Legend of Ransera

"All right, ladies and gentlemen..." Commander Brenner Dornkirk stood at the head of a map table that had been laid out in one of the parlours at his family manor. Behind him was a blank chalkboard, which looked at though it had been recently cleaned or perhaps never used at all. There were flagons of a rich red wine and pewter cups surrounding the large map which placed Zaichaer in its Northwestern corner and a red X marked well to its Southwest.

"I apologise that there are no servants present to pour the wine, but let that be the first hint at the gravity of what is to be discussed here today. Please," He gestured to the wine flagons, "Help yourselves." And he paused, to pour a cup for himself and his brother, Stefan, who sat at his right hand. He handed the flagon off to Air Commander Eitan Angevin, who was seated to his left.

"Before we begin in earnest, I must needs pose a disclaimer to you all." He took a fortifying sip of wine, and turned to claim a piece of chalk with which he wrote the words: "Mission Clearance" upon the chalkboard to his rear. Then he turned to address the nine assembled adventurers and spoke:

"All aspects of this expedition are to be considered top secret. If word of this endeavour were to reach Kalzasi or any other major power in Ransera, it would put all of Zaichaer at risk. Therefore, all members of the expedition party are to use the utmost discretion and must recognise that the State of Zaichaer will disavow any support or even knowledge of this mission. All those who have agreed to participate do so with the knowledge that their lives are secondary to the security of Zaichaer. If you are disinclined to agree with this requirement, now is the time to leave." Brenner paused and made eye contact slowly and deliberately with each of the nine people seated at the table.

"I am deathly serious. If you are not prepared to put your life, your reputation and that of your family on the line for the good of Zaichaer, you should leave this room immediately and never speak of having been summoned here tonight. Go on. No one here will hold it against you if you haven't the mettle for this." Brenner's eyes lingered a bit longer upon Florian's, but he waited a long moment to allow for anyone who might want to leave before he got to the meat the matter. Once the room was still and silent once more, he continued:

"From this moment forward, any attempt to quit the mission will be considered an act of desertion and any perpetrator thereof will meet a traitor’s death without trial. Now then..." He smirked and flipped the chalkboard to its other side, on which the expedition team had already been written out in the fine, precise penmanship of the youngest Dornkirk.

Over the next twenty minutes, Brenner slowly walked the team through his briefing- Using the chalkboard to complement the essentials of each item on the agenda and encouraging everyone to commit each point to memory or to take notes using a cipher whilst still making no reference to any State involvement, lest those notes ever fall into enemy hands and be deciphered.



Mission Commander: Brenner S. Dornkirk

Science Department
Chief Science Officer: Stefan K. Dornkirk
Biology Specialist: Dr. Isold Stechpalme
Engineering Specialist: Herr Dienerin

Reconciliation Department
Chief Reconciliator: Eitan S. Angevin
Defensive Specialist: Florian Albrecht
Preternatural Studies Specialist: Agata Beeman

Tactical Department
Chief Tactical Officer: Myles J. Arnnett
Ranger: Piers Lightborn
Infantry: Jonah Evanson

Mission Objective: To locate surviving specimens of an aether-eating parasite purported to exist in the Warrens- a relic from the world that was.
Date of Departure: 5 Ash 121 Steel
Point of Departure: Zaichaer Central Sky Station
Means of Departure: The first leg of the trip will be spent aboard a prototype airship known as The Nachtherr. Small, sleek and built for both speed and stealth, the Southeasterly journey to our point-of-entry to the Warrens will take the better part of a day. The party will camp at the landing site after securing The Nachtherr. At first light of the following day, the party will embark upon the delve into the Warrens on foot.
Destination: We are seeking to enter a realm known as the Fademire. Our intel suggests that we may access this realm through the Warrens and that its location may be divined by following the path left by Ghostblooms protruding from the skulls of the deceased. The Fademire is purported to be a nightmarish place replete with both venomous and psychically predatory hostiles. The former can be remedied by milk of the Drimera’s Whisper blossom and the latter can be mitigated by the use of Dreamstones.


Tactical Department: The physical safety of the party is your main priority. While every department is comprised of capable fighters in their own right, their main priorities on the mission lie elsewhere. Your foremost duty is to see that all of us survive the notorious dangers that lurk within the Warrens. Your duties shall include scouting, locating and securing viable campsites, protecting all personnel and supplies, fending off all threats to the mission objective. In the unruly lands we shall soon travel you will not be subject to the laws of Zaichaer. You have leave to execute your duties by whatever means necessary to see us to our destination and back safely.
Science Department: Your primary aim is to locate and securely obtain specimens of the aether-eating parasite for safe transport back to Zaichaer. You will all be briefed on the legends of these creatures with a particular focus on common themes that appear in multiple independent sources. Based on these briefings, you may requisition the necessary supplies to carry out your task. Your duties include gathering data, seeking out and collecting clues that might lead to our objective, taking note of any additional opportunities presented in the Warrens or the Fademire that may be beneficial to the Fatherland. You are also charged with keeping and administering the Milk of Drimera curative, should any members of the party be compromised by the venomous creatures that dwell in the Fademire.
Reconciliation Department: Yours is a mission of support. We grudgingly accept the reality that science alone is likely ill-equipped to provide us with all the tools we need to carry out our mission successfully. We call upon you who have given up a part of your soul in service to the State to make another sacrifice. You are to work in concert with the Science Department to fill in any holes in logic with your understanding of sorcery. Additionally, you are permitted to utilise what magicks may benefit the mission with no fear of reprisal from the State or any member of the party during this expedition. As Science may not be enough to locate the creatures, physical force may not be enough to protect us from the wretched, ensorcelled creatures that populate both the Warrens and the Fademire. You are therefore charged with supporting the Tactical Department in keeping your fellow-adventurers safe from the myriad horrors that lurk where we soon dare to tread.
Note: The entire team is aware of the particular threat your department faces as magic users on the hunt for an entity that devours magical aether. Whatever our feelings on witchcraft, please know that your safety remains all of our concern.
Requisitions: We have been allotted a budget for this mission. Please compile a list of whatever supplies you believe will be helpful for you to carry out your duties on the expedition, and gold will be allotted for the purchase of any resources the Mission Commander approves as necessary.
Timeline: We have until the end of Ash 121 to complete our task, but the mission commander has allotted one month’s time to complete this endeavour. Without having had the route to the Fademire mapped in advance, there are a tonne of variables in play that make an exact timeline difficult to conjure. The best case scenario is that we’re in and out within two weeks, but if we spend two weeks searching with no viable leads, we will return to the ship and assess whether it’s time to resupply and attempt another route or to abandon the effort and return home empty-handed.
Conclusion: Upon completion of the expedition, whether successful or otherwise, we will return to the Nachtherr’s secure location and fly back to Zaichaer as heroes. Even if we fail, this undertaking is the work of true-hearted patriots of our glorious Fatherland. All of us have been marked by the Office of the Grand Marshal himself who will be briefed on our work and the sacrifices we make here in the name of the State. I am proud to stand amongst heroes of Zaichaer who understand the gravest threat that looms over our modern world and are putting their lives at risk to combat it. Tomorrow is promised to no man, but I truly believe that tomorrow belongs to us.



"So..." Brenner clapped his hands once together, "Questions? Comments? Concerns? Go."

The More he listened the more his grin widened the more his teeth shown. His blood burned with excitement as he learned of his duties and the cause they would be championing. Biting his tongue to not interject his joy at this service to his country man he settled for tapping a foot slowly stamping out his nervous energy. Looking across the room of mostly familiar faces at this point Myles was content to lay down his life for these men, but far more excited to see the fruits of survival to be considering loss much of an option. Foregoing alcohol for the entirety of the briefing to rapt with attention to drink Myles was perpetually humming with a desire to embark already.

After Brenner finished his presentation and Eitan spoke Myles raised his glass with the man. “Hail Zaichaer.” Finally relaxing back into his seat Myles rested an elbow on the arm of his chair, laying his chin on his upturned hand his face waxing thoughtful. “I'd like to request all the information I can get about the territory we have available, I would like to start making preparations as soon as possible. This, this is what Zaichaer needed. It will be an honor to serve by your sides” Downing the rest of his wine Myles looked over the room pondering the skillsets he would be working with and how to best utilize them. He wasn't sure the provisions he'd need yet but he was already pondering how they intended to bring light into the depths with them. They would need weeks of lantern fuel if everyone was to carry one. He wasn't well versed in arcane forms of light and had made it this far in his career without them but he was beginning to ponder the logistics of this venture already. There was no doubt they'd be making the subterranean legs of this journey on foot. In caves it was unlikely that they would have beasts of burden available to them either. They would be eating whatever they brought with them, or whatever they could hunt. Chewing his bottom lip Myles pondered on how to best voice his thoughts as he allowed the others present to begin speaking their various pieces hoping that they might voice his concerns before he had to. He did not think it would be in good form for him to immediately cast his doubts on the mission, not at least in the presence of those they might demoralize. He wanted this mission to work, but the scope of it was certainly daunting. It did not help in his opinion, that a large number present seemed to be more akin to the air than the earth in assignment. Containing his fears Myles smiled and projected what confidence he could muster in spite of himself.

"Thank you for the clarification, Commander Angevin." Brenner smiled faintly as he inclined his head in acknowledgement of his oldest friend's addenda to the briefing Brenner had prepared. "And Hail Zaichaer." He raised his wine glass in response and took a delicate sip, before placing it back down on the map table.

"Of course, Corporal Arnnett. You will all be granted access to the library of reference materials we've been accumulating over the past few months. That includes atlases and almanacs that might offer more data about the regions we'll be breaching. Speaking generally..." Brenner gestured down toward the map and the spot marked down as their landing zone,

"Our point of entry into the Warrens was selected based on the data provided in various historical accounts. In some instances, we were able to extrapolate information based on the authors of those accounts and the areas we know them to have explored in their lifetimes. With this knowledge, we were able to narrow our area of investigation down to a relatively manageable region marked here..." He pointed to a circle drawn in red that surrounded the spot marked as their landing zone.

"There is one major point of entry into the Warrens within this region and so, based on that, we've selected it as the starting point of our mission. Mr. Lightborn, might you be able to speak more as to what we can expect in the Warrens?"

"Very well." Piers rose from his seat, to his imposing height and regarded the room. "You will all have heard that the Warrens are a nightmarish hellscape, and this is true. The horrors that dwell in their depths are as diverse as they are abject. It is a mercurial world down there and, though we may find ourselves fortunate and skirt past the worst of the first deep, don't count on it. And the Otherwilds will be even worse. There's plenty of intel out there and I've helped these lads curate their collection of literature to home in on what is most pertinent to the areas we'll be exploring. As for the Fademire? I have no firsthand experience, nor know I any who do. As in all things, I am preparing for the worst."

"And that is what makes you a sterling guide to see us through these sundry dangers." Brenner offered, as he gestured for Piers to reclaim his seat. His eyes turned, next, to Florian.

"My research suggests that the creature we seek dwells in colonies. The individual parasites are passing small- perhaps even imperceptible to the naked eye, but when they congregate in great number, as is their wont, they create a bluish glow. Now, it is possible that the specimens we come across may be in a dormant state if they have not had any enchanted creatures or items upon which to feast. If that is the case, they might just look akin to a dark blue fungus or lichen. If, however, they are introduced to their food source they will awaken and likely swarm it. They have been described as 'spore-like' and 'locust-like' in separate texts, so make of that what you will." He paused, "Again, understand that this intelligence was collected from various independent and, at times, contradictory sources. I cannot confirm the veracity of these claims, and we may find something completely different than what I've just described, but that is my current understanding of our objective." Brenner smiled sidelong to Stefan,

"Thank you, Stefan. And everyone? Please inform my brother of any requisitions you would request for our inventory list and we can prepare the cargo bay with all necessary space and ballast."

Myles couldn't contain himself as he listened to his comrades list off requisitions, frankly he considered himself conservative when it came to the use of military budget, but considering the situation and the fact that Eitan himself was requesting similar He couldn't help but want to pursue and upgrade to his own arsenal.

“If I might be selfish, I too would benefit from new armor, my mail has seen better days, I'm not sure if the usual heavy armors I prefer would be conducive to clambering beneath the ground, so I'm willing to put myself at the mercy of the outfitters to what armor I take down below.”

The rest of the list seemed to have everything they would need in mind though Myles did have one more thought. “Are their ways to make mundane weapons effective against potential ethereal foes we might encounter?” It wasn't something he'd encountered but he'd heard tales of creatures made from mists and souls that couldn't be touched but could well enough touch you down below. Not desiring to pray fall to such potential threats he hoped his question didn't leave him sounding foolish, he was rather uneducated on all manners of things below. “Oh, and if I might be so bold, I'd like so suggest some dried fruit rations, they can be surprisingly more potent at supplying vitality quickly to the body that meats or tack” With that the soldier fell silent feeling awkward among his refined peers. He wondered if they would find it in the budget to outfit them or not. He was content either way to go on the mission. Armor was less important than avoiding risk on the whole on the journey. Minimizing conflict meant keeping down the time one had to carry a wounded companion or many other journey slowing risks. Already thinking about the homework he felt he'd need to do Myles nibbled his pointer finger in contemplation.