you.
Jason: … anyway, let’s head back to Jasonia.
- the monorail trip is uneventful and eventually the team reaches New Demesos Airport and gets a flight to Jasonia. Upon arriving in Shuttle Dock West…*
Airport Security: M-Mr. President, sir! You’re all right!
Jason: Yes…
Security: Everyone has been worried about you sir! You disappeared from the Kajar fairgrounds several days ago without warning.
Jason: Without warning? Ugh, the officials must have covered up the whole thing.
Matt: Well you can hardly blame them. What were they going to tell people? “On of Matt Dusch’s machines worked and the President is now lost in time!” ?
Jason: I suppose…
Security: Sir?
Jason: Never mind. I’m heading back to the Palace to straighten things out. Tell them I’m coming.
Security: Right away! *leaves*
Matt: Hey Jason. I want to head back to my lab to see if I can put some of the field testing we’ve gotten on the TimeTravel1000 to use.
Amy: I’ll come with you.
AI: And I.
Bill: Me too!
Jason: Bill, you’re coming with me. I’ll need your help in the archives.
Bill: BAH!
- so Jason and Bill travel to the Palace alone. Upon entering…*
Bill: I guess I’ll head to the archives and start looking around.
Jason: Sure. These staff meetings are awful anyway.
- Jason enters his office where dStryker and Gman are waiting*
Gman: Mr. President! It’s good to hear that you are safe.
Jason: Thank you, general.
dStryker: What happened at the fair, sir? Are you telling me Matt’s machine actually sent you through time?
Jason: I am.
dStryker: Ridiculous…
Jason: It’s true. I’ve seen some of our past and more of our future… and it’s not very encouraging.
Gman: What did you see?
Jason: Jasonia, no, all of Micras... will be destroyed by an alien species in the future.
dStryker: …
Gman: …
Jason: It’s true!
Gman: Sir, if this is a joke…
Jason: It isn’t! Listen to me! If we don’t do something our species will die!
Gman: How much time do we have?
Jason: 680 years. They attack in 1000 ASC.
Gman: Uh…
dStryker: Well that’s hardly a pressing concern…
Jason: Doesn’t matter if we’ll be long gone. At the leader of this nation I need to project it, even in the future.
Gman: What would you have us do?
Jason: You? Hold the fort here. I’m going to find if there’s anything I can do to stop the attack.
Gman: I see. I hope that you will not be neglecting matter of state.
Jason: General… I’m going to be leaving again.
Gman: SIR!!
dStryker: What kind of President abandons his nation to go off adventuring?
Jason: The kind that gives a darn about his people.
Gman: Please, Mr. President! We have special forces for this kind of work. Tell me what to do and we’ll send the professionals. Don’t risk your own life!
Jason: It’s too late now… I’m personally involved. And I have things your professionals don’t have.
Gman: Such as?
Jason: … magic.
Gman: …
dStryker: This is getting a bit much.
- Jason holds up his hand, gathers some fire, and shoots it across the room*
Jason: Believe it.
dStryker: …
Gman: I am at your disposal, sir.
Jason: Good. Keep the country together. I have lots of work to do. Excuse me, gentlemen. Thanks for your patience. *leaves*
dStryker: This is getting a bit strange.
Gman: But what can we do? He’s the President. And he DID shoot fire across the room.
dStryker: Hmm… what can we do indeed.
- in the archives, the rest of the team is there*
Jason: Hey guys. What happened with the research?
Matt: Meh, too late to get any work done today anyway. And Bill called us over. Said he found something important.
Jason: What’s up?
Bill: I ran a search on the archives for “Myrin” and “the Emperors.” Myrin had no matches. The Emperors… only one.
Bill: It’s from the “Historical Breakthrough Weekly” … a magazine that publishes historical essays that have very little real facts behind them. Kind of the trashy tabloids of history.
Jason: Oh boy…
Bill: It’s pretty common historical knowledge that the massive war between the Ultimate Republic and the Grace Kingdom was negotiated by Lord Conglacio, a high ranking lord in service of the king of the Grace Kingdom. All this happened in what we now know as 0 ASC.
Matt: GAH! I should have known. ASC stands for “Ab Sectora Condita” which is latin for “the founding of the sector.” So that’s what that was referring to.
Bill: Yes. However, this article, if you believe it… states that Lord Conglacio was merely a pawn of a shadow group called “The Emperors.” Some sort of rebel group that was trying to end the war and restore the two countries to one empire.
Amy: Interesting.
Matt: The spy’s records in Micronia mentioned the Emperors and a big operation there, so there must be SOME truth to it.
Jason: Which means Myrin must have been one of the Emperors, and the Imperium assassinated her to attempt to stop the war from ending!
Bill: Yeah, I guess. But historically we know it ended anyway. So they messed up somehow.
Amy: I think it would be a good idea to visit that time period and seek out the Emperors. We may gain a lot of information on how the Imperium operates.
AI: Do we have any information on where the Emperors are located?
Bill: The author hints that it must be somewhere near the capital city of the Grace Kingdom, which was Airosamente. Not IN the city, but nearby, where they could operate in secret. But he doesn’t know where, which is a reason the article never got much public attention.
Jason: Hmm. Well it’s our best lead right now. Let’s head to 0 ASC!
Bill: How? In 0 ASC Jasonia isn’t flying. If we use the TimeTravel2000 we’ll fall into the ocean1
Jason: … erm…
Matt: Not to worry. Amy and I didn’t get much work done on a new prototype machine, but we DID find a way for her to scan for unstable rifts like the one in Micronia. So if there are any in Audentior we can travel to the past there.
Jason: Great! Let’s get ready for the trip, then catch a plane. Audentior’s not the best place to travel these days with the government collapsed so I guess we’ll have to go through Blackrock.
Bill: I guess that works.
Amy: Well I don’t know much about this time period so I’ll follow your lead.
Jason: Blackrock it is, then.
- So the party flies into Blackrock, which is more of a military base than a city, and is probably a good place for a fighting minigame*
- Outside of Apollo City*
Amy: What is this town?
Bill: Apollo City, a town that sprung up when Airosamente was lifted into the air with antigravity technology.
Amy: I think there is a time rift here that can take us where we need to go.
- Apollo City is mostly crap. Living conditions aren’t good and everyone seems hungry. The villagers are wary of a crumbling house they claim is haunted. The party approches it*
Amy: It’s not haunted. It is the site of the rift in time! Come on!
Matt: I don’t really… like ghosts.
Bill: Haha, cowards!
Jason: There are no such thing as ghosts. The time rift is probably just flashing lights that people think are ghosts. Come on.
Matt: Yeah. I guess ghosts have no scientific backing anyway.
- the house IS haunted, in fact, and the party faces random battles with ghosts while exploring inside this mini-dungeon.*
Matt: Screw this! No ghosts! Outta here!
Amy: MATT! The time rift is in here!
Matt: Don’t care!
Bill: If you run away I’ll never let you live this down.
Matt: … GAH!
- Eventually they climb to the second floor and fall into the basement, where they fight an easy boss*
Amy: The energy from the rift must have created these spirits somehow… poor souls. Anyway here is the time rift.
Jason: Can you use your magic to make it take us to 0 ASC?
Amy: No problem! Here we go! *and they do*
- scene changes to the outside of Airosamente in 0 ASC. A guard at the northern gate is talking to some people. The gate has an actual gatehouse and looks fortified against attack.*
Guard: Papers, please! … looks fine, you may pass.
Jason: This is Airosaemente in 0 AD? Why is it all locked up?
Bill: In 0 AD the Ultimate Republic and the Grace Kingdom were at war. Airosamente is the capital of the Grace Kingdom. They’re probably worried about spies.
Matt: Technically we ARE spies…
Jason: Even so, this is an unusual amount of security. The war has been going on for years, right? Something must be up.
General information on 0 ACS:
- talking to the guards in Airosamente reveals no information on what’s going on. He simply won’t let the team enter the city without papers. They have no choice but to leave the city at this point*
- If the party approaches the bridge to Blackrock / Automatica past Apolytown or the checkpoint north of Epoli, Bill comments that both countries are part of the Ultimate Republic and thus they cannon to cross through*
- Apolytown is similarly locked up to Airosamente. Because of the fall of Automatica, Apolytown is quickly becoming a frontline base in the war. The players cannot get far into the city, but they can visit both an item shop and a tavern before reaching the blockade. Entering the tavern and listening to the patrons reveals the two conversations:
First conversation:
Person 1: Did you hear?! Those Blackrockian bastards took Temoe and Djugagrad is under siege!
Person 2: Pah, they’ll never hold Temoe. Automatica’s main armies have had the Blackrockians running for months. Blackrock can’t hold the plains for long while Djugagrad is fighting them. Remember what happened two years ago?
Person 1: Automatica had our help back then. Right now we’re totally cut off. Heck, Apolytown is right on the frontier of the warzone!
Person 2: I’m telling you! The Chancellor of Automatica is leading Blackrock into a trap. They’ve reached their arm too long this time.
Person 1: I hope you’re right…
Second conversation:
Person 1: I heard that the King has left Grace Palace and is making speeches in Airosamente for the next week or so.
Person 2: Is that what’s going on? I’ve been hearing a lot of strange things from Airosamente lately.
Person 1: Eh? Like what?
Person 2: Well my brother went to buy some cloths there, but he wasn’t let past the north gate because he didn’t bring his citizenship papers.
Person 1: UGH. They’re doing that again? Such a hassle.
Person 2: Tell me about it…
- both conversations are optional and may be skipped if the player heads immediately for Epoli*
- upon arriving in Epoli the heroes immediately encounter a woman being surrounded by three men*
Young woman: Help, please! Anybody!
Jason: Come on guys!
- a battle starts against the three unknown men, and they’re harder than usual enemies, but it’s not a boss fight*
Young woman: Thank you so much!
Bill: Are you all right?
Amy: What happened? Why were they after you?
Young woman: They were going to kill me! Because… well. Never mind. It’s not important.
Matt: Not important?!
Young woman: Err… yeah. Look I gotta go. Hey, come see me later. It’s the house in the back. *she runs off*
Matt: Jason. A word.
Jason: Mmm?
Matt: We can’t go around helping everyone with their problems?
Jason: And why not?
Matt: Because what happens in the past may affect the future drastically.
Amy: It’s true. We must be very careful.
Jason: That’s funny. I vaguely remember someone trading Demesos laser sword technology in the past for no good apparent reason.
Matt: … touche
Bill: What about the guards and beasts and stuff we’ve had to kill in the past?
Amy: Killing them, too, could alter the future.
Jason: Well we have to defend ourselves! And when we went back to Jasonia it was fine, despite us mucking around in the past. I think you’re being overly dramatic.
Matt: I guess that’s true.
Amy: Perhaps only very important changes, like a key historical person’s fate being altered, can truly have a noticible effect on the future. Otherwise the timestreams just sort themselves out.
Jason: I guess. Let’s go see that girl.
Bill: Why? She’s just a random person.
Jason: … does it matter? We need someone to tell us more about the situation.
Matt: … love at first sight, huh Jason?
Jason: Bite me. Come on.
- so they enter the house in the back. A man and a woman in the foyer talking with their backs to the party. The young woman the heroes just saved us standing near the woman pacing around*
Woman (okay, it’s Lori): They caught the B team.
Man (Stodlum): Say WHAT?
Woman: Yeah. So it looks like we won’t be getting into Airosamente through the north gate.
Young woman: Lori!
Lori: Not now, hun.
Yong woman: Listen, this is important!
Lori: I’m sure. So is the B team getting caught. Our appointment with the king is going to get cut short if we don’t have a way into the city.
Stodlum: What about the sewers?
Lori: Stoldum, stoldum, honey. We don’t have the manpower for the sewer route with the B team dead.
Stodlum: Well we don’t have the manpower to attack the main gate either, so something needs to be done to get the first team in.
Lori: Ugh. Give me a moment love.
- she paces and sees the team*
Lori: What the hell?! *goes into her dart firing crouch (I know, I need to make that) and shoots Bill.
Bill: Ugh! Wha… *falls to the ground*
Matt: Pscyho woman! Run for the hills!
Jason: Matt! Wait! Hold on!
Lori: What? Shut up! *she shoots AI, but nothing happens*
AI: We may need to restrain them with force.
Jason: Don’t! Listen, Lori, we just want to talk!
Lori: Bull! You barged into our house! *takes a pot shot at Matt, but he’s hiding behind a convient table*
Stodlum: They overheard everything. They know too much. If we let them live they’ll ruin everything.
Amy: I trust you that disposing of us will not be a simple task. *she draws her staff* (SHUT UP! Both in good time!)
Jason: Amy, stop! Listen, you’re the Emperors right?
Lori: Ugh, you’ve heard of us. Imperial agents, I presume?
Jason: No. We’re not with the Grace Kingdom. Or the Ultimate Republic for that matter.
Stodlum: Then who the blazes are you and why are you here?
Jason: We’re people that want to see this war over, and we’ve come to help you.
Lori: Why should we trust anything you say?
Young woman: Because they saved my life!
Lori: *turning to Myrin* Myrin?
Matt: ?!?!?
Lori: What happened?
Myrin: I was jumped by thugs outside! They were… well I’ll tell you that part later. But these guys saved my life! The one with the blue hair is awesome. I told them to come over.
Lori: I see…
Jason: Isn’t that proof we’re not out to hurt you?
Lori: It’s proof that you’re decent people, but the work we do is hardly what you’d consider decent. Myrin why did you bring them here?
Myrin: Well… with everything going down tomorrow I figured we could use some extra help…
Lori: So you recruited random people that we don’t know if we can trust?!
Myrin: They can fight! They’re tough! The one with the blue hair can shoot fire. And the others helped too I’m sure.
Matt: *next to Jason* She definitely has a thing for you, man.
Jason: Hm.
Lori: No no no, and a fourth time no! Hun, it’s just not going to happen.
Stodlum: Lori… we ARE short a few bodies. Without some help I don’t see anything happening tomorrow.
Lori: There’s still the glider plan…
Stoldum: You know it’s infeasible.
Lori: …
Myrin: Come on, please! Tomorrow is our only chance!
Lori: FINE! I’ll talk to them. Come upstairs in about a minute. *goes upstairs*
Myrin: Heehee… seeya around. *she leaves through the front door*
Bill: *getting up* Ughh…
Matt: Hey, you’re okay?
Stodlum: It was only a minor tranquilizer drug. Lori doesn’t kill without asking questions first. There’s too much spy in her for that.
Mat: That’s… not very comforting.
Stodlum: You’re sure you want to do this? Once we tell you about our operation the only way you’re getting out alive is by sticking with us.
Jason: I said we would help.
Stodlum: Fine. I’ve trained many special ops and you don’t have the look of spies, though there’s something about you I can’t place. You’re not telling us everything.
Amy: Everyone has their secrets.
Stodlum: I suppose. Well, go on. You’d best not keep Lori waiting. She can be… moody.
- upstairs*
Lori: I can’t believe I’m doing this, but we really are short on operatives right now… all right,what are your names and were do you come from really?
Jason: I’m Jason. The one you shot is Bill. That’s his brother, Matt. We’re from Jasonia.
Lori: You mean Pinkaria?
Jason: Errr, yeah.
Lori: Odd to hear it called “Jasonia” anymore, since that country hasn’t existed for like 4000 years or something. Great, I get stuck with the people behind on the times. Well, hi. How bout you, tin man.
AI: I am an AI series robot, serial 5903, manufactured in 1723 ACS at the AI-Series Foundation factories controlled by the Imperium of Micras.
Lori: … … … you know what? I’m just going to talk to those other guys. I think I’ll end up with less of a headache.
AI: As you will.
Lori: How about you, honey? What’s your story?
Amy: My name is Amy, and my story is my own.
Lori: Oooh, the obligatory mysterious one with the shady past. Fiesty. So you people have any useful abilities?
Jason: I can read minds and shoot fireballs from my hands.
Bill: I have the strength of a dozen men.
Matt: I built my own sword made entirely out of pure energy.
AI: My armor plating is almost indestructible by your metal weaponry.
Amy: I can bend time and space to my will.
Lori: … why do I even bother asking the questions? If we weren’t so desperate for help right now...
Lori: Well I’m Lori and, yeah, this is the headquarters of the Emperors. We were started by the darling Stodlum that you meant downstairs as a rebel underground wishing to end the war that’s destroying our great country of Audnetior. We’ve been around for, oh, 6 years now and have done a little bit to put pressure on the Grace Kingdom’s government, but tomorrow is our big break.
Lori: We have word that the king of the Grace Kingdom, King Markos IV, has left the imperial Grace Palace and is staying in Airosamente itself to help boost the morale of the citizens. It is tomorrow, as the king is being escorted from the town square back to his residence in the city, that we have a small window of opportunity to abduct him.
Matt: Kidnap the king? In front of his no-doubt substantial security?
Lori: Absolutely.
Matt: Interesting. Go on.
Lori: A wealthy merchant that has connections in the palace, Evan von Christoph, is actually one of us. He has arranged that the royal guard escorting the king be some of his men. With luck there won’t be even be a fight when we reach the king.
Lori: Unfortunately… because of a botched attempt to get into Grace Palace before, we’re all recognizable criminals on sight. And we have been unable to fool the guards with fake citizenship papers. So we need a way to get a team in by another route to disable the security at the city’s secondary gate, north gate.
Bill: That’s spy-talk for saying “kill all the guards at the gate”, right?
Lori: Pretty much.
Amy: You’re thinking of sneaking through the sewers to get inside?
Lori: Yeah. A small team will infiltrate the city sewer system and jump the guards from behind to let the rest of our people in. Since it’s a dirty job that will probably be you guys, though I’ll guide you.
Jason: Why not just get everyone in through the sewers?
Lori: Because if something happens in the sewers, the other team will still be able to improvise. You never send all your people in one group.
Matt: And after we get in?
Lori: Find, knock out, and capture the king. If our luck holds they won’t even know he’s gone until we reach the gates, but I wouldn’t count on it. So we break out by force if necessary. We make for the river and try to get back to Epoli as quickly and discretely as possible.
Amy: I assume you’ve worked everything out and this is your best chance for success?
Lori: Of course.
Jason: All right, we’re in. But we need to retire for the night. My team has had a long day and have some things to discuss in private.
Lori: Fine. We don’t have space for you here so get a room at the inn. Oh, and it will be under guard, just in case you try to run.
Jason: That’s one thing you don’t have to worry about.
- in the inn room*
Jason: Okay. Does this whole plan sound whack to anyone else? Just walk out with the king and not expect the imperial troops to be able to track him here?
Bill: It’s totally impossible. We know for a fact that the Emperor’s don’t kidnap the king. Historically it didn’t happen.
Amy: It seems very strange that the Imperium report would speak about the Emperors when there doesn’t seem to be much going on.
Matt: Guys, we have big problems.
Jason: Mmm?
Matt: That girl, did you catch her name when Lori spoke to her?
Bill: No.
Matt: … it’s Myrin.
AI: The girl the report said tried to interfere and was killed.
Matt: Yep.
Jason: And we saved her life… she was supposed to be killed and we saved her.
Amy: I wonder what effects this is having on our future. But we can’t go back right now to see.
Bill: I’m kinda worried about tomorrow. Since we know they don’t succeed but we’re going to try anyway, won’t our lives be in danger?
Matt: Meh, we’ll survive. We’re decent at breaking out of prison.
Amy: We need to be extremely careful. This is very serious. The treaty negotiated by Lord Conglacio may be in danger if we alter the situation here too much.
Jason: Well none of us know what REALLY happened here, so we’ll just do the best we can. And I think that starts with a good night’s sleep.
Matt: Agreed.
Bill: My head is killing me from that knock out drug.
Amy: My head is also buzzing… all right. Let us retire.
- the next morning*
- knocking on the door*
Jason: *still in bed* Mmm?
- door opens*
Myrin: Good morning! Oh!
Jason: Agg! We’re still in bed here!
Myrin: Oh, heehee.. sorry… … …
Jason: Err, hey, what’s up?
Myrin: Huh? Oh sorry. Lori wants you guys over at her house right away.
Jason: Fine… now please get out so we can get ready?
Myrin: Sooorrrry! *leaves*
- party gets set*
- At the Emperors house*
Lori: It’s a half day’s march to Airosamente so we’d better get going. But first we need to choose mission assignments.
Myrin: Jason is coming with me to the gate!
Lori: … yes… well I’m leading the sewer team. Three of your group will come with me to handle anything we may find down there, which leaves one other person to go with Myrin and Jason to wait outside.
- the player picks between Bill, Matt, AI, and Amy to go with Jason*
Lori: That settles it. Meet me at the edge of town when you’re ready to depart. Make it fast.
- talking to Lori at the edge of town gives the player command of the Myrin / Jason / whoever party. They make their way to Airosamente*
Guard: Citizenship papers. Have ‘em ready!
Myrin: Nothing to do now but wait.
Jason: Yeah.
Myrin: Hey, I know this cool place around here for swimming! Want to take at dip to cool off while we kill time?
Jason: Erm, I didn’t bring any swimwear.
Myrin: Neither did I…
Jason: … err, I think I’ll just wait here.
Myrin: You’re no fun. *goes off to sulk*
Whoever is with them: She’s like a lost puppy around you. (exact dialogue varies depending on who says it)
Jason: Bah to you.
- meanwhile, the other party is at a sewer grating*
Random member: That smells awful. (again, dialogue varies, like AI would say “Sensory smell detectors picking up a putrid odor”)
Lori: It’s a sewer. It stinks. The faster we get in, the faster we can get out.
- The sewer is a dungeon. Along the way they have to turn valves to open up certain portions, and defeat various nasty beasts and the occasional unlucky guard. Not too long, but not very short either. Eventually…*
Random goon: I’ll smell for weeks.
Another goon: It’s getting dark.
Lori: We’re on schedule. The King’s speech should be almost over and he’ll be on his way back soon. Hurry, this way, let’s let the others in.
- They make their way unopposed to the north gate and launch a surprise attack at the guards on top of the gatehouse. Then they open the gate*
Lori: *talking over the wall* All set, come on!
- Myrin, Jason, and whoever enter.*
Myrin: Hey.
Lori: So far, so good. We don’t have much time. Myrin, lead them around to the ambush point! We’ll strike from the other side.
Myrin: Yes ma’am, thank you ma’am. (a salute pose would be awesome here)
- party takes control of Myrin, Jason, and whoever. Myrin nor Jason are very good fighters so this party will have a harder time in combat. They must make their way through the shadows of dusky Airosamente. Any guards they see will call an alarm and start a surround battle on sight, but they can be avoided with stealth. Eventually they find the King being escorted. A random animal noise is heard.*
Myrin: That’s the signal! Go!
- they jump out at the guards as the other party does the same from the other side. The guards, surprised, attack. The player must defeat 3 guards as Myrin / Jason / whoever, then four as the other party. The guards put up a decent fight.*
Myrin: They were supposed to be our men.
Amy: The king is getting away!
Lori: The heck he is. *she shoots a dart at him and he goes cold*
Lori: We don’t have much time! Come on! To the gate! *they all run in a cutscene, with Empress hauling the body of the king along without even slowing down*
Jason, to Bill: I thought we didn’t succeed!
Bill: I don’t know what’s going on! Maybe we’ll be stopped still?
- the gate is down and seven guards are in front of it*
Lori: No time for sneakiness! Jason, lead the charge while I get that gate open!
- the player picks between Bill, Matt, AI, Amy, and Myrin to form a four person party. Then they are attacked by four guards, and immediately after two guards and the captain in a boss battle. When it ends, Empress, on top of the gatehouse, opens the gate. All run through it to meet Stoldum.*
Stodlum: You did it! Now we can force the treaty to be signed!
Lori: All thanks to your brillitant leadership, love.
Myrin: Can we get out of here?! They’ll be sending every man they can find after us!
Stodlum: Right. We’ll head for the river with the king. You guys, break for Apolytown. If no one got a good look at you they won’t have any reason to suspect you.
Lori: I’m sorry I ever doubted you! You did wonderfully! Tomorrow, meet us in Epoli!
- All three leave, and Myrin and Lori aren’t selectable with party switch*
Bill: This is wrong… even if they are caught now, historically this would have been remembered somewhere.
Amy: Aggg! *falling to the ground*
Matt: Amy! *all gather around her*
Amy: My head… headache… it hurts!
Jason: What’s wrong?!
Amy: My time powers… something is drastically changing the future… all is unstable. It hurts so much!
Bill: The future? NO!
Jason: What could have gone so wrong... ?
Matt: We need to get her to a hospital.
AI: There would be one in a large city like Apolytown.
Jason: Let’s hurry.
