Mission:Devil Take the Hindmost - Part Three: Greeks Bearing Gifts
Part Three: Greeks Bearing Gifts
Briefing
All of the elements of your plan are in place, Character. All that's needed now is the final execution.
Socrates's smile fades, and he looks at you solemnly.
You face a difficult task, Character.
To enter the Zig willingly, forfeiting your powers... it is a bold move. You will be vulnerable, for a time, and you will need to rely on your wits to survive.
- Don't worry about me, Socrates. I can handle myself, no matter the situation.
Socrates's grin returns anew.
Indeed! And when you succeed, they will speak of this day for ages to come!
Good luck, Character! Before the sun sets tonight, the power of the gods will be in your hands!
Find Pandora's Box
Unnecessary Solicitation
Now is not the time to tarry, Character! Glory awaits!
Mission Objective(s)
- Find Pandora's Box
All preparations are in place, sir / ma'am.
I have transportation ready to bring you to the Talos Island PPD station. Once you've turned yourself in, the local authorities should transport you to Zigursky Penitentiary almost immediately.
- What should I expect once I'm inside?
- If Doctor Harvan's theories are correct, then you should expect to be depowered the moment you enter Zigursky. The key, here, is the Antikythera.
- Bring the Antikythera with you when you turn yourself in. The guards at Zigursky will confiscate it, but it's highly unlikely they will understand the significance of the artifact.
- Once you're inside, you'll need to reacquire the Antikythera, from wherever they're storing it. Possessing it should grant you temporary immunity to the draining effects of Pandora's Box, thus restoring your powers.
- Lastri frowns slightly, and one of her eyebrows twitches angrily.
- At least, that's what Doctor Harvan informs me.
- Something wrong?
- Nothing of significance. Doctor Harvan appears to be... quite upset that he will not be personally involved in the discovery of Pandora's Box. I had to... remind him that the logistical nuances of this operation require that only high-powered entities would be appropriate.
- Lastri's frown deepens.
- He remains unconvinced. I have begun to wonder if his expertise has outlived its usefulness. However, until we have acquired Pandora's Box for ourselves, I deemed it prudent to retain his services.
- We can deal with him later. Let's begin. (Start Mission)
- I'm ready. (Start Mission)
- I'm ready. (Start Mission)
Mission Objective(s)
Lastri managed to deposit you outside the Talos Island PPD office rather discreetly. The rest is up to you.
- Find Pandora's Box
- Turn yourself in
- Assemble your allies
- Search for your belongings
- Find some way to stir up trouble
- Find the Antikythera
- Defeat Citadel
- Speak to Harvan
- Find a way into the prison substructure
- Find Pandora's Box
- Defeat Captain Castillo!
- Survive the coming onslaught
Pandora's Box has been opened, with highly unexpected results. Now would be a good time to leave...
All of your character's powers are unavailable until the Antikythera is retrieved.
Enemies
Notable NPCs
- Captain Castillo (Sky Raiders Archvillain, Ally)
- Citadel (Freedom Phalanx Hero, Enemy)
- Nicola Franco (Family Lieutenant, Neutral) - Nicola Franco is a mid-level enforcer for the Family. He's spent the majority of his 'working' years behind bars, a fact attributed to his general carelessness when dealing with local authorities and Heroes.
- Captain Guerrero (Paragon Police Department PPD Captain Boss, Neutral)
- James Harvan (Oxford Professor, Civilian)
- Odysseus (Warriors Archvillain, Ally)
The eyes of the PPD captain widen in horror as you approach.
Character... y-you've got a lot of guts waltzing in here! Every hero in Paragon is gunning for your head! You'll leave if you know what's good for you!
Seeing that you have no intent on fleeing, he begins to sweat profusely.
You don't need... to hurt anyone, alright? Just... tell me why you're here. We can work this out.
- (Pretend to be mind controlled.) Mistress Yin has commanded it.
- or
- I've had a sudden attack of conscience. I'm turning myself in.
- or
- I'm building my street cred. A few years in prison should do it.
- The captain eyes you suspiciously. After a moment's hesitation, he beckons one of his officers over, to place you in cuffs.
- You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney...
- (Allow yourself to be arrested)
Mission Objective(s)
- Assemble your team
Let's do this, Character. I have a serious aversion to this place.
- Very well. Let's see what we can stir up.
We have arrived, Character. Our capabilities are reduced, it is true, but this will not be stopping us! Our glory shines through, regardless of what forces try to sap our strength!
- True enough. With me, Castillo.
Mission Objective(s)
- Search for your belongings
The guard sneers at you as you approach.
That's far enough, Character. You and your lackeys got some hard time ahead of ya, so I suggest you get accustomed to the accommodations here.
- I want access to my belongings. Where are they?
The guard lets out a sharp laugh. He jerks his thumb at the cabinet behind him.
You're not getting any of this till your trial, and even then it's gonna be as evidence.
The guard leans in close to you.
But really, go ahead and try and go for it. Grab whatever technical gizmo or magical doohickey you're looking for. Cause in here? That crap ain't working.
I can't tell you how many times some goon from the Circle has waved a stick at me, only to get tackled by three guards. I love that stuff. So try me, Character. Go ahead. I want you to.
- Yes, I'm sure you do.
The thick-jawed man looks at each of you contemptuously.
How've I been? How have I been?
No offense, cuckoo magic boy, but the slammer ain't exactly the best place to spend your recreational time. This ain't some... some pleasure cruise, eh? It's freakin' prison. How do you think I've been?
And where do you get off talkin' to me like we're pals or somethin'? I don't recall hanging around with a bunch of sword-swingin' freaks. I think I'd remember.
- (Allow the drama to unfold)
BriefingCome on, now, Nikkie, don't be like that. I'm just trying to be friendly. Friendly's good, isn't it? Speaking of, how's your mother doing? It's been a while since I've seen her.
- (Continue)
If this guy was angry before, he's downright livid now. His face is turning an increasingly deep shade of red.
First of all, you don't get to call me 'Nikkie'. My friends call me 'Nikkie', and you would not be my friend if you were the last frikkin' person on the face of this Earth.
Second of all, you do not, I repeat, you do NOT talk about my mother! You don't know her, and you don't need to know her, so back off right now, or you're gonna get a beating.
You may have been Mr. Big Shot outside, but in here? It's all guts, pal. And judging by your fancy attire, I'm gonna say you ain't got what it takes to go a round with me.
- (Continue)
Nikkie, please, I'm just trying to be pleasant, here. If you don't want to talk about your mother, that's fine. I can understand.
I mean, I wouldn't either, if my mother was a-
- (Continue)
THAT'S it, you asked for it, pal!
The man cracks his knuckles and advances toward Odysseus.
- (Capitalize on the distraction)
Harvan cowers away from you.
Character! I... ah... oh dear. I seem to be in quite a bind, hm?
- Quite. Explain yourself Harvan.
- Well, I...
- Harvan takes a moment to compose himself, then looks at you defiantly.
- This is my life's work, Character. I know that probably doesn't mean anything to you, but it does to me. I mean to see Pandora's Box with my own two eyes, if it's the very last thing I do.
- You can't deny me this, Character. I've earned it!
- Harvan realizes he may have gone too far, and his courage begins to falter.
- What... what I mean to say is...
- Why should I take you? You're helping the Phalanx!
- Harvan throws up his hands in frustration.
- Well how else, exactly, was I supposed to get inside a maximum-security prison? You're part of this facility's target audience, for pete's sake! Of course you can get in!
- I will be completely frank with you, Character. I have no loyalty to you, nor to the Freedom Phalanx, nor to anyone, really. The politics of all this, the grabs for power? They don't interest me.
- What does interest me is the artifact underneath this facility. I want to be there, Character. I need to be there.
- Tread carefully, Harvan. You're on thin ice.
- Give me one good reason not to kill you where you stand.
- N-now... now hang on. I know this looks bad, a-a-and really it is bad, but... ah...
- Harvan swallows hard.
- But... but you need me, Character. You may know where Pandora's Box is, but you can't know what to expect. I know for a fact that your secretary kept me around for this long as a safeguard. I can help you! My knowledge can help you!
- Me... or the Freedom Phalanx.
- Harvan throws up his hands in frustration.
- Well how else, exactly, was I supposed to get inside a maximum-security prison? You're part of this facility's target audience, for pete's sake! Of course you can get in!
- I will be completely frank with you, Character. I have no loyalty to you, nor to the Freedom Phalanx, nor to anyone, really. The politics of all this, the grabs for power? They don't interest me.
- What does interest me is the artifact underneath this facility. I want to be there, Character. I need to be there.
- Tread carefully, Harvan. You're on thin ice.
James Harvan: Can it be... after all these years...
Captain Castillo: Augh!
Captain Castillo: This feeling... so strange...
Captain Castillo: The power... the beauty! It overflows within me!
Captain Castillo: You... are not WORTHY!
Captain Castillo defeated
James Harvan: The Box... Pandora's Box is causing this.
James Harvan: I have to stop it!
James Harvan: Hrrrrgh!
James Harvan: Augh!
James Harvan: I... I don't understand...
Ambush! You are ambushed by four waves of Pandora's Might.
Debrief with Lastri
Unnecessary Solicitation
Socrates appears distraught.
What pyrrhic victory have we stumbled into? Truly, fate is as cruel as any villain from the Isles. To reach the fabled Pandora's Box, only to have your prize turn against you...
Socrates sighs heavily.
I cannot bear it, Character. It is injustice of the highest order.
Mission Objective(s)
- Debrief with Lastri
Lastri's demeanor remains calm and professional, but her face is paler than you've ever seen it, and her usually-prim hair is in disarray.
Character... sir / ma'am... This is not one of the... potential outcomes that I prepared for. If you'll just give me a moment...
Lastri flips through pages of her notepad, looking increasingly distressed. Eventually, she pauses, takes a deep breath, and looks at you directly.
Well, honestly, our position is not significantly worse than it was prior to the operation. We don't have possession of Pandora's Box or its contents, but neither does anyone else. Our rivals are in the same position that we are.
Furthermore, we still have access to one asset that our rivals do not: Doctor Harvan. He has become... somewhat of a liability, lately, it's true. However, it is my belief that he knows more than he has been telling us about the nature of Pandora's Box. With the right... supervision, I believe he may remain a valuable asset.
- Do you have any idea what attacked me back there?
- I don't know, sir / ma'am. All I can say is that when Pandora's Box was opened, every detected case of metahuman 'empowerment' ended, and shortly thereafter you were attacked. If I were to venture a guess, I would say that the energy from Pandora's Box has manifested itself directly.
- Lastri's brow furrows.
- What doesn't follow is why that's happened. All of the data we've collected about Pandora's Box implies that it should be granting power, not manifesting directly. We don't have enough information on hand to explain this problem... which is why I believe we need to retain Doctor Harvan's services, for the time being.
- Very well. We'll keep him with us... for now.
- Lastri, Harvan's the cause of this problem. Get rid of him.
- Lastri purses her lips.
- With all due respect, sir / ma'am, I do not believe that would be our best course of action.
- Pandora's Box is open, and the power inside is loose in the world. That means that any group still interested in harnessing that power is now on equal footing. Page 1, so to speak.
- The only advantage I can see in this scenario is superior knowledge of the core element of this crisis - Pandora's Box itself. Right now, we control the most reliable source of that information. I do not believe it is in our best interest to give that up.
- At the very least, you need to keep him on a tight leash.
- Understood, sir. Doctor Harvan's movements will be closely monitored, from here on out. I've made it quite clear to him that any further rogue behavior will be dealt with swiftly and without remorse. He seemed to understand my meaning.
- As long as he's kept in line, Lastri.