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Now here's what this has to do with you:<br />Some actions have gone... wrong lately. Frankly, I suspect that some of the Sword have been compromised. I can't investigate it myself, so I need someone to do it by proxy. That would be you. And this is the incident I want you to check:<br />One of those [[Traditionalist]] Negotiators is missing. One of the Sword teams I suspect was in the vicinity, lead by Captain Flint, someone I used to trust. I want you to check out their location. If the diplomat's there, bring him back alive. I'll be waiting for your report. Oh, and the negotiator's name is Sah'Teece. Apparently he was a [[Rikti]] sports hero before he became a diplomat. Some kind of racing, I guess. | Now here's what this has to do with you:<br />Some actions have gone... wrong lately. Frankly, I suspect that some of the Sword have been compromised. I can't investigate it myself, so I need someone to do it by proxy. That would be you. And this is the incident I want you to check:<br />One of those [[Traditionalist]] Negotiators is missing. One of the Sword teams I suspect was in the vicinity, lead by Captain Flint, someone I used to trust. I want you to check out their location. If the diplomat's there, bring him back alive. I'll be waiting for your report. Oh, and the negotiator's name is Sah'Teece. Apparently he was a [[Rikti]] sports hero before he became a diplomat. Some kind of racing, I guess. | ||
; | ;Unnecessary Solicitation | ||
Your reputation almost guarantees that they won't make this easy. Good luck. | Your reputation almost guarantees that they won't make this easy. Good luck. | ||
[[File:VanguardSword1.jpg|thumb|250px|right|{{center|An unexpected enemy}}]] | [[File:VanguardSword1.jpg|thumb|250px|right|{{center|An unexpected enemy}}]] | ||
Revision as of 07:27, 3 November 2010
Overview
| Gaussian | |
|---|---|
 Vanguard Tactician | |
| Zone | Rikti War Zone |
| Coordinates | (424, -1192, -2225) |
| Level Range | 45-50 |
| Introduced By | Serpent Drummer |
| Introduces | Dark Watcher |
| Enemy Groups | |
Gaussian is a hero and villain contact in the Vanguard Compound neighborhood of Rikti War Zone at coordinates (424, -1192, -2225) . His level range is 45-50.
Introductions
Contact Introduces
Whatever the Watcher is working on, it's big. Good luck!
The Dark Watcher is, well, the Dark Watcher. He's been acting as Lady Grey's advisor ever since Vanguard was founded. He rarely asks anything from anyone, so I think this is a pretty big deal.
Contact Introduced By
Information
Vanguard Tactician
Gaussian is Vanguard's main tactician, coordinating intelligence efforts across Divisions to form a united front against the Rikti. Many believe that his ability to keep vanguard organized is the only thing that's prevented the Rikti from overwhelming Vanguard's forces, but Gaussian prefers to downplay his role and instead credit the steadfast determination and fighting skill of the volunteer troops.
Prior to Introduction
I'm glad to meet you, Character, but I'm a bit busy right now. I'll talk to you later, but hey, if you're looking for something to do, maybe you should talk to Levantera or Borea.
Initial Contact
This isn't over yet, but with you around I think we just might have a chance.
Alright, let's get this out of the way. My title is tactician, but I'm also in charge of Vanguard's cloak-and-dagger stuff. I've been watching your work, so I know you can handle weird situations, and that you have a tendency to come out on top despite the odds. That sounds like just the kind of person I need right now.
Below Level Requirement
Drummer said that you had an impressive record, and I agree. However, I need something just a bit more impressive. Like, about 45 security or threat levels worth of impressive. I'll see you when you're ready.
Greeting
- Let's do this.
- Alright, let's get this cloak-and-dagger stuff done.
- We've got a lot to do.
Too Busy
We have a problem. Simply put, you already have too much to do. Go and finish up some of your other tasks, then hurry back.
No More Missions
It's gonna be a while before I can get myself out of the doghouse, but don't worry about me. Right now, I think you may have some bigger things to worry about. I'll see you around.
Store
All inspirations and the enhancements shown below are available from initial contact.
- Inspirations
- Level 50 Magic Single Origin Enhancements (200% base costs)
- Level 50 Mutation Single Origin Enhancements (200% base costs)
- Level 50 Natural Single Origin Enhancements (200% base costs)
- Level 50 Science Single Origin Enhancements (200% base costs)
- Level 50 Technology Single Origin Enhancements (200% base costs)
Story Arc
The Red and the Black (45-50)
Souvenir
Souvenir: A Letter of Apology from W.M. Dietrich
You were pretty stunned when you received this letter from Captain Wilhelmina Marlena Dietrich of Longbow. In it she expressed, in her crisp and slightly condescending manner, her sincerest apologies for the unfortunate series of events that led to her attempt to shut Vanguard down. Those same events also nearly led to the end of the world during an adventure you remember as:
The Red and the Black
It all began with a request for help from Gaussian. Unlike many cloak-and-dagger types you've encountered in your super-powered career, Gaussian came straight to the point: he wasn't just Vanguard's premier tactician, he was also the commander of Vanguard's secret covert operations division, known as the Sword. He was concerned that a faction of the Sword may have gone renegade and wanted your help to investigate the situation. You found a Rikti Diplomat that had been kidnapped and stopped his execution by the Sword soldiers on the scene. Gaussian covered up the situation to the Rikti, but you and he both knew the truth: this wasn't an isolated squad. This was a conspiracy and needed to be rooted out.
Your investigation continued into the Renegade Swords, but by the time you arrived, the situation was already out of control. Lt. Sefu Tendaji of Longbow was on the scene looking for a missing diplomat. Though he helped you fight past the renegades, when you found the diplomat already assassinated, you knew that despite Sefu's good attitude towards Vanguard things were about to get much worse between your organizations. You had little time to worry, though, as documents you confiscated on the scene pointed to the Renegade Swords' next target: Lady Grey herself!
Lady Grey was willing to help lay a trap for the Renegades, using herself as bait. Together, you were able to smash their attack, crushing much of the Renegade Swords' combat forces. You were on the verge of victory over them, when something went terribly wrong.
At first, things seemed like they were going to be fine. The remaining Renegades were in a panic and had left one of their main intelligence officers exposed. You swept in to capture him only to be confronted by Longbow forces! Ms. Liberty and Longbow's leadership had blamed the extreme actions of the Renegade Swords on Vanguard as a whole and were now demanding that the Vanguard stand down or be put down. In this mess, you found that the Renegade Sword officer you were looking for had swallowed a poison capsule rather than be captured, and you even found yourself facing Lt. Sefu Tendaji as a foe! You prevailed in battle, but before he used his medical teleport, Lt. Tendaji told you about a secret Longbow spy-base that might have the information you were hoping to get from the Renegade officer.
Armed with Sefu's tip, you infiltrated the Longbow base. You found the files, and they revealed that the Renegades were planning something completely insane: to destroy the dimensional conduit between our world and the Rikti world, separating the two realities forever. It may have sounded like a good idea to the desperate, but as both Gaussian and the Longbow report pointed out, the interdimensional backlash of such a rash and destructive action could cause both dimensions to collapse, annihilating both universes!
The final battle with the Renegade Sword's leadership was hectic as it became a three-way melee when Longbow joined the fight. In the end you defeated the last of the Renegade Swords, captured their portal technicians, destroyed their disrupter device, and even sent Captain W.M. Dietrich packing. The world was safe, even if you'd had to save it from itself.
Once Longbow had proof that the Renegade Swords really were acting on their own, Captain Dietrich took it to Ms. Liberty herself. She may not like Vanguard much, but she's honest and admits when she's wrong. Gaussian thanked you for all your help, but here had to part ways with you. Though the situation had been handled, it had happened on his watch. He took responsibility and would accept the heat for it as he tried to get the Swords back into shape after all of this. However, before you left, he told you that the Dark Watcher wanted to see you. The Watcher isn't known for making requests lightly, so this should be interesting.
Accept Gaussian's Mission
The Red and the Black
Part: One
Briefing
The mission I have is dangerous, but unlike some cloak-and-dagger types, I actually like it when the people I work with know what's going on. Deniability is great, sure, but I prefer people to be able to react to a changing situation. So if you're in, I'll give you the low-down. But don't make me wait too long.
Okay, here's the situation:
You know about the branches of Vanguard, right? The Helm, Shield, and Gauntlet? Well, there's another branch. The one I run: the Sword. We handle counter-intelligence, special forces actions, all that kind of stuff. It can be some ugly work, but it's necessary.
Now here's what this has to do with you:
Some actions have gone... wrong lately. Frankly, I suspect that some of the Sword have been compromised. I can't investigate it myself, so I need someone to do it by proxy. That would be you. And this is the incident I want you to check:
One of those Traditionalist Negotiators is missing. One of the Sword teams I suspect was in the vicinity, lead by Captain Flint, someone I used to trust. I want you to check out their location. If the diplomat's there, bring him back alive. I'll be waiting for your report. Oh, and the negotiator's name is Sah'Teece. Apparently he was a Rikti sports hero before he became a diplomat. Some kind of racing, I guess.
- Unnecessary Solicitation
Your reputation almost guarantees that they won't make this easy. Good luck.
Mission Objective(s)
This really looks like the kind of place someone could dump a body.
- Locate Missing Negotiator
- Rescue Sah'Teece
- Defeat Captain Flint
You prevented the assassination and captured the plot's leader!
Enemies
Notable NPCs
- Sword Sorcerer (Vanguard Sword, Boss)
- Negotiator Sah'Teece (Returning Human, Defector)
- Lt. Davidson (Vanguard Sword, Boss)
- Captain Flint (Vanguard Sword, Boss)
If you weren't a member of Vanguard, this Cipher would take serious effort to decode. But with your training, it only takes a few moments to read the names of the negotiators and diplomats this squad has been assigned to murder. The evidence is plain, but leaves you with more questions.
Debriefing
Sah'Teece has been on Earth for a while. We told him that his kidnappers were really Nemesis Automatons, and he bought it without reservation. Guess you can get used to anything. But you and I know that those were real people, soldiers of the Vanguard who've gone renegade. They're taking orders to illegally murder people with an eye towards destabilizing the peace with the Traditionalists. This isn't just Flint and a rogue squad. This is a conspiracy. And I'm going to need your help rooting it out.
Investigate Renegade Safe House
The Red and the Black
Part: Two
Briefing
Working with the data you've collected and the testimony of the traitors you brought in, we've found the location of a rally point for the renegades. I want you to go in and try to get any intelligence you can gather. We need to know what they're planning and how they were turned against us.
So far, we've kept the presence of the Renegades within the Sword quiet. I'd like to keep it that way and end this quickly.
- Unnecessary Solicitation
What were they thinking? It makes me sick to think about what their motives could be.
Mission Objective(s)
Nothing good has happened in this abandoned place in a long time.
- Strike Renegade Safe House
- 3 clues
- Defeat Captain Grool
You're finished at the safe house. Time to tell Gaussian what you've learned.
Enemies
Notable NPCs
- Lt. Ceres (Vanguard Sword, Boss) (Guarding Lt. Sefu Tendaji)
- Lt. Sefu Tendaji (Longbow, Pet, Ally)
- Captain Grool (Vanguard Sword, Boss)
After you met up with him, Lt. Sefu Tendaji took a moment to speak to you:
'I came here to find a missing diplomat. We discovered that he had been taken here by Vanguard agents. I thought that there would be no problems, but this is madness! I have fought alongside the Vanguard, I have even defended the Vanguard to my superiors, but to be attacked like this? It is even more troubling that you seem unsurprised.
Well, I know I can still trust you. Let us find the diplomat, together.'
Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, you find this. It was Captain Grool's next set of orders. It doesn't name the target, but from the location and amount of forces they're preparing, the only possible victim of the next assassination attempt must be Lady Grey herself!
This laptop belongs to Lt. Ceres. It's full of mad, paranoid ranting about how the Vanguard has lost its way, and may now be too 'weak' to do the job that the writer feels must be done.
The Diplomat's name was Bill J. Wylde, a former astronaut and one of the chief proponents of opening talks with the Rikti Traditionalist faction. He was definitely killed by Vanguard weapons, from behind at close range. This was an assassination, and whether or not the people responsible were renegades, Bill Wylde's death is going to cause a lot of trouble with Longbow.
This handwritten letter is unfinished and discarded, probably an early draft. It's addressed to a woman named 'Martha", and attempts to explain the deep regrets the author feels regarding the harsh actions he and the rest of the Sword must undertake for the good of humanity. It's unaddressed and unfinished, so there's no way to know who Martha was, or if she ever recieved it.
Debriefing
From what you've found, the situation with the renegades is worse than I suspected. And now Longbow has a stake in it. Tendaji's a good guy, but the murder of Mr. Wylde is too much. He's going to go to 'W.M. Dietrich', and then there's going to be trouble. But we have to concentrate on putting down these renegades first and that means stopping the assassination on Lady Grey. Or does it? Hmm... You know, I've got an idea...
Spring the trap on the Renegade Swords
The Red and the Black
Part: Three
Briefing
Here's the plan, Character. The Renegades are gathering a large number of their forces for an assassination attempt on Lady Grey. I've talked to her and she's going to walk right into the trap. Only now the trap is for them, not for her. You're going to be there as her back-up, you and any allies you want to bring. We're going to break this conspiracy and put an end to this today.
The Renegades planned to get Lady Grey alone and then swarm her with hit-squads. They might have had a chance, too, but not anymore. You have two objectives: first, you have to get Lady Grey to safety. If she falls, even if we're able to miniport her back out, that still will count as a victory for the Renegades. Your secondary objective is to eliminate all the assassin squads. Good luck.
Mission Objective(s)
Lady Grey is waiting as the bait in this trap. Time to spring it!
- Trap the Renegades
- Find Lady Grey
- 3 assassin squads
- Escort Lady Grey to Safety
(If successful) You protected Lady Grey and defeated all of the assassins.
(If failed) Lady Grey fell in battle. Though she was teleported to a hospital, the Renegades have still achieved a psychological victory.
Enemies
Notable NPCs
- Lady Grey (Vanguard, Hero, actually Boss-class) (Ally)
- Lt. Donai (Vanguard Sword, Boss) (Guarding Lady Grey)
- Lt. Further (Vanguard Sword, Boss)
- Captain Nin (Vanguard Sword, Boss)
- Captain Skung (Vanguard Sword, Boss)
- Colonel Toros (Vanguard Sword, Boss)
Colonel Toros:
- Character is helping Lady Grey escape!
- We must strike now!
- No one gets out alive!
Debriefing
Good job! The Renegades are sure to get desperate now, and that may draw them out and give us a chance to put an end to them. That is, unless someone does something stupid...
Capture Captain Racer
The Red and the Black
Part: Four
Briefing
With their attempt on Lady Grey a failure, the Renegade Sword units are on edge. They're making mistakes and now one of their key intelligence officers, Captain Racer, is exposed. Your mission is to catch him and bring him in.
We need to know what the Renegades are doing and what they plan to do next. You'll have to take care of any opposition on-site, but keep on-task. We need to find out their plans.
Mission Objective(s)
The minute you walk in, you hear the sounds of fighting. Something's very wrong.
- Catch Captain Racer
- Find Captain Racer
- Defeat Racer's Captor
You didn't find what you were looking for, but Lt. Tendaji did give you a clue.
Enemies
Note: Longbow and Vanguard will be hostile to each other during this mission.
Notable NPCs
- Lt. Sefu Tendaji (Longbow, Elite Boss, actually Hero-class)
Always an honorable man, Lt. Sefu Tendaji took a moment to talk to you after you defeated him.
'I am very worried, my friend. I know that these are renegades, but people are afraid, and there are many Longbow who have never trusted the Vanguard. In fact, we've had a secret monitoring station in the area for some time, listening in on Vanguard communications. It has been busy recording all of the activity among the Renegades lately, particularly after you stopped their assassination attempt.
Unfortunately, I do not have access to the listening station, but I believe that whatever the Renegades are up to can be found in those records.'
You found some of the information you were looking for, but not everything, and you can't ask Captain Racer for more. He swallowed a poison capsule, opting to die rather than reveal his secrets to Longbow... Or you.
Debriefing
This is what I was afraid of. Knowledge of the Sword Renegades is out and people are scared. Incandescent is doing her best, but Longbow is Ms. Liberty's force and the people love her. Now Ms. Liberty has decided that Longbow should handle the Rikti situation and that Vanguard should join up or stand down. She's said that we're superfluous, a danger, and that Longbow has the troops and gear to take on the Rikti better than we can. After all of this, I can see where she's coming from. She may have a point. More than that, she may be right. But I don't look good in red and white. We have to handle this.
The Red and the Black
Part: Five
Briefing
Longbow's been wrapping up all of our leads as they're trying to seize control of the situation and get enough rope to hang us. But we're not out of it yet.Lt. Tendaji strongly hinted to you about a Longbow listening base they have hidden in the zone, and we've found it. If they have the information that Tendaji implied that they did, it could help us confirm what we think the Renegades are up to. We need all the information we can get to stop them and we can find it in only one place: that Longbow Base.
All we want in there is the data. Unfortunately, the base will be staffed, and most likely there will be security responses each time you get some of the information. Still, it would be best if you could do this without any unnecessary action. I have my own problems with Longbow, but we're all on the same side against the Rikti.
Mission Objective(s)
It looks like Sefu wasn't kidding. There's a complete Longbow base hidden here!
- Steal data from Longbow
- 3 data thefts
You got the information you were looking for.
Enemies
Notable NPCs
- Security Squad Leader x6 (Longbow Warden, Boss)
- Lt. Rush (Longbow Warden, Boss)
This crate is filled with gear captured from Vanguard agents. There's also a lot of technological items re-captured after being stolen by Sword Renegades. There's enough here to build some kind of portal-related device.
This unfinished but well-researched report details one Agent Ikah's theories about recent Vanguard activity. Ikah lays out the probability of a renegade branch within the Vanguard and then analyzes their recent actions. His conclusion is that if they make an attempt on Lady Grey's life and fail, they'll likely take a desperate measure to cut off what they see as the source of all their problems at the source, and made an attempt to destroy the conduit between our world and the Rikti Homeworld. It sounds like a good idea, but as Ikah points out, the barriers between Earth and Rikti Earth are so weak right now, such an action could have unimaginably bad consequences.
There is a massive amount of data here, a record of every transmission made by a Vanguard Unit. It looks like they sorted them all by branch. There are even separate files for the Renegades' transmissions. The listening post must have assumed they were a new branch.
Debriefing
This is bad. If Longbow is right, and I think they are, the Renegades are about to cause a catastrophe. If they manage to use the device they're building to destroy the inter-dimensional corridor between our world and the Rikti Homeworld, it won't seal the thing off, it will open them up. To EVERYTHING. It could change the laws of physics, free the Rularuu, and worse. They have to be stopped.
Stop the Renegades
The Red and the Black
Part: Finale
Briefing
We've been tracking the movements of a large group of Renegades, but didn't know their objectives. However, the information you found has made their aims abundantly clear. I believe this group is armed with a portal destroyer, and are going to try and use it in a last-ditch attempt to stop the Rikti invasion forever. Which wouldn't be a bad idea, except that trying to destroy the inter-dimensional conduit between our world and the Rikti Homeworld could make the universe collapse. So we gotta stop them.
It's a crazy world, ain't it? This is the Renegade's last push, so they've gone all out. You'll need to capture two of the Renegades' top technicians, defeat the Renegades' leader, and destroy the disrupter before they reach their target. They'll be a bit distracted from all the Rikti, so you have a good chance. Oh, and to make it even more complicated, Longbow will probably be there. They're a lower priority, but if W.M. Dietrich is there, you'll need to defeat her, too, before they'll give it up.
Mission Objective(s)
This branch of the tunnel system is headed towards the crashed saucer. Do the Renegades know about another way into the cavern underneath?
- Stop the Renegades
- 2 Capture Technicians
- Defeat Captain Dietrich
- Renegade Leader
- Destroy Disrupter
missing text
Enemies
Notable NPCs
- Capt. W.M. Dietrich (Longbow, Hero)
- Renegade Leader Gen. K. Alito (Vanguard Sorcerer, Boss)
- Technician Kan (Vanguard Sergeant, Lieutenant)
- Technician Stoji (Vanguard Sergeant, Lieutenant)
- Su'Uul (Rikti Magus, Boss)
This batch of destroyed equipment was going to be the portal disrupter that the Renegade Swords were planning to use. If it had been assembled and triggered, it might have been able to break the interdimensional conduit between our world and the alternate reality the Rikti come from. Unfortunately, that would have also shattered the barriers between the two universes, collapsing them in on each other, or worse. You have to wonder just how often the entire universe is placed on the brink of destruction by something like this.
Debriefing
You really saved the day, Character. The surviving Renegades are all in custody and the dimensional barriers are safe. A quick trip to the hospital cooled off Dietrich, and once she had proof that this was a Renegade group acting on their own, she took it to Ms. Liberty, who's back off on calling for us to be disbanded. WMD may not like us, but she's honest, I'll give her that. Overall, things worked out okay.
Well, except for me. All of this happened on my watch, so I've got a lot of people in Vanguard pretty angry at me. I need to spend some time and clean up my organization. In the meantime, the Watcher asked me to send you his way. I don't know what's up, but whatever he things of me right now, he's heard a lot of good things about you.
I'll see you later. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get the Swords sharp again.
The Dark Watcher doesn't make requests lightly.