Mender Silos Strike Force
This article is about the villain Strike Force. For the hero Task Force, see Mender Silos Task Force.
Trading Places
Contact: Mender Silos
Level Range: 46 - 50
Notes: You can attempt this task force solo, but a team is recommended.
Zone: Ouroboros
Location: Ouroboros Citadel ledge
Primary Enemy: Longbow
Name: Trading Places
Form the Strike Force
Briefing
It might be hard to believe that there was a time when Lord Recluse stood at the precipice of taking over Paragon City. As is so often the case, he and his 'patrons' failed in their mission due to the supposed heroes of your time. I propose a pronunciamento to you, one who is not so terrified of the taboo, that perhaps Recluse should have succeeded. Not justfor his gains or even all of the Rogue Isle, no it's much bigger than that. For mankind to survive the 'coming storm', Lord Recluse must rule the world.
Editor's Note: This story was originally published in issues #10 - 12 of the City of Heroes comic book. Enjoy.
Missions
Aid the "Mendacious Man"
Trading Places
Part One
Briefing
I'll send you back in time, insert you into the Archnos and guide you through it all. Our goal is to make sure Lord Recluse succeeds this time.
The first step is for you to track down a mendacious man I believe to be at the root of this. Seek him out and aid him if he'll take it. He is at the fulcrum of these events and you may very well be right at his side, Character.
Enemies
Notable NPCs
- Manticore (Ally) (Elite Boss)
- Ms. Liberty (Enemy) (Elite Boss)
Mender Silos, a man who claims something beyond the good and evil you surround yourself with, sends you to Siren's Call to find Manticore. History tells him of a time when Manticore crossed the line from hero to villain. Silos believes that this point in history is key to determining what happens in the future and how to stop it. You go to Siren's Call and discover the Vindicators are there engaged in battle with Manticore. Never one to turn down a fight with Ms. Goody-two-shoes, you decide to aid Manticore. Afterwards, he looks you straight in the eye and says the funniest thing, 'take me to your leader.'
This should be interesting.
Aid Manticore against Sister Psyche
Trading Places
Part Two
Briefing
Mender Silos: You don't have to hide your thoughts from me. I can see them all over your face. You don't believe Manticore would turn against his kind. Very well, I have just the place for you to go next. You will see who Manticore is willing to become.
Are you interested in seeing this transformation ?
Recluse made a proposal to Manticore: take out Sister Psyche. If you had difficulty believing Manticore would turn on his own, you'll likely find this even harder to believe. So, go back in time and see what this man who claims to be a hero did and then tell me, is it the actions or the intention behind them that makes us heroes or villains ?
Mission Objective(s)
- Capture Sister Psyche
You've found a hand written letter addressed to Character.
You've aided Manticore in capturing Sister Psyche.
Enemies
Notable NPCs
- Manticore (Ally) (Elite Boss)
- Sister Psyche (Enemy) (Elite Boss)
While time traveling into the past, you visit an Arachnos Base and in a crate you find a handwritten letter addressed to Character...
"While you have not yet met me face to face, I hope you've grown to see the truth to my words and begun to question your Ouroboros masters. You, of all people, should not be bound by their constraints. They have come all across the cosmos, disregarding the law of nature, but yet they bind you to the events they control.Have you noticed how they rarely send you into the future? What secret do they guard there that they don't want you to learn ?
Mender Silos gives you no choice. It is only I who offer you that simple right. All I ask in return is that you question him, question Ouroboros, question everything - even me. I expect nothing less from you. You are an individual of intellect who will see through their lies and once you do, you will find me at the end of it, offering you the truth you deserve. It is then and only then that we shall truly meet for the first time.
Until that time, I trust that you have found my letters and have taken them to heart.
Ultimately, the choice will be yours. As always, look for me in the Pillar. I will make myself known when the time is right.Travel well."
Debriefing
Well done. You've captured Sister Psyche. Now Lord Recluse will use her to power his Jade Spider. This of course, will kill her, nothing I'm sure you're too worried about. However, her death may well be what saves the world. I apologize if you find this mission morally ambiguous.
Lazarus was right about you. We did come to the correct time.
Assault Siren's Call
Trading Places
Part Finale
Briefing
The time has come. Recluse has made his assault on Siren's Call. From there he will sweep across Paragon and then the world. If my hypothesis is true, then he will succeed and in his success, he will actually save the world from annihilation.
Mission Acceptance
Siren's Call will be the staging ground for the Arachnos assault. You must go there and aid Lord Recluse's army. There will be many trying to stop you, but you must succeed.
Mission Objective(s)
- 50 Longbow to defeat
- Defeat Synapse
- Defeat Ms. Liberty
- Defeat Mynx
- Defeat Maliase
- Defeat Infernal
- Defeat Numina
- Defeat Citadel
- Defeat Positron
- Defeat Synapse again
- Defeat Manticore
- Defeat Sister Psyche
- Defeat Statesman
You've managed to destroy the Freedom Phalanx as well as the Vindicators. Siren's Call is now in the hands of Arachnos.
Enemies
Notable NPCs
- Jade Spider (Ally) (Elite Boss)
- Ghost Widow (Ally) (Elite Boss)
- Black Scorpion (Ally) (Elite Boss)
- Synapse (Enemy) (Elite Boss)
- Ms. Liberty (Enemy) (Elite Boss)
- Mynx (Enemy) (Elite Boss)
- Malaise (Enemy) (Elite Boss)
- Infernal (Enemy) (Elite Boss)
- Numina (Enemy) (Elite Boss)
- Citadel (Enemy) (Elite Boss)
- Positron (Enemy) (Elite Boss)
- Manticore (Enemy) (Elite Boss)
- Sister Psyche (Enemy) (Elite Boss)
- Statesman (Enemy) (Elite Boss)
Bug! The name of Malaise is incorrect: Maliase
Ambush! You will be ambushed by a hero when the hero is entering the mission. At the beginning there's no hero in the mission, i.e. you will be ambushed automatically. The spawn mechanism is not entirely clear but it seems that heroes spawn in "sets". Each set consists usually of 3 groups. In each group there is one hero with his longbow support. I.e. you are ambushed by up to 3 heroes and their support at the same time.
Debriefing
You've managed to alter the timeline so that Lord Recluse overtook Siren's Call. From there, he will be able to siege Paragon City. There will be resistance of course, but all the major powers have been taken out thanks to you.
The causality curve should catch up to our own time like a wave. However, I must tell you, do not expect a tsunami to wash across us. There are too many other factors from then to now that could push the time back to when it was. Time is a difficult thing to change, often taking numerous alterations to make even a minor adjustment in the future.
This is why I have chosen to bring Ouroboros here rather than some when else. Lazarus and I have determined that this is the strongest temporal node with the potential for greatest alterations, but as with everything else, only time will tell.
Reward
Unlike the larger Strike Forces, "Trading Places" is more like a Story Arc, and can be completed in about an hour. Consequently, it has no accomplishment badge, and offers only a Single Origin Enhancement reward instead of a Pool C Recipe.