General Synopsis for Act II : The Consummation of Empire
At the start of Act II the group finds out that the Symbiot attack on Stigmata was worse than previously known, as each House contributes a number of troops to the defense of the world, including the Hazat Dervishes. They also begin having disturbing dreams of black ships with a bloody "8" emblazoned on the side of them. On Aragon they discover that an unknown faction of clones are found to be devising some way of taking over Leagueheim. Pitt decides to leave the group and go solo, trying to pick up the rest of the artifacts, while a Hazat tank commander named Miguel joins the group. Also while on Aragon, they discover a race of beings known as the N'rlak who are possibly allied with the clones, but only Theurgists and Ukari can see them. Travelling to Leagueheim, they hear about the Order of Vladimir - a super-secret society bent on stopping the rise of a Third Republic. Supposedly, some of the more aggressive members of the Order broke-off and joined with some Church members to form the "Circle of Light." This Circle is bent on destroying the League and taking control of Leagueheim, and is later found to be plotting to kill the Emperor and Patriarch and take over their positions. New friends are found in Sir Gaius Justinian's entourage, and the Circle of Light's plot to take over Leagueheim is foiled. Traveling to Madoc, Miguel is found to be missing, and they meet up with new friends : Gavin Vance, Baron Sarili del-Trana al-Malik, and Don Roberto Philepe Ramirez Rolas. They foil more plots involving the Circle of Light, and have some weird visions of speaking with Vardhamana on Nowhere. Traveling to Pyre, Marduk is imprisoned by the Avestites for the murder of two priests back on Leagueheim. Baron Sarili uses his shapeshifting abilities to look like an Avestite Bishop, and thus Marduk is broken-out of jail. Kantarra aids the natives in repelling an al-Malik "attack" on Pyre, and Don Roberto has a vision of St. Mantius and his holy flux blade, Manjusri. While on Pyre, they hear that "Sometimes, when angels are denied enough of the divine light, they can become demons." On Ukar they strike a crushing blow to the Circle by destroying "the Hellstone" - a rock which is the source of the N'rlak they have been using to gather information (remember - only Theurgists and Ukari can see them). The group finds a letter which offers one theory of the Obun and Ukari's places in the universe, as well as more clues involving what happened to the Annunaki, and they have some odd visions of speaking with a Vau named Alshasra'a. They also meet up with an old friend - Arjuna Miharshun Pandavas, who is involved in an Ukari rebellion which eventually brings League forces into conflict with the Ukari. The Emperor eventually shows up to resolve things. The black ships are revealed to be old friends of Kantarra who have formed a new faction in Brother Battle known as the "8th Order," and (sort of) under orders from Kantarra, they cut a deal with the Ukari and Emperor resulting in the Ukari and 8th Order sending troops to Stigmata while the Vorox are granted freedom after a tour of duty on the Barbarian fronts. On Cadavus they realized that Kantarra is "going bad," and Gavin is hired by Duchess Maqueda Grenera Juandaastas to find a cure to her son's illness. They meet more old friends in the form of Anastassia Yurovskaya Decados - a pious Decados noble they briefly met on Leagueheim, and later Sir Cassidy Anne Hawkwood and company - a Questing Knight looking for an entourage. While helping her look for lost jumpkeys, they encounter people in black robes wielding black stone blades which seem to "phase" through any substance such as armor and shields. These are later revealed to be Oathbreakers - blades made of the same rock as the Hellstone and infused with Qlippothic energies. Gavin does some research and finds an old prophecy they seem to be mirroring, and Marduk buys a used Golem for the ship. Gavin and Roberto have a horrific vision of a world with a sickly orange sun and flat, jet black rock, and the decline and death of Kantarra. Travelling to Severus, they once again meet with Anastassia, and acquire an ancient jumpkey to a lost world - Kailash. Gavin meets an old rival - Chayand Ashkartu, and his party of "anti-adventurers." Thus ends the Second Act as they begin a descent into darkness.