Well I have had little to do lately so I decided I would turn my hand to writing a CoX Story arc.
and here it is.
Mission Arc: Shadow of Yourself
Levels: 45-50
Contact: CONTACT
Villains: CoT, Nemesis
Souvenir: Spirit Case
CONTACT: Somethings up with Nemesis. They have been very quiet lately and with Nemesis that is never a good thing. I need you to check out what they are up to. Just to make sure you understand.
Mission 1: Investigate The Nemesis Base.
Location: Skyway City(council base)
Enemies: Nemesis
Objectives:
Rescue the Circle mage.Clue: Nemesis are trying to access Oranbega. The mage didn't know why and the Nemesis operatives were not volunteering any information.
Defeat the Base Commander. Clue: The base will be abandoned now Nemesis know, that you know.
This looks like a new base. Best to break it up now. Saves time later.
Mission Complete: You have stopped Nemesis from establishing a base.
CONTACT: Seems odd that Nemesis decided to build a base in that location. It's not somewhere that is vitally mportant. I wonder if it has anything to do with that mage you rescued. It may be worth gathering more information.
---
CONTACT: The sort of information that we need will probably only known to the higher levels of the Circle. See if you can convince some mages to give you the information you require.
Mission 2: Gather information about Oranbega
Location:
Enemies: CoT
Objectives: Defeat 10 Circle Mages.
Clue: One of the mages tells you something about a portal in that area. Although he is not very keen to tell you anything else.
Mission Complete: You gather some information from a mage.
CONTACT: Hhmm so there's a portal to Oranbega in that area. I wonder if Nemesis are trying to get access to Oranbega.
---
CONTACT: If Nemesis get access to Oranbega they could use relics stored there to enhance there own abilities. There's no knowing what they might find or do in there. We are going to need to stop it before it happens. Go and see if you can find the portal. It must be in there somewhere.
Mission 3: Return to the Nemesis Base
Location: Skyway City(council base)
Enemies: Nemesis, CoT
Objectives: Recover the equipment, find the portal.
Nemesis are back, looks like they are after their equipment.
Mission Complete: You found the portal, but it is inactive.
CONTACT: The Nemesis came back. That's worrying. The equipment you salvaged must be important to them. We will examine it and let you know what we find.
---
CONTACT: There's only one person I can think of that can help you with that portal. Azuria over in MAGI. Go and see her and see if she can suggest a way to open the portal even if it is just for a short time.
Mission 4: Collect Charm from MAGI
Location: Atlas City
Enemies: None
Objectives: Visit MAGI representative.
Azuria: I sensed your coming and have prepared that which you require. Hold this charm against the portal and it will empower the portal for a short time. If you are not out before it closes you will have to find your own way back.
Clue: Azuria has given you a powerful charm to open the portal.
---
Mission 5: Down the rabbit hole
Location: Oranbega
Enemies: CoT
Objectives: Rescure the Nemesis Operative. Defeat all.
Special: Timed mission(2hrs) starts on mission entry.
The charm worked. The portal has opened and sent you to Oranbega.
Mission Complete: You have found that the Nemesis may actually be trying to help this time.
Special: If the mission is failed there is a CoT ambush afterwards. Surviviours calling for backups type thing.
CONTACT: Nemesis are trying to lock the relics? They must be a real threat if even Nemesis want them locked away. By the way you look strange. Has anything unusual happened to you today?
---
CONTACT: You don't look good. almost as if you are phasing out. I think that portal might have been dormant for a good reason. Azuria has been in contact. She thinks you need to seek the help of the Pacifist Orabegan people. I will clear it with portal corp to get you sent there.
Mission 6: Through the Looking Glass.
Location: Alternative Dimension Oranbega
Enemies: CoT
Objectives: Rescue 4 mages.
Clue: Mages reading. The mages use an ancient rite to try to find out what is wrong with you. The only conclusion they can draw is that you have been altered by the combination of the charm from azuria and the portal. They
advise you to seek the Pool of Tears and look into it.
Looks like this dimensions Circle has visitors. Lets introduce ourselves.
Mission Complete: The mages have confirmed that you have been altered.
CONTACT: Altered? Pool of Tears? Did they say anymore? I think you may need to find that pool they were talking about.
---
CONTACT: You need to find that pool of tears and see what has happened to you. From the information given us by the mages we know roughly where it is. Bad news is that the area has been taken by Malta as a training ground.I never knew portal travel could be so dangerous.
Mission 7: Pool of Tears
Location: Outside map
Enemies: Malta
Objectives: Find the pool
Clue: As you look into the ancient pool of tears you see yourself, looking back at you and another figure. You see 2 figures reflected in the pool although there is only one looking in. Both figures seem to shimmer then merge into one.
This is the Malta training grounds and they won't be happy to see you.
Mission Complete: You have looked into the pool but are still confused.
CONTACT: Two figures you say? Very strange. It's almost as if.. but no that would be far too strange.
---
CONTACT: Theres nothing for it you are going to have to go and gather more data on the portal that sent you to Oranbega. Azuria sent this over for you. I am not exactly sure what it is but she said to use it on the portal.
Mission 8: Curiouser and curiouser
Location: Skyway City(council base)
Enemies: CoT
Objectives: Defeat all, Scan the portal.
The Circle must know about this place now. You must stop them.
Clue: The device Azuria gave you has scanned the portal. It now glows a deep red and is warm to the touch.
Mission Complete: You have the required data.
Mission 8a: Take data to Azuria
Azuria: It is as I feared. You have stumbled onto one of the shadow gates. I only wish I had know that before I gave you the unlocking charm. When you passed though the gate it took a part of your soul. You must get it back at all costs.
CONTACT: Shadow gate? That doesn't sound good at all. Still at least we know what is wrong with you now.
---
CONTACT: Well you better go and recover that shard. No doubt the Circle will use it in some ritual if you don't and I really don't like the way you are looking.
Mission 9: Bring back the soul
Location: Oranbega
Enemies: CoT
Objectives: Recover the Soul Shard.
This time it is personal. The Circle have something of yours and you want it back.
Clue: You found the crystal that did contain your soul shard. But it is now empty.
Mission Complete: You found the crystal but not the shard.
CONTACT: Not good. If the crystal is empty the Circle must have got to it first. Not good at all.
---
CONTACT: I think you had better recover the relics that the Nemesis were so eager to seal. Maybe they have something to do with this mess. At the least it should reduce the risk of the Nemesis getting involved again. We may be able to use them to assist you.
Mission 10: Recovery Mission
Location: Oranbega
Enemies: CoT
Objectives: Recover 6 Relics.
Clue: Relic of time: This relic is believed to control time.
Clue: Relic of Age: This relic is believed to give eternal youth.
Clue: Relic of strength: This Relic is believed to give strength to the weak.
Clue: Relic of Knowledge: This Relic is believed to give unlimited knowledge.
Clue: Relic of Light: This Relic is believed to be able to banish any demon.
Clue: Relic of Shadow: This relic is broken and no longer has any power.
CONTACT: Strange that the only one damaged is the reclic of shadow. Still these will be very useful to Azuria. I will get then straight to her.
---
CONTACT: Argh no not you, Wait your here, but your there, but.. Skyway City and here? how?
Your contact seems a little confused but did say skyway city. So that could be where you need to be.
Mission 11: Who guards the guardians
Location: Skyway City (instanced)
Enemies: Longbow
Objectives: Defeat your greatest foe
Longbow seem to be more interested in you than the disturbance. That can't be right.
Special: Longbow will attack the heroes that enter. They will also attack the shadow creature.
Special: The mission contains a Hero class enemy. This enemy is a doppleganger of the mission owner hero. Although alike in looks it is dark/dark scrapper.
Mission Complete: You have destroyed the shadow creature and reclaimed your soul shard.
CONTACT: So your soul shard was placed into that creature by the Circle Mages. That explains a lot. I knew you wouldn't go mad like that. Thanks for dealing with the doppelganger. You are looking much better now
---
Soul Crystal
You keep the crystal that held your souls shard to remind you of your greatest foe, Yourself.
It started as a routine mission to spy on Nemesis. You found that they were setting up a base of operations in Skyway city. You swiftly put an end to their expansion plans and in the process rescued a Circle Mage. From information recieved from the mage you now know that Nemesis are trying to get access to the ancient city, probably to enhance there own abilities with relics from the city of Oranbega. Although you have little love for the Circle of Thorns, Nemesis must not get access to the relics held in Oranbega.
After questioning several Circle of Thorn Mages. You find that the Nemesis base was being built around a supposed site of a portal into the ancient city of Oranbega. You returned to the base to find Nemesis trying to salvage some damaged equipment. Unsure as to what the equipment is, but loath to let the Nemesis escape with it you defeated the Nemesis and salvaged the equipment yourself. You also stumbled upon an inactive ancient portal.
After dropping the salvaged equipment off for analysis. You collected a charm from the vaults of MAGI to activate the portal and so you return a third time to the Nemesis base. When you approached the Portal with the charm held before you. The portal started to open and drew you into Oranbega. As you enter Oranbega you are suprised to hear someone calling your name. They were expecting you.
You defeated the Circle of Thorns and rescued a lone Nemesis operative. He grudingly told you about what they had been doing. Trying not to steal the Circles relics, but to seal them away for all time. After returning to CONTACT you found that you had been changed in someway. Azuria recommended a trip to Pacifist Oranbega to ask for help. However when you got there the Circle of Thorns from our own dimension had beaten you to it.
You rescued the pacifist mages from the Circle and they worked a rite on you. Unfortunately all they could tell you is that you had been altered and a mystic Pool of Tears would be able to tell you more. After visiting the Pool you where still none the wiser. So you returned to the portal to gather more data on it.
When you returned to the abandoned Nemesis base you found the Circle had taken it over and were searching for the same portal as you. After defeating the Circle you used the device Azuria gave you and found out that the portal was actually a shadow gate. Something that had taken part of your soul.
You attacked the Circle directly. Seeking to retrieve that which had been taken from you. You eventually found the crystal that should have held your soul shard. Unfortunately it was empty. Your soul shard had been used by the Circle for some purpose or other.
You then returned to Oranbega and recovered the reliccs that drew in Nemesis and started this whole mess. You found that the relic of shadow had been destroyed but the others could help MAGI greatly.
When you returned to your contact he seemed very confused that you were there at all. From his outburst you managed to deduct that something was happening in Skyway City. So you jumped on the train and went over to investigate. What you found defied belief.
The soul shard that the shadow gate had taken from you had been fused by the Circle of Thorns Mages into a creature from the shadow realms. Although it looked very much like you it did not possess all your powers and abilities. After destroying the evil creature your soul was made whole again.
All charges against you have been dropped.
Notes:
<ul type="square">[*]The final villain was supposed to be an actual doppleganger on the mission owner. But I know from previous threads that it would be far too difficult to code for. So I settled for a scrapper.[*]After mission 5 the mission owner gets a temp power that causes the player to look as though they are stealthed. This gives no stealth bonus and is mearly a graphical effect.[/list]
