Thursday, July 31, 2003
Recent events in reverse chronological order (newest to oldest):
- In Keahl, Azimuth has a rather unpleasant conversation with the cursed sword he is now a part of.
- The trio is introduced to the rebels, some of Hidoshi's regiment and several Bharatan soldiers among them.
- Recruiting the four, he then leads three of them into the underground tunnels to the hideout, while Matsumoto leaves, saying he will head for Keahl and inform the others.
- Karlian informs the party that he is part of a resistance group in the underground.
- Karlian Devaki, a Bharatan emissary to St. Laurent from before the war started, confronts the party.
- The party escapes into the city and dodges guard patrols.
- Matsumoto reveals that he has slain most of the palace guard.
- Noticing that the guards seem to have all vanished, the trio is about to panic when Matsumoto appears.
- Crois handles the other guard, then the trio escape from the palace.
- The following night Crois upsets the guards on duty and when one comes into the cell to silence him, Hidoshi knocks the guard out.
- Letrion tells Crois that the guards have bad tempers, and gives him a way to escape. He then vanishes.
- Letrion Veldanes appears in the night while the guards are gone and gives the captives a pep talk.
- It is revealed that Crois is the traitor to the cause, arousing Aiden's anger and Hidoshi's distrust.
- Crois refutes the request and Drei is about to kill him before she is stopped by a mental command from Ein.
- Drei Ronfuar comes to the dungeons to see Crois and informs him that Funf wants to see him.
- Upon recieving the news, Johan becomes irate and immediately sets off with Shinjato to see Camille at the temple.
- Setajin takes Takashi, Azimuth, Shinjato, and Kyato back to Keahl to rethink their strategy, tempers inflamed by the possibility of a traitor amongst them.
- Hidoshi, Crois, and Aiden are detained in the dungeons of St. Laurent castle.
- Setajin rescues Ceres, but is unable to free Hidoshi from his captors.
- Hidoshi is captured by a guard patrol just as Setajin returns with Azimuth and his party.
- Hidoshi finds a girl on the run from the patrols named Ceres Kazule and protects her from a guard.
- Aiden and Crois are ambushed by guard patrols and captured.
- The main party splits into three groups. Aiden and Crois to free prisoners, Hidoshi to sabotage artillery, Matsumoto to assassinate commanders.
- Setajin successfully deploys the second operation, then leaves again to pick up Azimuth from the wrecked ships.
- Hidoshi witnesses the ambush from the airship and suspects treachery.
- Zwei Volgarde ambushes Azimuth's party and sinks the Keahl ships.
- Azimuth begins the distraction operation.
- Camille journies to the temple of the Etoh to reconcile her doubts.
- The plan is put into motion under Hidoshi and Azimuth's leadership.
- Johan and Shinjato acquire the services of a sorcerer to make the airship invisible.
- The strategy calls for Azimuth to lead a coastal distraction party while Setajin air-lifts the main force into St. Laurent.
- Camille and selected officers and allies devise a strategy to retake St. Laurent.
- Kyato and Takashi form a blood brothership, thrown together by the war.
- Shinjato Akimosho, an officer under Camille, joins the main force.
- Johan arranges for Camille and her people to stay in the capitol of Olvanista.
- The Laurentian refugee convoy arrives at Keahl.
posted by Mark at 10:15 PM
Epilogue of Chapter 2:
St. Laurent has fallen, and the Krieg are victorious. The attack was sudden and fierce, lead by none other than Ein Drache himself. In the morning hours, with barely a warning by Laurentian scouts, the Krieg army fell upon St. Laurent and broke through its defenses. Camille prayed for the Tirade to aide them, but no help came. Soon, the city was overrun and the people of St. Laurent had to flee for the harbour, crowding onto ships bound for Keahl. With their populace at sea and the city ablaze, the people wept bitterly, defeat crushing their hopes. Six months of incessant fighting seemed all for naught. Indeed, the most shaken of all is Camille, who now doubts her faith in the Tirade.
Meanwhile, Hidoshi feels doubt growing in his heart too. He has failed in his duty to support St. Laurent, he has been dishonest with an ally, and his troops have sustained heavy casulties, including himself. Tended by the kind Vinar nurse Aiden however, he slowly regains some courage and thinks solemnly about returning to St. Laurent in the near future to retake the city. It is then he and Aiden are visited by the Tirade, who appears to them with great radiance and bestows her blessings. She explains that what happened was unavoidable and is part of a greater plan, though the events have been accelerated to prevent a future disaster. She then tells the two that St. Laurent will be retaken, and soon, but that they will have to try and help Camille find her faith again if the plan is to succeed. A final warning is given before the Tirade recedes, telling that the one whom Hidoshi hands a dagger shall betray him. With that, the Tirade vanishes.
Now all hope hinges on the faith of one woman, as we begin Chapter 3: Iscariot and the Dagger.
posted by Mark at 4:09 PM
Recent events in reverse chronological order (newest to oldest):
- The Etoh vanishes, leaving the Laurentian convoy to continue on to Keahl without incident.
- The Etoh destroys the runestone cannons, then sinks the Krieg ships into a whirlpool.
- Zwei orders the use of prototype runestone cannons to try and sink the Laurentian convoy.
- The Etoh appears suddenly and assaults the Krieg armada with cosmic fire.
- Sitara sabotages many Krieg cannons and hinders the assault on the Laurentian convoy.
- in the middle of the third night en route to Keahl, the patrol is attacked by Zwei Volgarde's armada.
- The Tirade further warns Hidoshi to beware of the one he gives his daggers to, for he is named "iscariot".
- The Tirade suddenly appears before Hidoshi and Aiden and tells them they will soon return to St. Laurent.
- Aiden, a Vinar nurse from St. Laurent helps to heal Hidoshi's wounds and they become fast friends.
- Half the populace escape in ships bound for Keahl, guarded from Krieg patrols by Seta's airship.
- After hours of intense fighting and battery by the Krieg archery, St. Laurent falls.
- Hidoshi and many of his battalion suffer severe injuries.
- On the morning of the fourth day, St. Laurent comes under siege by the Krieg, led by Ein Drache himself.
- four days pass without much event save a barfight at Rourke's.
- Takashi returns from the Yagyu territories with the Fao Ryuu blade.
- Hidoshi has a medic see to Kyato's wounds and notes his tactical information in a log.
- Kyato, having escaped capture, returns to St. Laurent with information on Vier's division.
- Camille enters into conference with her advisors to decide on how to handle the Yagyu deception.
- Hidoshi and Crois explain the situation to Azimuth.
- Azimuth is ressurected by the Tirade, his body merged with the cursed blade Tyrfing.
- Hidoshi and Crois visit the temple of the Tirade and petition her to revive Azimuth.
posted by Mark at 3:57 PM
Recent events in reverse chronological order (newest to oldest):
- Hidoshi and Crois interpret the letter as Azimuth's possible ressurection and commence with revelry.
- The letter is revealed to be from a messanger of the holy Tirade, mentioning something about Azimuth's recovery.
- During breakfast some time later, the barkeep Rourke gives Hidoshi and Crois a letter.
- Camille assigns a guard to protect the airship.
- Camille forges an alliance with Setajin and thanks him for his help in the battle.
- A 16 gun salute is sounded from the airship overhead in memory of Azimuth.
- Tyrfing is buried and a mound is raised over it, along with a cross remembering Azimuth as a Laurentian hero.
- Vier withdraws from battle along with his troops, leaving St. Laurent to mourn Azimuth.
- Noch, the gauntlet of the Animus, reduces Azimuth to ash, leaving only Tyrfing behind.
- Azimuth attacks Vier and is subsequently about to unleash Tyrfing when Vier uses Noch to kill him.
- Half of Vier's army is wiped out by the bombing run and the renewed fervor of the Laurentian forces.
- Upon inquiring, Azimuth learns that the hour they were in the temple was actually four days to the outside world.
- Setajin returns with a flying ship which commences a bombing run on Vier's army.
- Vier calls in reinforcements to siege St. Laurent, outnumbring the Laurentian army 5 to 1.
- Hidoshi frees Crois and Matsumoto, all three rejoining the battle.
- Azimuth and Sitara join the battle while Hidoshi goes to free Crois and Matsumoto from the jails (again).
- Later, when outside, Azimuth and Sitara find a battle with Vier has begun and awaken Hidoshi.
- Hidoshi, suffering from emotional tension at the mention of Zhebanelm falls unconscious.
- The record ends with what appears to be an attack on the abbot.
- Further revelatons of Zhebanelm tell of him as a destroyer who created two beings to plague Solest.
- it is also revealed that many souls who were born at the end of the Lunar cycle were reincarnated as Solestians.
- It is revealed that the holy Tirade and her companion Etoh are the progenators of the Solestian planetary race.
- A record of pre-Solestian history begins to play in the form of an ancient Abbot and his two attendants.
- All three are then admitted to an expansive room with an invisible floor upon which many glowing symbols are drawn.
- It is further revealed that Camille has already caught Crois and Matsumoto and jailed them.
- It is revealed that Ein is being reinforced by the powers of an ancient evil called Zhebanelm.
- The statue is revealed as that of the holy Tirade, who speaks to all three.
- Upon entering the temple, all three are compelled to bow before a female statue.
- Hidoshi, Azimuth, and Sitara find an ancient temple in the heart of St. Laurent.
posted by Mark at 10:38 PM
Recent events in reverse chronological order (newest to oldest):
- Hidoshi and Azimuth depart to research St. Laurent's history.
- Remembering shogun Miyabi's instructions, Hidoshi orders Crois and Matsumoto to infiltrate the St. Laurent military archives.
- Azimuth reveals that St. Laurent was built on the ancient ritual site of an Aryan settlement.
- Hidoshi recieves word that Setajin has returned to his home prefecture seeking reinforcements.
- Crois is incorporated into the Setsuzoku forces.
- Camille displays her contempt for Crois but acknowledges his usefulness.
- Crois wounds Funf and drives him off.
- Funf Homm appears and ambushes Hidoshi, Azimuth, and Crois in the castle.
- Crois Ranos the thief is recruited by Hidoshi from the St. Laurent prison.
- Matsumoto recovers thanks to physician Kuang.
- A week passes without much event.
- Kyato, while on a scouting mission, mistakes a Krieg patrol for Yagyu and is captured.
- Matsumoto falls ill with a disease called "smallpox".
- Camille oversees the protection of "Feldman's" boat.
- Johan, under the alias of Feldman, returns to Keahl to prepare reinforcements for St. Laurent.
- Takashi obtains leave from Hidoshi to go and see to his marriage to Azshara.
- Azshara Yumatoa is moved from her residence to the Nobunaga vestige.
posted by Mark at 9:10 PM
Recent events in reverse chronological order (newest to oldest):
- Sitara heals Johan's wounds and Camille invites her new allies within St. Laurent.
- Johan introduces himself as Feldman Lezales while being helped by Takura.
- The enemy retreats and Camille introduces herself to Hidoshi.
- Camille uses the Kosmos Needle on the enemy and vapourises a great number of their force.
- Johan is severely wounded in the heat of battle.
- Johan and Azimuth enter the fray, helping to defend St. Laurent after their rude awakening.
- Sitara, pixie retainer of Miyabi assists Hidoshi in fighting, wielding great magical power despite her small size.
- The Setsuzoku forces enter the fray and assist the St. Laurent troops.
- Kriegbesonnenheit under the banner of Vier Richter assault St. Laurent's advance guard.
- Camille St. Laurent, ruler of the nation of her namesake begins the defense of the city-state.
- The Setsuzoku forces under Hidoshi's command arrive near St. Laurent.
- Johan and company are awakened by cannon fire. St. Laurent is under attack by Kriegbesonnenheit forces.
- After talking, Johan and company fall asleep in a tavern in St. Laurent.
- Johan and Aimaina meet with Azimuth Cross, a wanderer. Johan introduces himself under the alias "Feldman Lezales".
- At St. Laurent, the leader of the Keahl island colony, Johan Keilmer, arrives with Aimaina Hikari.
- A week's travel passes without much event.
- The divinity withdraws its light and the voice subsides. After paying respects, the Yagyu forces move out and resume their journey to St. Laurent.
- A voice projects from the statue and tells each of the officers chosen a warning about their fate, and that they must retrieve five holy blessings in order to defeat the invader, Ein Drache.
- In the middle of the ceremony a divine light issues from the statue of Kwannon's third eye and sweeps over the room.
- At the end of the tunnel, a second ceremony is held, honouring the Deity of Compassion; Kwannon.
- A ceremony is held before entering the tunnels, honouring the Guardian of the Law; Zen-Musha.
- The party descends into the tunnels below Taikyoku which will lead to the other side.
- The party is taken inside the temple-fortress of Taikyoku and welcomed by the warrior monks.
- The party departs for Taikyoku castle where they will evade enemy spies with a ruse.
- Hidoshi issues Miyabi's orders to his men: They will head to St. Laurent, a city in the Nordelands fighting against the Kriegbesonnenheit.
- Shogun Miyabi sends orders to Otsuma fortress where Hidoshi and his entourage are stationed.
posted by Mark at 8:08 PM
Recent events in reverse chronological order (newest to oldest):
- T'ao Lu joins the Yagyu cause, interested in the conflict.
- Setajin has a dream in which he sees a mystical figure with four legs in a fog.
- Takura reports to Hidoshi that Drei's horse didn't touch the ground, that it was floating. Hidoshi suspects Drei is a magician of some sort.
- Battle at Otsuma fortress concludes.
- Drei leaves a message to the Setsuzoku forces: "One fourth you have fought, two thirds you have lost. This was just a game."
- Drei withdraws temporarily.
- Setajin and Takura defend Otsuma with their Yari warriors.
- Hidoshi wounded severely in battle.
- Drei Ronfuar appears and attacks Otsuma fortress.
- One week of non-confrontation.
- Miyabi assigns Hidoshi, Takura, and Setajin Satoshi to Otsuma fortress as its chief command.
- Hidoshi sends guards to have Takashi's mistress cared for and taken to the main family house in case of trouble.
- Takashi reveals to Hidoshi that he has a mistress and she is pregnant with his child.
- Matsumoto Nobunaga arrives with 30 elite troops.
- Hidoshi recruits the wanderer Kyato and assigns him to the cause.
- Allied Yagyu forces return to Setsuzoku castle.
posted by Mark at 11:09 AM
Recent events in reverse chronological order (newest to oldest):
- Hidoshi interrogates Zwei Volgarde.
- Shi Shen-shang withdraws to Tsu territory.
- Zwei captured by Setsuzoku forces.
- Zwei defeated.
- Volgarde militia suffers heavy casulties.
- Chi'en cannons fire on Volgarde militia.
- Shi Shen-shang arrives.
- Takura saves Takashi's life.
- Takashi Nobunaga attacks Zwei and is defeated.
- Takura arrives with news of success.
- Hidoshi's detatchment arrives at Otsuma.
- One week of fighting at Otsuma.
- Takura Sakai dispatched to Chi'en, to enlist the aid of the Tsu province.
- Siege of Otsuma begins.
- Setsuzoku forces arrive at Otsuma.
- Volgarde militia established in Otsuma.
- Otsuma fortress falls to Zwei Volgarde.
- Hidoshi gains a lieutenant command from the Shogun Miyabi.
- Hidoshi and allies ride to Setsuzoku castle.
- Invasion news reaches Hidoshi.
- Ein Drache invades Yagyu.
- Quest for Keisuke's ancestral sword ends.
- Encounter with Akaduchi.
- Letrion Veldanes sells guns to the Yagyu.
- Encounter with Iairyu.
- Quest for Keisuke's ancestral sword begins.
- Keisuke Sasaki resurrected in Takashi Nobunaga's body.
- Keisuke Sasaki dies.
posted by Mark at 12:19 PM
