Oceanborn

[ QUOTE ]
Duke Mordragor returns in a later Arc from mage killer as the vessel for a CoT. I will look over the story acr and see if there is anything that touches the BotBS, Gazdul, or such.

[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks, I'd appreciate it.

[*] History of Cap Au Diable

[ QUOTE ]
Legend says the Children of Enos were a French cult who fled Europe and discovered the Rogue Isles.
There they found the ruins of an ancient Mu outpost and the scars of the war against the Oranbegans
long before. One of the Children of Enos, a sorcerer named Blaise Celestine, discovered the last writings
of the Mu, which described the demons their enemies had used against them. Celestine began to delve
deeper into demonology, but his progress-so far away from any ancient sources-was slow.
The spirits of Oranbega had already sensed the Children’s presence on the old Mu outpost, and feared
they might somehow reawaken their ancient enemies. So they quietly planted dreams in the minds of
those who first chased the Children from France, revealing their location. Within months, French
warships appeared on the horizon and musketeers stormed the Children’s camps.



Several refugees found their way to Celestine and told him of the horrors taking place on the other
islands. Realizing his was a losing battle, Celestine accelerated his studies by making a direct plea to the
dark powers.



The bloody history of the island and Celestine’s own limited research were almost enough-but not
quite. He realized he needed a sacrifice. Celestine fretted and delayed, driving himself mad with the
realization of what he must do. He almost waited too long-a landing party of French soldiers came
ashore and drove the few remaining cultists up the slopes of the island’s volcano. Celestine made up his
mind as follower after follower died. At the top of the mountain, he grabbed his remaining companion-
his own daughter Daphne-and threw her into the volcano.



Form the mountain rose a massive demon, summoned by Celestine’s prayers and sacrifice. It was
Batz’Ul, a horned terror from the lowest bowels of the pit. Without the proper binding rituals, the demon
was free to do as it pleased. Its first act was to devour the foolish Celestine.



The soldiers fought well, but Batz’Ul slew most of them and allowed a few to escape only so they
would bring more back. They did, and those were slaughtered the same as the first.



The demon could not leave the island-Celestine had managed that much-and the locals had no
interest in venturing to its hellish domain. So Batz’Ul raged and burnt the landscape to cinders.
Years later, Father Hardi, the same priest who would later cleanse the fort at Port Oakes, put together
a band of blessed adventurers and ventured to Batz’Ul’s domain. While the adventurers held Batz’Ul at
bay-at great personal cost-the ever-prepared Father Hardi enacted a ritual he had researched long
before setting foot on the island.



Batz’Ul was cast into the volcano, and its vent was sealed by Hardi’s powerful magic. The peak took
on the shape of Batz’Ul’s massive head. The lay of the island beneath the “horned mountain” caused
later settlers to name it Cap au Diable, or the “Cape of the Devil.”



Years later, the capped volcano still burns hot. The people know it is a dormant volcano but few
believe the tales of cults and devils, and have no rational explanation for its bizarre shape.

[/ QUOTE ]

--------------------

[*] Lorekeeper Badge

(Mercy Island)
[ QUOTE ]
It is said that the snake-like beings that live in the rotting warrens of this island were cast-offs of the 'Children of Enos', a bizarre cult that settled these islands in the 1600s. Rumors persist that the original snake-beings who sired the creatures visible today are still alive, writhing somewhere within their labyrinthine lairs.

[/ QUOTE ]

(Port Oakes)
[ QUOTE ]
Long ago, a group of cultists called the 'Children of Enos' fled France and settled in these isles. French accounts claim the cultists practiced dark rituals, human sacrifice, and the summoning of demons. They were eventually defeated by a team of heroes led by the famous Father Martin Henri.

[/ QUOTE ]

(Cap Au Diable)
[ QUOTE ]
A group of settlers called the Children of Enos first settled what is today called Cap Au Diable in the late 1600s, seeking freedom from religious persecution. When French soldiers attempted to force them off their land, the Children of Enos bravely attempted to defend themselves. Labeled Cultists by the French soldiers, in the end they were brutally repressed by the notorious witch-hunter Padre Fancois Hardi. Legends claim that the Children of Enos fought for their home and freedom with such ferocity that Padre Hardi believed them possessed by devils. After the last of the Children of Enos were gone, he gave this part of the island it's present name, which means 'The Cape of the Devil' in French.

[/ QUOTE ]

(Sharkhead Isle)
[ QUOTE ]
Sharkhead Isle was given its name by the free traders who first mapped and settled it in the early 1600s. For many years it served as a hub for the rest of the Isles, with its naturally protected bay as a home port for explorers, entrepreneurs, and pirates. Sharkhead Isle also acted as a central hub for many of the mystics and witchdoctors of the era, who sought the rare shards of red crystal coral. Even in the modern day, would-be practitioners of magic like the cultists of the Circle of Thorns still attempt to illegally acquire shards of Red Coral Crystal, believing in its supernatural power. This had made it necessary for trade in the Red Crystal to be declared illegal. Any shards of Red Coral Crystal must be turned over to Arachnos to prevent this illegal practice from causing trouble again.

[/ QUOTE ]

--------------------

[*] Father Francois Hardi

[ QUOTE ]
I. Lorekeeper Badge



A group of settlers called the Children of Enos first settled what is today called Cap Au Diable in the late 1600s, seeking freedom from religious persecution. When French soldiers attempted to force them off their land, the Children of Enos bravely attempted to defend themselves. Labeled Cultists by the French soldiers, in the end they were brutally repressed by the notorious witch-hunter Padre Fancois Hardi. Legends claim that the Children of Enos fought for their home and freedom with such ferocity that Padre Hardi believed them possessed by devils. After the last of the Children of Enos were gone, he gave this part of the island it's present name, which means 'The Cape of the Devil' in French.


[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
II. Cap Au Diable's History (Prima Guide)



The demon could not leave the island-Celestine had managed that much-and the locals had no
interest in venturing to its hellish domain. So Batz’Ul raged and burnt the landscape to cinders.
Years later, Father Hardi, the same priest who would later cleanse the fort at Port Oakes, put together
a band of blessed adventurers and ventured to Batz’Ul’s domain. While the adventurers held Batz’Ul at
bay-at great personal cost-the ever-prepared Father Hardi enacted a ritual he had researched long
before setting foot on the island.

Batz’Ul was cast into the volcano, and its vent was sealed by Hardi’s powerful magic. The peak took
on the shape of Batz’Ul’s massive head. The lay of the island beneath the “horned mountain” caused
later settlers to name it Cap au Diable, or the “Cape of the Devil.”


[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
III. The Book and the Burning (CoV story arc)



This old handwritten book is the personal journal of Padre Hardi, a jesuit priest who came to the Rogue Isles hundreds of years ago. There are lots of notes about the land and people he met there, and then the entries start to become strange, talking about a great battle on the mountain and sealing a demon away. One thing that sticks out to you is that the first few entries start right after Padre Hardi left Egypt after getting some clue about the island from a mysterious source there.


[/ QUOTE ]

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[*] Father Martin Henri

[ QUOTE ]
I. Vagabond Hills (Prima Guide)



The hills south of New Haven are said to be the hiding place of Martin Henri-founder of the Luddite movement. These hills are also home to numerous vagrants, dispossessed when Dr. Aeon “relocated” them to create Aeon City. Many of these former homeless have heard Martin Henri’s message and joined the Luddite’s ranks, so Aeon’s plan may have backfired.


[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
II. Lorekeeper Badge



Long ago, a group of cultists called the 'Children of Enos' fled France and settled in these isles. French accounts claim the cultists practiced dark rituals, human sacrifice, and the summoning of demons. They were eventually defeated by a team of heroes led by the famous Father Martin Henri.


[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
III. Luddites' History (CoV website)



Predisposed to distrust technology of any kind, the futuristic technological advances brought to Cap au Diable by Dr. Aeon have sent the Luddites into a frenzy. Originally a ragtag band of unorganized activists, the Luddites have coalesced around a cause, prompted by the construction of Dr. Aeon’s Power Transfer System. Convinced that all advanced technologies are dangerous, the superstitious Luddites make the wild claim that the PTS actually draws its energy from a demon entombed in Mount Diable!


The leader of the Luddites is an eccentric and charismatic man named Martin Henri. Once a low level programmer for Aeon Corp, Henri quit when he suddenly began having vivid dreams about the evils of modern technology, tormented by thoughts of Dr. Aeon in league with demons and monsters. Henri’s nights are also haunted by spectral images of a familiar old man, encouraging him to become the leader of the Luddites, telling him that he is destined to destroy the PTS before it can unleash ruin upon the island. These intense nightmares have caused him to manifest minor superpowers based on his impassioned charisma, helping him recruit followers and allowing him to imbue them with a healing purity of spirit.


Unfortunately his dreams have also driven him mad, and Henri now spends his time babbling entrancing but disjointed sermons to his growing number of followers. Some of these supporters are former IT workers who have grown to hate Dr. Aeon. Others are street thugs and vagrants longing for a cause to believe in.


Without a formal base of operations, Henri’s followers can be found wandering the streets, alleyways and forests of Cap au Diable. Able to blend in with the homeless population, the Luddites use their anonymity to further their anti-technology agenda.Whether openly protesting and passing out fliers to raise awareness, secretly destroying parts of the PTS in darkened alleyways, wandering Vagabond Hills listening to an inspirational speech by a Luddite friar, or even attacking those who interfere with their plans, the Luddites endlessly struggle to bring down Dr. Aeon. Desperately hoping to protect the innocent citizens of the Rogue Isles, Henri and the Luddites will stop at nothing to destroy the PTS, even if that means resorting to violence against those who aid Aeon and his benefactor, Arachnos.


[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
IV. Swashbucker Badge



Blackbeard himself captueed this fort in 1718. He tortured and killed the ill-prepared French soldiers manning it, leaving behind legends of ghostly hauntings that still persist to this day. Father Martin Henri, a famous adventurer of the Rogue Isles, is said to have hallowed the fort by day, but there are rumours that the spirits return to the fort by night.


[/ QUOTE ]

--------------------

[*] Father Gerard Henri

[ QUOTE ]
I. The Beast Beneath the Mountain


This book is a translation of the Journal of Father Gerard Henri, a French monk and reputed master of mystic powers who worked for the French government in the 17th century. According to entries in the Journal, Henri came to the Rogue Isles in response to tales og a demon-worshipping cult called the Children of Enos. he arrived to find both the Cultists and the garrison sent to fight them wiped out. There are pages missing, but what's left talks at great lengths about the preparations Henri and his cohorts went through to face something the Cultists had summoned from the depths of the netherworld in their desperation. Something Henri felt was too powerful for him to destroy, but could be contained within the mountain. Something called Bat'Zul.


[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
II. Spectral Pirates's History (CoV website)



Uninhabitable for over a century, the tortured and vengeful Red Hands accompanied by their Night Haunt servitors rose to slaughter anyone who dared enter the fort, day or night. Sometime in the 1830s, an aging Jesuit priest named Padre Gerard Henri took it upon himself to cleanse the fort and lay the spirits to rest. Henri performed an exorcism in an attempt to banish these spectral forms. When he finally finished the ordeal, the spirits were laid to rest.


[/ QUOTE ]

--------------------

[*] Luddites

[ QUOTE ]
Predisposed to distrust technology of any kind, the futuristic technological advances brought to Cap au Diable by Dr. Aeon have sent the Luddites into a frenzy. Originally a ragtag band of unorganized activists, the Luddites have coalesced around a cause, prompted by the construction of Dr. Aeon’s Power Transfer System. Convinced that all advanced technologies are dangerous, the superstitious Luddites make the wild claim that the PTS actually draws its energy from a demon entombed in Mount Diable!



The leader of the Luddites is an eccentric and charismatic man named Martin Henri. Once a low level programmer for Aeon Corp, Henri quit when he suddenly began having vivid dreams about the evils of modern technology, tormented by thoughts of Dr. Aeon in league with demons and monsters. Henri’s nights are also haunted by spectral images of a familiar old man, encouraging him to become the leader of the Luddites, telling him that he is destined to destroy the PTS before it can unleash ruin upon the island. These intense nightmares have caused him to manifest minor superpowers based on his impassioned charisma, helping him recruit followers and allowing him to imbue them with a healing purity of spirit.



Unfortunately his dreams have also driven him mad, and Henri now spends his time babbling entrancing but disjointed sermons to his growing number of followers. Some of these supporters are former IT workers who have grown to hate Dr. Aeon. Others are street thugs and vagrants longing for a cause to believe in.



Without a formal base of operations, Henri’s followers can be found wandering the streets, alleyways and forests of Cap au Diable. Able to blend in with the homeless population, the Luddites use their anonymity to further their anti-technology agenda.Whether openly protesting and passing out fliers to raise awareness, secretly destroying parts of the PTS in darkened alleyways, wandering Vagabond Hills listening to an inspirational speech by a Luddite friar, or even attacking those who interfere with their plans, the Luddites endlessly struggle to bring down Dr. Aeon. Desperately hoping to protect the innocent citizens of the Rogue Isles, Henri and the Luddites will stop at nothing to destroy the PTS, even if that means resorting to violence against those who aid Aeon and his benefactor, Arachnos.


[/ QUOTE ]

--------------------

[*] Gadzul Oil

[ QUOTE ]
I. Oil Spill's History (Prima Guide)



Gadzul Oil is a petroleum company headquartered out of Cairo, Egypt. Secretly, it is a pawn of mysterious forces that have yet to come to light, but most of its operations are aboveboard and reasonably honest. The owners are not true villains, after all-they just have their own agenda. Part of that agenda is creating a kind of “supercomputer,” a blend of actual electronic components as well as geography, bloodlines, and even events that complete a quasimystical circuit.


One of the events required for completion of this circuit was a massive oil spill just off Port Oakes’s docks. Three years ago, Ms. Liberty came to Port Oakes to arrest a super-powered arsonist named Thermonuke. The two flyers fought all over the island, but their battle royale ended on the deck of the Cairo Queen. Ms. Liberty smashed Thermonuke through the metal of the deck and into the volatile crude below. The villain’s devastating powers ignited the oil and cracked open the Cairo Queen. Rich oil spilled into the cove, destroying the wildlife and staining the water with thick black puddles that have mysteriously not faded since that day.


The oil slicks cause no real harm but are semipermanent fixtures due to the magic of the event. Only when the circuit is activated will the stains fade. Seen from on high, the oil spill mysteriously forms the Eye of Horus.


The local Coralax blame the humans for the spill and attack vengefully whenever the opportunity presents itself. They can be found along the beach and in the depths of this cove.


[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
II. The Book and the Burning (CoV story arc)



(a) I have need of an expedient mechanic to carry out a bit of work for me. There's a book which I have an interest in. Or really, there's a spell on a book that interests me. You see, Gadzul Oil, the owners of that oil-leaking refinery on the coast, had a long running deal with the late and lamented old man Marcone to continue their operations without any trouble.


Now that he's dead and the Family are fighting amongst themselves, the Gadzul Oil coproration has been trying to renegotiate a workable deal with one side or the other. Right now they're trying to make a deal with Emil Marcone and have sent him a little gift as a sign of goodwill: a rare book dealing with the history of the Island.


This is all unremarkable except for one thing: The book is enspelled. It makes the posessor more... pliable to those who know the right kinds of magics. If this were revealed, Gadzul would find themselves in a great deal of difficulty. And if that book were in my possession they would have to pay a great deal indeed to avoid it being revealed.



(b) The letter is written on the stationary of the Gadzul Oil corporation. It details the history of the book Gadzul Oil presented Emil Marcone. The book was called 'The Journal of Padre Gerard Henri', and it detailed some fantastic events and adventures of Padre Henri in the Rogue Isles back in the 1600s. The letter stresses the book's rarity, age, and value, and makes a big point about how it is meant as a sign of respect for Emil and his family.



(c) Still no book? And now the Legacy Chain have involved themselves due to the bumbling of those Hellion fools no doubt. Well, well, well. Perhaps this 'Duke Mordrogar' character is a good lead. You may not have found him, but you've found out where he's planning that little ritual.


Which is another disturbing point. I'll look over the notes you gathered and see if the Hellions were really onto something, or are just deluded fools who were unfortunate enough to get in your way. I admit that I find the latter concept ironically delicious, but you never can be sure in this line of work. There's too much synchronicity. For example, I discovered that the Hellions were hired to come out here. A firm based in Egpt hired them to set fires in the area. Note that Gadzul Oil is also based in Egypt. All very curious, but perhaps meaningless. Perhaps not.



(d) After you defeated him, 'Duke' Mordrogar started babling incoherently: 'I understand now. This was all arranged. Our hiring, Gadzul, the fires, Bocor and his blackmail, even you stopping us. It's a connection, that' what they wanted! I see it all now! I have seen the great circuit! The shape of the oil sees only the truth! It is the struggle! The circuit, the connection, it is all the blood of the black stream!


He just started laughing incoherently after that. You really aren't sure what he was talking about, but the mad light in his eyes made it hard to forget.

[/ QUOTE ]

--------------------


I'll post a timeline soon, hoping it will clear things up.
It should also help 'connect' the great circuit.

If anyone wants to add anything on the list, please, don't be afraid to tell me.

[ QUOTE ]
There are two Lorekeeper plaques that contradict each other. One says that the Children of Enos were "defeated by a team of heroes lead by the famous Father Martin Henri" (direct quote) Another one says that they were "brutally repressed by the notorious witch-hunter Padre Fanciose Hardi" (direct quote)

[/ QUOTE ]
The first one with Martin Henri is in Port Oakes. Assuming this event was in Port Oakes, it would make sense. If not, it does contradict with the other lore.

The second one is in Cap Au Diable which is pretty much where everything happend.


[ QUOTE ]
Finally Bocor's arc gives the name of the owner of the journal as Father Gerard Henri and says that the journal talks about "a great battle and sealing a demon away" (direct quote) Let it be noted that his first name is only said once in the entire arc and he is referred only has Father or Padre Henri. Let it also be known that this is the Henri that was referred to the Rogue Isles by Gadzul.

[/ QUOTE ]
It was never revealed if it was actually Gadzul, but it's very likely.


[ QUOTE ]
The Prima Guide said specifically that the Children of Enos under Celestine summoned Bat'Zul, who was imprisoned by Padre Hardi (no first name), tha same person who cleansed Fort Hades.


[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, some sources say it's Father Martin Henri, while some says it's Father Francois Hardi.

I'll post my research soon.

[ QUOTE ]
As an aside I believe that the BotBS is for both Heroes and Villains due to the Prime Guides wording that Gadzul's intentions are not truely villainous

[/ QUOTE ]
I think it's safe to assume most, if not all, EATs will be released for both sides.
It would be highly unfair if that wasn't the case.


As far as Martin Henri being a descendant, I'm not sure if it's an error or not, but there's a Father Martin Henri who lived at the same time as Father Gerard Henri and/or Father Francois Hardi who first defeated the Children of Enos according to the Lorekeeper plaque in Port Oakes. We all know that the (IIRC) present-day Martin Henri is the leader and founder of the Luddites who used to work for Dr. Aeon. Martin Henri's nightmares of demons and such things, along with dreams of a familiar old man, these visions causing him to awaken some powers in him. Familiar old man? another mystery.

I have connections supporting who's done what in regaurds to Father Gerard Henri, Father Francois Hardi, and Father Martin Henri (and more - way more.) I'd post my findings but it's not yet complete and some things need to be cleared up because it's confusing as it is already.


PS -- I think I've collected all that I can, so I'll post them soon. Despite the confusing text and content, anyone who's up to date can probably sort them out. Right now, I'm just connecting events, making a literal flowchart.

We have a new interview, not necessarily of the future updates, but it does have some content about it. For this interview, in courtesy of WarCry, brought to the forums by Jigsaw_Complex, we get to know more about and from Thomas Foss, or rather Archon Voss!

WarCry interview can be found here

*turns into a bat and flies away*

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Last year, they had plenty of "big" things planned. This year, the upcoming updates are just.. updates. CoV and I7 were both "big" updates and pretty much why they had so much news about it. I would expect it to be at least one more month until we get an I8/I9/Retail Box info interview.


PS --

For all those who are up to date with the Gadzul Oil mystery, please lend your voice.
(PM me or post here.)

The mystery is obviously not solved (and cannot be solved because the whole mystery isn't in the game yet), but there are clues, connections, bloodlines, etc. to follow, and I just want to make a personal flowchart to figure out what's happening so far. So, if you believe you know what's happening in this web of puzzles, I would love to hear from you.

Right now, such factions (and people) are (some possibly, some definitely) involved: The Family (notably Emil Marcone), Hellions, Legacy Chain, Dr. Aeon, Luddites, Bat'zul, and the Chidlren of Enos (notably Blaise Celestine.) There are also french authorities which are connected to the Luddities who were against the Children of Enos, they were: Father Martin Henri - the founder of the Luddites, Padre Francois Hardi - a witch-hunter, and Father Gerard Henri, who bound Bat'zul forevermore. My head hurts.. let me get it together. I'm not sure if it's an error or whatever but it's getting really hard for me to distinguish wether or not those three are the same person or different people.

Like I said, there are places, dates, people, bloodlines, and events that are tied together. I'm not 100% sure if the devs/writers made this intentional (or if I'm on the right track by connecting all these clues and relating it to the "great circuit") but hey, if it is, good job to the writers.

To start you guys off, here's the history of the Oil Spill:

[ QUOTE ]
Gazdul Oil is a petroleum company headquartered out of Cairo, Egypt. Secretly, it is a pawn of mysterious forces that have yet to come to light, but most of its operations are aboveboard and reasonably honest. The owners are not true villains, after all—they just have their own agenda. Part of that agenda is creating a kind of “supercomputer,” a blend of actual electronic components as well as geography, bloodlines, and even events that complete a quasimystical circuit.



One of the events required for completion of this circuit was a massive oil spill just off Port Oakes’s docks. Three years ago, Ms. Liberty came to Port Oakes to arrest a super-powered arsonist named Thermonuke. The two flyers fought all over the island, but their battle royale ended on the deck of the Cairo Queen. Ms. Liberty smashed Thermonuke through the metal of the deck and into the volatile crude below. The villain’s devastating powers ignited the oil and cracked open the Cairo Queen. Rich oil spilled into the cove, destroying the wildlife and staining the water with thick black puddles that have mysteriously not faded since that day.



The oil slicks cause no real harm but are semipermanent fixtures due to the magic of the event. Only when the circuit is activated will the stains fade.



Seen from on high, the oil spill mysteriously forms the Eye of Horus.


The local Coralax blame the humans for the spill and attack vengefully whenever the opportunity presents itself. They can be found along the beach and in the depths of this cove.


[/ QUOTE ]

[/ QUOTE ]

Dammit!! It seems you were on the case before i stumbled onto my evidence. I posted on the Blood of the Black Stream and what I make of the clues. Check ti out so we can discuss.

Clues Within the Prima Guide

[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, I've been trying to figure it out for awhile, but never really connected it because of the lack of resources. Now, I have more resources including the Prima Guide, but I'm afraid even the Prima Guide may still have it's errors.

[ QUOTE ]
Hey ocean, what arcs give you these clues and such? I've got a new character going and I'd like to run them to get all the info I can.

[/ QUOTE ]
"The Book & the Burning" by Mr. Bocor
"The Beast Within the Mountain" Strike Force by Virgil Tarikoss

There may be more, stay tuned.
I'm still connecting clues.

Last year, they had plenty of "big" things planned. This year, the upcoming updates are just.. updates. CoV and I7 were both "big" updates and pretty much why they had so much news about it. I would expect it to be at least one more month until we get an I8/I9/Retail Box info interview.


PS --

For all those who are up to date with the Gadzul Oil mystery, please lend your voice.
(PM me or post here.)

The mystery is obviously not solved (and cannot be solved because the whole mystery isn't in the game yet), but there are clues, connections, bloodlines, etc. to follow, and I just want to make a personal flowchart to figure out what's happening so far. So, if you believe you know what's happening in this web of puzzles, I would love to hear from you.

Right now, such factions (and people) are (some possibly, some definitely) involved: The Family (notably Emil Marcone), Hellions, Legacy Chain, Dr. Aeon, Luddites, Bat'zul, and the Chidlren of Enos (notably Blaise Celestine.) There are also french authorities which are connected to the Luddities who were against the Children of Enos, they were: Father Martin Henri - the founder of the Luddites, Padre Francois Hardi - a witch-hunter, and Father Gerard Henri, who bound Bat'zul forevermore. My head hurts.. let me get it together. I'm not sure if it's an error or whatever but it's getting really hard for me to distinguish wether or not those three are the same person or different people.

Like I said, there are places, dates, people, bloodlines, and events that are tied together. I'm not 100% sure if the devs/writers made this intentional (or if I'm on the right track by connecting all these clues and relating it to the "great circuit") but hey, if it is, good job to the writers.

To start you guys off, here's the history of the Oil Spill:

[ QUOTE ]
Gazdul Oil is a petroleum company headquartered out of Cairo, Egypt. Secretly, it is a pawn of mysterious forces that have yet to come to light, but most of its operations are aboveboard and reasonably honest. The owners are not true villains, after all—they just have their own agenda. Part of that agenda is creating a kind of “supercomputer,” a blend of actual electronic components as well as geography, bloodlines, and even events that complete a quasimystical circuit.



One of the events required for completion of this circuit was a massive oil spill just off Port Oakes’s docks. Three years ago, Ms. Liberty came to Port Oakes to arrest a super-powered arsonist named Thermonuke. The two flyers fought all over the island, but their battle royale ended on the deck of the Cairo Queen. Ms. Liberty smashed Thermonuke through the metal of the deck and into the volatile crude below. The villain’s devastating powers ignited the oil and cracked open the Cairo Queen. Rich oil spilled into the cove, destroying the wildlife and staining the water with thick black puddles that have mysteriously not faded since that day.



The oil slicks cause no real harm but are semipermanent fixtures due to the magic of the event. Only when the circuit is activated will the stains fade.



Seen from on high, the oil spill mysteriously forms the Eye of Horus.


The local Coralax blame the humans for the spill and attack vengefully whenever the opportunity presents itself. They can be found along the beach and in the depths of this cove.


[/ QUOTE ]

If you have Color:Black skin, the Plant costumes (especially the upperbody ones) do not fade correctly if you use a lighter color. It looks odd, especially compared to the face.

- The "Strap 1" as a second Chest layer option is messed up. The bands on the arms are supposed to go all the way around, but it cuts out on the back part of the arm.

- The "Leather Strap" costumes don't match each other: color and style.

- The "Ring" costume part from the Shoulder option for Males doesn't wrap all the way around.

- The "Ring Strap" costume part from the Chest Detail option for Males doesn't wrap all the way around.

Meh, I did OK, not worth it though. Here's the effort anyway:

Deathsurge (1, 2)

Just for fun: Jack vs Eochai, Sally

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I got a nice, moody Sally pic just now. Probably too dark for a web page but it sure makes for a great desktop!

[/ QUOTE ]That's a toy submarine with a fake dinosaur head attached.

Myth debunked.

[/ QUOTE ]
*looks at avatar*

[ QUOTE ]
confirmed new powerset for each AT in the box, unconfirmed if it will be a primary or a primary and a secondary

guess that the box will come out just before the summer for all the school kids to purchase

[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, that would be a good idea for marketing. That, and the 3rd year anniversary of CoH is around that time as well. It just fits eh.

[ QUOTE ]
Megalith, I agree, but damn, what's up with the nipples on everything? Heck, used to be the "Tights 2" option (many moons ago) had nips.

Then again the bondage costume for males with skin showing has pierced ones.

Do the devs have a fetish they aren't telling us about?

[/ QUOTE ]
Yenno there are people in this forum that like that stuff.

[ QUOTE ]
I'm just wanting some more info on I8 at the moment. We're within two months of the proposed deadline and we haven't heard anything.

[/ QUOTE ]
Well, I7's only been released about a month ago. I'd give it at least one more month for more official news.

Disclaimer: Spoilers

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The Rikti aren't Aliens. They are mutated humans from another dimension. Which is why I was saying that in their deminsion Statesman may have gone the Tyrant route, declaired himself God-King, then got a psychic beat down by the mutated masses. Now the Rikti are striking out not as an invasion, but in their minds a liberating force seeking a way to remove the threat that heroes posed to their home dimension. Now they are sealed off from their former dimension and are spending their time trying to get back home and doing shady things with homeless folks to bolster their number. My guess is they view themselves as freedom fighters. Speaking of which, when are we going to see the Lord Recluse from Tyrant's dimension?

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That's it? haha, I thought it was gonna be more detailed.
So far, that's all I know about the Rikti. Like I said earlier, just the basics. And I could have sworn the Rikti's dimension and the Praetorian Earth are completely seperate from each other. Also, Lord Recluse's Praetorian counterpart? probably some goody two shoes dressed in white pushover.


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Now they are sealed off from their former dimension and are spending their time trying to get back home and doing shady things with homeless folks to bolster their number.

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I'm pretty sure they're doing more than that, like the factions they've made here on this dimension. I'd go into details but it's late and I gotta get some rest. For the upcoming zones poll, alot of people wanted to see the Rikti homeworld because of.. well.. to see what happend to the Omega Team.


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Oh and from what I've heard the next expansion will probably be called City of Legends.

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One thing to remember: unless it comes from an official source, do not believe it.

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Wait... You're telling me there is a Ballista Giant Monster?!?!?!
*boggles*

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Curious as well...

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The Longbow Ballista that walks around in Black Mariah, St. Martial.

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my judgement from the only BotBS-related story arc, I'd say those are quite.. off the BotBS category. For one, they're egyptian themed and are, according to Statesman, Shapeshifters. So, I would suggest a couple things: try and get a vibe of what the BotBS are about by doing "The Book and The Burning" arc by Mr. Bocor and reading all the clues. And second: try and relate the ancient Egyptians to Shapeshifting, to the game.

So IMO, Mirror Spirit (the asian lady) and Hero-1 can't be BotBS.

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Well I'm just not ruling it out. Especially Mirror Spirit because, well I just like the idea of 'sploding my teammates. Also we don't really know much about Hero-One aside from him leading the strike force vs. the Rikti. Just going by various rumors and presumptions I've heard.

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Hero 1 is Energy Melee/Invulnerability Tanker, his signature power is "Aid From the Fae".

Also if he were to be one of the "epic" AT's I'd say Incarnate would be the likely choice, Hero 1 would be the Incarnate of Destiny, since the name Fae or Faerie originated in the Latin word "Fata" which referred to the three mythological personifications of destiny.

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Good one.

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Jeez, it's so time-consuming to piece this all together from various posts...

What DO we know about the upcoming releases (i8 and the box release)?

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Nothing that I'd trust as far as I could throw it.


Basically, we know NOTHING for certain. Even the stuff that we're "pretty sure" about (which is basically just that Warshades will come to CoV at some point in time) isn't 100% confirmed. Everybody glosses over the "we're looking at bringing Warshades to CoV" part of the quote...."We're looking at" doesn't mean "it's gonna happen."



So basically, we know nothing besides the fact that Issue 8 should come out this year, and there should be a Retail Box sometime next year.

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OK, at least I know that two things ARE certain.

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Well, it's not a long read, so if you want to read up on the info, I'd suggest reading Positron's post-I7 2006-07 address and the Boomtown Q&A. That pretty much sums up what we know about I8, I9 and the next retail box.

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Yep, I know, but the Nictus here on Earth need a host. IIRC, there's a Kheldian story arc that talks about people being abducted and being forced against their will to take in the Nictus because they supposedly get weaker and weaker without a host.

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From that, I inferred that it's possible for a Nictus to exist without a host, or did I just read into that too much?

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Well, I'm lost. LOL.

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OK, ok, tell me if I'm right, even though I just bypassed alot of other stuff, I'll get to it in a minute, though.

Kheldians are the aliens beings. The Council forces Kheldians to merge with either voluntary members or force others to merge with Kheldians to become Nictus. Warshades are reformed Nictus and Peacebringers are Khedlian mergings that are totally voluntary and dedicate their lives to being heroes.

Did I leave anything out?

And if I am right, it wouldn't seem very likely to bring Warshades to CoV if their supposedly reformed.

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I don't have time to answer (gotta go) but there's a discussion exactly like this in the thread, I'm sure you can find it with "find" on your browser and switching to "all" pages mode.

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Also, anyone know the official name of the expansion box?

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Nothing's been announced yet as far as the name's concerned.

It'll probably have an expansion name instead of a "City of.." name.

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So they scrapped a City of Shadows retail box, possibly to come back later. Again, this is conjecture and it doesn't really figure into the other conjecture we've got going on.

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Oh, that just confused me because the only mention I heard of City of Shadows is when someone suggested it to Statesman and he said that 'he likes it' as a name for the next retail box. The other candidate was City of Spies.

But I get what you're saying now.


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Um... how much of the Rikti history do you know? While I don't think it's spoilers I'm not sure I should reveal the big, yet obvious, plot twist concerning them here.


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Hoestnly, I haven't done any research on the Rikti at all, so I just know the basics. I can probably research it and get the whole history in a few minutes + a few more minutes of reading, but you can put up spoilers if you want - just label them with "DISCLAIMER: SPOILERS!!!" because some people tend to get mad, heh.


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It's in my nature to think pretty literally concerning mythological names, which is pretty handy just considering the sheer amount of "mythological" content that the City of... games have managed to cram into them. At some point I'll need to pick up the books methinks to get a better handle on some more of the history.

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Yeah, the books are a good read. Not the best, but interesting information concerning the games.

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Well I'm just not ruling it out. Especially Mirror Spirit because, well I just like the idea of 'sploding my teammates. Also we don't really know much about Hero-One aside from him leading the strike force vs. the Rikti. Just going by various rumors and presumptions I've heard.

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It's just that it doesn't really link up. The story and the vibe the BotBS gives out is more.. of a puzzle. It's about this "great circuit" and it's tied to Gadzul Oil. It has it's own story, and Mirror Spirit and Hero-1 are just too far from any possible connections.

Also, she didn't explode her teammates if that's what you mean by "splode", haha. She just borrowed Rose Star's energy and used it as an attack. Her other power was a nuke power as well, and most (if not all) Corruptors and Blasters have that.


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What I meant by saying City of Shadows was that it was possibly that the Dev's were thinking about making khelds part of a retail box and calling it City of Shadows, only to cancel it and just make it part of an issue release since the khelds do require a pretty large amount of work to get, thus lowering the value of a retail box for many players.

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They wouldn't do that. For one, they'd lose ALOT of customers. Two, the Kheldians "had" alot of work done for them, but we already have templates for the villainous kinds. It's not like they're gonna make new ones. I wouldn't be surprised if they release the same Kheldians here only with different inherent ablities and different names.

Also, it's already been confirmed that the villainois Kheldians/Warshades/Nictus will be released (if they still plan on transferring them) during an issue before the retail box release - which would probably be I8 or I9 .. or I10 if it takes long enough.

And as for a *new* EAT, they promised us one will come in the retail box.


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*cough*Tyrant*cough*. Remember where the Rikti are from and what they are. It's possible someone came along, drank the waters, then went insane and declared themselves God-King and the only way the Rikti could fight them off was by mutating themselves to increase their psychic potential to gain powers strong enough to defeat the God-King.

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Tyrants not on our plane, lol. I meant someone more powerful than Statesman or Lord Recluse right now. If there was, this game would go to only one of two sides: either that being that's more powerful than Statesman/LR rule the world with kindness, or rule it with evil. By being the more powerful ones, Statesman and Recluse balance the good and evil side. It's just for the game though because if any of us were to be more powerful than the game, we'd overthrow Statesman or Lord Recluse in a heartbeat. It could be possible in the comics.


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Ok, wasn't really sure, and that makes more sense aligning him versus Zeus. I just assumed it was a typo before considering how Tartarus is considered less a god and more a place, also find it kind of silly considering how Tartarus is the embodiment of chaos and Arachnos is overall a very structured and organized group.

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Well, yenno, the gods in CoV might have a connection to the already existing gods in different mythos, but they're not the exact literal copies. For example, the goddess Hequat of the Mu people, her name is quite similar to a real life mythological goddess named Hecate.

So, I wouldn't take it so literally. The devs probably took the name Tartarus and made it their own. I was surprised to hear the name Zeus when I first heard it because I never thought they'd go there.


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I'm just wondering what pools would open up for Khelds or any other EAT that is released with kheld type restrictions.

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Hm, good question. I'd love to see what they'll come up with too.

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Yep, I know, but the Nictus here on Earth need a host. IIRC, there's a Kheldian story arc that talks about people being abducted and being forced against their will to take in the Nictus because they supposedly get weaker and weaker without a host.

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From that, I inferred that it's possible for a Nictus to exist without a host, or did I just read into that too much?

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Well, I'm lost. LOL.

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This merging always has to be voluntary, even for Warshades/Nictus.

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If I remember correctly, the Kheldians are the voluntary ones, and the Nictus are the mandatory ones.


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Nictus are scientifically bonded Kheldians(so the alien is forced, but the human is not neccesarily), Warshades are Nictus that have gone good. Peacebringers are a voluntary bonded.

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Yep, I know, but the Nictus here on Earth need a host. IIRC, there's a Kheldian story arc that talks about people being abducted and being forced against their will to take in the Nictus because they supposedly get weaker and weaker without a host.

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I think I just finished one of those arcs...

So, a Nictus can be both bonded and unbonded? I thought they were bonded to be a Nictus...

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Wait.. what do you mean?

I could have sworn Nictus were scientifically altered Kheldians..

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This merging always has to be voluntary, even for Warshades/Nictus.

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If I remember correctly, the Kheldians are the voluntary ones, and the Nictus are the mandatory ones.


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Nictus are scientifically bonded Kheldians(so the alien is forced, but the human is not neccesarily), Warshades are Nictus that have gone good. Peacebringers are a voluntary bonded.

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Yep, I know, but the Nictus here on Earth need a host. IIRC, there's a Kheldian story arc that talks about people being abducted and being forced against their will to take in the Nictus because they supposedly get weaker and weaker without a host.