Sins of the First Age

Story Arcs

The following major story arcs have been explored thus far. Listed below each entry are the secondary story threads begun or advanced during each major arc. Some secondary threads may become more important over time, and be resolved in major arcs, while others are dealt with in the course of more pivotal adventures.

The Tomb of Five Corners
Experience Earned: 21

After meeting up, the circle received a message from their lost Eclipse caste circle mate, calling them to the hub of the Tomb of Five Corners. Upon arriving there, they found five gates leading to the five manse-tombs of their first age incarnations. Eventually, the circle tracked their Eclipse counterpart to her tomb in the north, at The Summer House, and learned that she had become an Abyssal. After being trapped at the Summer House for several months, the circle made contact with members of The Cult of the Illuminate, who assisted them in their escape.

Other Story Threads Addressed:

The Daughter of Nexus
Experience Earned: 20

Upon returning to creation proper, the circle ventured into the city of Nexus and became embroiled in a many sided plot to abduct Arvia, the god-blooded daughter of Gen, god of Hollow, the first age city upon which Nexus was built. Ultimately, they rescued Avria, and – after fending off various conspirators, culminating in a full scale battle against the Fey – spirited her away to The Eastern Grove for safe keeping, until she could decide for herself what direction she wanted to take with her life. Though the circle made a number of enemies, they were lauded as heroes for quelling the unrest in the city.

Other Story Threads Addressed:

The Invasion of Lookshy
Experience Earned: 21

A short time after concluding their adventures in Nexus, the circle encountered Nessa, Kadon Cind‘s estranged girl friend, in a village between the Tomb and Nexus, in the company of The Doctor. As it turned out, her body had been possessed by her father’s ghost, and her spirit was trapped in a warstrider in the keeping of Lookshy. To rescue her, the circle traveled there, restored a powerful manse in the city to working order, and was caught up in a surprise invasion by the forces of a Deathlord. After driving off the Deathlord’s minions, the circle made political inroads with the city governors.

Other Story Threads Addressed:

  • Recover Soulsteel for Rhythm
  • Restore the Lookshy Factory Cathedral (Concluded)
  • Develop Contacts With the Cult (Concluded)
  • Earn the Trust of the Lookshy Council (Concluded)
  • Find Peace for Anna’s Ghost (Concluded)

A Year of Discovery
Experience Earned: 10

After the events in Lookshy, the circle took an extended period of rest – a full year – during which they developed their abilities, and embarked upon a few small but significant journeys. Relationships developed, on both the personal and political fronts, Tya Mnemia had her babies, and pirates were fought, but perhaps most importantly, the circle visited the Past Lives Pavilion in Meru, and learned disturbing details of their previous incarnations’ lives:

  • Mnemia learned about a plot by her previous self – a warlord bend on world domination – to unmake creation itself, and rebuild it too her liking around a new pole of earth.
  • Zuko Kota learned about his incarnation’s cruelty towards Scarlet’s previous incarnations, and his history as a Genesis engineer, thief, and general mad scientist.
  • Kadon learned – through a message he left himself in the process of building the Pavilion – that he had in effect engineered the Usurpation, and the technology behind the Jade Prison.


The Reclamation of Nexus, Part I
Experience Earned: 20

After their year of rest, the circle decided to return to Nexus. Numerous issues were calling to them there – the restoration of the city’s wild zone, the appearance of a Solar crime syndicate, the disappearance of various allies, and the quest for more information and artifacts from Zuko’s past all pointed squarely at the city. To these ends, they recovered the moonsilver monstrance used to reroute Scarlet’s exaltation and soul, explored Nexus’s interconnected manses, and defeated the solar syndicate’s sorcerer, freeing Hulya from mental dominion. These efforts were interrupted by world shaking events to come however.

Other Story Threads Addressed:

The Waking Dragons
Experience Earned: 17

While on a mountain top outside of Nexus, confronting the solar syndicate’s sorcerer, the circle observed a bizarre phenomenon – the great elemental dragon of the east was moving west and slightly south across creation, and bringing a vast elemental storm in its wake. Investigation determined that in fact all five dragons were moving towards a flying island in the southwest of creation. Forces were gathered, but upon arriving at the island the circle found not enemies, but a birthing chamber. With the circle’s help, Gaea gave birth to a sixth dragon of yellow jade, who’s express purpose was to remake the dragon blooded into a new and solar friendly breed.

Other Story Threads Addressed:

Leviathan’s Betrayal
Experience Earned: 41

The circle was distressed to discover that Leviathan had made off with their loved ones, including Mnemia’s children and Scarlet, as part of his plan to train solar children. With them locked away at the bottom of the ocean, and Mercury’s Envy disabled, the circle sought out the Water Dragon Fakharu for assistance. In exchange for a group of submersibles, the party had to rescue his lover, who had been kidnapped by a group of sirens. The team tracked them to an island kingdom obsessed with the warping of all things beautiful, and by falsifying evidence against a councilor and blackmailing the king, they managed to recover her. They then piloted the submersibles to Leviathan’s sunken city, only to find it in far worse shape than when they left it.

Other Story Threads Addressed:

  • Restoring Yuki
  • The Hidden Primordial
  • Candidates for the Yellow Jade Caste (Concluded)
  • Leviathan’s Betrayal (Concluded)
  • Rescuing Fakharu’s Lover (Concluded)
  • Snakes & Islanders (Concluded)

Adventure Logs:

The Reclamation of Nexus, Part II
Experience Earned: 37

Returning to Nexus to finish what they had begun more than a year ago, the circle set to work on a number of mighty tasks. To stabilize and restore the city – and by extension it’s deity – they sought out and eliminated the criminals who aimed to take it over, restored the power of the Emissary to watch over its citizens, and ultimately even quelled the Wyld Zone, forging a brilliant new city center out of the chaos at the heart of the Firewander District. In the process, they also discovered the truth behind the identities of the Council of Entities, and learned of the true power behind the throne. Many loose threads were tied up, and though a few remain, the future of Nexus looks bright.

Other Story Threads Addressed:

Adventure Logs:

A Time for Reflection
Experience Earned: 20

Having forged a new future for the city of Nexus at long last, the circle retired to consider matters more personal. In a grand ceremony in the restored heart of Nexus, Zuko and Scarlet were wed. In his workshop, Kadon mastered the subtle craft of magitech, and forged incomparable wonders. In the east, Mnemia sought out the legacy of her first age counterpart. For more than two years, the circle stepped out of the public view, strengthening themselves and – it was to be hoped – allowing creation to absorb the message of their returning glory.

Adventure Logs:

Trials of the Sword
Experience Earned: 33

For more than a millennium the Fair Folk have watched the ruins of a factory cathedral on the Eastern edge of creation. For much of that time the draw was a bound demon of magnificent power. And while none chose to attempt to feed on such a creature, it was still something of a novelty. But that level of attention was nothing compared to the eyes that watch the location now. Over the course of a few years the demon has been released and a circle of solars with a significant support team now come and go regularly. And while none have yet to feast upon the grand virtues of the exalted, the mortals that live in the area have quietly become a delicacy.

Such a situation could have continued for decades, but the death of both Lilac and Jester in Nexus has caused quite a stir in the Valor focused Opal Court. Fey from all across the forests of the deep East have gathered to demand a solution. And while they debate, others act.

The area around the factory cathedral is controlled by three fey known as the Daughters of the Blade; each of which represents a different section of the Eastern Wyld. And though there are other fair folk there, these three maintain control over the situation… for now.

The daughters realize that if they do not act their sovereignty will be taken by the Opal Court. So while they do not agree on what should be done regarding the strangers, they have agreed to a plan that would see the will of the strongest among them control their fate. They are all children of the Sword, and each would see the solars tested on the fields of battle. The question remains, to which daughter will the circle succumb.

Though Jester’s attempt to use hostages proved to be ultimately futile, the simple matter is that the exalted will rise to defend what they believe is theirs. So in the years since the death of Jester the daughters have worked to discover what keeps the Wyld at bay here, and have put plans into place to subvert it. Then, with the exalted away they will move in, claiming everything in the area and shaping it to their will, setting the stage for the fate of the circle to be decided.

(Individual character pages recount the events of the Trials)

Other Story Threads Addressed:

The Fate of the Maker
Experience Earned: 72

Pulled into a strange and foreign realm by sorcery gone wrong, and separated from the one ally most likely to know where they’d ended up and why, Zuko, Mnemia, and Zis found themselves lost in a world of machines gone wrong. As they would come to learn, they had been dragged into the world body of mighty Autochthon – the Great Maker – slumbering for thousands of years in Elsewhere. To rescue their ally Kadon, and make their way home, they would travel the strange reaches of the Maker’s realm, and make even stranger allies. They would be pawns to the Maker’s own will, and champions the likes of which Autochthonia had never seen. They would slay a city of the dead, and vanquish a dragon of smoke. They would help to save the Maker from himself, without any way to know if it would be enough.

Other Story Threads Addressed:

Adventure Logs:

Through the Looking Glass
Experience Earned: 10

Memories of the time spent are elusive, but one thing is certain – while the circle was sequestered within Autochthonia, momentous things came to pass in Creation. The Cult of the Illuminate fell, and the Bull reigned. The Solars were divided and disillusioned. The Scarlet Empress returned from Malfeus, with the Ebon Dragon himself in her wake, to herald the return of the Yozi to their forbidden rule of the mortal world. All this and more they saw from within the Maker’s sphere, and it all lay at their feet.

It took more than a year for the circle to free themselves and their hangers on from Autochthonia’s dark confines, and it appears their memories have been tampered with in the interim, but with all that said it seems their plan is proceeding as well as can be hoped. The loom of fate has been reset, and their own memories of what occurred – now what is yet to come – remain, protected by their outside perspective and the Maker’s Design Weavers.

Other Story Threads Addressed:

Adventure Logs:

The Invisible Manse
Experience Earned: 40

The circle has returned from Autochthonia to find Creation in better shape than the promises of the future, but there is precious little time to ensure that the events they have foreseen are not allowed to pass. With the most pressing challenge seeming to be the Bull of the North the circle has headed north in an effort to locate the lost manses of Raxin Hsen. It is hoped they might find the secrets needed to wrench control of the Bull’s robot armies away from him. What they find is something far different, and far more dangerous.

Other Story Threads Addressed:

Adventure Logs:

Frozen Fields of War
Experience Earned: 18

Even as the Hidden Manse gives up its final secrets the casualties of war creep towards the circle. At its head is clan Vneef, Scarlet and many of Kadon’s interns. With them is the populace of Wangler’s Knob. They flee the rag tag and brutally effective forces of the Rose Black who herself retreats from an army of automata and chimera that fight for the Bull of the North and are lead by Stalwart Sunrise, a general of the dawn caste.

Other Story Threads Addressed:

Adventure Logs:

Securing the Scavenger Lands
Experience Earned: 42

In Lookshy those that follow the Immaculate faith have found one they claim is the true heir to the Shogunate, a tool they are using to draw power away from Fire Orchid and her family. Nearby in Nexus the Tomb of the Singing Blades has been breached, powerful artifacts removed and a number of squirrel girls released. And somewhere in the middle forces born of Malfeas masquerade as the circle, kidnapping the children of local crime lords and using them as leverage in their demands.

Other Story Threads Addressed:

Adventure Logs:

The Haslanti Wylds
Experience Earned: 30

As the stage for war continues to be set the circle looks to the north for an unlikely ally. The Haslanti League is Ioni’s former home and appears to be a target of the Bull of the North (not really, but botches are fun). If the circle can protect this federation of northern cities from this threat maybe they would be willing to provide their not insignificant air force to the cause.

Other Story Threads Addressed:

Adventure Logs:

Maidens Rising
Experience Earned: 39

With trips into the deep Wyld in search of the Tearing Gale and a near trip to Malfeas in pursuit of Captain Gyrfalcon the circle has turned its attention to the prophesied end of the age. As the calendar moves into Resplendent Fire the circle checks in on the reeducation of the Rose Black before entering the dreams of Yuki to ensure the rebirth of Uranus.

The Circle, using the artifacts found on the Tearing Gale, enter the plane of dreams to reunite Yuki and ‘Nameless’, her Fox Lunar mate. In the dream, Yuki and her circle mates, still tied together by repeated uses of the “Unity of Dreams” spell, where largely unaware of the nature of the dream. Each had taken a form of an animal, Yuki and ‘Nameless’ taking the form of a Gold and Silver Fox. Even in the dream, their bond pulled each to find the other. In trying to unite the pair in the dreamscape, the party learned that the Lunar sorcerer Raksi was trying to capture Yuki both in the dream and the waking world by holding ‘Nameless’ hostage, thus reveling where the missing Lunar had vanished to.

One British fox hunt and a artifact powered Katamari ball later, the Circle had successfully reunited Yuki and ‘Nameless’ Though the reunion was brief, it resulted in the conception of Uranus, Maiden of Magic, a child who has to be sired by Bridget reborn, “The Mother of Magic”. Though there is still issue with Yuki being catatonic in the waking world.

The circle had also encountered Gavin in the form of a falcon. Using the artifacts a second time the Circle tracked his dreams to discover he is in Chiaroscuro, and possibly gone a bit mad.

Other Story Threads Addressed:

Adventure Logs:

Awareness
Experience Earned: 22

With the completion of the The Ninefold Manse, Kadon and Scarlet finally reveals its purpose.

Years before, during Through the Looking Glass, Scarlet received a lost memory shard that had belonged to her in the first age from when Kharum had died, and the question he asked of the third circle demon.

The answer had been the realization of the great curse.

It had been protected for all these years and finally reunited with her mind. The result had been the curse taking temporary control of its host, showing it also possesses an amount of sentience. Having been present in many reincarnation before, and remembering them fully, it had access to all the charms the exaltation’s shard had ever learned. Further, it was able to empower the host’s essence level to greater, and more dangerous, levels.

Attacking, the Circle was forced to face off against their friend and companion who was intent on their deaths and her own destruction to protect the Yozi’s greatest weapon.

During the event, Kadon, with proper preparation not to repeat the near tragedy that befell Scarlet, demanded to be told the great secret that caused the Lunar to turn on her friends.

And thus two Exalts learned the truth behind the Sins of the First Age.

Having created a great manse with the express purpose of telling Exalts about the curse but protecting them from the limit break it would cause, the rest of the party was made aware of the curse and what they faced. Also the Doctor was told, and from him the party learned what the hypothetical safe essence level is to tell an Exalt without having the Essence increase destroying their body.

Cities of Glass and Emerald
Experience Earned: 58

  • Heir to the Realm (details to be provided by ST)
  • Impostors and the Ring of Saturn (details to be provided by ST)
  • The Daughter of Chiaroscuro (details to be provided by ST)
  • Battle for the Emerald City (details to be provided by ST)

Wayward Scions
Experience Earned: 24

In the aftermath of the attack upon the Emerald City, the Circle moves to recover Mnemia’s children even as Creation comes to a stop in response to an attack on Gaia.

Session Logs:

Other Story Threads Addressed:

  • (pending)

Adventure Logs:

  • (none)

Sisters Discarded
Experience Earned: 35

As the days turn to months as Creation remains frozen, the Circle is drawn into events at Chiaroscuro, discovering an Eye of Autochthon and uncovering the remaining secrets of the 5 discarded Maidens.

Session Logs:

Other Story Threads Addressed:

  • (pending)

Adventure Logs:

A Thousand Suns
Experience Earned: NA

Coming soon