Template:StoryArc Fear and Loathing on Striga Isle

Fear and Loathing on Striga Isle (Story Arc)

Souvenir

Levels: 25 - 30

A prototype Quantum weapon

Dr. Winslowe and his team at SERAPH gave you this non-functional prototype, based on designs captured from a conspiracy within the Council itself. Winslowe thinks he may be able to perfect the design one day, but for now you keep it as a memento of the strange case you remember as:

Fear and Loathing on Striga Isle

After a captured Council Archon had revealed he existence of a rabidly anti-Nictus and anti-Kheldian faction within the Council, monitoring of the evil organization was stepped up dramatically, looking for further clues. The clue you were looking for came when Moonfire, the Kheldian agent on Striga Island, discovered that a group of Council soldiers was secretly testing new weapons against the Banished Pantheon. The weapons were being tuned for use against Nictus, but you found both a War Wolf and a Galaxy soldier working to help test them.

Searching for clues about why the Galaxy Archon Booker would help against the Kheldians, you investigated his old base. There you discovered that he had learned something dire about Arakhn's plans, and was feeling himself transforming into an alien being from his Nictus Fragment implants. These combined led him into the conspiracy.

One of the names mentioned in Booker's journals was an Archon Coster, the head of a research base. You infiltrated the facility, but found it already under attack by the Banished Pantheon, who sought revenge for being used as test subjects. Coster had been killed by the Pantheon by the time you arrived, but his notes not only had the names of the remaining conspirators, but showed that Coster had been a double-agent, and had assembled those names for Arakhn herself.

You rescued the scientists that the Council conspirators had forced to work on their anti-Nictus weapons, and captured Archon Stone, the third conspirator. From this point forward, it would be a race to capture the last conspirators before Arakhn could hunt them down.

You captured Lt. Wester and Archon Turley, two more members of the conspiracy, before Arakhn could assassinate them. You also discovered that the remaining conspirators planned to escape Striga Island and defect to another organization.

As you rushed the capture of the last two conspirators for all valuable information they held, you learned that Arakhn had alerted the Center to the conspiracy. With no time to lose, you captured Archon Saager and Archon Voight before they could escape from Striga on a cargo vessel. With all the conspirators safely captured, Arakhn's attempts to assassinate them were foiled, and much new information about Nictus activity within the Council could be gained. It may take some time for the conspirators to talk, so you were encouraged to improve your powers until then so you'd be ready to investigate whatever was revealed. You were told to come back when you were about Stature Level 30 to continue.

Find the source of the Quantum Array weapons

Fear and Loathing on Striga Isle
Part: One

Briefing
In the wake of Archon Swann's revelation about an anti-Nictus faction within the Council at the end of the Cosmotron incident, we've been monitoring the Council very closely, looking for any trace of this group within the Council. Now Moonfire thinks that she's found something, and has asked for you to speak to her on Striga Island.

Mission Acceptance
Need Info

Unneccesary Solicitation
I think Moonfire may be onto something big. You should speak with her as soon as you can.

Mission Objective(s)

• Talk to Shadowstar

Moonfire

Briefing

I am glad that you have chosen this task, <Character Name>. I have been closely monitoring Council communications, seeking some evidence of a conspiracy against the Nictus within their ranks. I have discovered that a group of Council soldiers have been tasked with a deadly experiment: To employ newly developed weapons against the Banished Pantheon in a live-fire test. What drew my interest was that this test is being concealed from nearly all factions of the Council, but particularly from Requiem, Arakhn, and the Center.

It is my belief that these new weapons may be under development with their sights set on the Nictus. Therefore it is imperative that they are recovered and examined. You should also look for the leader of these solders, a man named Captain Dawson, and defeat him to find any information he carries.

Mission Objective(s)

Large sections of Striga have been overrun by the Banished Pantheon, and these caverns appear to be full of the creatures.

• Investigate weapons test
  • 1 weapon to locate, Defeat Captain Dawson

You found some strange weapons here.

Enemies

Council

Banished Pantheon

Notable NPCs

• Archon Booker (Vortex Cor Leonis Archon, Boss)

Archon Booker: This just got worse! It's <Character Name>!

• Captain Dawson (Vortex Cor Leonis Adjutant, Lieutenant)

Captain Dawson: We need these weapons! You don't know what they've done to me!

Dawson's Orders

These Orders are maked for Captain Dawson only. They lay out the plan to test these new weapons against 'Possesion-capable entities', like the Banished Pantheon before trying them out against a 'Hostile Alien'.

Quantum Dispersal weapons

These weapons are based off of the Void Hunter's Quantum Array guns, but have been tuned very differently. These weapons are specifically designed to work against Nictus, and people with implanted Nictus fragments.

Debriefing
Moonfire was correct. These weapons appear to be tuned specifically to fight beings like the Nictus. I guess that they'll have a strong effect against creatures of the Pantheon as well, since they are controlled by an energy being of sorts. What I don't understand is why a Warwolf and a Galaxy Archon were helping to test them. There's more going on here, and I think that this is just the beginning of something big.

Infiltrate a Galaxy base to learn about Booker

Fear and Loathing on Striga Isle
Part: Two

Briefing
We have some people looking at the Quantum Dispersal weapons you recovered, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions about what was going on in those caves. One of the things that troubles me is if they were testing anti-Nictus weapons, why were Warwolves and Galaxy troops helping them? We've done some investigation, and found the base where Archon Booker was stationed. There may be some clues to his motivations there if you can get in and retrieve them.

Mission Acceptance
Booker isn't talking, but others did metion that he kept journals. If you can find them, it might help us why he's conspiring against the Nictus. It might also identify other members of the conspiracy. You only need to find Booker's journals. If you want to fight or you have to fight, you can, but it's not necessary.

Unneccesary Solicitation
Need Info

Mission Objective(s)

This base is being used exclusively by Arakhn's Galaxy troops

• Investigate Booker's journals
  • 2 journals to find

You have recovered the journals.

Enemies

Council

(Galaxy Soldiers)

Booker's early journal

This hand-written journal was written by Francis Booker, and details his early years in the Council. He spends pages talking about the first time he met Arakhn after distinguishing himself in battle, and the honor he felt when he was selected to become one of the Galaxy troops. He also spends several pages describing his disgust for Requiem, whom he regarded as an egotist and Arakhn's enemy. It is not until the last few entries that a note of discord is struck:

'Arakhn told us all today. Now I know the truth, and it sickens me. I can't believe I once relished this power. I feel it growing in me, changing me. The others don't seem to mind, but I feel it like a cancer eating away at who I once was. Alien thoughts and feelings, welling up every second I don't fight to push them back. I don't even know if I'm human, but now that I've learned the truth of their plans I know that human or not I have to fight them while I still can.'

Unfortunately, Booker makes no further mention of what the 'Truth' he learned was.

Booker's recent journal

This hand-written journal was written by Archon Francis Booker. This journal covers the last year or so of his life to the present. He describes being contacted by Archon Swann about his growing dissatisfaction and unease as a Galaxy solder:

'Went to the meeting place to find Swann talking to a War-wolf. Fighting nearly broke out until Swann got us all to realize how much we had in common. After we talked, we found we had a lot in common. Like we all felt the monsters in us now. The next night, Swann took us all to meet with Archon Coster. He told us about the group. He told us about their plans. All of us agreed. The Nictus must be stopped, no matter the cost.'

Much of the rest of the journal talks about bringing in more Galaxy troops who feel uneasy with their transformations, all the while carefully avoiding the majority who exult in their new power.

Debriefing
These journals are interesting reading. Booker clearly feels like he's being transformed into something he doesn't like by the Nictus fragment implants he received. He chose to fight against it by joining this group, knowing full well that if they succeed it could be the death of him. I just wonder what he learned about Arakhn that made him snap. More practically, we know about Archon Swann, and have him in custody. However, Archon Coster is a new name to this investigation, and from the journal it sounds like he was closer to the conspiracy than Swann. We'll start investigating immediately.

Catch Archon Coster in his lab

Fear and Loathing on Striga Isle
Part: Three

Briefing
We've done some research on the name you found in Booker's journal, 'Archon Coster'. It turns out that Coster runs a research-oriented facility on Striga Island. A research facility that was working on new applications of Arakhn's Quantum technology. I think we may have learned what those new applications are. We've been able to locate Costers' facility, and I would like you to go in and catch him there.

Mission Acceptance
Catching Coster is the most important thing. He can tell us more about the conspiracy, and anything he says about those Quantum Dispersal guns could help Dr. Winslowe and his team to reverse-engineer them. He may not be willing to talk, so also keep an eye out for any other information you can find.

Unneccesary Solicitation
Coster and the information in the base is the most important thing. It could lead us right to the heart of the conspiracy.

Mission Objective(s)

You realize that something's gone wrong the moment you walk in. Several dead guards and bullet-riddled zombies alert you to the Banished Pantheon's presence.

• Catch Archon Coster
  • 2 pieces of information to find, Find Coster

Though Archon Coster was dead, you found out several important things, about the Conspiracy, including the names of its leaders.

Enemies

Council

Banished Pantheon

'It's science at gunpoint!'

When you rescued a scientist held captive by the anti-Nictus conspiracy within the Council, he told you:

'By Fermat's last theorem, I thought I was done for until you arrived, <Character Name>! Those Council thugs have been holding myself and several other scientists captive, forcing us to work on new weapons under a man called Archon Swann. It's science at gunpoint! Fortunately, when Swann was captured, they didn't have anyone left who could tell what we were doing, so we were able to slow down our research without raising suspicion. They still have the others, but I'll help any way I can!'.

Scientist Transfer Orders

You found these orders on Archon Swann's computer. They authorize the transfer of several captive scientists to another facility controlled by a fellow conspirator named Archon Stone. From the date, the move was very recent.

No honor among conspirators

You found this report on Archon Coster's body. Its shocking contents read:

My Lady:
I have the last name. As you suspected, it is Archon Stone. I transferred the scientists to his care, and now he trusts me completely. The full list of conspirators against you is: Voight, Stone, Saager, Turley, and Swann. With Swann's set-up and capture engineered so well, their technical progress has ground to a halt, and none of the remaining four suspect a thing. As you surmised, My Lady, the Pantheon have begun to retaliate for the tests against them. I have purposefully played down this possibility to keep the others off guard. We shall soon be able to clean up the remainders. I would like to stress, however, that the Kheldians have been getting closer. We may need to deal with them soon. I await your next orders, Lady Arakhn.

Ever your servant,
Archon Coster.

Debriefing
I should have seen it coming. The conspirators had a traitor in their midst. That's politics as usual within the Council. However, that puts us on an accelerated time table. Once Arakhn knows that her man has been killed, she's sure to act before the remaining conspirators escape. If she captures those scientists or the conspirator's weapons, we may never see them again. From now on, this is a race to the bottom of this conspiracy.

Rescue scientists at over-run base

Fear and Loathing on Striga Isle
Part: Four

Briefing
The information you recovered from Archon Coster's base has led us to the location of the base where the scientists the Conspiracy had kidnapped are being held. We have been monitoring the base to plan a strike. Now that Arakhn's double agent in the conspiracy has been killed, she'll likely move quickly to round up the conspirators. We were hoping we could find the right chance to send you in, but our monitors have intercepted distress calls from the base. They're being overrun by the Banished Pantheon! It's imperative that those people are rescued from the Council before something happens to them.

Mission Acceptance
There's another target to consider, along with rescuing the scientists. Archon Stone, one of the other conspirators, is the commander of this base. If you can capture him before Arakhn's operatives or the Banished Pantheon can get to him, he could be a valuable source of intelligence.

Unneccesary Solicitation
You need to rescue the scientists and capture Archon Stone before the Banished Pantheon finishes them, or Arakhn realizes what's going on.

Mission Objective(s)

This base is in chaos. The Banished Pantheon's attack seems to have caught its defenders off-guard.

• Attack Stone's Base
  • 4 scientists to rescue, Capture Archon Stone

You captured Archon Stone and rescued the kidnapped scientists!

Enemies

Council

Banished Pantheon

Notable NPCs

• Archon Stone (Vortex Cor Leonis Archon, Boss)

Archon Stone:

Before combat: Coster said they wouldn't retaliate! What was he thinking?
Combat start: Form up! Defeat all attackers!

Debriefing
Archon Stone is in captivity and we've gotten all the scientists to safety. Arakhn is certain to be on the trail of the remaining conspirators now. We don't have much time before this explodes.

Disrupt Arakhn's intelligence and locate the conspirators

Fear and Loathing on Striga Isle
Part: Five

Briefing
Arakhn is moving against the conspirators. That isn't necessarily a bad thing now that we've rescued the kidnapped scientists, but any of the conspirators we capture could be valuable sources of information. They've been watching Arakhn and Requiem for years, and may know a lot about their activities. We need time to find the remaining conspirators, and as long as Arakhn is hunting them, we won't get it. We have to disrupt her intelligence long enough for us to find and capture the conspirators, and we're going to need your help to do it.

Mission Acceptance
It turns out that Archon Coster wasn't Arakhn's only spy among the conspirators. We found references to him among Archon Coster's papers, and have been able to identify him. His name is Lt. Wester, and he works for Archon Turley, one of the conspirators at large. Your mission is to catch both of them, netting us one conspirator and blinding Arakhn's operation.

Unneccesary Solicitation
Need Info

Mission Objective(s)

This base appears to be in a state of hurried packing. You see several boxes packed full of papers ready to be moved.

• Catch Archon Turley & Lt. Wester
  • Capture Lt. Wester, Capture Archon Turley

You captured Archon Turley and Lt. Wester, and discovered that the remaining conspirators are planning to evacuate Striga Island.

Enemies

Council

Notable NPCs

• Lt. Wester (Galaxy Adjutant, Lieutenant

Lt. Wester:

Before combat: Yes, I'll be right there after I file a report.
Combat start: This situation is already out of your control, <Character Name>!

• Archon Turley (Vortex Cor Leonis Archon, Boss)

Archon Turley:

Before combat: Make sure all the papers are packed. I may want to write memoirs some day.
Combat start: I will not be captured by Arakhn, by you, or by anyone!

'She told The Center everything'

After you defeated Lt. Wester, he told you:

'Arakhn knows that you're hunting down the conspirators. She's made plans to handle it. She told the Center everything. Even now his troops are preparing, soon they'll take care of all the conspirators for us. Best of all, any accusations they make will look like desperate lies. You won't be able to move fast enough, Kheldian. They'll be out of your hands forever.'

Evacuation plans

You found these plans on Archon Turley after you defeated him. It looks like the remaining conspirators think the cause is lost, and plan to take what they've learned and leave Striga Isle. What's more, they mention that they've made contact with another villain organization called Arachnos, and plan to defect to it with all of their new weapons.

Debriefing
Good work, you captured both of them before they could get away or Arakhn could get to Turley. If they're planning to leave Striga and defect to another organization, we have to stop them.

Catch the last two conspirators before they leave Striga

Fear and Loathing on Striga Isle
Part: Six

Briefing
The two remaining heads of the Conspiracy are preparing to escape Striga Isle, and the Center's personal guard are leading the attack to re-capture them now that Arakhn has let him know about the conspiracy. This is the last chance we're going to have to catch them ourselves. After this is over, the'll be beyond our reach, one way or another.

Mission Acceptance
Archon Saager and Archon Voight are the last two leaders of the conspiracy still free, and they're planning to keep it that way. They've loaded up a tanker-ship with their loyalists, and plan to take it to the Rogue Isles. We can't let that happen. The information they know about the Nictus activity within the Council could change everything. What they know about Arakhn's schemes and Requiem's plots will keep the heroes of the city busy for months, and set the Council back years.

Unneccesary Solicitation
Need Info

Mission Objective(s)

The interior of this vessel rings with the sounds of battle.

• Catch Archon Saager & Voight
  • Capture Archon Saager, Capture Archon Voight

Enemies

Council

Notable NPCs

• Archon Saager (Vortex Cor Leonis Archon, Boss

Arcon Saager:

Before combat: Is this the end of all our plans?
Combat start: If this is the end, I feel an odd relief. Come, <Character Name>, let us fight.

• Archon Voight (Vortex Cor Leonis Archon, Boss)

Archon Voight:

Before combat:
Combat start: I would rather be captured by you than the Center, but I will not let it be easy.

'Many, many more secrets...'

After you defeated Archon Voight, he said:

'You fought well. I can accept this loss, because I know that you'll keep fighting the Nictus even after I'm in the Ziggurat. The Council is a lost casue, though. Keep up your investigation. There are many more secrets than even we discovered. Many, many more secrets...'

Debriefing
We now have Swann, Stone, Turley, Saager, & Voight all in custody. The few things they've already talked about have already lead to arms smuggling rings and several hidden bases. That intelligence alone has been valuable. They've also said some very disturbing things about what the Nictus withing\ the Council have been planning. There's a lot to investigate, and none of it could have happened if it weren't for you, <Character Name>.

It may take some time to reach the next stage of this. Your power has grown immensely since you began your life as a Kheldian, but to continue the fight against the Council, you should concentrate and train yourself further. Come back and talk to me when you are around Security Level 30. I think you'll be strong enough then.