Session 1 - Chapter 3: On Razor's Edge

Jaxion's normally warm face was bitter cold, whipped by the harsh winter winds and mostly vacant highways as his destination - the middle of nowhere - drew calmly closer. But his thoughts were interrupted when a strange man appeared in the middle of the highway only a few hundred yards ahead of him causing the tiefling and the occupants of Dr. Topip's car behind to lock their brakes. The man, dressed impeccably in a blue and brown jacket with a white dress shirt, chrome hair and a prosthetic arm seemed unfazed by the near collision and calmly offered Jaxion an unmarked package. When asked, the man stated he worked for the APO and didn't elaborate further nor did he move from the road. The sergeant tore open the box to find another box within; his coffee cup from 2 days prior sat nestled inside, still hot and begging to be finished. The two had a short exchange before the man - known as The Gambit - hopped on the back of Jaxion's C.R.A.V. and the group +1 continued East toward Ellisbeth and the promised military base. The contents of the cup were emptied to reveal a playing card within the cup, the gift The Gambit promised was actually what he intended to deliver.   Along the way, The Gambit advised Jaxion that he would not be able to access the base but the tiefling wanted nothing to do with the odd man's words. But when the group finally passed over West Bluesalt Lake to see its sister lake further East, signs began to paint a darker picture, one that coincided with The Gambit's earlier warning. By the time they arrived at the off-ramp to the military outpost they found concrete barriers blocking the road entirely. Jaxion was the only one in the traveling party who was willing to walk the 10 miles to the base; Lux, Echo, Dr. Topip and The Gambit were not up to the long hike to what was, at least by The Gambit's words, abandoned. Jaxion wasn't pleased with the sudden change of plans but the blocked route and the new passenger's constant plea to visit Ellisbeth to consume beef hearts changed his mind. Meanwhile Dr. Topip made an announcement to Echo that he was proud of what he had become and had noticed for some time that Echo was gaining sentience, showing curiosity and awareness that the doctor could no longer stifle. He exchanged words with Echo and ultimately told him he was to be free to make his own decisions, choices and ignore anything that he was programmed to do if he so chose to. Topip was likely the Gazelle's next target and he wanted to lead the rogue creature away from Echo and his new friends, instead choosing to return to the BRN to confront Kael Vurn personally, believing he was responsible for the leak of information that almost cost him and Jaxion, along with Echo and the hundreds of passengers on the Magnorail their lives. A control chip was removed from Echo and Lux was given control of the doctor's vehicle. Topip drew a glyph in the air, opened a door and stepped through to his workshop, leaving his new son to face the dangers of the world but in good hands, those of Lux Silvers.   The four made their way into Ellisbeth following the instructions of The Gambit who claimed he needed to make a stop first to pick up a few more participants. As the group drew closer, Silas' holodisk began to blink informing him that Z3r0's promised guests would soon arrive. Unsure how to open the door however and with B-YU's programming unable to override the lockdown, the four inside sat in waiting as a pair of vehicles pulled up to the well-maintained home. The Gambit departed Jaxion's bike, throwing a card from thin air at the tire which seemed to prohibit driving off and approached the dwelling, knocking gently on the door. A brief conversation occurred through the door's sliding window before The Gambit drew a few cards from his gauntlet, settling on one to open the door's internal locks and ultimately ending the lockdown. Xhoya dove behind a living room chair and Kiíellièn moved between the drow and the door while Gidget placed herself near the door to assess and intercept any threat that may be approaching them. Sergeant Jaxion introduced himself as did Silas, the former upset at Gambit for bringing him to a BAC safehouse but the man seemed undisturbed by this fact. After some ground rules were laid by Agent Silas the group of travelers were allowed inside where the celebrity Lux Silvers was immediately recognized, enough so to even draw out the drow Xhoya. Introductions made their rounds and The Gambit and Xhoya shared an odd look with each other, Gambit eventually stating he believed the two shared an uncle and embraced his cousin with a warm hug. Questions fell to The Gambit who answered them with perceived honestly: he had been the one to deliver the black box to the residence a few days prior though questions surrounding the APO still lingered. The Gambit was also a title rather than a name and the man was a candidate to become a Vox Ultima for Ip & Okk, suggesting he was not only honest and held a prestigious title, but also that he was much older than he appeared. Introductions were made around the room, Echo and Gidget sharing a special moment together with Kiíellièn's ancient pistol the desire of Gidget's heart - and possibly pocketbook - though the elf Kiíellièn had no desire to sell her firearm.   The Gambit also shared dire news which helped piece together the events the two groups had found themselves a part of in the week prior. The Vox Ultima setup a contract with the BAC to bring in The Gazelle, a being whose power and form had been enhanced tremendously by absorbing one of three cubes that existed in Beaumont. These cubes were ancient relics capable of drawing magic from nowhere and acted as compasses to mana vents, a detail identified by Xhoya, while also acting as lesser magnets to anything inherently magical, tested by Lux on herself who presented a cube that, as far as the rest of the group knew, left with the doctor. Xhoya and Lux investigated the cube together. Xhoya felt confident she could grow to understand the cube's powers and possibly even learn to control it but Lux spoke of the threat of manasickness, a blight that could easily best even the sturdiest magic users in the world with ease. She estimated that even at her peak, she could tap into the cube's power maybe twice before becoming ill, three times may kill her. Xhoya revealed notes she had taken on the cube's form from blueprints she, Gidget, Silas and Kiíellièn had found only a few nights prior in the black box while they were studying the contents. The black box was reported to have been found already by all international news outlets yet it existed in Agent Silas' paws, suggesting that the news was misinformed and whomever fed them the story was either fabricating the truth they had it or a decoy had been provided to them. The third cube is known to power Monokomanika and is responsible for the continued excavation of raw magic that feeds the world. This third cube would be fatal for the Gazelle to attempt to take in his current state but if he gained control of the cube they had in their possession now then he would become strong enough to gain control of the third and bring an apocalypse all of his own.   This lead the group to a new line of questioning that The Gambit used to ask for their help in both securing the existing cube and bringing the Gazelle to justice. The Vox Ultima was after the rogue warforged and the current occupants of 147 Copperwing Crescent, Gearhaven District, Ellisbeth, Pægor were unwittingly wrapped up in their duty and were promised handsome rewards for their assistance. But The Gambit could not answer all of their questions:  

1. Who or what made the Gazelle?
2. Who is he working with or for?
3. Does he pull the strings or does his agency?
4. If he isn't in charge, who is?

All of these questions resurrected the thought of a fourth faction at play. Both Jaxion and Silas privately conversed and while both of their factions were pointing fingers at one another, neither truly believed their own or the other was responsible for the recent acts of terrorism but instead pointed their fingers at the only group of people who they believed would want an apocalypse: the Deremitru. Silas also discovered that The Gambit was responsible for sending a message to his holodisk to expect the company he found himself surrounded by, though he seemed to have little concern for how a Vox Ultima candidate was able to relay a message on a private holodisk using Z3R0's encryption protocols.   After B-YU finished providing refreshments The Gambit finally encouraged the group of people he's convinced to help him explore Preydrus' festivities and two outlets were chosen: Blisterhoof Butcher to compete in a spicy-food competition then Venomhusk Hollow Park to chase, catch and grill scorpions. So off they went, taking the C.R.A.V., Lux's sport bike, the Hamborghini and Topip's D'Lorean and followed the river northward, eventually arriving at a butcher's ranch decorated in fiery skulls with a massive display of flaming hearts burning across a field that had been converted into the competition site. Hundreds of people gathered around to cheer on their favorite contestants but only a few dared to challenge the heat. At the end of the long table sat a phoenixdrake heart wreathed in purple fire and floating above a platter with only a few slices cut into it suggesting challengers were far and few to make it that far in the competition. Xhoya, Gidget, Lux and Kiíellièn all entered the competition where they were to cook and eat 5 hearts of increasing spiciness. If all 5 were successfully consumed then a chance to have a bite of the phoenixdrake heart would be offered and a special prize provided. Lady Irongut, the tiefling hostess ignited the table and skies in colorful and theatrical displays as the contestants worked their way through the competition. Lux was disqualified early, diving into her fermented mare's milk to cease the fire erupting on her tongue and Gidget found herself taking a swig of the mare's milk after the second round. Kiíellièn and Xhoya made it all the way to the end, Xhoya never even breaking a sweat and the two of them were granted official titles of Irongut of Preydrus, a prestigious title little held and fewer still recognized the pain endured to acquire. Xhoya took on the challenge of the phoenixdrake heart and managed to swallow her cod heart before burying her face in the stein of mare's milk, the heat too hot even for her mouth. A special ring was given as a reward, offering the wearer the chance to truly beat the heat. As the cheers calmed down and the next contestants took their places at the table the group of 8 headed back to their respective vehicles, their next destination a bit more dangerous but equally as fitting during the last day of Preydrus.   With at most a few weeks to devise a plan, including possibly making duplicate cubes, traveling to the Eye of the Scorpion to see if the BRN truly had abandoned the base and try to discover the cube's secrets the group of unlikely allies have only today left to truly indulge in what they would never again call A Normal Life.